Maarg Manthan · Topic 28.11

Eleventh Schedule: Powers, Authority and Responsibilities of Panchayats

Indian Polity › Schedules of the Constitution · Topic 28.11

The Eleventh Schedule, added by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992, lists 29 functional matters for panchayats under Article 243G, whose devolution depends on state law.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Polity · Schedules of the Constitution

At a Glance

What it is List of 29 functional items for panchayats
Article Article 243G
Added by 73rd Amendment Act, 1992
Items 29
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Polity: Schedules of the Constitution

Where Does It Fit?

This is the eleventh topic of the category on the Schedules of the Constitution. The Eleventh Schedule specifies the powers, authority and responsibilities of panchayats and contains 29 matters. It was added by the 73rd Amendment Act of 1992 and is linked to Article 243G.

The 29 Items

No.	Item	No.	Item
1	Agriculture, including agricultural extension	16	Poverty alleviation programme
2	Land improvement, land reforms, land consolidation and soil conservation	17	Education, including primary and secondary schools
3	Minor irrigation, water management and watershed development	18	Technical training and vocational education
4	Animal husbandry, dairying and poultry	19	Adult and non-formal education
5	Fisheries	20	Libraries
6	Social forestry and farm forestry	21	Cultural activities
7	Minor forest produce	22	Markets and fairs
8	Small-scale industries, including food processing	23	Health and sanitation, including hospitals, primary health centres and dispensaries
9	Khadi, village and cottage industries	24	Family welfare
10	Rural housing	25	Women and child development
11	Drinking water	26	Social welfare, including welfare of the handicapped and mentally retarded
12	Fuel and fodder	27	Welfare of the weaker sections, in particular of SCs and STs
13	Roads, culverts, bridges, ferries, waterways and other means of communication	28	Public distribution system
14	Rural electrification, including distribution of electricity	29	Maintenance of community assets
15	Non-conventional energy sources

Constitutional Basis

Article 243G provides that the legislature of a state may, by law, endow the panchayats with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as institutions of self-government, with a view to preparing plans for economic development and social justice and implementing schemes for them in relation to the matters listed in the Eleventh Schedule. The provision for devolution of the 29 functions is voluntary for the states, and not compulsory, in the sense that it is for the state legislature to decide how many of them to give.

Implementation Concerns

The Second Administrative Reforms Commission noted that in most of the critical Eleventh Schedule matters such as primary education, healthcare, water supply, sanitation and minor irrigation, it is the state government that is directly responsible for implementation and expenditure, so panchayats have responsibility but grossly inadequate resources. The Second Administrative Reforms Commission found the performance of panchayats unsatisfactory since states did not devolve the 3Fs of functions, funds and functionaries, bureaucrats controlled the panchayats, funds were tied to schemes, panchayats rarely used their taxing powers, and parallel bodies were created. The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution recommended that the Eleventh and Twelfth Schedules be restructured to create a separate fiscal domain for panchayats and municipalities, that they be declared institutions of self-government with exclusive functions assigned to them by amending Articles 243G and 243W, and that for the North East the subjects given under the Sixth Schedule and the Eleventh Schedule could be entrusted to the Autonomous District Councils.

PESA and the Eleventh Schedule

In Scheduled Areas, the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 gives the Gram Sabha and panchayats additional powers on subjects that overlap with the Eleventh Schedule, such as minor forest produce (item 7), land (item 2) and social sector institutions. A state legislature must ensure that panchayats at the appropriate level and the Gram Sabha are endowed with the power to enforce prohibition or regulate the sale of intoxicants, ownership of minor forest produce, the power to prevent alienation of land and restore unlawfully alienated land of a Scheduled Tribe, the power to manage village markets, control over money-lending to Scheduled Tribes, control over institutions and functionaries in all social sectors and control over local plans and resources including tribal sub-plans. The recommendations of the Gram Sabha or panchayats are mandatory for a prospecting licence or mining lease for minor minerals, and planning and management of minor water bodies is entrusted to panchayats.

Link to Other Provisions

Panchayats prepare plans for economic development and social justice, and the District Planning Committee consolidates the plans of panchayats and municipalities. The State Finance Commission reviews their financial position. In Scheduled Areas, PESA, 1996 gives the Gram Sabha and panchayats additional powers over subjects such as minor forest produce, land alienation and minor minerals. These links show that the Schedule lists the functions, while funds and functionaries decide how effective the functions are.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Count and examples Twenty-nine items are asked
Article 243G Link to devolution
Distinguish from 12th Panchayats versus municipalities

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the Twelfth Schedule, the powers of municipalities.

Key People and Terms

Article 243G Powers of panchayats
3Fs Functions, funds and functionaries
Minor forest produce Item 7
Community assets Item 29
Public distribution system Item 28

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

29 items; 73rd Amendment.
Article 243G.
Devolution is voluntary for states.
Municipalities: 18 items; Article 243W.
Item 29: maintenance of community assets.

Do Not Confuse With

Eleventh and Twelfth Schedules Panchayats (29) versus municipalities (18)
Article 243G and 243W Panchayats versus municipalities
Functions and funds Listing versus devolution

Memory Hook

Twenty-nine for panchayats, eighteen for municipalities: funds and functionaries still lag.

Mains Angle

Questions on this topic usually ask about devolution to panchayats. Use these points to add depth.

Devolution Functions listed but not always transferred
Capacity Funds and functionaries
Local planning District Planning Committee
Tribal areas PESA

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Examine the extent of devolution of Eleventh Schedule functions to panchayats and the challenges.”

How to Answer

Introduction Schedule and Article 243G.
Functions Categories.
Challenges 3Fs.
Conclusion Reform.

GS Relevance

Prelims: Indian Polity, schedules. GS Paper 2: Local government.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Eleventh Schedule?

The Eleventh Schedule lists 29 functional items for panchayats, such as agriculture, minor irrigation, drinking water, rural housing and public distribution, added by the 73rd Amendment Act of 1992 and linked to Article 243G., which Article 243G supports.

Which Article is linked to the Eleventh Schedule?

Article 243G allows the state legislature to endow panchayats with the powers and authority needed to function as institutions of self-government and to prepare and implement plans for economic development and social justice on the 29 matters.

Is devolution of Eleventh Schedule functions compulsory?

No. The devolution of powers and responsibilities on the 29 matters is a voluntary provision, so each state legislature decides by law which functions to give to panchayats and to what extent, as state laws differ.

Why have panchayats been weak in using the Eleventh Schedule?

The Second ARC found that states did not devolve functions, funds and functionaries, bureaucrats controlled panchayats, funds were tied to schemes, taxing powers were rarely used and parallel bodies were created, in the view of the Commission.

How does the Eleventh Schedule differ from the Twelfth Schedule?

The Eleventh Schedule has 29 items for panchayats and the Twelfth Schedule has 18 items for municipalities, added by the 73rd and 74th Amendments respectively, and linked to Articles 243G and 243W., so they form a pair.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The Eleventh Schedule has 29 items.

True

For panchayats.

2 The Eleventh Schedule was added by the 74th Amendment.

False

73rd.

3 Devolution of the 29 functions is compulsory.