Introduction

About Zilla Parishad

The Panchayati Raj system is a unique and innovative experiment in the making of modern India. In 1958, the Balwantrai Mehta Committee recommended a three-tier Panchayati Raj system to involve rural citizens in the process of rural development. In accordance with this recommendation, the Government of Maharashtra enacted the Maharashtra Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti Act, 1961, which came into effect on May 1, 1962. This led to the establishment of a three-tier Panchayati Raj system—Zilla Parishad at the district level, Panchayat Samiti at the block level, and Gram Panchayat at the village level. Maharashtra became the ninth state in the country to adopt the Panchayati Raj system.

According to Rule 9(1) of the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961, a Zilla Parishad is composed of the following members:

1. Members elected directly from the electoral divisions in the district as notified by the State Election Commission in the official gazette (the number of members is determined based on the population of each electoral division).
2. As per Section 10, all Panchayat Samiti Chairpersons in the district are also members of the Zilla Parishad. The tenure of elected members is five years.

The Zilla Parishad is a local government institution operating at the district level in India. Generally, the office of the Zilla Parishad is located at the district headquarters. It is responsible for delivering information and services of various state and central government schemes to the rural population.

Key Functions of the Zilla Parishad:

• Providing essential services and amenities in rural areas.
• Supplying seeds and agricultural inputs to farmers and offering information on modern and improved farming techniques.
• Establishing and managing schools and libraries in rural areas.
• Setting up primary health centers and hospitals in villages, and implementing immunization programs to prevent epidemics.
• Implementing development schemes for Scheduled Castes and Tribes in rural areas, operating residential schools (ashram shalas) for tribal children, and providing free hostels for tribal students.
• Encouraging entrepreneurship and establishing small-scale industries to boost rural employment.
• Constructing and maintaining roads, bridges, and other public infrastructure in rural regions.
• Generating employment opportunities.

Various Subject Committees / Z.P. Committees under Zilla Parishad Jalgaon:

• Standing Committee
• Water Management and Sanitation Committee
• Finance Committee
• Construction Committee
• Agriculture Committee
• Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Committee
• Education and Sports Committee
• Health Committee
• Women and Child Welfare Committee
• Social Welfare Committee