Teachers guide students to use and Class 6 Social Science SST Chapter 11 Grassroots Democracy Part 2 Local Government in Rural Areas Question Answer NCERT Solutions for quick learning.

Grassroots Democracy Part 2 Local Government in Rural Areas Class 6 Question Answer Social Science Chapter 11

NCERT Class 6 Social Science SST Chapter 11 Grassroots Democracy Part 2 Local Government in Rural Areas Questions and Answers Solutions

Grassroots Democracy Part 2 Local Government in Rural Areas Class 6 Questions and Answers (In-Text)

The Big Questions? (Page 163)

Question 1.
What are Panchayati Raj institutions?
Answer:
Panchayati Raj Institutions are a local-self democratic government in rural/ village level. They are mainly to solve problems at village -level and enhance the participation of local people in democratic process. The Panchayati Raj Institutions functions at three tiers/levels: villages, block, and district.

• Gram Panchayat—at village level,
• Then Block level—at the block and
• Zila Parishad—at district level.

Question 2.
What are their functions?
Answer:
Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) perform functions related to local governance and development, including:

• Planning and implementation of development schemes: Agriculture, rural housing, and infrastructure.
• Social welfare activities: Education, health, and sanitation.
• Regulation of natural resources: Water management and forest conservation.
• Maintenance of public utilities: Roads, drainage, and street lighting.
• Promotion of local industries: Small-scale and cottage industries.
• Dispute resolution: Handling minor disputes and local issues

Question 3.
Why are they important in governance and democracy?
Answer:
They bring governance closer to people, allowing local decision-making, promoting participation, and addressing specific needs, which strengthens democracy and effective administration.

Let’s Explore

Question 1.
As a class activity, let four or five students form a Bal Panchayat and the rest of the class imagine they are the villagers. What issues will the Gram Sabha discuss? What challenges could it encounter? What solutions will it propose?
Answer:
In the Bal Panchayat activity, students will focus on school issues such as improving facilities, providing clean drinking water, and ensuring students’ safety. Challenges might include inadequate resources, resistance from parents, and difficulties in organising support. Solutions could involve fund raising for infrastructure, engaging with parents, and setting up safety measures to enhance the school’s environment.

Question 2.
What similarities and differences do you notice between the governance system at the Central level and at the Panchayat level? (Hint: refer back to Chapter 10 if required.) (Page 170)
Answer:
Similarities between the governance system at the Central level and at the Panchayat level.

1. The members at the both levels are elected after every five years. Everyone gets an chance to contest election.
2. Both the government works for the welfare of people. They are responsible for providing all kind of services to people, like education, basic and primary, healthcare, drinking water etc.
3. They make policies for the betterment of poorer and disadvantaged section of the societies.

The main difference between them are:

• Central government makes policies for entire nation, while Panchayat makes for one particular panchayat or group of villages.
• Central government has huge resources at their disposal and deals with foreign affairs and security of the entifie nation. Panchayat has limited resources.

Question 3.
If you get an opportunity to meet a few Panchayat members, what questions would you like to ask them? Discuss in small groups to create a questionnaire. Meet some Gram Panchayat members or invite them to your school. Ask them the questions in your questionnaire and write a short report. (Page 170)
Answer:
The questionnaire for Panchayat members could be:

• Who all the members of the Gram panchayat?
• What are the roles and functions of the panchayat members?
• How are trie resources collected for development process?
• Give any recent project completed by the panchayat.
• What challenges were faced in executing the project.
• What are the roles of women members?
• What are the future programmes and policies of the panchayat?
• How are local people in working of the panchayat?
• Who coordinates with government officials?
• How can we become part of the panchayat?

