The book in the existing context empirically examines the institutional leaders under the three tier system of Panchayati-Raj institutions (PRIs). It deals with the socio-economic roots of the rural bodies at all the three tiers, as a backdrop to their emergence: the awareness and knowlegeability of the rural leaders relating to various problems and their socio-economic values.

Contributed articles.

India s rural sector still remains underdeveloped to a great extent inspite of her impressive achievements in the field of technology, science, human resources development, Industry and Green Revolution. The developmental path chosen by Indian planners has failed to evenly spread the developmental benefits in area of health, literacy and minimum subsistence needs. Various social science studies of development processes have either portrayed macro-synoptic scenario largely based upon official statistics or have remained confined to micro level cognitive phenomonologism. The conflicting interest-norm configurations inbuilt into socio-cultural matrices and those generated by developmental inputs have tended to be grossly neglected in social science investigations of rural development processes.

Factional politics, undoubtedly, constitutes a very significant area as well as a pervasive theme in contemporary social science. Factionalism, a growing phenomenon in Indian government and politics, has not only of late, assumed new dimensions but also infected almost all organizations including political parties, interest group, pressure groups, trade unions, voluntary association etc. It is quite disheartening and distressing to observe that even village community and its government and politics are largely as well as deeply affected and afflicted by this all-pervading evil that has spread its tentacles to eat away the very vitals of the Indian rural society. It has assumed so much of importance and significance that it has attracted the attention of social scientists, policy-makers and administrators.

Study relates to Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, 1947-1972.

With special reference to Bihar.

73rd Amendment to the Constitution of India has created a legitimate political space from women to establish governance at the grassroots for the purpose of achieving economic development and administering social justice. Occupying the space by the rustic women folk is not an easy task though it is legitimate for them. This work focuses its attention on the process of recruitment of the women to the various panchayat positions. It seeks to analyse the pattern of their emergence. This study captures the bases of power that operates at the micro level. The whole analysis is based on the scientific application of Positional, Reputational and Decision-making approaches and the integration of all the three approaches.