(1) A Gram Panchayat shall also perform such other functions Other as the State Government may assign to it in respect of— duties of Gram (a) primary, social, technical or vocational education; Panchayat.
(b) rural dispensaries, health centres and maternity and child welfare centres;
(c) management of any public ferry under the Bengal Ferries Ben.Act I of Act, 1885;
1885.
(d) irrigation;
(e) grow-more-food campaign;
(f) care of the infirm and the destitute;
(g) rehabilitation of displaced persons;
(h) improved breeding of cattle, medical treatment of cattle and prevention of cattle disease;
(i) its acting as a channel through which Government assistance should reach the villages;
(j) bringing waste land under cultivation;
(k) promotion of village plantations;
(1) arranging for cultivation of land lying fallow;
(m) arranging for co-operative management of land and other resources of the village;
(n) assisting in the implementation of land reform measure in its area;
(o) implementation of such schemes as may be formulated or performance of such acts as may be entrusted to the Gram Panchayat by the State Government; and
(p) field publicity on matters connected with development works and other welfare measures undertaken by the State Government.
(2) If the State Government is of opinion that a Gram Panchayat has persistently made default in the performance of any of the functions assigned to it under sub-section (1), the State Government may, after recording its reasons, withdraw such function from such Gram Panchayat.
21. Subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, a Gram Discretion- Panchayat may, and shall if the State Government so directs, make ary Gram provision for— Panchayar.
(a) the maintenance of lighting of public streets;
(b) planting and maintaining trees on the sides of public streets or in other public places vested it it;
277 The West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973.
[West Ben. Act (Part 11.—Gram Panchayat.—Chapter 111.—Powers and duties of Gram Panchayat.—Section 21.)
(c) the sinking of wells and excavation of ponds and tanks;
(d) the introduction and promotion of co-operative farming, co-operative stores, and other co-operative enterprises, trades and callings,
(e) the construction and regulation of markets, the holding and regulation of fairs, melas and hats and exhibitions of local produce and products of local handicrafts and home industries;
(f) the allotment of places for storing manure;
(g) assisting and advising agriculturists in the matter of obtaining State loan and its distribution and repayment;
(h) filling up of insanitary depressions and reclaiming of unhealthy localities;
(i) the promotion and encouragement of cottage industries;
(j) the destruction of rabbit or ownerless dogs;
(k) regulating the production and disposal of foodstuffs and other commodities in the manner prescribed;
(I) the construction and maintenance of sarais, dharmasalas, rest houses, cattle sheds and cart stands;
(m) the disposal of unclaimed cattle;
(n) the disposal cf unclaimed corpses and carcasses;
(o) the establishment and maintenance of libraries and reading rooms;
(p', the organisation and maintenance of akharas, clubs and other places for recreation or games;
(q) the maintenance of records relating to population census, crop census, cattle census and census of unemployed persons and of other statistics as may be prescribed;
(r) the performance in the manner prescribed of any of the functions of the Zilla Parishad, with its previous approval, calculated to benefit the people living within the jurisdiction of the Gram Panchayat;
(s) rendering assistance in extinguishing fire and protecting life and property when fire occurs;
(t) assisting in the prevention of burglary and dacoity; and
(u) any other local work or service of public utility which is likely to promote the health, comfort, convenience or material prosperity of the public, not otherwise provided for in this Act.
278 The West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973.
XLI of 1973.]
(Part 11.—Gram Panchayat.—Chapter 111.—Powers and duties of Gram Panchayat.—Sections 22, 23.)
22. Where the State Government assigns any function to a Gram Panchayat under section 20 or where it directs a Gram Panchayat to make provision for any of the items enumerated in section 21, it shall place such funds at the disposal of the Gram Panchayat as may be required for the due performance of such function or for making such provision, as the case may be.
State Government to place funds necessary for the performance of functions and duties under section 20 or 21 at the disposal of the Grain Panchayat.