Issues in the Development of the Most Disadvantaged Groups in South Asia

The paper discusses the efforts made in the development of the most disadvantaged groups (MDGs) in South Asia. It delineates four broad factors – the social political context of deprivation, the role of the central levels of political and administrative leadership, management and administration of development of the MDG and technology and research – as impeding the development of MDGs. It argues that a major policy thrust which provides differential services through a separate and differentiated administrative set up which involves the MDG as active and participant group rather than recipient group is called for if the efforts for the development of the MDG is to show any substantial results. This paper was presented as a key paper at the expert group meeting on the cross-national project on the development of the MDG held at Asian Pacific Development Centre, Kuala Lumpur on 29-31, May, 2985.