The NCERT Class 11 Political Science Chapter 8: Local Government from the Indian Constitution at Work textbook explores the structure, significance, and functioning of local governance in India. It covers the constitutional provisions for local self-government, the 73rd and 74th Amendments, the role of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and challenges in decentralised governance. This section provides detailed solutions to the chapter’s exercise questions, offering clear explanations to help students understand the workings of local government and prepare effectively for exams.
Table of Contents
Explore Notes of Class 11 Political Science: Indian Constitution at Work
NCERT Solutions Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work Chapter 8: Local Government
This section provides clear solutions for Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work Chapter 8: Local Government. The detailed explanations below help students understand the subject thoroughly.
Exercise
1. Constitution of India visualised village panchayats as units of self-government. Think over the situation described in the following statements and explain how do these situations strengthen or weaken the panchayats in becoming units of self-government.
a. Government of a State has allowed a big company to establish a huge steel plant. Many villages would be adversely affected by the steel plant. Gram Sabha of one of the affected villages passed a resolution that before establishing any big industries in the region, village people must be consulted and their grievances should be redressed.
b. The government has decided that 20 % of all its expenditure would be done through the panchayats.
c. A village panchayat kept on demanding funds for a building for village school, the government officials turned down their proposal saying that funds are allocated for certain other schemes and cannot be spent otherwise.
d. The government divided a village Dungarpur into two and made a part of village Jamuna and Sohana. Now village Dungarpur has ceased to exist in government’s books.
e. A village panchayat observed that water sources of their region are depleting fast. They decided to mobilise village youth to do some voluntary work and revive the old village ponds and wells.
2. Suppose you are entrusted to evolve a local government plan of a State, what powers would you endow to the village panchayats to function as units of self-government? Mention any five powers and the justification in two lines for each of them for giving those powers.
3. What are the provisions for the reservations for the socially disadvantaged groups as per the 73rd amendment? Explain how these provisions have changed the profile of the leadership at the village level.
4. What were the main differences between the local governments before 73rd amendment and after that amendment?
5. Read the following conversation. Write in two hundred words your opinion about the issues raised in this conversation.
Alok: Our Constitution guarantees equality between men and women. Reservations in local bodies for women ensure their equal share in power.
Neha: But it is not enough that women should be in positions of power. It is necessary that the budget of local bodies should have separate provision for women.
Jayesh: I don’t like this reservations business. A local body must take care of all people in the village and that would automatically take care of women and their interests.
6. Read the provisions of the 73rd Amendment. Which of the following concerns does this amendment address?
a. Fear of replacement makes representatives accountable to the people.
b. The dominant castes and feudal landlords dominate the local bodies.
c. Rural illiteracy is very high. Illiterate people cannot take decisions about the development of the village.
d. To be effective the village panchayats need resources and powers to make plans for the village development.
7. The following are different justifications given in favour of local government. Give them ranking and explain why you attach greater significance to a particular rationale than the others. According to you, on which of these rationales the decision of the Gram panchayat of Vengaivasal village was based? How?
a. Government can complete the projects with lesser cost with the involvement of the local community.
b. The development plans made by the local people will have greater acceptability than those made by the government officers.
c. People know their area, needs problems and priorities. By collective participation they should discuss and take decisions about their life.
d. It is difficult for the common people to contact their representatives of the State or the national legislature 194
8. Which of the following according to you involve decentralisation? Why are other options not sufficient for decentralisation?
a. To hold election of the Gram Panchayat.
b. Decision by the villagers themselves about what policies and programmes are useful for the village.
c. Power to call meeting of Gram Sabha.
d. A Gram Panchayat receiving the report from the Block Development Officer about the progress of a project started by the State government.
9. A student of Delhi University, Raghavendra Parpanna, wanted to study the role of decentralisation in decision making about primary education. He asked some questions to the villagers. These questions are given below. If you were among those villagers, what answer
would you give to each of these questions?
A meeting of the Gram Sabha is to be called to discuss what steps should be taken to ensure that every child of the village goes to the school.
a. How would you decide the suitable day for the meeting? Think who would be able to attend / not attend the meeting because of your choice.
