Local level planning and rural development : alternative strategies

This publication is one of the first attempts to explore the nature, and implications of, and institutions and mechanisms for, Local Level Planning and Development with focus on people's effective participation in decision making and equitable sharing of the benefits of development. The book, in short, is concer ned with the practical and operational aspects of development planning.

The book brings under one cover the papers and reports of two interlinked meetings organi sed by UNAPDI and ESCAP. These meetings were attended by eminent development scholars and practitioners from the developing countries and also from a few developed countries.

The first of the two meetings, held under the auspices of UNAPDI, dealt with both the broad conceptual and operational aspects of an endogenous development strategy appro priate for the predominantly agrarian econo mies of the ESCAP region. Within the broad perspective provided by the UNAPDI meeting, the second meeting, organised by ESCAP, discussed the techniques of local level plann ing for integrated rural development. In their deliberations both the meetings took stock of current and innovative practices in selected countries in the region.

The book is divided into two parts. The first part consists of conceptual papers and a synth etic report of the UNAPDI meeting. The background papers put forth innovative con cepts of "labour certificates", "people's sector" and a new system of "employee performance appraisal." The second part of the book con sists of the country studies, and the report of the ESCAP meeting.

Both the reports have useful suggestions for further research and experimentation in local level planning and development. The two appendices included in the book give detailed reports on research projects undertaken both by UNAPDI and ESCAP in pursuance of the recommendations of the two expert consultative meetings.

In view of the current world-wide interest in participatory planning and development at the local level, the book is timely. It should be of interest not only to policy-makers and lanners but also to general readers and students interested in both conceptual and operational aspects of integrated rural develop ment.