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Gram Panchayats are local government bodies at the village level in India. According to T R Raghunandan, Secretary of Rural Development and Panchayat in the Raj Department, Government of Karnataka, as of 2002 there were 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 a population of more than five hundred. There is a common Gram Panchayat for two or more villages if the population of these villages is less than five hundred. It is called Group-Gram Panchayat.

Contents 1 Election 2 Sarpanch 3 Gram Sevak 4 Functions 5 Sources of Income 6 Gram Sabha 7 References 8 Sources

Members of the Gram Panchayat are elected directly by the village people on the basis of adult franchise, for a term of five years. A candidate contesting this election must have completed 21 years of age. 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.

The Sarpanch 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 place panchayat president are 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 assists him in his work.

A Government servant called Gram Sevak is appointed to work as the Secretary to the Gram Panchayat. He prepares the budget, maintains the record of the Gram Panchayat and also advises the village in matters of health, farming, village development and education. He informs the people about the different development schemes of the government.

1. Look after street lights, construction and repair work of the roads in the villages and also the village markets, fairs, festivals and celebrations.
2. Keep a record of birth, deaths and marriages in the village.
3. Look after public health and hygiene by providing facilities for sanitation and drinking water.
4. Provide for education.
5. Implement development schemes for agriculture and animal husbandry.

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.

All men and women in the village who are above 18 years of age form the Gram Sabha. The Gram Sabha meets twice a year. Meetings of the Gram Sabha are convened to ensure the development of the people through their participation and mutual co-operation. The annual budget and the development schemes for the village are placed before the Gram Sabha for consideration and approval. The Sarpanch and his assistants answer the questions put by the people. The different problems and difficulties of the people are also discussed in the Gram Sabha.

• Subramaniam Vincent. "Ugly duckling to swan", India Together, 2002-02-28.

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