Local Government MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Local Government - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is Madras.

Key Points

• In India, the First Municipal Corporation was set up in Madras. 
• In 1687, the first municipal corporation in India was set up at Madras.
• The Chennai Municipal Corporation (officially the Corporation of Chennai), formerly known as the Corporation of Madras, is the civic body that governs the city of Chennai (formerly Madras), India.
• Inaugurated on September 29, 1688, under a Royal Charter issued by King James II on December 30, 1687, as the Corporation of Madras, it is the oldest municipal body of the Commonwealth of Nations outside Great Britain.
• It is headed by a mayor, who presides over 200 councillors, each of whom represents one of the 200 wards of the city.
• It is also the second oldest corporation in the world.

The correct answer is 6 Months.

• Article-243 (E) of the constitution prescribes the tenure of panchayats.

Key Points

• Each panchayat will stay for 5 years from the date of its first meeting, but it can be dissolved even before time.
• If the panchayat is dissolved, it is compulsory to hold elections within 6 months.
• Elections will be held only if the tenure ends beyond 6 months, but if the tenure is less than 6 months, elections will not be held.

The correct answer is 11th.

Key Points

• Panchayati Raj
  • Panchayati Raj is the system of local self-government of villages in rural India as opposed to urban and suburban municipalities.
  • It consists of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) through which the self-government of villages is realized.
  • They are tasked with "economic development, strengthening social justice and implementation of Central and State Government Schemes including those 29 subjects listed in the 11th Schedule."
  • ​Part IX of the Indian Constitution is the section of the Constitution relating to the Panchayats.
  • It stipulates that in states or Union Territories with more than two million inhabitants there are three levels of PRIs:
    • Zilla Parishad at the District Level
    • Panchayat Samiti at the Block Level
    • Gram/Village Panchayat at the Village Level

Shortcut Trick

• How to remember all the schedules: Code for 12 schedules is - TEARS OF OLD PM
  • 1st Schedule: T- Territory,
  • 2nd Schedule: E- Emoluments/salary,
  • 3rd Schedule: A- Affirmation/Oath,
  • 4th Schedule: R- Rajya Sabha,
  • 5th Schedule: S- Scheduled Tribes,
  • 6th Schedule: O- Other Tribes,
  • 7th Schedule: F- Federal (Division Of Powers),
  • 8th Schedule: O- Official Regional Languages,
  • 9th Schedule: L- Land Reform,
  • 10th Schedule: D- Defection (Anti-Defection Law),
  • 11th Schedule: P- Panchayati Raj,
  • 12th Schedule: M- Municipal Corporation.

The correct answer is Both U.P. Panchayat Raj Act-1947 and U.P. Area Panchayat and District Panchayat Act-1961.

Key Points

• Following the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, which aimed to promote and ensure a more robust and effective panchayati raj system in India, the Government of Uttar Pradesh undertook significant legislative amendments to align its state laws with the new constitutional mandate.
• Here are the key points related to these amendments:
  1. U.P. Panchayat Raj Act-1947 
     • This Act originally established the framework for local governance through gram panchayats in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh.
     • Post the 73rd Amendment, the state government amended this Act to increase the autonomy of gram panchayats, enhance their functions, and ensure direct elections to these bodies.
     • The amendments also included provisions for the establishment of gram sabhas (village assemblies), giving them a more significant role in local decision-making.
  2. U.P. Area Panchayat and District Panchayat Act-1961:
     • This Act was initially designed to govern the workings of area panchayats (intermediate level) and district panchayats (district level) in Uttar Pradesh.
     • The amendments brought by the state government after the 73rd Amendment aimed to standardize the structure, powers, and functions of these panchayats according to the new constitutional guidelines.
     • It included provisions for mandatory elections every five years, reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and women, and the creation of District Planning Committees to ensure coordinated development.
• Key Features and Provisions of the 73rd Amendment:
  • Three-tier System: The amendments ensured the implementation of a three-tier panchayati raj system, consisting of gram panchayats at the village level, kshetra (area) panchayats at the intermediate level, and zila panchayats at the district level.
  • Election and Tenure: Direct elections to all panchayat bodies with a mandatory five-year term.
    Reservation: Provision for the reservation of seats and leadership positions for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and women (not less than one-third of the total seats).
  • Powers and Functions: Clear delineation of powers, functions, and responsibilities to each tier of panchayats to ensure effective implementation of developmental schemes.
  • Gram Sabha: Strengthening of gram sabha (village assembly) as a participatory institution where villagers could discuss and decide on local issues and development plans.

