Impact of the PESA Act on the Sustainable Development of Tribal Communities in Maharashtra, India

The Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) (Government of India, 1996) aims to extend the provisions of Part IX of the Indian Constitution to Scheduled Areas, empowering Gram Sabhas to self-govern natural resources, social sectors, and local markets. Maharashtra, with its sizeable Scheduled Tribe (ST) population and expansive Scheduled Areas, provides an important context for evaluating PESA’s developmental impact. This paper examines how PESA has shaped sustainable development outcomes among tribal communities in Maharashtra across environmental, social, economic, and institutional dimensions. Using a mixed-methods approach that synthesizes secondary literature, policy analysis, and illustrative village-level cases (with a focus on Gadchiroli, Gondia, Nandurbar, and Palghar districts), the study assesses the degree to which PESA’s community control over minor forest produce (MFP), natural resource governance, and social justice provisions translate into improvements in livelihoods, ecological stewardship, and democratic participation. The analysis finds that where Gram Sabhas are recognized as primary authorities and supported through capacity building—exemplified by villages like Mendha (Lekha) — PESA correlates with strengthened commons governance, higher household incomes from MFP, and greater participation of women and marginalized sub-groups. However, uneven implementation, legal and administrative conflicts, market capture, and capacity gaps constrain impact in many areas. The paper proposes a set of institutional and programmatic reforms to unlock PESA’s potential as a cornerstone of sustainable development in Maharashtra’s Scheduled Areas.