This book Democracy, Governance and Development:A Panchayati Raj Perspectiveoffers an evaluation of the potential of the Panchayati Raj system to effectively deliver the fruits of good governance in a participatory democracy to assess as to how much in real practice such a potential has led to create confidence among the rural masses. Based on field investigation of relevant details of services provided by way of Panchayati Raj Institution working to transform the quality of rural life in India, this book is of value for planners, policy makers, legislators, researchers working on rural development, tribal development, women and youth empowerment and others generally keen to understand how good governance is a cure which development minded government with its bureaucratic machinery and grassroots level people’s representatives could effectively use for fulfillment of the constitutional commitments to serve the masses for a life of dignity through peace, progress and prosperity achieved through exemplary orders of voluntary and conscious participation to make government programmes real successes.

Dr. Anjan Kumar Bhanja did his M.A. from Utkal University (Odisha), M. Phil and Ph.D.from the University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad. He has been teaching undergraduate courses (including Hons.) of Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar since 2002 and presently posted at Government College, Doimukh as Associate Professor under Directorate of Higher & Technical Education, Government of Arunachal Pradesh. He has attended a number of International and National Seminars and Workshops and presented papers at the same. He has published articles in national journals and edited volumes. He has completed two research projects funded by UGC and Distance Education Council/IGNOU, New Delhi. His current areas of interest include Comparative Politics, Democratic Decentralisation, Tribal Development and Indian Administration. His book on study of political recruitment entitled Political Recruitment: Perspectives and Perceptions has been highly appreciated in academic circles. Currently he is working on two research projects funded by UGC and ICSSR- Panchayati Raj in Tribal Contexts and Dividends in Justice: A Study in Directions and DimensionsandModernising Tribal Village Councils through the Agency of Panchayati Raj: A Study of West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradeshrespectively.