New Panchayati Raj : A Study of Socio-Political and Administrative Dynamics

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Evolution of Panchayati Raj in India and Orissa. 3. A profile of Ganjam District: its physical and demographic setting. 4. New Panchayati Raj act of Orissa. 5. Village development and Panchayati Raj Institutions. 6. Panchayati Raj and the weaker sections. 7. Political-administrative dynamics of officials and non-officials. 8. Evaluation concluding observations and suggestions. Bibliography. Index.

"The book makes a perfect analysis of the Panchayati Raj institutions. It studies in detail the new Panchayati Raj Act of Orissa; it analyzes the various dimensions of Panchayati Raj in Orissa; it assesses and examines the functioning of elected bodies; it examines the scope of higher level political interference in the functioning of all the three-tiers of the system; it examines the problem of resource of Panchayati Raj Institutions; it assesses the weaker sections awareness of Panchayati Raj, their perception of Panchayati Raj their participation in Panchayati Raj programmes as functionaries and as beneficiaries and the extent to which they are benefited in different areas of operation of Panchayati Raj institutions. A separate chapter contains a detailed account of village development, role, responsibilities, and power of Gram Panchayats. The 73 Constitution Amendment Act provides the Panchayats with more powers, authority, and responsibility along with the constitutional status. The Eleventh Schedule provides a scheme of distribution of powers between the state legislature and the Panchayats. Both officials and non-officials are considered as the life partners of the decentralized planning process. In keeping view of the above fact this volume also studies the relationship between officials and non-officials and discusses in terms of cooperation and hostility. Further the relationship between officials and non-officials at block and Zilla Parishad level has been interpreted with particular reference to these aspects--awareness, participation, and relation." (jacket)