Panchayati Raj in India

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Panchayati Raj Institutions--a retrospective. 3. The Constitution (73 Amendment) Act, 1992 and The Provisions of Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996. 4. Principles of local governance. 5. Empowerment of panchayats--a perspective. Annexures.

"The institution of Panchayati Raj is now recognised as an important mechanism for decentralizing power and ensuring people\'s participation in development activities. It received special emphasis after the 73 Constitutional Amendment which made the transfer of power to the panchayats a part of the most basic document of this nation--The Constitution of India. We have come a long way. It is now about one and a half decades since the 73 Constitutional Amendment came into effect.

This publication considers the various stages through which this system evolved and also the promise it holds for the future."