CBSE Important Questions Class 6 Social Science Chapter 11 – Grassroots Democracy Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas

Class 6 Social Science Chapter 11 Grassroots Democracy – Part 2: Local Government in Rural Areas is part of the new NCERT textbook Exploring Society: India and Beyond. It explains how villages in India govern themselves through the Panchayati Raj system. Students learn about the Gram Sabha, the meeting of all adult voters of a village, the Gram Panchayat and its Sarpanch, the Panchayat Samiti at the block level and the Zila Parishad at the district level, and about the people who help them such as the Panchayat Secretary and the Patwari.

These CBSE important questions for Class 6 Social Science Chapter 11 cover solving a school road-safety problem through the Panchayat, the qualities of a good Panchayat member, a letter to the Sarpanch, the three tiers of Panchayati Raj, source-based questions on real villages such as Hiware Bazar and on women Sarpanches, and assertion-reason questions on the Gram Sabha and reservation for women. Every question has a clear step-by-step answer in simple English, so students can practise on their own, parents can check the answers, and teachers can use them for class tests.

Q1. Let us suppose that you study in a village school. The school is located next to a highway and students find it difficult to cross the road when they come to school or leave at the end of the day. What are the options to solve this issue? Which institutions in the Panchayati Raj can help you? What can the students do?

Answer: The problem can be solved by using the Panchayati Raj system and involving the whole community:
• Raise it in the Gram Sabha: Students, parents or teachers can bring up the safety problem at a Gram Sabha meeting, where villagers discuss local issues and suggest solutions.
• Gram Panchayat: The Gram Panchayat can look into the problem and ask for a speed breaker, a zebra crossing or road signs near the school to warn drivers.
• Panchayat Samiti: If more support or money is needed, the Gram Panchayat can take the matter to the Panchayat Samiti at the block level, which can send the request to the district or state authorities.
• What students can do: Students can form or join a Bal Panchayat or Bal Sabha, prepare a petition, write letters and present their concern at community meetings.
With local institutions and active students working together, the problem can be solved. This shows how rural governance is designed to answer the everyday needs of people.

Q2. In your view, what type of person should be a Gram Panchayat member?

Answer: A good Gram Panchayat member should have these qualities:
• be committed to the welfare of the village;
• be honest, active, approachable and fair to all sections of society;
• listen to the villagers, attend Gram Sabha meetings regularly and work to improve education, sanitation, roads and access to government schemes;
• encourage everyone to take part and value the voices of women, children and disadvantaged groups;
• lead with responsibility and set an example for the community.

Q3. Write a letter to the Sarpanch regarding the issue of plastic bags lying on the roadside in the village.

Answer: To,
The Sarpanch,
[Name of the Village]

Subject: Request for action on plastic bags lying on the roadside

Respected Sarpanch,
I am writing to bring to your attention a growing problem in our village. Plastic bags are scattered along the roadside. They harm the environment, make our village look untidy and are a danger to animals that may eat them.
I humbly request that this issue be discussed in the next Gram Sabha meeting. A clean-up drive and an awareness campaign could help reduce the use of plastic in the village. Encouraging people to use cloth or jute bags would also be a good step.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Yours faithfully,
[Your Name]
[Class or Address]

Q4. Can you name the three tiers of the Panchayati Raj system? What are the key functions of each of the three tiers?

Answer: The Panchayati Raj system has three tiers (levels):
1. Village level – Gram Panchayat: This is the level closest to the people. It looks after local matters such as roads, water, primary schools and the carrying out of welfare schemes. Its members are elected by the Gram Sabha, and its elected head is called the Sarpanch or Pradhan.
2. Block level – Panchayat Samiti (also called Mandal Parishad in some states): It is the link between the villages and the district. It collects the development plans of all the Gram Panchayats in the block and sends them to the district level, and helps in coordination and sharing of resources.
3. District level – Zila Parishad: This is the top tier. It plans and supervises development across the whole district, coordinates the blocks and fits local plans into larger government schemes.

