Contributed articles.

This book establishes a link between the Panchayati Raj and Rural Development. Panchayati Raj being people-centric institutions promotes quality of life of the people living in the rural areas. India is a home of villages where a large chunk of population lives whereas Panchayati Raj is a hearth of governance and development in rural areas. Government has assigned developmental tasks to Panchayati Raj bodies by involving people and their representatives. The goal of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Rural Development Schemes are interlined which focus on resolving issues of the people and take care of development. Government of India, through its legislations, empowers elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions to share their responsibilities in developmental process and promotes services to the local people. This book covers strategy and evolution of Panchayati Raj system and effectiveness of centrally sponsored schemes. This book is useful for the functionaries of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development, students of Political Science, Rural Development Management, Scholars of M.Phil., & Ph.D., Development Agents, Social Activists, Students of different competitive examinations, etc. This book comprises important themes of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development which fulfills expectation of the readers.

Contents: Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions in the Rural Development: A Management Study, Rural Development Through Primary Education under Panchayati Raj System: A Case Study of Jayapur Panchayat, Panchayati Raj Institutions in Orissa: Issues and Challenges, Panchayati Raj Institutions Issues and Challenges, An Alley on Panchayati Raj, Panchaytai Raj Institutions and Tribal Development, Revitalisation of Panchayats, Indira Awas and PRI (Housing for Rural Poor), Role of PRIS in Implementing Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (REGS), Orissa Grama Panchayat Act: A Milestone for Family Discipline, Peoples Participation in Panchayat Raj Governance through Gram Sabha.

"Functioning of Panchayat Raj in India has been a matter of debate and speculation about its performance and impact. In almost all states, two or three rounds of elections for panchayats have been completed. The sizeable presence of underprivileged and poor in the grassroots political institutions is a landmark development in the rural politics of the country. This is also a matter of serious debate as to how this excluded lot after their inclusion in active politics at grassroots would effectively tackle local power equation and set the agenda for development. The responses of state governments to the implementation of Panchayat Raj varied significantly and it is very difficult to generalise about this issue on the basis of their functioning for the last one decade or so. A perusal of functioning of Panchayat Raj puts forward a mix scenario with enough evidences of positive movements and several hurdles, nevertheless a hope for the best can be expected at this juncture.This book is divided into six sub-themes, viz., Structure and Functioning of PRIs, Marginalised Sections and their Participation, Institutional Mechanism and Grassroots Decision-Making, Natural Resource Management and PRIs, NGOs, Panchayats and Capacity-Building Initiatives and Decentralised Planning and Finance. It will interest a wide range of readers, including researchers, bureaucrats, policy makers, planners and those concerned with the plight of tribals."

Study with special reference to Dindigul District of Tamil Nadu, India.

The Ten Papers In This Volume Form A Good Idea Of What The Rural Development Issues Are And What The Pris Can Do To Address Rural Development Concerns.