Health and Education Standing Committee
The Standing Committee for Health and Education is the committee in Local Self-Government Institutions (Grama Panchayat, Block Panchayat, and District Panchayat) in Kerala that handles the critical subjects of Public Health, Sanitation, and Education.
In Grama Panchayats, the subjects of Health and Education are typically handled together by this single committee.
1. Structure
| Role | Details |
|---|---|
| Chairman | An elected member of the Panchayat Council, chosen by the Council. |
| Members | Other elected members of the Council. A member can only be a part of one Standing Committee at a time. |
| Secretary | An official related to the health and education sectors of the Panchayat, or the Panchayat Secretary, acts as the ex-officio Secretary, attending meetings and executing decisions. |
2. Main Duties and Powers
This committee is responsible for the overall supervision of public health and primary education. The main duties are as follows:
A. Health Responsibilities ⚕️
Public Health: Evaluating the functioning of health institutions at the Panchayat level (such as Primary Health Centres) and planning disease prevention activities.
Sanitation and Waste Management: Ensuring public and private hygiene, supervising waste management schemes, and inspecting cleanliness in public spaces.
Epidemic Control: Organising awareness programs to prevent the spread of epidemics and coordinating preventative measures.
Control of Dangerous Trades: Reviewing and regulating matters related to licensing industries and trades that may be harmful to public health.
B. Education Responsibilities 📚
Oversight of Educational Institutions: Preparing necessary plans to improve the functioning of government schools and pre-primary centres within the Panchayat limits.
Promotion of Education: Working to universalise primary education and promoting co-curricular activities, sports, and arts.
Arts and Sports: Planning projects and creating forums to encourage and promote sports and cultural activities.
In essence, the objective of this Standing Committee is to ensure a healthy society and excellent education at the Panchayat level.