Structure and Powers of Local

Bodies in Kerala
Gopika.G.G
Assistant Professor, Government
College Nedumangad
Decentralization
Significance of LSGIs
Structure
Powers of LSGIs
Schemes, Policies & related agencies
Decentralization in Kerala
 73rd and 74th amendment Acts of the Indian
Constitution
 Greater responsibility and powers to the local bodies
 Local planning, effective implementation and
monitoring of various social and economic
development programmes
 People’s Planning Campaign 1996
Development Plan
Plan Monitoring
Beneficiary selection
Project Execution
Effective Gramasabha/Ayalkoottam (NHG)
Decentralization
Transfer of Institutions to Local
Governments
(1)Primary, Secondary and Higher
Secondary Schools
(2) Dispensaries, Primary Health Centres,
Community Health Centres, Taluk Hospitals
under the three streams of medicine,
namely; Allopathy, Ayurveda and
Homoepathy
(3) Anganwadis
 (4) District Farms – Agriculture and Animal
Husbandry
 (5) All veterinary institutions at the district
level and below (
Main Functions
Infrastructure barring Highways and Major District
Roads connectivity has become an exclusive local
government responsibility
Sanitation including solid and liquid waste
management
(i) Agricultural extension including farmer oriented
support for increasing production and productivity.
(ii) Watershed management and minor irrigation.
(iii) Dairy development. (iv) Animal Husbandry
including veterinary care. (v) Inland fisheries.
ICDS is fully implemented by Local Bodies.
 Care of the disabled, to a substantial degree has
become a local government responsibility
50% of Tribal Sub Plan and 2/3rds of Special
Component Plan is totally planned and
implemented by Local Governments
Local Governments have responsibilities
upto the Higher Secondary level
All welfare pensions are administered by
Local Governments
Local Self Government Institutions

Type of LG Level No
Grama
Panchayat Rural Village 941
Block
Panchayat Rural Intermediate 152
District
Panchayat Rural District 14 Corporati
ons
Muncipalities Urban Town 87 Tvm
Kollam
Corporation Urban City 6 Kochi
Trissur
Kozhikod
Kannur
Panchayat committee ●
All the members elected from the wards

●
Monitors & coordinates activities of
Steering committee standing committees

Finance , Development, Welfare, Health & Education

Standing committee
●

●
Elected from ward members

●
Forum of experts that formulate local
Working Groups plans

●
Consists of members from ward & those nominated from the
Ward Committee locality by the panchayat, studies and reports specific needs
of each ward. Ward Member is the president
Steering Committee
 President, Vice-President and the Chairman
of standing committees
The President shall be the chairman
 Co-ordinate and monitor the functions of
the standing committees
Other powers and functions as may be
entrusted to it by the panchayat.
Standing committees
The standing committee for finance
Finance, tax, accounts, audit, budget, general administration, appeal relating
to tax and subjects not allotted to other standing committees;
The standing committee for development
Development planning, socio-economic planning, spatial planning,
agriculture, soil conservation, social forestry, animal husbandry, diary
development, minor irrigation, fisheries, small-scale industry, public works,
housing, regulation of building construction, electricity, etc;
The standing committee for welfare
Development of scheduled caste-scheduled tribe, development of women and
children, social welfare, social security, slum improvements, poverty
alleviation, public distribution system, Public Health, Sanitation, Education,
Art and Culture and entertainment, water supply, sewerage and
environment

Every resolution passed by the standing committee shall be placed before

the panchayat in its next meeting and the panchayat shall have power to
modify such resolution if considered necessary.
Decentralised Planning process
Need identification
Setting up of functionary groups
Grama Sabha/Ward Sabha consultation with stakeholders
Preparation of draft plan proposals by the functionary groups with
the recommendation of Grama/Ward Sabha
Discussion of the draft plan in development seminar
Preparation of development report and vision document
Strategy setting by the Panchayat committee
Prioritisation and resource allocation by the Local Government
Plan finalisation by Local Government
Vetting of Plans (including Technical Approval)
Approval by the District Planning Committee
Plan implementation
Measures taken for social justice
50% seats reserved for women
SC and ST reservation
Women Component Plan

The Special Component Plan (SCP) Tribal

Sub Plan (TSP) are intended to provide
special protective measures to safe guard
the interest of scheduled castes and
scheduled tribes.
Organization chart of Grama Panchayat
 Gramasabha
 All persons whose names are included in the electoral rolls
 Grama/Ward Sabha shall meet at least once in three
months at the place fixed by the Village Panchayat
 The quorum of the Grama Sabha shall be ten per cent of
the number of voters of its area
Ward Sabhas consisting of all the electors of a ward
Clear rights and responsibilities with absolute powers
for identification of functionaries, wide powers for
social audit and strong advisory powers for
prioritizing developmental needs
 Gramasabha
Powers, Functions and Responsibilities of GS

 To formulate proposals and fixing of priority of schemes and

programmes
 To prepare final list of eligible beneficiaries with order of priority
 To suggest the location of street lights, water taps, public wells,
public sanitation units, irrigation facilities and other public utilities.
 To monitor and assist to the beneficiary committees
 To verify the eligibility of the beneficiaries of welfare assistance such
as pension and subsidiaries
 To know the rationale behind every Panchayat decision in regards to
the GS area
 To know the follow up on Gs decisions
 To suggest remedial measures for deficiencies in water supply and
street lighting in the Gs area
Ayal Sabha in each ward with 50-100
families
To strengthen Gramasabha/Ward sabha
Special Gramasabha for families of
differently abled and mentally challenged
persons
Municipality: Local Government of Town
Corporations: Local Governments of the City

