A Sociological Analysis of Panchayath Raj and Rural Development Program in India

Abstract

India is a country of villages, nearly 70% of its population lives in rural area. According to Mahatma Gandhi “unless the development of villages the country could not considered a developed nation”. The words of Mahatma Gandhi are absolutely true. For the sake of the development of the villages in Karnataka the Panchayath raj system was launched in 1961, later 73 amendment of India’s constitution provides independent power to these Panchayath system and introduced three tier panchayath raj system, such as Grama Panchayath, Taluku Panchayath, and Zilla Panchayath. The main goal of the amendment was to decentralization of the power and grass root level development of the village community. Similarly, the central Govt. has introduced various programs for the comprehensive development of Village Community through the Panchayath raj system. For instance, Pradhana Mantri Grama Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Pradhana Mantri A was Yojana (PMAY-G) Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNEGA) and many more. Keeping this in mind the present studymade an attempt to understand the role of Panchayath Raj institutions in rural areas of Karnataka.