Chapter II GRAMA SABHA

(1) For the purpose of this chapter, each constituency of village panchayat may be specified as a village under clause (g) of article 243. (2)All persons whose names are included in the electoral rolls relating to a village comprised within the area of a village panchayat shall be deemed to be constituted as Grama Sabha of such village. (3)[ Grama Sabha shall meet at least once in three months at the place fixed by the Village Panchayat and to such meetings, the convenor of the Village Panchayat shall, compulsorily invite the member of the Block Panchayat, the District Panchayat and the Legislative Assembly representing the area of the Grama Sabha. Provided that the Convenor shall, on a request in writing made by not less than ten per cent of the members of any Grama Sabha, convene a special meeting of the Grama Sabha within fifteen days with the agenda given along with the request. Provided further that such special meeting shall be convened only once within the period between two general meetings] (4)The member of a village panchayat representing the constituency comprised in the area of a village shall be the convenor of that Grama Sabha; however due to any reason, physical or otherwise, the convenor is unable to perform his functions as such, the President may appoint a member representing any adjacent constituency as the convenor. (5)Every meeting of the Grama Sabha shall be presided over by the President of the village panchayat or in his absence the vice-president or in the absence of both of them by the convenor of Grama Sabhas. (6)The village panchayat shall place before the Grama Sabha a report relating to the developmental programmes relating to the constituency during the previous year and these that are proposed to by undertaken during the current year, and the expenditure therefore, the annual statement of accounts and the administration report of the preceding year. If in any circumstances, any decision of the grama sabha could not be implemented, the president shall report the reason therefore, before the Grama Sabha. (7)The village panchayats, the block panchayats and the district panchayats shall give due consideration to the recommendations and suggestions, if any, of the Grama Sabha. [ x x x x x x] 3 4 Inserted by Act 13 of 1999.

Omitted by

Act 13 of 1999.

5[3 A Powers, function and rights of the Grama Sabha. - (1) Grama Sabha shall, in such manner and subject to such procedure, as may be prescribed, perform the following powers and functions, namely: - (a)to render assistance in the collection and compilation of details required to formulate development plans of the panchayat; (b)to formulate the proposals and fixing of priority of schemes and development programmes to be implemented in the area of Village Panchayat; (c)to prepare and submit to the Village Panchayat a final list of eligible beneficiaries in the order of priority relating to the beneficiary oriented schemes on the basic of the criteria fixed; (d)to render assistance to implement effectively the development schemes by providing facilities locally required; (e)to provide and mobilise voluntary service and contribution in cash or in kind necessary for the development plans; (f)suggesting the location of street lights, street or community water taps, public wells, public sanitation units, irrigation facilities and such other public utility schemes; (g)to formulate schemes to impart awareness on matters of public interest like cleanliness, environmental protection, pollution control and to give protection against social evils like corruption, illicit and clandestine transactions; (h)to promote harmony and unity among various groups of people within the area of the Grama Sabha and to organise arts and sports festivals to develop goodwill among the people of that locality; (i)to monitor and render assistance to the beneficiary communities engaged in the developmental activities within the area of the Village Panchayat. (j)to verify the eligibility of persons getting various kinds of welfare assistance from the Government such as pensions and subsidies; (k)to collect information regarding the detailed estimates of works proposed to be implemented in the area of the Grama Sabha; (l)to make available details regarding the services to the rendered and the activities proposed to be done by the concerned officials in the succeeding three months; (m)to know the rationale behind every decision taken by the panchayat regarding the area of the Grama Sabha; (n)to know the follow up action taken on the decisions of the Grama Sabha and the detailed reasons for not implementing any of the decisions; (o)to co-operate with the employees of the village panchayats in the sanitation processes and rendering voluntary service for the removal of garbage;

1. (p) to find out the deficiencies in the arrangements for water supply, street lighting etc. within the area of the Grama Sabha and to suggest remedial measures; (q)to assist the activities of parent-teacher associations of the schools within the area of the Grama Sabha; (r)to assist the public health activities especially prevention of diseases and family welfare, within the area of the Grama Sabha. Inserted by Act 13 of 1999.
2. (s) to perform such other functions as may be prescribed from time to time. (2)The Grama Sabha shall, in its ordinary meeting or in the special meeting convened for the purpose; discuss the report referred to in sub-section (6) of section 3 and it shall have the right to known about the budgetary provisions, the details of plan outlay, item wise allocation of funds and details of the estimates and cost of materials of works executed or proposed to be executed within the area of the Grama Sabha. (3)The Audit report of the performance audit report placed for the consideration of the Grama Sabha shall be discussed in the meeting and its views, recommendations and suggestions shall be communicated to the concerned village panchayat. (4)The quorum of the Grama Sabha shall be ten per cent of the number of voters of its area and the procedure for convening and conducting meetings of the Grama Sabha shall be such as may be prescribed. Provided that the quorum of the meting of a Grama Sabha which was adjourned earlier for want of quorum shall be fifty when convened again. (5)The Officers of the Village Panchayats shall attend the meetings of the Grama Sabha as may be required by the President and an officer nominated by the Village Panchayat as

the co-ordinator of the Grama Sabha shall assist the convenor in convening and

conducting the meetings of the Grama Sabha and in recording its decisions in the Minutes Book and also in taking up follow up action thereon. (6)The Grama Sabha may appoint, elect or constitute, general or special sub-committees for the detailed discussions on any issues or programmes and for the effective implementation of the schemes and the decisions and in furtherance of its rights and responsibilities. Provided that such committees shall consist of not less than ten members of whom, not less than half shall be women. (7)Resolutions may be passed on majority basis, in the meetings of the Grama Sabha in respect of any issue with in its jurisdiction, however, effort should be made to take decision on the basis of general consensus as far as possible. (8)When beneficiaries are to be selected according to any scheme, project or plan, the criticism for eligibility and order of priority shall be fixed by the panchayat subject o the terms and conditions prescribed in the scheme, project or plan and such criterion shall be published in the manner prescribed and intimated to the Grama Sabha. (9)The priority list prepared by Grama Panchayat after inviting applications for the selection of beneficiaries and conducting enquiries on the application received, shall be scrutinised at the meeting of the Grama Sabha in which the applicants are also invited and a final list of the deserving beneficiaries, in the order of priority, shall be prepared and sent for the approval of the Grama Panchayats.

Provided that the Village Panchayat shall not change the order of priority in the list sent by the Grama Sabha for approval: 3. B. Responsibilities of Grama Sabha. - (1) The Grama Sabha shall have the following responsibilities namely: - (i)dissemination of information regarding developmental and welfare activities; (ii)participating in and canvassing of programmes of Health and Literacy and such other time bound developmental programmes; (iii)collecting essential socio-economic data; (iv)providing feed back on the performance of development programmes; (v)resort to moral sanction to pay taxes, repayment of loans promote environmental cleanliness and to maintain social harmony; (vi)mobilise local resources to augment resources of the panchayat; (vii)supervising development activities as volunteer teams and (viii)make arrangements for reporting urgently incidence of epidemics, natural calamities, etc. (2)The Grama Sabha shall make periodical reports to the village panchayats in respect of matters specified in a section 3 A.]