Local self-government is a system that allows people in a particular area, such as a village, town, or city, to manage their own affairs. In Uttar Pradesh, the local self-government is divided into two parts: Urban Local Government and Rural Local Government, also known as the Panchayati Raj system. Both of these play a crucial role in the governance of the state.
Panchayati Raj System in Uttar Pradesh
Panchayati Raj refers to the rural local government system in Uttar Pradesh. Here’s a brief overview of its history and structure:
- Establishment: The Panchayati Raj system in Uttar Pradesh was established on 15th August 1947 with the passing of the Uttar Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act, 1947.
- Constitutional Status: The system was given constitutional status through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992.
- Three-Tier System: It consists of three levels:
- Village Panchayat (Gram Panchayat): The lowest level.
- Block Panchayat (Kshetra Panchayat): The middle level.
- District Panchayat (Zila Parishad): The top level.
This structure is based on the recommendations of the Balwantrai Mehta Committee, which were implemented by the Uttar Pradesh Government in 1961-62.
READ MORE – JUDICIARY OF UTTAR PRADESH
District Panchayat (Zila Parishad)
- Role: It is the highest body in the three-tier system.
- Leadership: The Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson are elected by the members of the District Panchayat.
- Committees: There are six committees within the District Panchayat, focusing on areas like administration, planning, education, construction, health, and water management.
Block Panchayat (Kshetra Panchayat)
- Role: It is the middle level of the Panchayati Raj system.
- Leadership: The Chairperson is elected by the members of the Kshetra Panchayat, who are chosen by the Gram Sabha (village assembly).
Village Panchayat (Gram Panchayat)
- Role: It is the lowest level in the system.
- Leadership: The Sarpanch (Gram Pradhan) is directly elected by the village residents who are 18 years or older.
- Responsibilities: The main job of the Gram Panchayat is to look after the basic needs of the village, under the guidance of the Sarpanch.
Urban Local Bodies in Uttar Pradesh
Urban areas in Uttar Pradesh are governed by Urban Local Bodies, which are categorized based on population size:
1. Municipal Corporation (Nagar Nigam)
- Population: More than 5 lakhs.
- Leadership: Led by a Mayor, elected for 5 years, and a Deputy Mayor, elected for 1 year.
- Committees: The Municipal Corporation forms several committees to manage various aspects of urban governance.
2. Municipal Council (Nagar Palika)
- Population: Between 1 lakh and 5 lakhs.
- Leadership: The Chairman or President is directly elected by the people.
3. Nagar Panchayat
- Population: Between 15,000 and 1 lakh.
- Leadership: The Chairman and ward members are elected to manage the affairs of smaller urban areas.
e-District Project
The e-District Project was launched in January 2009 to provide essential government services online in a transparent and efficient manner. Uttar Pradesh was the first state in India to implement this project successfully across six districts, and by 2010, it was expanded to cover the entire state.
Key Points to Remember:
- The three-tier Panchayati Raj System includes Village Panchayat, Block Panchayat, and District Panchayat.
- Urban Local Bodies are divided into Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, and Nagar Panchayats based on the population.
- The e-District Project is an important initiative to make government services more accessible to citizens.
Famous Political Personalities of Uttar Pradesh
Gopal Swarup Pathak
- Born: 26th February 1896, Bareilly
- Roles: Fourth Vice-President of India, Governor of Karnataka
- Tenure:
- Vice-President of India: 31st August 1969 – 30th August 1974
- Governor of Karnataka: 13th May 1967 – 31st August 1969
Chaudhary Charan Singh
- Born: 23rd December 1902, Noorpur, Meerut district
- Roles: Fifth Prime Minister of India, Champion of India’s Farmers
- Tenure: Prime Minister of India: 28th July 1979 – 14th January 1980
- Notable Acts: Opposed Jawaharlal Nehru’s Soviet-style economic reforms
Indira Gandhi
- Born: 19th November 1917, Allahabad
- Roles: Central figure of the Indian National Congress, Only female Prime Minister of India
- Tenure: Prime Minister of India: 1966-1977, 1980-1984
- Achievements: Led India to victory in the Bangladesh Liberation War (1971), Awarded Bharat Ratna in 1971
Chandra Shekhar Singh
- Born: 1st July 1927, Ballia district
- Roles: 8th Prime Minister of India, Member of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha
- Tenure: Prime Minister of India: 10th November 1990 – 21st June 1991
- Education: MA degree from Allahabad University
Ram Naresh Yadav
- Born: 1st July 1927, Azamgarh district
- Roles: 10th Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Governor of Madhya Pradesh
- Tenure:
- Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: 23rd June 1977 – 27th February 1979
- Governor of Madhya Pradesh: 26th August 2011 – 7th September 2016
Vishwanath Pratap Singh
- Born: 25th June 1931, Allahabad (Prayagraj)
- Roles: 12th Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, 7th Prime Minister of India, Minister of Commerce and Finance
- Tenure:
- Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: 9th June 1980 – 18th July 1982
