Decentralization and Tribal Empowerment in Telangana : A Study On The Transformation of Banjara Thanda’s Into Gram Panchayats

Author(s)	Mr. R RAJENDER, Prof. Dr. NAGENDRA AMBEDKAR SOLE
Country	India
Abstract	This paper explore the impact of decentralization on tribal empowerment in Telangana, focusing on the transformation of Banjara Thandas into Gram Panchayats under the Telangana Panchayati Raj Act, 2018. Following a mixed-methods paradigm, it combines government data and surveys with interviews conducted in Warangal and Khammam districts. The results show that decentralization has improved local institutions, increased people’s, especially women’s, participation in politics, and expanded access to welfare programs, leading to gradual social and economic progress. However, financial reliance, administrative constraint and partial recognition of traditional Thanda institutions continue to limit substantive empowerment. The research argues that tribal development requires not only administrative inclusion but also cultural and institutional autonomy. By integrating decentralization theory with field realities, the paper contributes to the discourse on participatory governance and the evolving relationship between state-led reforms and indigenous self-governance in India
Keywords	Decentralization, Tribal Empowerment, Telangana, Banjara, Thandas, Gram Panchayats, Governance
Field	Sociology > Politics
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 5, September-October 2025
Published On	2025-10-25
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i05.58862

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