NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Social Science Civics Chapter 5 — Panchayati Raj

How to Use This Page

This page provides complete, exam-ready NCERT solutions for CBSE Class 6 Social Science (Civics) Chapter 5 — Panchayati Raj. Work through the sections in order:

1. Key Concepts — Quick-reference definitions you must know. 2. Intext Questions — Questions that appear inside the NCERT textbook, answered step by step. 3. Chapter-End Exercise Questions — Full solutions to the end-of-chapter exercises. 4. MCQ Practice — Multiple-choice questions to test your recall. 5. Common Mistakes to Avoid — Frequent exam errors and how to prevent them. 6. Exam Checklist — Final revision points before you walk into the exam hall.

Key Concepts

Intext Questions

Question 1 (Page 52)

What problem did the villagers in Hardas village face?

The villagers of Hardas village faced a severe water shortage problem. The hand pump in the village had been out of order for a long time, and there was no other reliable source of clean drinking water. Women had to walk long distances to fetch water. The issue was so serious that the Gram Sabha meeting was called specifically to discuss the water crisis, and the villagers demanded that the Gram Panchayat take immediate steps to repair the hand pump and arrange for alternative water supply.

Question 2 (Page 53)

Why was the first day of the Gram Sabha session special for the women of Hardas village?

The first day of the Gram Sabha session was special for the women of Hardas village because it was the first time that women participated actively and raised their voices in the Gram Sabha meeting. Women spoke about the water problem and demanded action. Earlier, women had not been actively involved in the Gram Sabha discussions. Their participation on this day showed that women were becoming aware of their rights and were ready to hold the Gram Panchayat accountable for its work.

Question 3 (Page 55)

What is the difference between a Gram Sabha and a Gram Panchayat?

In simple terms, the Gram Sabha is the body of all voters who watch over the Gram Panchayat, while the Gram Panchayat is the elected council that does the actual work of governing the village.

Question 4 (Page 56)

What are the main functions of the Gram Panchayat?

The main functions of the Gram Panchayat are:

1. Water Supply — Ensuring clean and adequate drinking water for all villagers. This includes installing and maintaining hand pumps, wells, and piped water systems. 2. Sanitation — Keeping the village clean, constructing and maintaining drains, and arranging for garbage disposal. 3. Street Lights — Installing and maintaining street lights on village roads. 4. Road Maintenance — Constructing and repairing village roads and pathways. 5. Public Health — Running health centres, organising vaccination drives, and ensuring basic healthcare facilities. 6. Education — Maintaining primary schools and promoting literacy. 7. Collection of Taxes — Collecting taxes on houses, shops, water usage, and other services as approved by the Gram Sabha. 8. Implementation of Government Schemes — Carrying out central and state government development programmes such as MGNREGA, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and housing schemes.

Question 5 (Page 58)

What is the role of the Panchayat Samiti?

The Panchayat Samiti works at the block level and has the following roles:

• It coordinates the activities of all the Gram Panchayats within its block.
• It receives funds from the Zila Parishad and distributes them to the Gram Panchayats.
• It prepares development plans for the entire block, covering areas like education, health, agriculture, and infrastructure.
• It supervises the work of the Gram Panchayats and ensures that government schemes are properly implemented.
• The Block Development Officer (BDO) is the official who implements the decisions of the Panchayat Samiti.

Chapter-End Exercise Questions

Exercise Question 1

What problem did the villagers in Hardas village face? What did they do to solve it?

The villagers of Hardas village faced an acute shortage of drinking water. The village hand pump had broken down and had not been repaired for a long time. As a result, women had to walk considerable distances to fetch water for their daily needs.

What the villagers did to solve it:

1. They raised the issue in the Gram Sabha meeting, where women especially spoke about the hardships they faced. 2. The Gram Sabha pressurised the Gram Panchayat to take immediate action. 3. The Gram Panchayat arranged for the repair of the broken hand pump. 4. The Panchayat also decided to construct new water supply systems to ensure a long-term solution. 5. The villagers discussed the possibility of water conservation and watershed development programmes to prevent future water crises.

This shows how the Gram Sabha acts as a platform where ordinary villagers can hold their elected representatives accountable and demand solutions to local problems.

Exercise Question 2

What, in your opinion, is the importance of the Gram Sabha? Do you think the Gram Sabha is effective? Give reasons for your answer.

The Gram Sabha is extremely important for the following reasons:

1. Democratic Participation — It provides a platform where every adult in the village can participate in governance. This is the foundation of grassroots democracy. 2. Accountability — The Gram Sabha ensures that the Gram Panchayat is answerable to the people. The Panchayat must present its budget and progress reports to the Gram Sabha. 3. Transparency — By discussing plans, budgets, and development work openly, the Gram Sabha prevents corruption and misuse of funds. 4. Expression of Needs — Villagers can raise problems like water shortage, road conditions, or sanitation issues directly before their representatives. 5. Approval Function — No major decision of the Gram Panchayat can be implemented without the approval of the Gram Sabha.

Is the Gram Sabha effective?

