The committee headed by Dilipsinh Bhuria was set up in 1994 by the Union government to change the Panchayati Raj system in keeping with the demand for self-rule in tribal areas. The Lok Sabha passed the amendment after accepting the Bhuria Committee report in December 1996, and the President of India endorsed it on the 24th instant of the same month.

The Gujarat Assembly incorporated the amendment to its local Act in July 1998, and the Dangs was to be the first district to witness the changed power equation at the grassroot level. The Moti Dabhas gram panchayat accepted the following resolution at a meeting held on June 12.

According to the earlier Act, while Gram Panchayat was the supreme body, now the Gram Sabha comprising every eligible voter in the respective village will enjoy all the administrative powers. Every member will enjoy equal powers.

For all social, economic and other schemes the administration will now require persmission from the gram sabha.

The gram panchayat will have to seek the sabha's sanction for carrying out development works and submit expenditure details to it. The sabha will henceforth decide the beneficiaries of the government schemes.

Like the old days, the sabha will also settle disputes. Though the minor forest produce will be collected and sold by the gram panchayat, the gram sabha will decide how the money would be spent. The resolution signed by Moti Dabhas said the money would be used for development.