Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
Gram Sabha.– (1) The Gram Sabha shall be the basic unit of local self- Government at the village level to ensure the direct participation of all the citizens of the village in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all economic, social, 39 cultural and environmental development programmes and all central, state and district sector Government schemes implemented in the Gram Panchayat. (2) The functions of Gram Sabha within their respective jurisdiction, shall be to assist the Gram Panchayat and shall also include the following functions namely,- (a) to conduct surveys or participate in rural appraisals to collect essential socio- economic data and assess the needs of residents and their requirements for the development of the village in order to enable the Gram Panchayat to compile and draw up a vision plan; (b) priortise the location of installation of street lights, providing community water taps, public wells, public sanitation units, irrigation facilities and such other public amenity schemes and to identify the deficiencies and suggest the remedial measures and to report the satisfactory completion of the work, after considering the suggestions of the Habitation sabhas; (c) to ensure that all plans are beneficial to all sections of the population especially the vulnerable sections and migrant labour; (d) to approve subject to availability of funds, plans, programmes and projects for social and economic development after considering the needs and suggestions of the Habitation sabhas and Ward Sabhas before such plans, programmes and projects are taken up for implementation by the Gram Panchayat; (e) to generate consolidated proposals by determining the priority of all schemes and development programmes to be implemented in the panchayat area as per the ‘Priority Ranking’ method after considering the needs, recommendations and suggestions of the each of the Habitation sabhas and Ward Sabhas; and (f) to identify and select the most eligible persons from the Panchayat area under beneficiary oriented schemes on the basis of criteria fixed by the Gram Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat, Zilla Panchayat or Government and prepare a list of beneficiaries in the order of priority as per the ‘Priority Ranking’ method after considering the needs, recommendations and suggestions of the Habitation sabhas and Ward Sabhas and send the same to the Gram Panchayat for inclusion in its development plan in the order of priority sent by the Habitation sabhas and Ward Sabhas. Such list shall be binding on the concerned Gram Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat, Zilla Panchayat or Government as the case may be. (3) The Gram Sabha shall support all activities of the Gram Panchayat in implementing the plans and schemes by, – (a) providing voluntary labour and contributions in cash or kind or both for development works and to supervise such development works through volunteer teams; (b) assisting the functionaries of the Gram Panchayat in providing sanitation arrangements in the panchayat area and mobilizing voluntary service to create clean and hygienic environment free from open defecation and in the removal of garbage in the area of the village; (c) promoting programmes of adult education, increasing literacy, family counseling, character building and de-addiction of liquor, narcotic drugs among the youth, adults and senior citizens and education levels within the area of village; (d) ensuring that no traditional, social and religious practices that denigrate the rights, dignity and freedom of any individual, especially women and children from the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes and all weaker sections, are performed in the village; (e) assisting in the activities of school betterment committees, Anganwadis, Mahila Samaja, Youth associations, self-help groups and organisations working for the development of the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes, other backward classes, senior citizens, the differently abled, women, children and youth in the panchayat area; (f) co-ordinating the activities of public health centre’s in the panchayat area, especially in prevention of disease and promotion of family welfare, population control and prevention of cattle diseases and report the incidence of epidemics and natural calamities immediately to the concerned functionaries; 40 (g) persuading members of the Gram Sabha to pay taxes and other dues and repay loans; (4) The Gram Sabha shall, – (a) ensure social justice for all, especially for people of the vulnerable sections of the society to exercise their rights in a free and fair manner and suggest measures to the Gram Panchayat and their elected members or officials of the departments, or both, so that appropriate action is taken to protect them from abuse and exploitation; (b) organize cultural festivals, literary activities and sporting events that promote and nurture local games, athletics, the literature, arts and culture of the area and provide opportunities for the residents to express their talents; and (c) impart awareness among the citizens in matters of public interest such as cleanliness, preservation of the environment and ecology, prevention of public nuisance, pollution and ensure public peace, safety and security of all people within the area of the village; (d) spread awareness on issues of water conservation, preservation of natural surroundings and recycling of bio-degradable waste; (e) promote at village level small and medium industries, businesses and commercial enterprises in discussion with associations of women, youth and senior citizens and provide training and capacity building opportunities for employment and present proposals before the Gram Panchayat; (f) conserve and maintain public properties such as gomaala, pasture lands, tanks, tank beds, ground water, roads, bridges, mines etc., within the area of the Gram Panchayat; (g) promote the revival and growth of folk arts, handicrafts, home industries and cottage industries in the village area; (h) ensure the safety, security and freedom of the residents of the village; (i) be able to safeguard and preserve the traditions and customs of the people, their cultural identity, community resources and the customary mode of dispute resolution; (j) initiate action to prevent discrimination among people on the basis of caste, creed, religion and gender ; and (k) report concerned authorities activities of illegal money lending in the panchayat area and inform the Gram Panchayat for taking necessary action; (5) The Gram Sabha may, – (a) discuss and prepare the budgetary provisions, the details of plan outlay and the subject wise allocation of funds and also the details of the estimate and cost of materials of the works executed or proposed to be executed in the village area in a special meeting of all the Gram Sabhas in the month of October each year; (b) discuss and prepare the annual statement of accounts of the preceding financial year, the last audit report and replies thereto and the panchayat jama-bandi report, action taken, in a special meeting of all the Gram Sabhas in the month of April each year; (6) Gram Sabha may get information from,- (a) the Gram Panchayat on the rationale of every decision of the Gram Panchayat concerning the panchayat area; (b) the Gram Panchayat on the follow up action taken on the decisions of the Gram Sabha; and (c) the officers of the Gram Panchayat as to the services they will render and the works proposed to be done during the next six months after the meeting of the Gram Sabha; (7) The decisions, views, recommendations or suggestions taken at the meetings of the Gram Sabhas shall be communicated to the Gram Panchayat for implementation subject to availability of funds and guidelines issued by the Government. The priorities set by the Gram Sabha normally shall not be changed”.