The correct answer of above Question is option 1.
Key Points

 Article 243F {Disqualifications for membership}

1. A person shall be disqualified for being chosen as, and for being, a member of a Panchayat -
   1. if he is so disqualified by or under any law for the time being in force for the purposes of elections to the Legislature of the State concerned: Provided that no person shall be disqualified on the ground that he is less than twenty-five years of age, if he has attained the age of twenty-one years;
   2. if he is so disqualified by or under any law made by the Legislature of the State.
2. If any question arises as to whether a member of a Panchayat has become subject to any of the disqualifications mentioned in Clause (1), the question shall be referred for the decision of such authority and in such manner as the Legislature of a State may, by law, provide.

Additional Information

• Art 243G :- Powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats.
• Art 243B :- Constitution of Panchayats
• Art 243H :- Powers to impose taxes by, and Funds of, the Panchayats

The correct answer is ​73rd and 74th Amendment Acts.

• Panchayati Raj Institution was constitutionalized through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 to build democracy at the grassroots level and was entrusted with the task of rural development in the country.
• 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments were passed by Parliament in December 1992.
  • The Acts came into force as the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 on April 24, 1993.

Key Points

• Article 243 - 243O
  • the Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992 on June 1, 1993.
• Article 243P-243ZG
• Salient Features of the Constitution 73rd and 74th amendments.
  • Added two new parts in the constitution
  • Part- IX - The Panchayats
  • Part - IXA - The Municipalities
• Article - 40 has a provision regarding organizing panchayat at the village level, attaining self-government.
  • Basic democratic unit- Gram sabha

Additional Information

The three-tier system of PRI

Urban Local bodies

Committee related to PRI

Hint

• Trick to remember committee in chronological order
  • "B.A HoGayaLekinSarkarP.K Kharra hai".

The correct answer is Village Committee.

Key Points

• The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee was a committee originally appointed by the Government of India to examine the working of the Community Development Programme and the National Extension Service.
• The committee was formed on 16^th January 1957.
• Balwant Rai Mehta was the Chairman of this committee.
• The establishment of a 3-tier Panchayati Raj system is one of the main recommendations of this committee.
• The 3-tier system recommended by this committee is:
  1. Gram Panchayat at the village level.
  2. Panchayat Samiti at the block level.
  3. Zila Parishad at the district level.

Additional Information

Other important recommendations of the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee are:

• The Panchayat Samiti should be the executive body while the Zila Parishad should be the advisory, coordinating, and supervisory body.
• The District Collector should be the Chairman of the Zila Parishad.

The correct option is Gram Panchayat.

Key Points

• The devolution grant shall be distributed to Village Panchayats, Panchayat Unions, and District Panchayats in the ratio of 60:32:8 respectively as recommended by the Third State Finance Commission.
• A minimum grant of Rs.3 lakhs to each Village Panchayat shall be provided as a measure of equalization, the balance amount shall be distributed based on population.
• The devolution grant shall be distributed within each tier of rural and urban local bodies based on the 2011 population.

