We are celebrating the 15th anniversary of the new avatar of panchayats. Under Article 243(G) of the Constitution, Panchayats must become "institutions of self-government.' What is the balance sheet of the Panchayati Raj Institutions after 15 years? The deficits outnumber the achievements. Many factors are responsible for this dismal picture. When Rajiv Gandhi introduced the 64th Constitutional Amendment on 15 May 1989 to give constitutional status to the panchayats, it was seen as a historic step. The Gandhians and all those who subscribed to the view that