(i) A day specified by the BDO or the collector
(ii) Day of the village haat
(iii) Sunday
(iv) Naag panchami / sankranti
b. What is a suitable venue for the meeting? Why?
(i) Venue suggested by the circular of the district collector.
(ii) Religious place in the village.
(iii) Dalit Mohalla.
(iv) Upper caste Tola
(v) Village school
c. In the Gram Sabha meeting firstly a circular sent by the district collector was read. It suggested what steps should be taken to organise an education rally and what should be its route. The meeting did not discuss about the children who never come to school or about girls’ education, or the condition of the school building and the timing of the school. No women teacher attended the meeting as it was held on Sunday.
What do you think about these proceedings as an instance of people’s participation?
d. Imagine your class as the Gram Sabha. Discuss the agenda of the meeting and suggest some steps to realise the goal.
Also Read:
- NCERT Notes Class 11 Political Science Indian Constitution at Work Chapter 3: Election and Representation (Free PDF)
- NCERT Notes Class 11 Political Science: Political Theory Chapter 7: Nationalism (Free PDF)
Solutions:
1. Below are the situations and their impact on village panchayats as units of self-government
a. Strengthens: The Gram Sabha’s resolution to consult villagers and address grievances before establishing the steel plant reflects the essence of self-government. It empowers the panchayat to assert local interests, ensuring participatory decision-making as envisaged in the 73rd Amendment.
b. Strengthens: Allocating 20% of state expenditure through panchayats enhances their financial autonomy. This enables them to implement local development plans, reinforcing their role as self-governing units with greater control over resources.
c. Weakens: The rejection of the panchayat’s demand for school building funds due to rigid state schemes limits their autonomy. It restricts their ability to address local priorities, undermining the principle of self-governance.
d. Weakens: Dividing Dungarpur village and erasing its administrative existence disregards the panchayat’s identity and authority. This centralised decision-making reduces the panchayat’s role as a self-governing unit.
e. Strengthens: The panchayat’s initiative to mobilise youth for reviving water sources demonstrates local leadership and community participation. This aligns with self-government by addressing local needs independently, as envisioned in the Constitution.
2. The powers for village panchayats as units of self-government are:
- Planning and Implementation of Development Projects: Enables panchayats to address local needs like education and sanitation, ensuring relevance and community involvement.
- Financial Autonomy: Allows raising local taxes and managing budgets, reducing dependence on state funds for effective self-governance.
- Control over Local Resources: Empowers panchayats to manage assets like water bodies, ensuring sustainable local development.
- Authority to Enforce Local Regulations: Enables enforcement of rules on health and sanitation, ensuring accountability and local governance.
- Conducting Gram Sabha Meetings: Ensures participatory decision-making, giving villagers a direct voice in governance as per the 73rd Amendment.
3. The 73rd Amendment mandates reservations for socially disadvantaged groups in panchayats: one-third of seats for women, and seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) proportional to their population, with some states extending reservations to Other Backward Classes (OBCs). These provisions have transformed village leadership by ensuring representation of marginalised groups. Women, previously underrepresented, now hold positions as sarpanchs, enhancing gender inclusivity. SC/ST members bring issues like caste discrimination to the forefront, diversifying leadership perspectives. This has shifted power from dominant castes to a broader social base, fostering inclusive decision-making, though challenges like proxy representation persist.
4. Differences between local governments before and after the 73rd Amendment are:
- Constitutional Status: Before, local governments lacked constitutional backing; after, the 73rd Amendment (Articles 243-243O) granted them constitutional status.
- Structure: Earlier, local bodies were ad hoc; post-amendment, a uniform three-tier Panchayati Raj system (village, block, district) was established.
- Elections: Pre-amendment, elections were irregular; now, regular elections every five years are mandated.
- Reservations: Before, there were no mandatory reservations; after, reservations for women, SCs, and STs ensure inclusive representation.
- Powers and Functions: Earlier, powers were limited and state-dependent; post-amendment, the 11th Schedule lists 29 subjects for panchayats, enhancing autonomy.
