What is Gram Panchayat? - Functions of Gram Panchayat

The Gram Sabha includes all adults of the village who are more than 18 years old. They together elect the members of the Gram Panchayat.

Gram Panchayat

The Sarpanch is the head of the Gram Panchayat. A Vice Sarpanch is also elected from among its members. They are honorary members and are not paid a salary.
The membership of a Village Panchayat varies from 5–31 depending on the size of the village.
One-third of the seats in the Panchayat are reserved for women. Seats are also reserved for the members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

To look after the public works such as maintenance of the village roads, bridges, tanks and wells
To look after sanitation and to set up dispensaries and basic health care centers at the village level
To provide primary education to children
To look after the irrigational facilities and supply seeds and fertilizers to farmers
To maintain the records of common village property, their sale, and purchase

Nyay Panchayats, also known as Panchayati Adalats, look after the administration of justice in villages.
They ensure quick and inexpensive justice to villagers.
They cannot award a sentence of imprisonment and lawyers cannot appear before these panchayats.
If Nyay Panchayats deliver justice within their jurisdictions, there can be no appeal against its decisions.
However, sub-divisional magistrates and sub-judges of the district are empowered to hear appeals.
The state government or the state judicial service decides the jurisdiction of these panchayats.

The Panchayat Samiti works at a block or middle level. It consists of the following members:

Sarpanchs of all panchayats which come under its circle
Members of the State Legislative Assembly of the state from the area
Members of Parliament of the area The gram panchayat have set up various health care centers in their villages
Block Development Officers of the area
Representatives of Cooperative Societies in certain states
Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, and Secretary

To supervise and coordinate the working of Gram Panchayats
To make provision for education at the secondary level and above for a group of villages at the block level
To build hospitals and provide health facilities to the people
To develop agriculture by undertaking irrigation projects, distribution of good quality seeds and fertilizers
To approve building plans and to undertake the construction of roads and bridges at the block level
To provide safe drinking water
To act as a link between the Gram Panchayat and the Zilla Parishad
Also Read Panchayati Raj System