Block Panchayat

Republic of India This article is part of the series: Politics and Government of India

Union Government Constitution of India Fundamental Rights Executive President Vice President Prime Minister The Cabinet Parliament Rajya Sabha The Chairman  Lok Sabha  The Speaker Judiciary Supreme Court of India Chief Justice of India High Courts District Courts Elections Election Commission Chief Election Commissioner Political Parties National Parties State Parties National Coalitions Left Front National Democratic Alliance (NDA) United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Local & State Govt. Governor State Legislature Vidhan Sabha Vidhan Parishad Panchayat Gram panchayat Panchayat samiti Zilla Parishad

Other countries ·  Politics Portal Government of India Portal

Block panchayat(panchayat samiti) is a local government body at the tehsil or Taluka level in India. It works for the villages of the Tehsil or Taluka that together are called a Development Block. The Panchayat Samiti is the link between the Gram Panchayat and the district administration. There are a number of variations of this institution in various states. It is known as Mandal Praja Parishad in Andhra Pradesh, Taluka panchayat in Gujarat, Mandal Panchayat in Karnataka, etc.In general it's a kind of Panchayati raj at higher level.

Contents 1 Constitution 1.1 Departments 1.2 Functions 2 Sources of income 3 External links

Constitution

It is composed of ex-officio members (all sarpanchas of the panchayat samiti area, the MPs and MLAs of the area and the SDO of the subdivision), coopted members (representatives of SC/ST and women), associate members (a farmer of the area, a representative of the cooperative societies and one of the marketing services) and some elected members.

The samiti is elected for 5 years and is headed by the chairman and the deputy chairman.

Departments

The common departments in the Samiti are as follows:

1. General administration
2. Finance
3. Public work
4. Agriculture
5. Health
6. Education
7. Social welfare
8. Information Technology and others.

There is an officer for every department. A government appointed block development officer is the executive officer to the Samiti and the chief of its administration. Shikha Malik is the current cabinet secretary of Rajya Sabha.

Functions

'#Implement schemes for the development of agriculture.

1. Establishment of primary health centres and primary schools.
2. Supply of drinking water, drainage, construction/repair of roads.
3. Development of cottage and small-scale industries and opening of cooperative societies.
4. Establishment of youth organisations.'

Sources of income

The main source of income of the panchayat samiti are grants-in-aid and loans from the State Government.

(There are 152 block panchayats in Kerala.)

External links

• "PEOPLE'S PERCEPTION OF PANCHAYAT RAJ SYSTEM IN KERALA "
• Government of India Ministry of Panchayati Raj