Q5. Read the source given below and answer the questions that follow:
The Child-Friendly Panchayat in Sikkim built safe school compounds and hygienic kitchens for cooking midday meals. These efforts made schools safer and encouraged children to attend classes regularly.
1. How did the Gram Panchayat make schools child-friendly in this case?
2. Why is it important to focus on children's education and safety?
3. How can local governments encourage children to attend school?

Answer: 1. The Gram Panchayat built compound walls around the schools to keep children safe, and built clean kitchens where healthy midday meals could be cooked. This made the schools safer and more comfortable for children.
2. Children are the future of the country. Education helps them build a better life, and a safe school lets them study without fear. When children feel safe and healthy, they come to school regularly and grow into responsible adults.
3. Local governments can:
• improve school buildings with safe classrooms, toilets and playgrounds;
• provide clean and healthy midday meals;
• run awareness programmes for parents on the value of education;
• stop child labour and encourage every child to attend school.

Q6. Read the source given below and answer the questions that follow:
A Panchayat Secretary in a village helped organise meetings, kept records, and ensured funds were spent wisely. He worked with the Patwari to update land records and solve a dispute between two farmers about their land boundaries.
1. How does the Panchayat Secretary help the Gram Panchayat function smoothly?
2. Why are land records important in rural areas?
3. What steps can be taken to resolve disputes between farmers?

Answer: 1. The Panchayat Secretary manages the daily work of the Gram Panchayat. He arranges meetings where villagers discuss problems and plans, keeps a record of the decisions taken, and makes sure that the funds are spent properly. This keeps the Gram Panchayat running smoothly.
2. Land records show who owns which piece of land. Farmers need them to plan their farming and to take loans from banks. If there is a dispute about boundaries, the records help settle it fairly. Keeping them updated means everyone knows their ownership clearly.
3. To settle a dispute between farmers:
• the Patwari can check the land records for the correct boundaries;
• the Panchayat Secretary can arrange a meeting where both farmers put their views;
• village elders and Panchayat members can hear both sides and suggest a fair solution.
In this way the dispute can be settled peacefully.

Q7. Read the source given below and answer the questions that follow:
In Maharashtra, Popatrao Pawar became the Sarpanch of Hiware Bazar. He introduced rainwater harvesting, tree planting, and watershed projects. The village was transformed into a green and prosperous area within a few years.
1. How did rainwater harvesting and tree planting help Hiware Bazar?
2. Why are such projects important for rural development?
3. What role does the Sarpanch play in bringing positive changes to a village?

Answer: 1. Rainwater harvesting stored the rain that fell on the village, so the wells and the underground water level rose and there was enough water for farming and daily use even in dry months. Tree planting held the soil in place, stopped erosion and made the village green. Together these turned a dry, poor village into a green and prosperous one.
2. Such projects are important because they meet the basic needs of a village. They give farmers enough water, make the land fertile, increase greenery and improve the environment. When farming improves, villagers earn more and live better.
3. A good Sarpanch, like Popatrao Pawar, listens to the needs of the people and acts to solve their problems. The Sarpanch brings new ideas and projects, encourages teamwork and inspires villagers to work together. By leading such changes, the Sarpanch helps the village grow.

Q8. Read the source given below and answer the questions that follow:
Vandana Bahadur Maida, a female Sarpanch from Madhya Pradesh, worked to bring women to Gram Sabha meetings. She focused on improving education and sanitation in her village and earned recognition for her leadership.
1. Why is it important for women to participate in Gram Sabha meetings?
2. How did Vandana's leadership benefit her village?
3. What qualities make a good Sarpanch?

