Visakhapatnam Hosts PESA Mahotsav Celebrations on 23–24 Dec

RR Team

1 week ago

Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh is set to host the grand PESA Mahotsav on 23rd and 24th December 2025, commemorating the enactment of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA). The event, themed “Utsav Lok Sanskriti Ka”, will witness the participation of nearly 2,000 delegates from all ten PESA States, including Panchayat representatives, cultural artists, and sportspersons.

The Mahotsav will be inaugurated by Shri Konidala Pawan Kalyan, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Panchayati Raj & Rural Development, Andhra Pradesh. Union Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, along with senior central and state officials, will also attend the event.

Key national initiatives are being launched during the celebrations. The PESA Portal will provide comprehensive information on PESA implementation, while PESA Indicators will assess the status of its execution across states. Training modules in tribal languages will strengthen grassroots awareness, and an E-book on Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district will document local knowledge, culture, and heritage.

Special Gram Sabhas will be organized in PESA Gram Panchayats of Andhra Pradesh on ten thematic areas. Simultaneously, other PESA States will hold Gram Sabhas focusing on community participation, natural resource protection, preservation of customary practices, livelihoods, and social justice.

The Mahotsav will showcase India’s tribal cultural heritage through sports and cultural performances. Venues across Visakhapatnam, including the Port Authority Campus, Ramakrishna Beach, Indoor Stadium, Cricket Stadium, and Kalavani Auditorium, will host various activities.

About PESA Act 1996

The Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, enacted under Article 243M(4)(b) of the Constitution, extends Part IX of the Constitution to Scheduled Areas with certain modifications. Scheduled Areas, defined under Article 244(1) and the Fifth Schedule, currently exist in ten states: Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Telangana.

The Act ensures tribal communities participate in governance, decision-making, and management of local resources, while preserving customary practices and promoting social justice.