DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2015.v03i01.042

Pages: 305-312

Panchayati Raj system in Himachal Pradesh was established under the provision of the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act, 1952.only 280 Gram Panchayats existed prior to the enactment of this Act. However, after the enactment of this Act 466 Gram Panchayats were established in the year 1954 and the numbers of Gram Panchayats were increased to 638 during the year 1962. The term Panchayati Raj in India signifies the system of rural self government. It has been established in all the states of India by the Act of the state legislatures to build democracy at the grass root level. It is entrusted with rural development. It was constitutionalised through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992. Panchayati Raj system is one of the most ancient socio-economic political institutions in India. It functions as an institutional expression of decentralization of power and responsibilities to lower level of government. Local bodies have been rightly regarded the “nursery of democracy”. Panchayati Raj makes democracy makes democracy a reality. Panchayati Raj aim at making democracy real by bringing the million into the functioning of democracy. The main aim of the study is to observe the powers and functioning of the PRIs in Himachal Pradesh, to investigate the problems with PRIs and give valuable suggestion for the effective functioning of the PRIs in Himachal Pradesh.