The online payment system in gram panchayats was to start from August 15. However, the cheque-payment system was discontinued from July 31. It's been two months that village heads have withdrawn any funds, which means no work has happened

What changes when women cross the fault lines and take charge in local governing bodies? Many believe that women leading a panchayat can put the focus back on issues such as water and girls’ education.

Pipauli is a nondescript village in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district. There are thousands of Pipaulis in India where owing to rampant corruption in gram panchayats, development happens, but only on paper. The villagers continue to suffer

Good news from the adivasi-dominated Panna district where Aramganj gram panchayat has elected a woman sarpanch and 17 women panchs as representatives for the rural administration. In order to felicitate the panchayat for its achievement, the state government will reward it with Rs 1,500,000 which will be utilised for the welfare of the rural residents. Details here.

More than 8,000 mukhiyas are set to march to Patna on October 2 to demand redressal of their grievances, and action on their 19 demands. These village heads claim their powers and authority were being eroded by the government.

Kusum Lodhi has been elected unopposed as the sarpanch of Sirsauda gram panchayat in Madhya Pradesh. She dropped out of school in class eight when she got married. But she completed her studies and is now pursuing a B.Ed with her daughter. Lodhi is determined to put the 'pink panchayat' on the path to progress.

Uttar Pradesh government has announced that it will be training and directing the state’s health officials to ensure tuberculosis eradication and go on a mission mode at village-level.

The Panchayati Raj system has been a total failure and retrograde. Mere expense-audit won’t be enough; the need is for a total revamping of the system by ensuring the answerability of the pradhans