Out of the following select the social welfare responsibilities that Panchayat needs to perform:
(A) Recording of Birth and Death Rates and construction of roads
(B) Construction of public buildings and promoting small cottage industries
(C) Maintaining burial grounds and establishment of child welfare centres
(D) Propagation of family planning and promotion of agricultural activities
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → (C) and (D) only
(A) Recording of Birth and Death Rates and construction of roads Incorrect. Recording statistics of births and deaths is a social welfare responsibility, but the construction of roads is a development activity, so the pair as a whole is not social welfare.
(B) Construction of public buildings and promoting small cottage industries Incorrect. Both are development activities of the Panchayats, with the construction of roads, wells, tanks and schools and the care of minor irrigation works.
(C) Maintaining burial grounds and establishment of child welfare centres Correct. The social welfare responsibilities include the maintenance of burning and burial grounds and the establishment of child welfare and maternity centres.
(D) Propagation of family planning and promotion of agricultural activities Correct. The same list of social welfare responsibilities ends with propagation of family planning and promotion of agricultural activities.
Note: The chapter ‘The Story of Indian Democracy’ of the pre-rationalised NCERT, which NTA followed in 2023, has been renamed ‘The Constitution and Social Change’ in the NCERT book (2025-26). Its section on the powers and responsibilities of Panchayats is still there.
NCERT (2025-26): “Powers and Responsibilities of Panchayats … Social welfare responsibilities of the Panchayats include the maintenance of burning and burial grounds, recording statistics of births and deaths, establishment of child welfare and maternity centres, control of cattle pounds, propagation of family planning and promotion of agricultural activities. The development activities include the construction of roads, public buildings, wells, tanks and schools. They also promote small cottage industries and take care of minor irrigation works.…” |