Organizational Structure

Institutional Structure

Thidanad Grama Panchayat, located in Erattupetta Block of Kottayam District, is a local self-government institution in Kerala. Its institutional structure follows the model generally prescribed for all Grama Panchayats under the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act.

1. Political Wing

  • Panchayat President – The head of the Panchayat and its principal political authority.
  • Vice President – Assists the President and assumes charge in the President’s absence.
  • Ward Members – Elected representatives from each ward of the Panchayat. Together, they constitute the Panchayat Committee.

2. Standing Committees

Generally, Grama Panchayats in Kerala have three Standing Committees:

  1. Finance Standing Committee
    • Budget, taxation and financial management.
  2. Development Standing Committee
    • Agriculture, animal husbandry, infrastructure development and development projects.
  3. Welfare Standing Committee
    • Social welfare, healthcare, women and child development, and the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

3. Steering Committee

The Steering Committee consists of:

  • President
  • Vice President
  • Chairpersons of the Standing Committees

They coordinate and oversee various activities of the Panchayat.

4. Administrative Wing

  • Secretary – The chief executive officer of the Panchayat.
  • Assistant Secretary
  • Head Clerk
  • Accountant/Clerks
  • Office Staff
  • Field Staff such as Overseer, Bill Collector, etc.

They are responsible for implementing the decisions of the Panchayat Committee.

5. Constituent Institutions

The institutions and offices generally functioning under or in coordination with the Panchayat include:

  • Village Extension Office
  • Krishi Bhavan
  • Family Health Centre/Health Sub-Centres/Ayurveda Dispensary
  • Anganwadis
  • Veterinary Hospital
  • Dairy Extension Office
  • Fisheries Extension Office

6. People’s Participation Mechanisms

People participate directly in the planning and implementation of Panchayat programmes through:

  1. Drinking water, sanitation and street-lighting systems
  2. Grama Sabhas in each ward
  3. Development Seminars
  4. Beneficiary Committees
  5. Working Committees

Through these mechanisms, citizens actively participate in the planning, implementation and monitoring of various development programmes and activities of the Panchayat.