Class 6 SST Grassroots Democracy Part 2 Local Government in Rural Areas Question Answer (Exercise)

Question 1.
Test yourself – without looking at the text above, can you name the three tiers of the Panchayati Raj system? What are the key functions of each of the three tiers?
Answer:
The three tiers of the Panchayati Raj system are:

• Gram Panchayat: Manages local issues like infrastructure and resource management.
• Panchayat Samiti: Connects Gram Panchayats, coordinates development plans, and implements schemes at the block level.
• Zila Parishad: Oversees district-wide development, integrates plans from Panchayat Samitis, and manages large-scale projects.

Question 2.
Write a letter to the Sarpanch regarding the issue of plastic bags lying on the roadside in the milage.
Answer:
To,
The Sarpanch,
Sapta Village Madhya Pradesh
Subject: Request to look into the issue of plastic bags lying on the roadside in the village.

Respected Sarpanch Ji,
I hope this letter finds you in great health and happiness. I am writing this letter to highlight the increasing number of plastic bags lying on the roadside.
The number of plastic bags lying on the roadside has been increasing day by day. It has become a serious threat to health and environmental to people and animals alike. They can also block drainage system. It is important that gram panchayat takes up this issue on urgent basis and finds a better solution of disposal and replacing the plastic bags with ecofriendly cotton and jute bags.
I have full faith in your leadership, that you along with the other members will sort out these issues at the earliest and make our village neat and clean. It will set an example for other villages.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Yours sincerely,
Prayan

Question 3.
In your view, what type of person should be a Gram Panchayat member?
Answer:
In my view a Gram Panchayat member should possess the necessary following qualities

• A good friend to the community who cares about the people and their problems.
• A truthful and fair person who always speaks the truth and is fair to everyone.
• A leader who helps and shows others the way and works together.
• A good listener and speaker who hears what others say and explains things clearly.
• A kind and caring person who thinks about how others feel and helps those in need.
• A dreamer who thinks about what the community needs in the future.
• A team player who works together with others for the community’s good.
• Someone who takes responsibility for their actions and decisions.
• Someone who loves to help and wants to make the community a better place.
• Someone who understands local rules and ways to help the community.

Question 4.
Let us suppose that you study in a village school. The school is located next to a highway and students find it difficult to cross the road when they come to school or leave at the end of the day. What are the options to solve this issue? Which institutions in the Panchayati Raj can help you? What can the students do?
Answer:
If our village school is located next to a highway, making it difficult for students to cross the road safely, some of the options that can be taken to solve the issue are as follows

• Pedestrian crossing or Zebra crossing Paint a zebra crossing or install a pedestrian crossing signal to alert drivers to slow down.
• Speed bump or speed breaker Install speed bumps or speed breakers to reduce vehicle speed near the school.
• School crossing guard Appoint a school crossing guard or a traffic volunteer to help students cross the road safely.
• Footbridge or Overpass Construct a footbridge or overpass for students to cross the highway safely.
• Alternate route Identify an alternate route for students to reach school, avoiding the highway.
  Institutions in Panchayati Raj that can help are
• Gram Panchayat The local village council can take up the issue and work with other authorities to implement a solution.
• Panchayat Samiti The block-level council can provide guidance and support to the Gram Panchayat.
• Zila Parishad The district-level council can allocate funds and resources for infrastructure development, such as footbridges or speed breakers.

The students can do the following

• Raise awareness Organise awareness campaigns to educate drivers about the importance of slowing down near schools.
• Petition Create a petition signed by students, parents, and teachers to submit to the Gram Panchayat or other authorities.
• Meet with authorities Meet with Gram Panchayat members, Panchayat Samiti officials, or Zila Parishad representatives to discuss the issue and potential solutions.
• Participate in safety initiatives Participate in safety initiatives, such as painting zebra crossings or installing speed breakers, under the guidance of authorities.
• By working together, students, schools and Panchayati Raj institutions can find a solution to ensure safe crossing for students.

Actions Students Can Take:
We can create and submit a petition to the Gram
Panchayat highlighting the issue and organize awareness campaigns to inform the community and local authorities. We encourage participation in Gram Sabha meetings to voice our concerns and at the same time work with the teachers and parents to advocate for solutions.