 Standing committees: Finance Development &Welfare

Health Public works Town planning Tax appeal
Education &Sports
 Steering Committee consisting of the Mayor, Deputy
Mayor and Chairmen of the Standing Committees
 Departments of Urban & Rural Local
Governance
 In 1962 Department of Local Bodies bifurcated into
Department of Municipal Administration and Department of
Panchayats

 Department of Panchayats

 The Department of Municipalities has been later renamed as

Department of Urban Affairs with effect from 16-12-2002.

 Concerned with the administration of Municipalities and

Municipal Corporations (together called Urban Local
Bodies)  
District Planning Committee
(1) Co-ordinating preparation of plans by
Local Governments
(2) Constituting Technical Advisory Groups
for vetting local government Plans
(3) Providing suggestions to Local
Governments on district priorities
(4) Approving plans of the Local
Governments in the same manner as
Planning Commission approves the State
plans
(5) Monitoring plan implementation.
 Kerala State Development Council
 Established in 1994

 Chief Minister of the state is the chairman of the council

 State Chief Secretary is the member secretary of council

 Formulation of policy matters related to local development and regional

development

 Coordination of District plans and State plans

 Creation of policy decisions for strengthening local bodies, finding solutions

for problems related to development activities
 Ombudsman
High power institution which has been given vast powers to
check the malpractices in local governments in the discharge of
developmental functions

Quasi judicial body functioning at the state level with its Head
Quarters in Trivandrum

Ombudsman can conduct investigations and enquiries into

instances of mal administration, corruption, favouritism,
nepotism, lack of integrity, excessive action, inaction, abuse of
position etc.
 Tribunal For Local Self Government
Institutions
 To consider and settle appeals and revision against the
decisions of the LSGI

 An official with same designation of District Judge

 Empowered to comment on directives from Government

about the legitimacy of decisions made by the Local Self
Government Institutions
Kudumbashree

Kerala State Poverty Eradication Mission launched on 1998

Community organization of Neighborhood Groups (NHGs) of

women

On a range of issues such as health, nutrition, agriculture, etc.;

income generation activities ; seeking micro credit

Working as the community wing of Local

Governments
Socio-economic surveys ,enterprise development,
community management ,social audit etc
The Three-Tier Framework
 Neighborhood Group consisting of 10-20 women members

 Area Development Society ward level

General Body  (All Presidents, Secretaries & 3 sectoral volunteers )
Executive Committee (7 members elected by the ADS general body which include a
Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary)

 Community Development Society (CDS) Panchayat / Municipal level

General Body CDS General Body is comprised of all ADS Governing Body members
Executive Committee The size of the CDS Executive committee shall be equivalent to the
number of ADS including special ADS

DISHA Special NHG Formation: special NHGs with the inclusion of

marginalized, persons with disabilities, transgender, migrant labours and
aged 
7 NHGs for Transgender
 Asraya
Asraya - Destitute Identification Rehabilitation and Monitoring Project
for the rehabilitation of destitute families.

Destitute families are identified using a transparent risk index framed

by the Mission.

Individual needs of the family are identified through a participatory

need assessment.

To address lack of food, health problems including chronic illness, land
for home, shelter, drinking water, safe sanitation facilities, skill
development, employment opportunities, etc.
LIFE Livelihood , Inclusion and Financial
Empowerment
 Targets homeless people who have land , Those who
couldn’t finish construction of house/ people staying at
dilapidated houses  , people staying at temporary
houses at public property, coastal land, plantation area
etc, houseless and landless people

 Priority groups include mentally challenged/ Visually

challenged/ paralyzed/ destitute/ handicapped/
transgenders etc
 KILA (Kerala Institute of Local Administration)

Autonomous institution functioning for the Local

governments in Kerala
Various training programs on local governance, Local
planning, e-Governance, welfare management, women
and child development etc
Nodal agency for training, research and consultancy
Facilitate and strengthen decentralized planning process
and undertake action-oriented research activities
IKM (Information Kerala Mission)

Human-centred approach to e-governance.

Strengthen the local self-governance through Information
and Communications Technology (ICT) applications
It is the largest and most comprehensive local body
computerization initiative in the country
Technology application for improving productivity,
ensuring better service delivery
Guarantee faster and objective decision-making &
enhancing accountability. 
 IKM
Plan monitoring system http://surekha.ikm.in/
www.lsgkerala.gov.in
 SEVANA
Civil registrations
1. Live births 2. Stillbirths (Foetal deaths with period of pregnancy 28 weeks or
more) 3. Death 4. Marriages (Under Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 or Kerala
Registration of Marriages(Common) Rules, 2008)
SEVANA Pension
Agricultural Labour Pension ( Must be a member of Kerala Agricultural
Workers Welfare Fund). Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension
Scheme,Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme Age greater
than 75 Years ,Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme
Disbility greater than 80%, Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension
Scheme,Pension for the Unmarried Women above 50 years , Indira
Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme  
Thank You