Panchayat System in India : Historical, Constitutional and Financial Analysis
Contents: Preface. 1. Efforts at Panchayati Raj in Tamil Nadu/A. Subramanian. 2. Panchayat system in India : an overview/A. Vijayakumar. 3. Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions in mobilizing peoples\' participation in rural development programmes : a review/S.P. Jain. 4. Panchayati Raj in Bihar : a critical survey/Vijay Kumar. 5. Panchayats in Indian history through the ages: the case of medieval India/Ramesh Chandra Sharma. 6. The genesis of Panchayati Raj System in the light of new dimensions/M. Venkat Reddy. 7. The constitution making in India before independence/Alok Kumar Singh. 8. Panchayati Raj : Mandalization in the era of globalization in India/Mahendra Prasad Singh. 9. Panchayats as institutions: myth or reality/Chandra B.P. Singh. 10. Tardy progress of Panchayati Raj Movement in Tamil Nadu/V. Venkatakrishnan and B.S. Bhargava. 11. A Survey of Grama Adalita in Karnataka with reference to Coastal Karnataka Sixth to the end of the eighteenth centuries : a few observations/K.G. Vasanthamadhava. 12. Panchayati Raj under siege : an analysis of Orissa\'s experiment with rural local government/Avinash Samal and B.S. Bhargava. 13. Empowerment and development : Panchayati Raj and role of NGOs/S.C. Padhy. 14. Political empowerment of women : the case of Karnataka\'s experiments with Panchayati Raj/B.S. Bhargava and K. Subha. 15. History and growth of Panchayati forestry in the Lesser Himalayan region of Kumaon/A.S. Rawat. 16. Panchayat system in India : historical and constitutional perspective/Ratna Ghosh. 17. Women\'s participation in Panchayats : some steps/Ratna Ghosh and Alok Kumar Pramanik. 18. Management of Panchayati Raj Institutions : a new thrust needed/A. Vijayakumar. 19. Aspects of Panchayati Raj Finances in Andhra Pradesh: an overview/C.P. Vithal. Index.
"Panchayat is an old conception in India and it is an earlier concept of democracy in the history of civilisation. Now-a-days, PRIs have been proclaimed as the \'vehicle\' of the socio-economic transformation in rural India. The importance of Panchayat system has been emphasised by political thinkers and administrators of all ages.
The Constitution (73) Amendment Act, endowing PRIs with constitutional status, constitute a significant landmark in the evolution of grassroots democratic institutions in India. It ensures full freedom to plan according to the local need and local potentials. The comprehensive framework provided now, will truly transform the rural economy and give a practical shape to people\'s participation in the process of economic development with social justice.
It has observed that not much literature on Panchayati Raj System is available in the market. In order to fill up this gap, the editors feel it necessary to bring out one edited volume collecting contributions from various renowned authors covering almost all the aspects of Panchayati Raj System prevailing in India. The names of the contributors have been included in this book. The edited volume may be used as a textbook for the students and reference for the researchers." (jacket)