Answer: 1. Women's voices and opinions need to be heard. Women face problems such as lack of education, sanitation and healthcare. When they attend meetings, they can share these problems and suggest solutions for their families and themselves. It also gives them confidence to take part in decision-making.
2. Vandana improved education and sanitation in her village. She encouraged women to attend Gram Sabha meetings, where they could speak about their problems. Schools and sanitation facilities improved, and her example inspired other women to take part in local governance.
3. A good Sarpanch is responsible, hardworking and cares about the people. They listen to everyone's problems and work to solve them, are fair, confident and honest, involve others in decisions, and focus on the development of the village, just as Vandana did.

Q9. Read the source given below and answer the questions that follow:
In the village of Lakshmanpur, the main road was damaged due to heavy rain. The Gram Panchayat held a meeting with the villagers to decide on repairing it. Funds were approved, and the work started with the help of both villagers and local contractors.
1. Why is the Gram Panchayat important for solving problems like road repairs?
2. How does holding a meeting with villagers help in such situations?
3. What challenges might the Gram Panchayat face while carrying out such projects?

Answer: 1. The Gram Panchayat is the local government of the village and looks after its needs. It takes decisions on problems like a damaged road and uses its funds to get the work done quickly for the benefit of everyone.
2. A meeting lets all villagers share ideas and discuss the problem together. They can suggest solutions, agree on a plan and decide how to spend the money. This makes people feel involved, and the work gets everyone's support.
3. The Gram Panchayat may not have enough funds for the full repair. People may not agree on how the work should be done. There may be delays in finding workers or contractors, and bad weather can slow the work.

Q10. Read the Assertion (A) and Reason (R) carefully and choose the correct option.
Assertion (A): The Gram Sabha includes only the elected members of the village.
Reason (R): The Gram Sabha discusses and decides on matters related to the village.
(a) A and R are correct, and R explains A.
(b) A and R are correct, but R does not explain A.
(c) A is correct, but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong, but R is correct.

Answer: (d) A is wrong, but R is correct.
The Gram Sabha is made up of all the adult voters of the village, not only the elected members, so A is wrong. The Gram Sabha does meet to discuss and decide village matters, so R is correct.

Q11. Read the Assertion (A) and Reason (R) carefully and choose the correct option.
Assertion (A): Panchayat Samiti acts as a link between the Gram Panchayat and Zila Parishad.
Reason (R): Panchayat Samiti helps collect development plans from villages and present them at higher levels.
(a) A and R are correct, and R explains A.
(b) A and R are correct, but R does not explain A.
(c) A is correct, but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong, but R is correct.

Answer: (a) A and R are correct, and R explains A.
The Panchayat Samiti is the middle tier. It collects the plans of the Gram Panchayats in its block and forwards them to the Zila Parishad. This is exactly how it links the village level with the district level, so R explains A.

Q12. Read the Assertion (A) and Reason (R) carefully and choose the correct option.
Assertion (A): Women can now become leaders in the Gram Panchayat.
Reason (R): One-third of seats in the Panchayati Raj system are reserved for women.
(a) A and R are correct, and R explains A.
(b) A and R are correct, but R does not explain A.
(c) A is correct, but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong, but R is correct.

Answer: (a) A and R are correct, and R explains A.
At least one-third of the seats in Panchayati Raj institutions are reserved for women, and in many states it is one-half. Because of this reservation, women are able to become members and leaders in the Gram Panchayat. So R explains A.

Related Study Material on Extramarks

• CBSE Important Questions Class 6 Social Science Chapter 1
• CBSE Important Questions Class 6 Social Science Chapter 2
• CBSE Important Questions Class 6 Social Science Chapter 3
• CBSE Important Questions Class 6 Social Science Chapter 4
• CBSE Important Questions Class 6 Social Science Chapter 5
• CBSE Important Questions Class 6 Social Science Chapter 6
• CBSE Important Questions Class 6 Social Science Chapter 7
• CBSE Important Questions Class 6 Social Science Chapter 8
• CBSE Important Questions Class 6 Social Science Chapter 9
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