Local Self Government — Class 9 Social Science (Samacheer Kalvi)
TN State Board (Samacheer Kalvi) Class 9 Social Science, Civics — Chapter 5. Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies.
1. About this lesson
Local self government brings governance closest to the people. This chapter covers the 73rd Amendment (Panchayati Raj), 74th Amendment (Urban Local Bodies), the three-tier structure, Gram Sabha, and reservations.
2. 73rd Amendment — Panchayati Raj
- 73rd Amendment Act, 1992: Gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj institutions.
- Added Part IX (Articles 243–243O) and 11th Schedule (29 subjects).
Three-Tier Structure
| Level | Body | Head |
|---|---|---|
| Village | Gram Panchayat | President/Sarpanch |
| Block/Intermediate | Panchayat Samiti | Chairman |
| District | Zila Parishad | Chairperson |
Gram Sabha
- All registered voters in a village panchayat area.
- Meets at least twice a year.
- Approves plans, budgets, audits.
Reservations
- Direct elections every 5 years.
- SC/ST seats proportional to population.
- 1/3 reservation for women (including chairperson positions).
3. 74th Amendment — Urban Local Bodies
- 74th Amendment, 1992: Constitutional status to urban local bodies.
- Added Part IX-A and 12th Schedule (18 subjects).
| Type | Population | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Nagar Panchayat | Transitional | Small towns |
| Municipality | Smaller urban | District towns |
| Municipal Corporation | 1 lakh+ | Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai |
- Mayor: Elected head of Municipal Corporation.
- Municipal Commissioner: Appointed administrative head (IAS officer).
4. Importance
- Decentralisation — power closer to people.
- Grassroots democracy, citizen participation.
- Women's empowerment through reservation.
- Local development based on local needs.
5. Worked examples
Example 1. Which amendment gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj? 73rd Amendment, 1992.
Example 2. What is the head of a Municipal Corporation called? Mayor.
Example 3. Minimum Gram Sabha meetings per year? Twice a year.
6. Book-back questions (Samacheer Kalvi)
I. Choose the correct answer
-
The 73rd Amendment relates to — (a) Urban bodies / (b) Panchayati Raj / (c) Judiciary / (d) State government. Ans: (b).
-
The head of a Gram Panchayat is — (a) Mayor / (b) President/Sarpanch / (c) Chairman / (d) Commissioner. Ans: (b).
-
Municipal Corporations exist in cities with population above — (a) 50,000 / (b) 75,000 / (c) 1,00,000 / (d) 5,00,000. Ans: (c) 1,00,000.
-
The 74th Amendment relates to — (a) Panchayati Raj / (b) Urban local bodies / (c) Judiciary / (d) Elections. Ans: (b).
-
Gram Sabha meets at least — (a) Once a year / (b) Twice a year / (c) Four times / (d) Monthly. Ans: (b) Twice a year.
II. Fill in the blanks
- The 73rd Amendment added the 11th Schedule.
- The 74th Amendment added the 12th Schedule.
- One-third of seats are reserved for women.
- The administrative head of a Corporation is the Municipal Commissioner.
- Elections are held every 5 years.
III. Match the following
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 73rd Amendment | Panchayati Raj |
| 74th Amendment | Urban local bodies |
| Mayor | Head of Municipal Corporation |
| Gram Sabha | All village voters |
| Panchayat Samiti | Block level |
IV. Answer briefly
-
Three-tier Panchayati Raj — Gram Panchayat (village), Panchayat Samiti (block), Zila Parishad (district).
-
Gram Sabha — All voters in a panchayat area. Meets twice a year. Approves plans, budgets, audits.
-
Urban local bodies — Nagar Panchayat (transitional), Municipality (small urban), Municipal Corporation (1 lakh+).
-
Reservations — SC/ST proportional; 1/3 seats for women.
V. Answer in detail
-
73rd Amendment features — Part IX, 11th Schedule. Three-tier Panchayati Raj. Gram Sabha (meets twice a year). Direct elections every 5 years. Reservation: SC/ST + 1/3 women. State Election and Finance Commissions.
-
74th Amendment features — Part IX-A, 12th Schedule. Three types: Nagar Panchayat, Municipality, Municipal Corporation (1 lakh+). Mayor (elected), Commissioner (appointed). Wards Committees. 5-year elections.
7. Common mistakes
- Mistake: 73rd = urban bodies. Fix: 73rd = Panchayati Raj (rural). 74th = urban.
- Mistake: Head of Corporation = Commissioner. Fix: Mayor = elected head; Commissioner = appointed admin head.
- Mistake: Gram Sabha meets once a year. Fix: Gram Sabha meets at least twice a year.
8. Quick revision
- Civics Ch 5 · Local Self Government.
- 73rd (1992): Panchayati Raj — Part IX, 11th Schedule. Gram Panchayat → Panchayat Samiti → Zila Parishad.
- Gram Sabha: all voters, twice/year.
- 74th (1992): Urban bodies — Part IX-A, 12th Schedule. Nagar Panchayat → Municipality → Municipal Corporation.
- Reservations: SC/ST + 1/3 women. Elections every 5 years.
