Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act 1996
Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 or PESA is a law enacted by the Government of India to cover the "Scheduled areas", which are not covered in the 73rd amendment or Panchayati Raj Act of the Indian Constitution. It was enacted on 24 December 1996 to enable Gram Sabhas to self govern their natural resources.[1] It is an Act to provide for the extension of the provisions of Part IX of the Constitution relating to the Panchayats to the Scheduled Areas.
Definition
“Scheduled Areas” means the Scheduled Areas as referred to in Clause (1) of Article 244[2] of the Constitution. The Act extended the provisions of Panchayats to the tribal areas of nine states that have Fifth Schedule Areas.[3]
Provisions
- A state legislation on panchayats in the scheduled area should take care of the customs, religious practices and traditional management practices of community resources
- Every village shall contain a grama sabha whose members are included in the electoral list for the panchayats at village level
- Planning and management of minor water bodies are entrusted to the panchayats
See also
- Local self-government in India
- List of Indian federal legislation
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vth_Scheduled_Areas_of_Odisha.jpg
References
External links
- Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India
- Panchayati Raj
- See the entry on Panchayat in Encyclopædia Britannica
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