PANCHAYATI RAJ 75 shows that the poor people can obtain limited benefits if they arc properly organized {and they get democratic rights. They may err sometimes, there might be excesses, but in the long run their ac five involvement would release productive forces in the village which, if properly utilized, would change the face of rural life. DEBESH CHAKRABORTY (This note is based on the author's paper "Community Development, People's Participation and the Role of Panchayats" presented at the Symposium on "Social Constraints a/Resource Administration for Agriculture and Community Development" held in February 1980, at Seva Bharati, Kapgari, Midnapore, West Benal) ' Jaganath Pathy, "Panchayati Raj and Decentralization of Political Power**, Social Scientist, Vol 8, No 9, April 1980, pp 36-41. 1 Economic Review 1979-80, Government of West Bengal, p 3. 8 Ibid, p 3. 4 For details, see Suhas Ghattopadhyay, "Operation Barga^*, Social Scientist, Vol 8, No 3, October 1979.