The PESA Act of 1996 aims to extend the provisions of Part IX of the Constitution relating to Panchayats to the Scheduled Areas. Its objectives include empowering tribal communities to self-govern, recognizing their customary laws and traditions, and protecting them from exploitation. While it grants significant autonomy, it does not aim to create separate 'autonomous regions' in the sense of distinct administrative units, but rather to strengthen self-governance within existing structures.