The Challenge Of Integrated Rural Development In India

In 1952, India launched a massive and enthusiastic effort to reach the 360 million people in its 550,000 villages with a national program of economic and social reconstruction. Known as Community Development, the program provided an innovative model of rural development for both Third World nations and the aid-giving countries of the West. Although the program achieved its goal of providing service coverage to the nation, its many implementation problems and the lack of quantifiable cost-effectiveness led critics to label it a failure and resulted in its submergence into the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in 1966. More recently, however, partly as a result of the social dislocations following the "Green Revolution," there has been renewed interest in Community Development as the Indian government searches for ways of effectively implementing a strategy of integrated rural development. It is recognized that a repeat of the CD program is not the answer; but an analysis of the program allows the identification of the elements critical to good administration—and political survival. Drawing on extensive interviews with Indian and American participants, this book critically appraises the Community Development program. Dr. Sussman examines the successful pilot project at Etawah, then documents the many problems—organizational, political, and logistical—that were encountered in the attempt to replicate it on a nationwide scale, and that eventually led to its demise. From his analysis emerges the question of what kind of government strategies can best equip rural populations to participate in development. Admitting the difficulties still to be faced, he concludes on a note of guarded optimism based on recent efforts in both India and the U.S. that combine a systems approach with the use of a range of development strategies.

In 1952, India launched a massive and enthusiastic effort to reach the 360 million people in its 550,000 villages with a national program of economic and social reconstruction. Known as Community Development, the program provided an innovative model of rural development for both Third World nations and the aid-giving countries of the West. Although the program achieved its goal of providing service coverage to the nation, its many implementation problems and the lack of quantifiable cost-effectiveness led critics to label it a failure and resulted in its submergence into the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in 1966. More recently, however, partly as a result of the social dislocations following the "Green Revolution," there has been renewed interest in Community Development as the Indian government searches for ways of effectively implementing a strategy of integrated rural development. It is recognized that a repeat of the CD program is not the answer; but an analysis of the program allows the identification of the elements critical to good administration--and political survival. Drawing on extensive interviews with Indian and American participants, this book critically appraises the Community Development program. Dr. Sussman examines the successful pilot project at Etawah, then documents the many problems--organizational, political, and logistical--that were encountered in the attempt to replicate it on a nationwide scale, and that eventually led to its demise. From his analysis emerges the question of what kind of government strategies can best equip rural populations to participate in development. Admitting the difficulties still to be faced, he concludes on a note of guarded optimism based on recent efforts in both India and the U.S. that combine a systems approach with the use of a range of development strategies.

Papers presented at a seminar during 1994 at Patna, India.

This work is an indepth analysis of the entire gamut of problems afflicting the rural economy. Some of the questions specifically looked into are: With how much of sincerity the plans were prepared, and how these were implemented? What were the effects on productivity and expansion of activities in different sectors of the rural economy? How much of attention was given to the problems of the weaker sections, and what improvements came over the years? What were the state of social and economic infrastructure? Did human resource development receive the attention it deserved?

In Indian context.

Balanced Regional Development Has Been One Of The Major Objectives Of Planning In India. Its Desirability, Rather Indispensability, Has Been Emphasised In Each Successive Plan Document Right From The First Plan. The Emphasis Became More Pronounced Since The Third Plan Which Stressed Continuous Strides In Regional Development. The Differential Strategy For Backward Area Was Put In Operation Since Third Plan For According Special Care And Treatment To The Development Of Backward Regions (Which Led To Techniques Of Area Planning And Sub-Plan For Backward Areas) As Distinct From The Integrated Strategy Adopted Till Then. In Spite Of The Pronounced And Pious Objective Of Reduction In Regional Disparity, The Area Of Planned Development Presents A Picture Of Uneven Growth In India. Eastern India, Comprising Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa And Eastern U.P. Has Lagged Much Behind In The Race Of Economic Development Vis-À-Vis The Rest Of India.Eastern India Has The Highest Incidence Of Poverty As It Constitutes Half Of The Population Of India Living Below The Poverty Line. Thus, Both The Economic Feature And The Economic Future Of The Region Are Intimately Linked To Rural Development. The Question Of Rural Poverty Can Be Effectively Tackled By The Sustained Growth Of Agriculture. Poverty Eradication Programmes, In Terms Of Wage And Self-Employment Schemes Hitherto Launched, Were Ill-Conceived And Clumsily Implemented.In View Of All These Disquieting Features Enveloping The Region, The University Of Bhagalpur Arranged A Two-Day Workshop (22-23Rd Dec. 1993) Organised By University Department Of Rural Economics And Co-Operation. This Book Is The Compilation Of The Lectures Delivered By The Participants Mainly On The Following Agenda.1. Anatomy Of Rural Development.2. Socio-Economic Features Of Eastern India And The Strategic Significance Of Rural Development.3. Pace And Problems Of Rural Industrialization In Eastern India.4. Rural Eco-System In Eastern India.5. Rural Poverty Alleviation Programmes In Eastern India: Pace And Problems.6. Rural Public Administration Institutions In Eastern India Their Efficacy And Problems.7. Jawahar Rojgar Yojna: Problems Of Implementation: State Experiences.

Rural Development Is A Strategy Designed To Improve The Economic And Social Life Of A Specific Group Of People The Rural Poor. From The Very Dawn Of Freedom Struggle, The Socio-Economic Transformation Of The Rural Masses Has Been The Focal Point Of All The Developmental Efforts. Following The Political Emancipation Of The Country, A Number Of Experiments Under Five Year Plans Were Initiated To Ensure The Rural Uplift In India. The Community Development Programme Launched On 2Nd October, 1952 Was The First Step In This Direction. It Was Followed By The Panchayati Raj System Introduced In India On October 2, 1959. From The 4Th Five Year Plan A Number Of Special Area Programmes Were Introduced To Change The Deserted Outlook Of The Rural Scenario. But Under These Schemes, The Gap Between The Rich And The Poor Widened To Shameful Extent. In The Light Of The Growing Socio-Economic Disparities And Regional Imbalances, The Govt. Of India Took A Fresh Look Of The Whole System Of The Rural Uplift. Hence, A New Development Programmes Called Irdp Was Launched In India In April 1978. Trysem Dwera Nrep And Rlegp Are The Associated Sub-Schemes Of Irdp. But Nrep And Rlerp Were Merged Into A Single Scheme Called Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (Jry) With Effect From April, 1989. The Book Presents A Lucid Picture Of The Impact Of Irdp On The Rural Uplift In J&K State. It Highlights The Weaknesses Of The Programme And The Author Has Offered Certain Suggestions For Removing The Drawbacks And For Making The Programme A Real Success.This Book Will Be Of Great Use To All Those Involved In The Study Of Rural Development, Teachers, Scholars, Students, Administrators, Bankers, Govt. And Voluntary Agencies.

In this updated and enlarged edition of his classic study, S R Maheshwari discusses the conceptual, historical and constitutional background of rural development, placing it within an holistic framework. He then evaluates the major rural development programmes implemented since independence and examines their strategies and impact. Iissues examined include: rural credit, land reform, rural unrest and rural technology. The author concludes with suggestions for future policy options.