India, March 24 -- The Government of India has issued a release:
"Panchayat", being "Local Government", is a State subject and part of the State List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Panchayats are set up and operate through the respective State Panchayati Raj Acts, which may vary from State to State, subject to the provisions of the Constitution. The performance and development of the Panchayats depend on the extent of powers and resources devolved to them by the States concerned. Accordingly, all matters relating to Panchayats, including effective functioning of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), strengthening the institutional mechanism to ensure the accountability of PRIs towards people and its performance monitor...