Rural development programmes in India: an evaluation of integrated rural development programme

The book in the existing context empirically evaluates, Integrated Rural Development Programme and also examines the important Rural Development Programmes in India viz: I.R.D.P., T.R.Y.S.E.M., N.R.E.P., R.L.E.G.P., Drought Prone Areas Programme, D.W.C.R.A. and Jawahar Rozgar Yojana etc.
The main conclusions emerging out from the study are: some beneficiaries were undoubtedly benefited from the schemes and were also able to improve their economic and social conditions as a result thereof but these beneficiaries belonged to that category of people, whose economic status was already better than many other people who really deserved to be covered under these schemes; the selection of the beneficiaries was not made strictly in accordance with the criteria and guidelines laid down by the Government in this regard; majority of the beneficiary households have received benefits from different schemes only after approaching Patwaries and Village Development Officers/Panchayat Adhi karies; the assistance provided to selected beneficiaries was inadequate; the beneficiaries were facing problems in regard to the purchase of inputs and a quick disposal of their products under the existing market mechanism; the arrangements for coordination of work between different agencies functioning were not adequate and effective; adequate arrangements for providing infrastructural support in terms of fodder, health care, marketing arrangements were some of the important flaws in the implementation of the I.R.D.P; administrative malpractices and other defects were cropping up only due to ignorance of the rural poor; lack of people's participation at different stages of the formation and execution of the programmes was the main problem of coordination between people and different agencies at work; and the local bureaucracy failed to inspire people's cooperation due to its rigid approach, conservatism and lack of developmental attitude.