- Prime Minister of India: 2nd December 1989 – 10th November 1990
Kalyan Singh
- Born: 5th January 1932, Aligarh district
- Roles: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Governor of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh
- Tenure:
- Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: Two terms
- Governor of Rajasthan: 26th August 2014
- Governor of Himachal Pradesh: 28th January 2015 – 12th August 2015
Janeshwar Mishra
- Born: 5th August 1933, Ballia district
- Nickname: Chhote Lohia
- Roles: Member of Parliament, served in multiple Indian governments
- Political Start: 1967
- Death: 22nd January 2010
Mulayam Singh Yadav
- Born: 21st November 1939, Saifai village, Etawah district
- Roles: Founder of Samajwadi Party, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
- Tenure: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: Three terms
- Notable Work: ‘Mulayam Singh: A Political Biography’ by Ram Singh and Anshuman Yadav
Ram Nath Kovind
- Born: 1st October 1945, Derapur Tehsil, Kanpur district
- Roles: 14th President of India, Governor of Bihar
- Tenure:
- Governor of Bihar: 2015-2017
- President of India: 25th July 2017
Satyapal Malik
- Born: 24th July 1946, Hisawada village, Baghpat district
- Roles: Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Member of Parliament
- Tenure:
- Governor of Bihar: Before becoming Governor of Jammu and Kashmir
- Member of Parliament: Two times from Aligarh Constituency (1980-1989, 1989-1991)
Rajnath Singh
- Born: 10th July 1951, Varanasi
- Roles: Home Minister of India, President of BJP, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
- Tenure:
- Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: 2000-2002
- Home Minister of India: Since 26th May 2014
Mayawati
- Born: 15th January 1956, Jatav family
- Roles: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
- Political Start: 1977
- Tenure: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: Four times between 1995-2012
Akhilesh Yadav
- Born: 1st July 1973, Saifai village, Etawah district
- Roles: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, President of Samajwadi Party
- Tenure: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: 2012-2017
- Notable Fact: Youngest person to hold the office of Chief Minister at the age of 38 (15th March 2012)
FAQs
- Question: When was the Panchayati Raj system established in Uttar Pradesh?
ANSWER: 1961 - Question: In which year was the Uttar Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act passed?
ANSWER: 1947 - Question: Which committee recommended the three-tier Panchayati Raj system?
ANSWER: Balwantrai Mehta Committee - Question: In which year was a three-tier Panchayati Raj system established in Uttar Pradesh?
ANSWER: 1961 - Question: Which is the body of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system?
ANSWER: District Panchayat - Question: Who is the Chief Development Officer of the District Panchayat?
ANSWER: Secretary - Question: In Uttar Pradesh, in which year was the e-District Project implemented?
ANSWER: January 2009 - Question: What is the role of the Block Development Officer in the Block Panchayat?
ANSWER: Secretary - Question: Which is the lowest level of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system?
ANSWER: Village Panchayat - Question: Who is the head of the Village Panchayat?
ANSWER: Sarpanch - Question: How many Gram Sabha meetings must be conducted in a year in Uttar Pradesh?
ANSWER: 2 - Question: What is the minimum age required to contest Panchayat elections?
ANSWER: 21 years - Question: In which year was the Uttar Pradesh Town Area Act enacted?
ANSWER: 1914 - Question: In which year did the Uttar Pradesh Municipalities Act come into effect?
ANSWER: 1916 - Question: What is the term of office for the Mayor of a Municipal Corporation in Uttar Pradesh?
ANSWER: 5 years - Question: Who nominates the member of the Municipal Corporation?
ANSWER: State Government - Question: What is the strength of elected members in the Municipal Council?
ANSWER: 25-55 - Question: A Nagar Panchayat is formed with a population of more than 15 thousand and less than how many?
ANSWER: 1 lakh - Question: How many nominated members are there in a Nagar Panchayat?
ANSWER: 2 or 3 - Question: Who is known as the ‘Champion of India’s Peasants’?
ANSWER: Chaudhary Charan Singh - Question: Who is the only female Prime Minister of India till date?
ANSWER: Indira Gandhi - Question: Who was the second-longest serving Prime Minister of India?
ANSWER: Indira Gandhi - Question: Who was the 8th Prime Minister of India?
ANSWER: Chandra Shekhar Singh - Question: Which politician from Uttar Pradesh served as the Chief Minister twice and later became the Governor of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh?
ANSWER: Kalyan Singh - Question: Which Uttar Pradesh politician is also known as ‘Chhote Lohia’?
ANSWER: Janeshwar Mishra - Question: Who is the founder of the Samajwadi Party?
ANSWER: Mulayam Singh Yadav - Question: Which politician from Uttar Pradesh served as the Home Minister in a BJP-led government?
ANSWER: Rajnath Singh - Question: The present President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, belongs to which place in Uttar Pradesh?
ANSWER: Kanpur - Question: Who served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2012 to 2017?
ANSWER: Akhilesh Yadav - Question: Who has served as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh four times?
ANSWER: Mayawati
