Rural development in India c.1

The rural development in India has under gone several vicissitudes and still continues to be a debatable issue. However, despite the diversity of views on its concept, there is unanimity of views on its necessity for ameliora ting the conditions of rural masses especially those below the poverty line. To achieve this cherished goal, the Integrated Rural Develop ment Programme (IRDP) was launched in the country during the year 1978-79. The present book is an outcome of the evaluation of Industry, Business and Service sector of the IRDP, which was carried out by the Giri Institute of Development Studies (GIDS), Lucknow on the request of the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

The study comes out with evidences of both successes and failures of the programme. Owing to lapses in selection of beneficiaries, only a little over 58 per cent of the sample households were found to have income below the poverty line at the time of their selection and the rest were already above the mark. But interestingly, out of the former, as many as 60 per cent crossed the poverty line during the reference period. Although none of the sample units reported to have generated wage employment, they did provide self-employment to members of the sample households and thereby helped in reducing the burden of under-employment in rural areas alongwith a shift in principal occupations of 65 per cent households from agriculture to non-farm activities. The study also notices several lags on the part of project administration especially improper selection of beneficiaries, lack of coordination among the development departments, shortage of raw materials and failure to provide marketing facilities. The study is indeed of immense use to both researchers and policy makers.