ABSTRACT
The main purpose of PESA Act is to empower the Gram Sabhas and Gram Panchayats in Scheduled Areas by recognizing and safeguarding tribal self-governance, traditions and customs as well as allowing them to decide their own developmental destiny. PESA is one of the pioneer legislations for tribes focusing on empowerment of Gram Sabhas and Gram Panchayats in Schedule V Areas across India. If we consider the distribution of tribals across the three regions of the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh, it can be seen that Telangana has the highest concentration, followed by Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. B. D. Sharma foresees such a situation that The main purpose of this act is to recognize and preserve the tribal traditional life system and to strengthen their traditional institutions for self-governance, by extending Part IX of the Indian Constitution, which deals with Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
