PANCHAYTI RAJ INSTITUTIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN HIMACHAL PRADESH

India is basically country of villages. Our entire system is based on the villages. Besides the increasing urban population, after more than seven decades of independence our economy is depending on agro based. Presently, more than Seventy percent of the population still resides in the villages. Keeping in broader prospect of Indian society, rural development is one of the major aspects of India System. Without rural development, development of Indian society is not possible. Our past experience proves that without participation of rural masses, rural development is not possible. Hence there is close relationship between the Panchayti raj Institutions and rural development. Panchayats have been the backbone of grassroots democracy in the Indian villages from ancient times. The 73rd constitutional Amendment Act granted constitutional status to the grassroots system and gave more powers to implementation of rural development programmes, policies and schemes. Himachal Pradesh is one of ideal state of India. It came in to being on 15th April 1948. Before the formation of Himachal Pradesh, no attention was paid to economic development and social welfare of the people in princely states. Only some efforts were made by the rulers in their states. The systematic evaluation of resources and their scientific exploitation was started in only after the formation of Himachal Pradesh as full-fledged state. It is only then that the people and the government of the Pradesh started making concerted efforts to improve socio economic condition of the people. Present paper evaluates the role of Panchayats in rural development in Himachal Pradesh. The study is based on the secondary data