Panchayati Raj in India : Theory and Practice

Contents: Preface. 1. Genesis, growth and diversification. 2. Organisation and functions. 3. Gram Sabha. 4. Gram Panchayat. 5. Taluka/Block Panchayat.6. Zilla Panchayat. 7. Training and awareness generation. 8. Financial administration. 9. Personnel administration. 10. People's participation. 11. Women empowerment. 12. Programme administration. 13. Planning for PRIs. 14. NGOs and Panchayati Raj institutions. 15. State control over PRIs. 16. Conclusion. Select bibliography. Index. "Panchayati Raj was in existence since ancient India. After independence, Government of India was committed to set-up Panchayati Raj System to provide real Swaraj to the people of rural areas to come out of abject poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, squalor, disease, etc. The latest development in this direction is the Constitutional Amendment (73 and 74) of 1992 which aims to provide constitutional status to Panchayati Raj System. The amendment stressed the importance of Gram Sabha and made it obligatory to set-up Gram Sabha as a part of PRI system. "In this book "Panchayati Raj in India : Theory and Practice", within a compass of 16 chapters, all aspects of Panchayati Raj system have been analysed critically to come out with concrete suggestions for improvement. "Chapter 1 discusses the genesis, growth and diversification of PRI system in India followed by chapters 2,3,4 and 5 which deal with organisation, functions, powers, at state, district, block and Panchayat levels. Chapter 6 examines the central axle of PRI system that is 'Gram Sabha'. An attempt has been made to suggest methods to 420 pp.…