The Government enacted, the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act in 1996. Which one of the following is not identified as its objective?

a) To provided self-governance 

b) To recognize traditional rights 

c) To create autonomous regions in tribal areas 

d) To free tribal people from exploitation 

Solution: 

• PESA Act is a Central legislation that extends the Provisions of the Panchayats, as given in Part IX of the Constitution to the Fifth Schedule Areas with certain modifications and exemptions. These areas have preponderance of tribal population. 
• This Act is called "The Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996". In short form this is popular as "PESA". The States with Fifth Schedule Areas that are covered under PESA are Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana.
• The PESA Act was enacted to extend the provisions of 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts to the Fifth Schedule areas. Thus, it was meant to provide institutions of local self-governance in the Scheduled Areas and to recognise the traditional rights of the tribals. The provisions of this Act address some of the most complex problems of exploitation and marginalisation of the tribals. The act did not have any provisions of creating any autonomous regions.

Ans: (c)