In terms of List II (State List) of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, ‘Panchayat’, being ‘local government’, is a State Subject, and States/Union Territories are competent to consider and formulate guidelines to this effect under the provisions of respective Panchayati Raj Acts.

Draft Model Rules for PESA were circulated among PESA States in 2009 for framing their State specific PESA Rules for their respective States. For effective implementation of PESA and to strengthen Gram Sabhas (GSs) and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Fifth Schedule areas, under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) Scheme, the following activities are funded:-

• Human resource support for mobilizing, capacity building and strengthening of GSs and PRIs;
• Orientation/handholding support for capacity building and strengthening of GSs and PRIs through competent institutions or voluntary organizations/Non-Governmental Organizations.

Further, the Ministry has organized State-level workshops for PESA States from time-to-time to give a fillip to the implementation of PESA and improve the level of awareness on the subject among the representatives of PRIs.

Various Handbooks for use of Gram Panchayats/Gram Sabhas have been brought out by the Ministry. Handbook of Community Mobilisation in Fifth Scheduled Areas was released on National Panchayati Raj Day, 24th April, 2015. The Book contains basic information about the provisions of PESA, principles and methods of community mobilization and role of Gram Sabha/Community Mobilisers and PESA Coordinators.

Separate guidelines for participatory Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) for local development in PESA Areas, were circulated to PESA States. In addition, an advisory on bonded labour and distress migration in PESA areas was also issued.

 Recently, Ministry of PanchayatiRaj organised a one-day National Level Conference in November, 2021 in New Delhi to celebrate the 25th year of promulgation of the PESA Act. The Conference was addressed by Ministers of Panchayati Raj and Tribal Affairs as well as Governor of Maharashtra.  Representatives of Panchayati Raj as well as Tribal Development Departments of PESA States; representatives of Central Ministries/Departments, NITI Aayog, National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR) and Non-Government Organisations also participated in the Conference and shared their views/suggestions for improved implementation of PESA. 

Six States namely Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Telangana have framed State specific PESA Rules for their respective States to implement PESA.

This information was given by Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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