Chattopadhyay, Raghabendra, Bhaskar Chakrabarti, and Suman Nath. "Village forums or development councils: People's participation in decision-making in rural West Bengal, India." Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance 5 (2010): 66-85.

The shift towards decentralization in rural India, particularly through the Panchayat system, initially led to increased engagement in local governance in West Bengal. However, recent trends show reduced participation in Panchayat meetings and government initiatives. In response, the West Bengal government established Gram Unnayan Samiti (GUSs) or Village Development Councils to enhance grassroots involvement. This paper examines formal decentralization policies, analyzes meeting dynamics, and identifies reasons for decreased participation. It argues that strengthening the third tier of local governance could address issues of transparency and accountability.