The effectiveness of the Gram Sabha depends on several factors:

• Where people actively participate, attend meetings, and ask questions, the Gram Sabha is very effective in ensuring good governance.
• Where participation is low, especially among women and marginalised groups, the Gram Sabha may become a mere formality and the Gram Panchayat may function without real accountability.

In conclusion, the Gram Sabha is a powerful institution in principle, but its actual effectiveness depends on the level of people's awareness and participation.

Exercise Question 3

What is the link between a Gram Sabha and a Gram Panchayat?

The Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat are closely linked in the following ways:

1. Supervisory Relationship — The Gram Sabha supervises and controls the Gram Panchayat. The Panchayat must present its budget, plans, and progress reports to the Gram Sabha for approval. 2. Electoral Relationship — The members of the Gram Panchayat (the Panchs and the Sarpanch) are elected by the members of the Gram Sabha. Only registered voters in the village can contest and vote in Panchayat elections. 3. Accountability — The Gram Panchayat is answerable to the Gram Sabha. If the Panchayat fails to deliver on its promises, the Gram Sabha can question it and demand action. 4. Approval of Plans — Development plans prepared by the Gram Panchayat must be approved by the Gram Sabha before they can be implemented. 5. Feedback Mechanism — The Gram Sabha provides a forum where villagers can give feedback about the quality of services provided by the Gram Panchayat.

In essence, the Gram Sabha is the watchful eye over the Gram Panchayat, while the Gram Panchayat is the working hand that carries out governance tasks.

Exercise Question 4

Describe the three tiers of the Panchayati Raj system.

The Panchayati Raj system has three tiers (levels) of local self-government in rural India:

Exercise Question 5

What are the sources of funds for the Gram Panchayat?

The Gram Panchayat receives funds from the following sources:

1. Local Taxes — The Gram Panchayat collects taxes on houses, shops, water usage, and other services within the village. These are called property taxes, water taxes, and octroi. 2. Grants from the State Government — The state government provides financial grants to Gram Panchayats for implementing development schemes and maintaining basic services. 3. Funds from the Zila Parishad — The Zila Parishad allocates funds to Panchayat Samitis, which in turn distribute them to Gram Panchayats. 4. Central Government Schemes — Gram Panchayats receive funds through central government programmes such as MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (housing), and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (sanitation). 5. Donations and Other Sources — Occasionally, Gram Panchayats may receive donations or income from common property resources like village ponds, grazing lands, or markets.

These funds are used for water supply, sanitation, roads, street lights, health centres, schools, and other essential services in the village.

MCQ Practice (Exam-Oriented)

Choose the correct option for each question.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Confusing Gram Sabha with Gram Panchayat — The Gram Sabha includes all adult voters, while the Gram Panchayat includes only the elected representatives. The Gram Sabha supervises; the Gram Panchayat governs. Do not use these terms interchangeably.

2. Mixing up the three tiers — Remember the order: Village (Gram Panchayat) → Block (Panchayat Samiti) → District (Zila Parishad). Students often swap Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad. Use the mnemonic "V-B-D: Village-Block-District" to remember.

3. Writing that the Sarpanch is the head of the Panchayat Samiti — The Sarpanch heads the Gram Panchayat at the village level. The Panchayat Samiti is headed by a Pramukh/Chairman, and the Zila Parishad is headed by a Chairperson.

4. Saying the Gram Sabha "implements" plans — The Gram Sabha does not implement plans; it only approves and supervises them. Implementation is the job of the Gram Panchayat.

5. Forgetting that Panchayati Raj applies only to rural areas — The Panchayati Raj system is for rural local governance. Urban areas have a different system — Municipalities (Nagar Palikas). Do not confuse the two.

6. Omitting the role of the BDO — The Block Development Officer is a key official at the block level. Many students forget to mention the BDO when describing the Panchayat Samiti.

7. Incomplete answers on "sources of income" — When asked about sources of funds, mention both local taxes AND government grants. Writing only one of these gives an incomplete answer and loses marks.

Exam Checklist

Before your exam, make sure you can answer yes to every item below:

• [ ] I can define Panchayati Raj and name all three tiers correctly with their levels.
• [ ] I can explain the difference between Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat with at least 3 points.
• [ ] I can list at least 5 functions of the Gram Panchayat (water, sanitation, street lights, roads, health/education).
• [ ] I can describe the role of the Sarpanch as the elected head of the Gram Panchayat.
• [ ] I can explain what the Panchayat Samiti does at the block level and the role of the BDO.
• [ ] I can explain what the Zila Parishad does at the district level.
• [ ] I can state how many times the Gram Sabha must meet each year (at least twice).
• [ ] I can list the sources of income for the Gram Panchayat (local taxes + government grants).
• [ ] I can explain the Hardas village water problem and how the Gram Sabha addressed it.
• [ ] I can identify that Panchayati Raj is for rural areas and Municipalities are for urban areas.
• [ ] I can define the term Ward and explain how Ward Members (Panchs) are elected.
• [ ] I can write a short note on why the Gram Sabha is important for democratic participation and accountability.

Quick Revision Table

Tip for exams: Always support your answers with specific examples from the NCERT textbook, such as the Hardas village water crisis. Examiners reward answers that reference the chapter's case studies and illustrations.