Directory of development schemes in India

With the nation-wide implementation of plethora of develop ment schemes, a new era has dawned in India. In the wake of this development, it is necessary to closely interact and understand these schemes implemented in urban as well as rural areas. There i need for de-mystifying and popularizing these schemes so that the benefits reach the most deserving candidates.

The thinkers, the planners, the implementators, the evaluators and ultimately even the beneficiaries cannot deliver goods most efficiently as a group unless a scheme is understood by all of them in letter and spirit. It is necessary to appreciate why a particular scheme was formulated, who are the target beneficiaries, what are the benefits available, how is a scheme to be implemented, how is the progress to be evaluated and monitored and so on and so forth.

The information in this book was mainly compiled from various Government publications. Information was supplied by many State Governments, Union Territories, Government of India, etc. I am specially grateful to Govt. of India's Department of Rural Develop ment, Department of Non-Conventional Sources of Energy, Minis try of Social Welfare, Ministry of Welfare, Deptt. of Agriculture & Cooperation, Deptt. of Woman & Child Development. I am thankful to Government of Rajasthan, Government of Karnataka, Govern ment of Gujarat, Government of Goa for permitting reproduction from their publications. Number of Chief Secretaries in the State and Administrators in the Union Territories have encouraged me and supported my efforts.

Many State Governments supplied information about general and special schemes run by them. (Quite a few of these schemes could not be incorporated since they were beyond the scope of this one volume book. I do wish to deal with them in future by bringing out separate volumes on state-wise schemes.)

A few publications specifically referred for the schemes men tioned against them are acknowledged separately.

A large number of colleagues both public representatives as well as fellow officers in districts, DRDAS, Panchayat Samities, Gram Panchayats, Banks etc. have helped me immensely in under standing and implementing most of the schemes covered in this book. It is not possible to thank them individually as they are large in number and also I must have forgotten many of them since I started working on this book some three years back. I have greatly benefited from their knowledge and experience.