Community development v.2

Under-developed countries all over the world have potentialities in man and material which remain untap ped. These cry for development. The countries, by and large, face a common problem. The problem is one of harnessing the developed and developing resources for optimum service to the community under a coordinated single line drive. Assistance secured from abroad, be it in money or technical skill, can act but as a supplement, at best a catalyst. It cannot act the substitute for national effort. Community Development, as a programme of organised self-reliance, has started in one form or the other in all such countries. It is but natural that because of its size, and the experience already gathered, the Indian programme will offer a lead to others through its success and failure, aspirations as also frustrations.

Community Development in India started as a trickle a little over seven years ago. With the latest plan of the devolution of authority and democratisation of adminis tration all along the line, a new phase has already begun. The new development is pregnant with revolutionary potentialities. New forces are being unleashed. A historic process is on. The trickle begins to acquire the character of a growing mighty river. The programme already covers about two thirds of this sub-continent. As interest in the programme grows in India and abroad, there arises demand for authoritative publications on the subject. There is desire to know the objectives and the philosophy of the programme, the manner in which it works and how the journey progresses.