5. Alok’s point about women’s reservations in local bodies aligns with the 73rd Amendment’s goal of ensuring gender equality in governance, empowering women through one-third seat reservations. Neha’s demand for a separate budget for women highlights the need for financial resources to address gender-specific issues like health and education, as reservations alone may not ensure effective empowerment without funds. Jayesh’s view that local bodies should automatically address all interests overlooks systemic inequalities, as women and marginalised groups often require targeted measures to ensure their concerns are prioritised. While Jayesh’s ideal of inclusive governance is valid, reservations and dedicated budgets are practical steps to achieve it, given historical exclusions. The conversation underscores the tension between universal governance and targeted interventions. Reservations have increased women’s participation, but without adequate resources, their impact remains limited. A balanced approach—combining reservations, financial provisions, and inclusive planning—would strengthen local governance, ensuring equality while addressing diverse needs effectively.
6. Concerns addressed by the 73rd Amendment is Option d: To be effective, village panchayats need resources and powers to make plans for village development.
The 73rd Amendment addresses this by listing 29 subjects in the 11th Schedule, granting panchayats authority over local development, and mandating State Finance Commissions to ensure financial resources, enabling effective self-governance.
7. Ranking of justifications for local government and Vengaivasal’s rationale are given below:
- Rank 1: c. People know their area, needs, problems, and priorities.
Significance: Local knowledge ensures relevant development plans, fostering ownership and effective governance, as it reflects grassroots priorities. - Rank 2: b. Development plans made by local people will have greater acceptability.
Significance: Community-driven plans gain trust, reducing resistance and ensuring implementation, unlike top-down approaches. - Rank 3: a. Government can complete projects with lesser cost with local community involvement.
Significance: Local participation reduces costs through voluntary efforts and efficient resource use, though secondary to relevance. - Rank 4: d. It is difficult for common people to contact state or national representatives.
Significance: Local bodies bridge this gap, but this is less critical than participatory planning.
Vengaivasal’s rationale: The Gram Panchayat of Vengaivasal likely based its decision on rationale c, as their initiative to desilt a lake reflects local knowledge of water scarcity issues, prioritising community-driven solutions to address specific village needs.
8. Option b: Decision by the villagers themselves about what policies and programmes are useful for the village.
This involves decentralisation, as it empowers villagers to make decisions, aligning with the 73rd Amendment’s goal of participatory self-governance.
Other options are not sufficient for decentralisation as:
Option a: Elections are a mechanism, not decision-making power.
Option c: Calling Gram Sabha meetings enables participation but doesn’t ensure decision-making authority.
Option d: Receiving reports from the Block Development Officer reflects top-down communication, not local autonomy.
9. a. Suitable day for the meeting will be Option iii: Sunday.
Reason: Sunday is a non-working day, allowing most villagers, including farmers and workers, to attend.
b. Suitable venue for the meeting will be Option v: Village school.
Reason: The school is a neutral, accessible public space, encouraging inclusive participation across castes and communities.
c. The proceedings reflect limited people’s participation. The meeting’s agenda, dictated by the district collector’s circular, ignored critical local issues like girls’ education, school conditions, and dropouts. Holding it on Sunday excluded women teachers, reducing gender diversity. True participation requires villagers to set the agenda, discuss local priorities, and ensure inclusivity, as envisioned in the 73rd Amendment. This top-down approach undermines decentralised decision-making.
d. Agenda: Ensure every child attends school.
The steps that you can take:
- Conduct a survey to identify out-of-school children and the reasons (e.g., poverty, distance).
- Organise awareness campaigns on the importance, targeting parents.
- Improve school infrastructure (e.g., toilets, water) to retain students, especially girls.
- Coordinate with NGOs for scholarships or mid-day meals to address economic barriers.
- Hold regular Gram Sabha meetings to monitor progress and involve women and marginalised groups.
Download PDF for NCERT Solutions Class 11 Political Science Indian Constitution at Work Chapter 8: Local Government
You can download the NCERT solutions for Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work Chapter 8: Local Government. We have provided the free PDF for students below.
Also Read:
- NCERT Solutions Class 11 Political Science: Political Theory Chapter 7 Nationalism (Free PDF)
- NCERT Class 11 Political Science Chapter 6: Citizenship Notes (Free PDF)
Download the Solutions of Other Chapters of Class 11 Political Science: Indian Constitution at Work
Related Reads
For more topics, follow LeverageEdu NCERT Study Material today!