Zila Parishad is the institution of the Panchayati Raj system at the district level. It comprises of:
1. Directly elected members from the wards of Zila Parishad area.
2. Members of Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly from the Zila Parishad area.
3. All Rajya Sabha members from the Zila Parishad area .
4. Pradhans of all Panchayat Samitis in the Zila Parishad area.
5. Zila Pramukh and Dy. Zila Pramukh who are elected by the elected members of the Zila Parishad. They have also the right to dismiss them by Noconfidence proposal. The other members do not enjoy the right to elect and dismiss them but they can vote on other matters in the Zila Parishad meetings.
Besides the public representatives there are an Executive officer, an assistant engineer and other employees. Seats are reserved in the Zila Parishads for the weaker sections in the society and for the women. There are also some departments organised by the Zila Parishad for its prompt and smooth working are:
1. Administration, finance and taxation department
2. Education department
3. Social services and Legal department
4. Zila Parishad can also ask for any information and record from the permanent or temporary department. Functions and
Powers of Zila Parishad:
1. Ordinary Functions: It prepares plans for social justice and economic development, gets them implemented through the related activities.
2. Agriculture related Functions: It helps in the matters like developed tools for increase in agricultural production, popularisation of use of the agricultural techniques, training to the farmers, organisation of fairs and exhibitions, land reforms and soil conservation functions.
3. It promotes of small irrigation schemes and groundwater conservation, construction and maintenance of rural gardens and parks, cooperation to the farmers and development of crops of fruits and vegetables.
4. Statistics related Functions: It coordinates and uses statistics related with the functions of Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads.
5. Rural Electrification: It tries to increase the supply of electricity in the rural areas, sanctions electricity connections i.e., Kuteer Jyoti and other connections.
6. Soil conservation and Social Forestry: These functions include conservation of soil, development of sterile land, promotion of horticulture and development of fodder land and plantation of trees.
7. Cattle Breeding, Dairy Development and Fisheries: It prepares schemes for veterinary hospitals for animals, prevention of diseases in animals, fodder, expansion of dairy industry, poultry development, rearing of fishes and pigs, etc.
8. Domestic and Cottage Industry related Functions: It identifies the expert hands and develops domestic industries, arranges for raw material. It promotes khadi, handloom, handicraft and rural industries and it trains artisans and craftsmen.
9. Welfare Functions of Weaker Sections of Society: Zila Parishad gives grant to purchase books and the study material as well as scholarships to the children belonging to the schedule castes, schedule tribes and other backward classes and provides them all other facilities for the education. It also works for removal of illiteracy and for night classes and libraries. It plans for removal of poverty among them and inspects their hostels.
