Published Paper Details:

Abstract: Villages play an important role in deciding social structure and living standards of the people. Article 243G vests powers in the State Legislatures to endow Panchayats with such powers and authority to function as institutions of self-government. As per the 73rd Amendment, AP Government enacted AP Panchayat Raj Act 1994.The Act provides for the creation of three tier system of local governance - gram panchayat at the village level, Mandal Parishad at the intermediate level and Zilla Parishad at the district level, with required powers and functions contained in Schedule XI of the Constitution. Panchayats are responsible for preparation of plans and their execution for economic development and social justice related to 29 subjects under Eleventh schedule of the constitution. Panchayat Institutions are vehicles of political empowerment of people at the grass root level for shaping their own destiny. A vast majority of people are living at the grassroots level in the rural and remote areas Without any touch of the modern day. To strengthen these institutions, the Andhra Pradesh government introduces village and ward secretariats at grassroots level. These secretariats are meant to bring all the services offered by the government to the doorstep of the beneficiaries and for targeted beneficiary identification. All the line departments of government are extended to the panchayat level with village functionaries representing their respective line departments. In this article the focus is laid on the efficacy and main objectives of this system in promoting grassroots governance.