Panchayati Raj has its ups and downs characterised by encouragement and relative neglect by the State and Central Governments since its inception. So also the research literature on the topic. Despite the neglect, more because of political considerations, research on this indigenous form of local government arrests the attention of political scientists and public administration scholars all over. The research output is spread over various journals, published books, mimeographed documents conference/seminar proceedings and reports of Committees appointed by the State and Central Governments. Every often the interest in the Panchayati Raj is revived, there is a need felt for assessing its strengths and weaknesses in the changing framework of the situation. The present compilation intends to facilitate such an understanding by bringing together most of the literature available on this topic since its inception. Annotations appended to the references provide an insight into the subject content.

Panchayati Raj has its ups and downs characterised by encouragement and relative neglect by the State and Central Governments since its inception. So also the research literature on the topic. Despite the neglect, more because of political considerations, research on this indigenous form of local government arrests the attention of political scientists and public administration scholars all over. The research output is spread over various journals, published books, mimeographed documents conference/seminar proceedings and reports of Committees appointed by the State and Central Governments. Every often the interest in the Panchayati Raj is revived, there is a need felt for assessing its strengths and weaknesses in the changing framework of the situation. The present compilation intends to facilitate such an understanding by bringing together most of the literature available on this topic since its inception. Annotations appended to the references provide an insight into the subject content.

Panchayati Raj has its ups and downs characterised by encouragement and relative neglect by the State and Central Governments since its inception. So also the research literature on the topic. Despite the neglect, more because of political considerations, research on this indigenous form of local government arrests the attention of political scientists and public administration scholars all over. The research output is spread over various journals, published books, mimeographed documents conference/seminar proceedings and reports of Committees appointed by the State and Central Governments. Every often the interest in the Panchayati Raj is revived, there is a need felt for assessing its strengths and weaknesses in the changing framework of the situation. The present compilation intends to facilitate such an understanding by bringing together most of the literature available on this topic since its inception. Annotations appended to the references provide an insight into the subject content.