Mahatma Gandhi made very strong plea for village republics. He emphasised that development of India has no meaning if our villages are undeveloped. After independence, Article 40, under the   Directive Principles of State Policy of the constitution, advised the government to take steps to organise village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority which would enable them to function as units of self government. To decentralize the government,  Balvant Rai Mehta committee was formed and its recommendations were incorporated as the panchayat legislation of the various states. This committee recommended democratic decentralisation with a provision of a three- tier structure i.e. village panchayat, block panchayat and zila parishad in rural areas and civic bodies in urban areas. It also recommended for transfer of resources, responsibilities and channelisation of funds for various developmental programmes through the three- tier system. Due to lack of political will and non-supportive system, decentralization of democratic powers was failed.  Based on the various recommendations of the empowered committees, Late Rajiv Gandhi Led Government made 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments for decentralization of powers and responsibilities to rural (Panchayati Raj Institutions) and urban (Nagarpalikas) local self- government institutions. These amendments provided that the panchayats at village level, block level and district levels can plan, made projects and execute them, based on their local needs.