Strategies of Rural Development and Training of District Level Project Executives

The report is divided into two parts. In Part I, while discussing the strategies of rural development in India pursued since the 1950s, the author argues that these have been influenced by two distinct schools of thought: first, advocating pro-found structural changes, particularly those in land relationship, to promote growth with justice and, the second, advocating the need for tackling the immediate problem of increasing agricultural production through technological innovations and supportive measures like extension, provision of credit, and efficient input distribution. The discussion shows that 3while at no time policy makers relied exclusively on either of these schools, the attention given to each varied from time to time, depending on the food situation in the country. When the food situation was good the structuralist viewpoint gained supremacy, and when it was bad policy makers turned to the other point of view. The main planks of the present strategy and the aims, outlines and organization of the rural development programmes introduced with the adoption of this strategy are also discussed. In Part II, the author discusses the scope and limitations of the training courses being conducted by professional institutions to develop management competence of the officials, particularly the district level project executives, who are involved in the planning and imp0lementation of these programmes. The discussion highlights the need for making training a more effective instrument by removing the shortcomings listed at the end of the report. The report is based on a paper presented by the author to the Expert Group Meeting on “Training of Rural Development Personnel in Asia” held in August 1976 in Kuala Lumpur under the auspices of the Asian Centre for Development Administration.