The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is set to organise a two-day PESA Mahotsav: Utsav Lok Sanskriti Ka on 23–24 December 2025 in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, marking the anniversary of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA Act). The national-level event aims to highlight the role of grassroots governance in Scheduled Areas while celebrating the cultural heritage of India’s tribal communities PESA Mahotsav.
The PESA Act was enacted to extend the provisions of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment to Fifth Schedule Areas, empowering tribal communities through Gram Sabhas with greater control over land, water, forests, and local governance. Tribal communities constitute approximately 8.6 percent of India’s population, and the Act plays a critical role in protecting them from land alienation and displacement while recognising their traditional governance systems PESA Mahotsav.
According to the Ministry, the PESA Mahotsav is envisioned as a platform that blends governance discourse with cultural expression. The event will showcase traditional tribal sports, including Chakki Khel, Mallakhamba, Pithool, Gedi Doud, and Puli Meka, alongside tribal cuisine, folk art, and cultural performances. The objective is to provide national visibility to indigenous traditions while reinforcing awareness of the legal and constitutional safeguards available to Scheduled Areas PESA Mahotsav.
At present, 10 states have Fifth Schedule Areas covering more than 77,000 villages. Eight states—Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana—have notified their PESA Rules, while Odisha and Jharkhand have prepared draft rules. These frameworks enable Gram Sabhas to exercise decisive authority over land acquisition, minor minerals, forest produce, village markets, water bodies, and social sector institutions PESA Mahotsav.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has undertaken several initiatives to strengthen PESA implementation. These include large-scale capacity-building programmes, training more than one lakh elected representatives and officials, launching the PESA–Gram Panchayat Development Plan Portal, and establishing a dedicated PESA Cell for institutional coordination. Manuals on the Act have also been translated into regional and tribal languages such as Santhali, Gondi, Bhili, and Mundari to enhance accessibility PESA Mahotsav.
The document highlights multiple success stories demonstrating PESA’s impact on livelihoods, environmental management, and social equity. From community-led forest produce management in Himachal Pradesh to cooperative sand mining in Telangana and resistance to forced displacement in Rajasthan, the Act has enabled tribal communities to assert autonomy while promoting sustainable development models rooted in local knowledge PESA Mahotsav.
The PESA Mahotsav 2025 underscores the Government of India’s commitment to decentralised democracy, community-led planning, and cultural preservation. By placing Gram Sabhas at the centre of development decisions, the initiative reinforces the idea that inclusive governance and indigenous traditions are essential to sustainable regional development.
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