Thirukkural

  • mfu Kjy vOj;njy;yhk; Mjp gftd; Kjw;Nw cyF
Chief Minister "ஒருவர் வெளிநாடுகளுக்குச் சென்று ஒரு கிராமத்தைப் பார்த்தால், அங்கே நகரத்துக்கும் கிராமத்துக்கும் வித்தியாசம் தெரியாத அளவிற்கு கிராமங்களிலே அழகான வீடுகள், தெருக்கள், கடைகள்,உணவு விடுதிகள்,தங்குமிடங்கள்,இரயிலடிகள், பேருந்து நிலையங்கள், சாலைகள் இத்தனையும் நகரத்திற்கு நிகராக கிராமங்களில் இருக்கிறது. அதனால் கிராமத்து மக்கள் நகரத்துக்கு செல்ல வேண்டும், அங்கே குடியேற வேண்டும் என்ற ஆசையால் தூண்டப்படுவதில்லை. அதனால் நகரங்களில் நெருக்கடி ஏற்படுவதில்லை. கிராமங்களே நகரத்தைப் போல உருவாகும் பொழுது, கிராம மக்களுக்கு நகர வாழ்க்கை தேவையில்லாமல் போய்விடுகிறது.”

- கலைஞர் மு.கருணாநிதி,
மாண்புமிகு தமிழ்நாடு முதலமைச்சர்
Gram Panchayat
Gram panchayats are local governments at the village or Small Town level in India. As per 2002 there were about 265,000 gram panchayats in India. The gram panchayat is the foundation of the Panchayat System. A gram panchayat can be set up in villages with minimum population of 500. Sometimes two or more villages are clubbed together to form group-gram panchayat when the population of the individual villages is less than 500.
Election
Members of the Gram Panchayat or Gram Nyayalaya are elected directly by the village people on the basis of adult franchise by the Gram sabha which comprises the adult mass of the village, for a term of five years. A candidate contesting in this election must be 21 years old. The minimum number of members elected is 7 and the maximum is 17. Some of the seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women. A person is eligible for election if she/he does not have more than 2 children.
Sarpanch / Chairperson

The Sarpanch or Chairperson is the head of the Gram Panchayat. The elected members of the Gram Panchayat elect from among themselves a Sarpanch and a Deputy Sarpanch for a term of five years. In some places the panchayat president is directly elected by village people. The Sarpanch presides over the meetings of the Gram Panchayat and supervises its working. He implements the development schemes of the village. The Deputy Sarpanch, who has the power to make his own decisions, assists the Sarpanch in his work.

The Sarpanch has the responsibilities of

  • Looking after street lights, construction and repair work of the roads in the villages and also the village markets, fairs, festivals and celebrations.
  • Keeping a record of births, deaths and marriages in the village.
  • Looking after public health and hygiene by providing facilities for sanitation and drinking water. Providing for education.
  • Implementing development schemes for agriculture and animal husbandry.
Sources of Income
The main source of income of the Gram Panchayat is the property tax levied on the buildings and the open spaces within the village. Other sources of income include professional tax, taxes on pilgrimage, animal trade, grant received from the State Government in proportion of land revenue and the grants received from the Zilla Parishad.