Important Points

• Every Panchayat has the right to receive grant-in-aid from the State Fund based on the recommendation made by the State Finance Commission.
• On the recommendation of the State Finance Commission, the Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad can collect tax/fees as per the direction of the government.
• Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad respectively constitute Gram Panchayat Fund in the name of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti Fund in the name of Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad Fund in the name of Council, and deposit their funds in the deposit accounts.
• The Assigned/Shared revenues are one which is collected by State Government but transferred/shared to/with local bodies.
• The major sources of assigned/shared revenues to the rural local bodies are Local Cess, Local Cess Surcharge, Surcharge on Stamp duty, Entertainment tax, seigniorage fees, and lease amount of mines and minerals, and sale proceeds of Social Forestry plantations.

Additional Information

• Finance Commission:
  • Finance Com mission is a constitutional body under Article 280 created every five years to recommend the transfer of financial resources from the Centre to the States.
  •  The Commission also decides the principles on which grants-in-aid will be given to the States.
  • The 15th FC was constituted on November 27, 2017, and is headed by Mr. N.K. Singh.
• State Finance Commissions:
  • It is an institution created by the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments to rationalize and systematize State/sub-State-level fiscal relations in India.
  • Article 243I of the Constitution mandated the State Governor to constitute a Finance Commission every five years.
  • Article 243Y of the Constitution states that the Finance Commission constituted under article 243I shall also review the financial position of the Municipalities and make recommendations to the Governor.

The correct answer is Option 1.

Key PointsSchedule 5 of the Indian Constitution

• The administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes are addressed in the Fifth Schedule. 
• Article 244(1) is directly related to Schedule 5.
  • Ten states currently have Fifth Schedule Areas: Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Telangana.
• The criteria for declaring an area as Scheduled Area are as follows:
  • a preponderance of tribal population;
  • compactness and reasonable size of the area;
  • under-developed nature of the area; and
  • the marked disparity in the economic standard of the people.
• The Governor can make regulations for the peace and good government of a scheduled area after consulting the tribes' advisory council.
• Such regulations may prohibit or restrict the transfer of land by tribal to non-tribal members or among members of the scheduled tribes, and regulate the allotment of land to members of the scheduled tribes. Hence, Option 1 is correct.

• The Panchayati Raj System is described in Part IX of the Indian Constitution. 
• Rajasthan is the first state where this system was first implemented in 1959 in Nagaur District. 
• Later, it also became the first state to have this system placed in all the districts of the state. 
• The 73rd Amendment 1992 is associated with this system in India. 

The correct answer is the  73 ^rd  Amendment.

• The Parliament passed the  73rd Constitutional Amendment Act to grant the Panchayati Raj Institutions in India a legislative status by adding Article 243 and Part IX  of the Indian Constitution.
• Pursuant to Article 243, the Act was imposed on all state governments to amend their Panchayat Laws in compliance with the Constitutional provisions.

Key Points

• The act was passed in 1993 to give constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions in India and is an important step in the decentralization of power and promotion of local self-government.
• Panchayati Raj system is a local self-governance system, with constitutional recognition, in villages. In this system, the Gram Panchayat is the basic unit of local administration.
• It is a 3 tier system comprising:
  • Gram Panchayat at the village level.
  • Panchayat Samiti at the block level.
  • Zila Parishad at the District level.

Additional Information

• The 72nd Amendment in the Constitution of India Statement of Objects and Reasons appended to the Constitution (Seventy-Second Amendment) Bill, 1991 (Bill No. 209 of 1991) For restoring peace and harmony in the areas of the State of Tripura where disturbed conditions prevailed, a Memorandum of Settlement was signed by the Government of India with Tripura National Volunteers on 12-8-1988.
• The 7l^St Amendment Of The Constitution Of India, Officially Known As The Constitution (seventy-first Amendment) Act, 1992, amended the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution so as to include Konkani, Meitei (Manipuri), and Nepali languages, thereby raising the total number of languages ​​listed in the schedule to eighteen.
• 75th Amendment in the Constitution of India THE CONSTITUTION (SEVENTY-FIFTH AMENDMENT)  ACT, 1993. It provides for the setting up of State-level Rent Tribunals to exclude the jurisdiction of all courts, except that of the Supreme Court, under Article 136 of the Constitution.

