Studies In block planning / edited by Abdul Aziz c.2

The Macro approach to economic planning in India having failed to register a significant success at reducing poverty, unemployment and inequalities, a great deal of enthusiasm has recently been generated about a micro approach to planning. The micro-level planning which is generally advocated for developing the weaker sections and backward areas, having initially been introduced in district plans, has now been pinned down to the block level. Today, almost every state is seriously engaged in block plan exercises, having commissioned research projects for building up a comprehensive socio-economic data base for the blocks and, on the basis of such data, is identify ing and supporting projects for the development of the block.

The objective of block plans being maximisation of income and employment in the block concerned, its methodology should be such as to help in taking an inventory of the avail able natural resources and infrastructure facilities, an assess ment of the non/under-utilisation of such resources and facilities and, based on such assessment of resources, technical and economic feasibilities, it should help in identifying a set of income and employment generating projects. At the opera tional level, however, a series of questions which demand immediate and convincing answers arise. These questions are: What are the operationally feasible methods of delineating the block regions? In what manner are the so-called target groups requiring employment and incomes to be identified? What criteria are to be followed in identifying the employment income-oriented projects which are appropriate to the block region as well as to the target groups? What institutional modifications or innovations are needed to be effected in order that the block plans are effectively implemented? These are some of the questions which are raised by block planners and policy-makers.