Part-V | Local Government in India – Panchayati Raj & Municipalities
The Local Government in India forms the backbone of grassroots democracy, ensuring citizen participation in governance through both rural and urban self-government institutions. This page covers the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 establishing Panchayati Raj Institutions (Gram Panchayats, Block Samitis, and Zila Parishads), their finances, and the PESA Act, 1996 for Scheduled Areas. It also explains the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, which introduced Urban Local Bodies including Municipalities, Municipal Corporations, and Nagar Panchayats. A vital topic for Polity, it highlights how decentralization of power strengthens democracy, accountability, and inclusive development at both rural and urban levels.