The correct answer is Development officer.

• Panchayat Samiti is an intermediate level of the Panchayati Raj Institutions.
• Chief Executive Officer of Panchayat Samiti is Block Development Officer.
• The development officer is an officer of the State Civil Service.
• Panchayat Samiti is also known by the name of Janpad Panchayat.

Key Points

• Indian polity provides for three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions in India.
  • Gram Panchayat at the village level.
  • Janpad Panchayat or Panchayat Samiti at intermediate level.
  • Zila Panchayat at the district level.

Additional Information

• The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act was passed in 1992, which gave constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions.
• Generally, the CEO of Zila Panchayat is an IAS officer.
• BDO is the Chief Officer of Janpad Panchayat.
• Secretary is appointed at the village level, he calls the gram sabha and keeps records of its proceedings.

The correct answer is Six months from the date of dissolution.

Key Points

• If a Panchayat is dissolved, elections are to be held within six months from the date of dissolution.
• The term Panchayati Raj in India signifies the system of rural local self-government.
• It had been established after the advice of the Balwant Rai Mehta committee, which is established by the Govt. of India in 1957.
• This committee has three-tier panchayat governance such as Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, and Zila Parishad.
• As a result of this scheme the first Panchayat system introduced in Rajasthan in 1959.
• This system observed a lack of people's participation.
• To overcome this failure a new committee named Ashok Mehta committee gives a two-tier governance plan in 1977.
• The two-tier plan was Zila Parishad and Mandal Panchayat.
• This Panchayati Raj faced a major constitutional amendment in 1992 that brings back the three-tier system again.
• This amendment added a new part to the Constitution, namely, added Part IX titled The Panchayats.
• This amendment adds a Three-tier system of panchayats at the village, intermediate Mandal, and district levels except in States with a population is below 20 lakhs (Article 243B)
• The Panchayat is constituted under Article 243 to 243 (O)

Additional Information

Duration of Panchayati Raj

• The Act provides for a five-year term of office to all the levels of the panchayat. However, the panchayat can be dissolved before the completion of its term.
• But fresh elections to constitute the new panchayat should be completed before the expiry of its five-year duration.
• In case of dissolution, the election should be within a period of six months from the date of its dissolution.

The correct answer is ​State Government.

• Zilla Parishad is considered the third tier of the Panchayati Raj system.
• The idea of people's participation in the Panchayati Raj system extends to two different levels called Janpad Panchayat and the Zila Parishad.
• Zilla Parishad makes developmental plans at the district level.
• Zilla Parishad regulates the money distribution among all the Gram Panchayats.
• It is formed through elections in Panchayati Raj System.
• State Government has the power to dissolve a Zilla Parishad
• Various development activities and welfare schemes of the state and central government are implemented through the Zilla Parishad.

The correct answer is Transport Facilities.

Key Points

Transport facilities are NOT correct.

• The Ward Panchs and the Sarpanch form the Gram Panchayat.
• The Gram Panchayat is elected for a term of five years.
• The Gram Panchayat has a Secretary who is also the Secretary of the Gram Sabha.
• The Gram Sabha prevents the Panchayat from illegal activities. 
• The main functions of Gram Panchayat are:
  • The construction and maintenance of water sources, roads, drainage, and other common property resources.
  • Levying and collecting local taxes.
  • Executing government schemes related to generating employment in the village.
  • Providing an adequate number of street lights and paying electricity charges regularly.
  • Establishment & Maintenance of local markets.
  • Prevention of contagious diseases.
  • Constructing an adequate number of community latrines for the use of men and women and maintaining them.
  • Ensuring universal enrollment of children in primary school.
  • Ensuring prompt registration and reporting of birth and deaths.