Standing Committee on Health and Education
Standing Committees (Section 162, 162A)
As per the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, each Panchayat has the following Standing Committees. The Standing Committees are a support mechanism for the Panchayat to discharge these responsibilities in the areas of development, welfare and infrastructure effectively, efficiently and in a timely manner.
Before taking a decision on any issue, the Panchayat should examine it carefully and in detail. This examination should be carried out first by the respective Standing Committees. The issues should be included in the agenda of the Panchayat meeting only after discussion and decision in the Standing Committee meeting. If the Panchayat takes a decision on an issue included in this way, the respective Standing Committees are also responsible for ensuring that the decision is implemented effectively. The resolutions passed by the Standing Committee should be placed in the next meeting of the Panchayat. The Panchayat has the power to make changes if necessary. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Standing Committee and shall make arrangements for recording the minutes and decisions.
Composition of the Standing Committee
Only representatives of the people shall be members of the Standing Committees. All members except the President and the Vice President shall be elected members of any Standing Committee.
A member shall not be a member of more than one Standing Committee.
There shall be one woman member in every Standing Committee.
The President shall be an ex-officio member of all Standing Committees without voting rights, but the Vice President shall be an ex-officio member with voting rights and the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Finance. (Section 162(6))
Duties and Responsibilities of the Standing Committee
All members are made part of any Standing Committee as part of delegating the duties and responsibilities of the Panchayats to all members. The Panchayat shall have the responsibilities. Not to any individual or committee. Several mechanisms have been incorporated within the administrative system to fulfill the duties of the Panchayat. The most important of these are the Standing Committees. All the duties vested in the Panchayat have been divided among various Standing Committees. Therefore, the Panchayat has to fulfill its duties through various Standing Committees. Standing Committees are not independent mechanisms. They do not have independent powers. When each Standing Committee performs the duties assigned to the Panchayat by law, the administrative system becomes efficient, participation and decentralization are created.
All decisions taken by the Standing Committees must be presented in the next meeting of the Panchayat. The Panchayat has the power to amend the decisions if necessary. (Section 162A(3)1 of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994.
Meetings of Standing Committees (Kerala Panchayat Raj (Standing Committee) Rules, 2000)
Shall meet at least once a month.
The meeting shall be held at the Panchayat office on such date and time as may be fixed by the Chairperson.
The Standing Committee shall consider matters relating to the functions of the Panchayat. In case of conflicting decisions on the same matter by different Standing Committees, the matter shall be referred to the Panchayat for consideration.
The quorum for a meeting shall be three. However, if the number of members with voting rights is four or less, the quorum shall be two.
Decisions on the agenda items shall be by majority vote of the members present.
The Chairman shall have the casting vote.
The date and items on the agenda shall be communicated to the President, who shall be an ex-officio member; and shall be displayed on the notice board. shall be published.
The decision of the Standing Committees can be amended or repealed only by a special meeting convened by a resolution supported by more than half of the members appointed to the Standing Committee. Such amendment shall be made within three months.
The role of the Standing Committees is crucial in the discharge of the duties of local governments. Only if the Standing Committees discharge the duties assigned to them efficiently can the discharge of local administration be effective, rational and scientific.
Issues to be considered by the Health and Education Standing Committee
Public health, sanitation, clean water supply (drinking water), sewage, environment, education, art and culture and entertainment.
Members of the Health and Education Standing Committee
Chairperson - Mr. Sajan Cherian, Member Ward - 6 Puthalam
Members
Usha Mohanan, Ward Member - 3 Kakkamthod
Rajeev P K, Ward Member - 8 Kommeri