Panchayat 🌾 Sarpanch 👩‍🌾 Municipality 🏘️ Mayor 🧑‍⚖️ Corporation 🏙️ Chairperson 👩‍💼

Local self-government means people in villages and towns managing their own affairs through elected representatives. In villages, the Gram Panchayat is the local body. It is headed by a Sarpanch, and members are called Panchs. Villagers above 18 years vote to elect them. The Panchayat looks after tasks like making roads, digging wells, providing drinking water, running schools and ensuring cleanliness. Some seats are reserved for women to give them equal participation.

In towns and cities, there are Municipalities for smaller areas and Municipal Corporations for larger cities. The head of a municipality is called the Chairperson, and the head of a corporation is the Mayor. These bodies are divided into wards, and people elect representatives for each ward. They handle responsibilities like street lighting, waste management, drainage, building public parks and hospitals, and collecting taxes.

Local governments help people to take decisions for their own community and solve local problems quickly. They make democracy stronger because people directly participate in governance. Elections are held every five years to choose new representatives. Thus, local self-government is an important foundation of India’s democratic system.

स्थानीय स्वशासन का अर्थ है कि गाँव और शहर के लोग अपने कामकाज स्वयं चुने हुए प्रतिनिधियों के माध्यम से चलाते हैं। गाँवों में ग्राम पंचायत यह कार्य करती है। इसका प्रमुख सरपंच होता है और अन्य सदस्य पंच कहलाते हैं। 18 वर्ष से ऊपर के सभी ग्रामीण वोट देकर इन्हें चुनते हैं। पंचायत गाँव में सड़क, कुएँ खोदना, पीने का पानी, स्कूल चलाना और स्वच्छता जैसे काम करती है। महिलाओं के लिए कुछ सीटें आरक्षित होती हैं ताकि उनकी भागीदारी भी सुनिश्चित हो।

कस्बों और शहरों में नगर पालिका (छोटे शहर) और नगर निगम (बड़े शहर) काम करते हैं। नगर पालिका का प्रमुख चेयरपर्सन और नगर निगम का प्रमुख मेयर कहलाता है। शहर को अलग-अलग वार्डों में बाँटा जाता है और हर वार्ड से प्रतिनिधि चुने जाते हैं। इनके कामों में सड़क, बिजली, सफाई, नाली, पार्क, अस्पताल बनाना और कर एकत्र करना शामिल है।

स्थानीय सरकारें लोगों को अपने समुदाय के लिए निर्णय लेने का अधिकार देती हैं और समस्याओं का समाधान तेजी से होता है। हर पाँच साल में चुनाव होते हैं। इस प्रकार, स्थानीय स्वशासन भारत के लोकतंत्र की मजबूत नींव है।

1) What is local self-government?

It means people of villages and cities manage their local needs by electing representatives.

2) Who is a sarpanch?

The head of a village panchayat, elected by villagers through voting.

3) What is the role of women in Panchayats?

Women get one-third reserved seats and actively take part in decision-making.

4) What is a municipality?

It is the local government body of a small town or city area.

5) What is a municipal corporation?

The governing body of large cities, responsible for public services.

6) Who heads a municipality?

A chairperson elected by members.

7) Who heads a corporation?

The Mayor, elected by the people or councillors.

8) What does Panchayat do?

It builds roads, provides water, maintains schools and cleanliness in villages.

9) How are wards important?

Cities are divided into wards so that representatives can manage each area efficiently.

10) How often are elections held?

Every five years to choose new representatives in local bodies.

1) What is the meaning of local self-government?

It is the management of local areas (villages, towns, cities) by elected representatives of the people themselves.

2) Who is a Sarpanch and how are they chosen?

The Sarpanch is the elected head of the Panchayat, chosen by villagers through voting.

3) What role do women play in Panchayat?

One-third seats are reserved for women, allowing them to participate equally in decisions and development work.

4) Who are the heads of a municipal corporation and municipality?

Municipal Corporation → Mayor, Municipality → Chairperson.

5) What is the work of the municipal corporation?

It provides services like sanitation, drainage, roads, parks, hospitals, street lighting, and water supply.