Panchayati Raj & 73rd Amendment — Set 17
Revenue & Panchayati Raj · पंचायती राज और 73वां संशोधन · Questions 161–170 of 200
National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated on which date every year?
Correct Answer: B. April 24
National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated on April 24 every year in India. This date marks the coming into force of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act on April 24, 1993. The day is observed with conferences, workshops, and presentation of national awards to best performing Panchayats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the celebration in its current form in 2010.
Article 243ZD of the Constitution provides for which institution at the district level?
Correct Answer: B. District Planning Committee
Article 243ZD provides for constitution of a District Planning Committee (DPC) in every district to consolidate plans prepared by Panchayats and Municipalities. The DPC prepares a draft development plan for the district as a whole. Four-fifths of its members must be elected from among elected members of Panchayats and Municipalities. The DPC helps coordinate rural and urban planning at district level.
The concept of '3Fs' in Panchayati Raj refers to which three elements?
Correct Answer: A. Finance, Functions, Functionaries
The '3Fs' in Panchayati Raj refers to Finance, Functions, and Functionaries — three critical elements needed to empower PRIs. Finance means adequate financial resources; Functions means devolution of Eleventh Schedule subjects; Functionaries means adequate human resources and staff. Effective transfer of all three Fs is essential for Panchayats to function as genuine institutions of self-government.
Article 243J of the Constitution mandates which accountability mechanism for Panchayats?
Correct Answer: B. Maintenance of accounts and audit
Article 243J mandates the maintenance of accounts and audit of such accounts for Panchayats. Social audits are an extension of this accountability mechanism that allows citizens to verify fund utilisation. Under MGNREGS, social audits are mandatory and conducted by the Gram Sabha. Social audits expose corruption, ensure transparency, and empower communities to hold elected representatives accountable.
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act 1992 is related to which institution?
Correct Answer: B. Urban Local Bodies / Municipalities
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act 1992 relates to Urban Local Bodies and was passed alongside the 73rd Amendment on rural Panchayati Raj. It added Part IXA to the Constitution dealing with Municipalities. This amendment provided constitutional status to Municipalities and Nagar Panchayats. A Twelfth Schedule listing 18 subjects for Municipalities was also added.
Article 243D provides for reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Panchayats in proportion to their what?
Correct Answer: B. Population
Article 243D provides for reservation of seats for SCs and STs in every Panchayat in proportion to their population. It also mandates that not less than one-third of seats reserved for SCs/STs shall be reserved for women from those categories. It further mandates reservation of not less than one-third of all seats for women overall. States may additionally provide reservation for Other Backward Classes.
What is the minimum percentage of seats reserved for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions under the Constitution?
Correct Answer: B. 33 percent
Article 243D mandates reservation of not less than one-third (33%) of total Panchayat seats for women. This reservation applies to general seats as well as seats reserved for SCs and STs. Several States including Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan have increased women's reservation to 50%. The 110th Constitutional Amendment Bill was introduced to make 50% reservation mandatory at the national level.
The Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA) was launched primarily for which purpose?
Correct Answer: B. Strengthen capacity and infrastructure of PRIs
RGPSA was a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2013 to support and strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions. It aimed to strengthen institutional capacity, infrastructure, and governance of PRIs across India. The scheme funded construction of Gram Panchayat Bhavans, training of elected representatives, and e-governance in Panchayats. It was later restructured into the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).
The Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) links Gram Panchayat Development Plans to which framework?
Correct Answer: B. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The RGSA was approved to develop governance capabilities of Panchayats to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and basic services to citizens. It links all 17 SDGs through Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP). The Ministry of Panchayati Raj identified 9 thematic areas for GPDP linked to SDGs. RGSA replaced RGPSA in 2018.
The Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) launched in 2014 requires each Member of Parliament to do what?
Correct Answer: A. Adopt a village and develop it as a model Adarsh Gram
SAGY was launched on October 11, 2014 — the birth anniversary of Jai Prakash Narayan. Each MP is required to adopt a village from their constituency and develop it as a model village (Adarsh Gram). The MP coordinates with government schemes and motivates the Gram Sabha. The scheme aims to develop 3 Adarsh Grams per MP by 2019.