Subject(s): Comparative government -- Local government in India -- Local government in South Asia -- Panchayat in India -- India national perspective -- India : socio-economic perspective , local government changes -- Local government in Pre and post independent period , Mahatma Gandhi -- Five year plans -- Legislative and administrative initiatives -- Community development programme -- Genesis of panchayti raj -- Mehta team recommendation -- V.P Naik committee report -- State and union government -- All India panchayat parishad -- Ashok Mehta committee report -- Reforms and rejuvenation initiatives -- Structure of panchayat systems : grama sabha, nomenclature ,, minimum reservation quotas, women, Ex-officio members, SCs, STs and OBC,age and education, Standing committees, Zilla Parishad level , Taluk panchayat, panchayat samiti, gram panchayat level, Panchayt finance, conformity acts (CA), Taxation, Administrative personnel, -- Structure of panchayat systems in other south Asian countries : Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka -- Committee on administrative reforms recognition (CARR) -- Upazila parishad (UZP) -- Integrated panchayat development design -- Decentralization act -- Village development committee (VDC) -- District development committee (DDC) -- Comparative perspective -- Structure and composition -- Tribal areas -- Coordination committee -- Election commission -- Elected members and chairpersons -- Political parties -- Non governmental organisations NGOs