Kelakam
Grama Panchayat

Development Standing Committee: Oversees agriculture, soil conservation, small-scale industries, animal husbandry, and other development projects.

Standing Committees (Sections 162, 162A) Under the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, standing committees exist in every Panchayat as detailed below. They serve as a support mechanism for the Panchayat to carry out its responsibilities effectively, efficiently, and in a time-bound manner across development, welfare, and infrastructure sectors.

Before the Panchayat makes a decision on any matter, it must be examined closely and thoroughly. This examination should first be conducted by the respective standing committee. Matters should be included in the Panchayat meeting agenda only after discussions and decisions have taken place in the standing committee meeting. Once the Panchayat takes a decision on an included matter, the concerned standing committee is also responsible for ensuring its efficient implementation. Resolutions passed by a standing committee must be placed before the next meeting of the Panchayat. The Panchayat holds the authority to make modifications if necessary. The Secretary must attend all standing committee meetings and arrange mechanisms to record minutes and decisions.

Structure of the Standing Committee

• Only elected representatives are members of the standing committees. Excluding the President and Vice President, all other members are elected members of a standing committee.
• A member cannot serve on more than one standing committee.
• Each standing committee must compulsorily include a woman member.
• The President is an ex-officio member of all standing committees without voting rights. However, the Vice President serves as an ex-officio member with voting rights and acts as the Chairperson of the Finance Standing Committee. (Section 162(6))

Duties and Responsibilities of the Standing Committee Distributing Panchayat duties and responsibilities among all members is the reason every member is assigned to a standing committee. Responsibilities reside with the Panchayat itself, not with any single individual or committee. Several mechanisms are embedded within the administrative system to discharge these duties, the most important being standing committees. The full responsibilities vested in the Panchayat are divided among various standing committees; therefore, the Panchayat fulfills its functions through them. Standing committees are neither independent entities nor do they hold autonomous authority. When each standing committee performs its legally assigned tasks on behalf of the Panchayat, the administrative machinery functions efficiently, fostering participation and decentralization.

All decisions made by standing committees must be presented at the subsequent Panchayat meeting. The Panchayat has the power to amend these decisions if necessary. (Section 162A(3) of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994).

Meetings of Standing Committees (The Kerala Panchayat Raj [Standing Committee] Rules, 2000)

• Meetings must be held at least once a month.
• The meeting shall convene at the Panchayat office on the date and time fixed by the Chairperson.
• Respective standing committees must consider matters related to the responsibilities of the Panchayat. If different standing committees take conflicting decisions on the same issue, it must be referred to the Panchayat for consideration.
• The quorum for a meeting is three. However, if the number of voting members is four or fewer, the quorum is two.
• Decisions on agenda items are made by a majority vote of the members present.
• The presiding officer holds a casting vote.
• The meeting date and agenda items must be communicated to the President (ex-officio member) and published on the notice board.
• A decision of a standing committee can be amended or revoked only through a resolution supported by more than half of the sanctioned strength of that standing committee in a specially convened meeting. Such amendments must be made within three months.

Standing committees play a critical role in local governance. Efficient execution of assigned duties by these committees is essential for local self-government administration to remain effective, rational, and scientific.

Subjects to be Handled by the Development Standing Committee Development planning, social and economic planning, spatial planning, agriculture, soil conservation, social forestry, animal husbandry, dairy development, minor irrigation, fisheries, small-scale industries, public works, housing, regulation of building construction, and electricity.

Members of the Development Standing Committee

• Chairperson: Smt. Sunitha Raju Vathyattu (Member, Ward 13)
• Members:
  • Shri Rajendran S. T. (Member, Ward 14 - Illimukku)
  • Shri Jaimon Kocharakkal (Member, Ward 08 - Poyyamala)