Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA)

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Three Decades of Struggle for Tribal Self-Governance in India

Ravi Singh5 hours ago08 mins

Nearly 30 years after it was enacted to strengthen tribal self-governance, the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) remains unevenly implemented across India’s Fifth Schedule Areas, exposing a widening gap between constitutional promise and administrative practice. PESA was enacted to strengthen democracy in tribal areas by recognising the authority of Gram Sabhas, protecting…

Science & Environment

Shifting Focus to Rights-Based Investment for Adivasi Communities

Ravi Singh2 weeks ago07 mins

India’s tribal communities — over 104.5 million people, or 8.6 per cent of the population — remain among the most marginalised despite decades of welfare schemes and development promises. In states such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Rajasthan and Odisha, tribal districts consistently record higher poverty levels than non-tribal areas, even as these regions supply land,…