(1)Subject to the general orders of the Government, Ward Sabha shall meet atleast once in six months.(2)The quorum for the meeting of a Ward Sabha shall be not less than one tenth of the total number of members of the Ward Sabha or twenty members whichever is less. As far as may be, not less than thirty percent of the voters attending the Ward Sabha, shall be women. As far as may be the persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes shall be represented in proportion to their population in the Ward Sabha."(3)Ward Sabha shall, subject to such rules as may be prescribed, exercise the following powers and discharge the following functions, namely:-(a)to generate proposals and determine the priority of schemes and development programmes to be implemented in the area of the Ward Sabha and forward the same to place it before the Grama Sabha for inclusion in Grama Panchayat development plan;(b)to identity the most eligible persons from the area of Ward Sabha for beneficiary oriented schemes on the basis of criteria fixed and prepare list of eligible beneficiaties in the order of priority and forward the same to the Grama Panchayat for inclusion in its development plan;(c)to verify the eligibility of persons getting various kinds of welfare assistance from Government such as pensions and subsidies;(d)to get information from the officers of the Grama Panchayat as to the services they will render and the works they propose to do in the succeeding period of six months after the meeting of the Ward Sabha;(e)to get information from the Grama Panchayat on the rational of every decision of the Grama Panchayat concerning the area of the Ward Sabha;(f)to get information from the Grama Panchayat on the follow up action taken on the decisions of the Ward Sabha;(g)to provide and mobilize voluntary labour and contributions in cash and kind for development work and supervise such development works through volunteer teams;(h)to make efforts to ensure that the members of Ward Sabha pay taxes and repay loans to the Grama Panchayat;(i)to suggest the location of streetlights, street or community water taps, public wells, public sanitation units, irrigation facilities and such other public amenity schemes within the area of the Ward Sabha;(j)to identify the deficiencies in the water supply and street lighting arrangements in the area of Ward Sabha and suggest remedial measures;(k)to impart awareness on matters of public interest such as cleanliness, preservation of the environment and prevention of pollution;(l)to assist the employees of the Grama Panchayat in sanitation arrangements in the area of Ward Sabha and render voluntary service in the removal of garbage;(m)to promote programme of adult education within the area of Ward Sabha;(n)to assist the activities of public health centers in the area of Ward Sabha especially in disease prevention and family welfare and to create arrangements to quickly report the incidence of epidemics and natural calamities;(o)to promote harmony and unity among various groups of people in the area of the Ward Sabha and to arrange cultural festivals and sports meets to give expression to the talents of the people of the locality; and(p)to exercise such other powers and discharge such other functions as may be prescribed.(4)The procedure for convening and conducting the meetings of the Ward Sabha shall be such as may be prescribed.(5)Every meeting of a Ward Sabha shall be presided over by the member of the Grama Panchayat elected from the area of the concerned Ward Sabha and in his absence by any other member of the Grama Panchayat nominated by it.(6)All resolutions in respect of any issue in the meeting of the Ward Sabha shall be passed by a majority of the members present and voting.
