A Success Story Of Panchayat And Rural Development Government of Assam

A Assam has a very strong historical background of local self-government.  The villages in Assam had a strong Panchayat in different names or forms since long past.  Assam was one of the pioneer States in India to enact Panchayat Act and establish Panchayati Raj in the State when the Assam Rural Panchayat Act, 1948 was passed.  This Act was amended and replaced by the Assam Panchayat Act, 1959, the Assam Panchayati Raj Act, 1972, the Assam Panchayati Raj Act, 1986 and finally the Assam Panchayat Act, 1994 which incorporated the provisions of the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992 of the Constitution of India.  The Assam Panchayat Act, 1994 received the assent of the Governor on the 22nd April 1994 and elections were held in October 1996, for establishing a three-tier Panchayati Raj system in the State at the village, intermediate and district level. These are known as Gaon Panchayat, Anchalik Panchayat, and Zilla Parishad  respectively. From its inception in 1952, the Panchayat and Rural Development Department of the Govt. of Assam has been at the forefront of development of the rural areas in Assam and has had a very significant impact on the overall uplift of the rural population in the state through the numerous schemes that have been introduced by it through the years. The following pages highlight some of the major schemes that have been implemented by this department.Success StoryOf Panchayat And Rural DevelopmentGovernment of Assam