RURAL DEVELOPMENT - HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE:
Villages and rural development have always been a part of India since time immemorial and they used to be self sufficient and self sustained resembling small republics and the respective rulers used to pitch in efforts to better them.
However, the present structure and style of functioning of local self governments is a British structure. A beginning of local government is said to have been made in the year 1687 when for the first time, a local governing body - Municipal corporation was formed in Madras.
The British were concerned with finances/revenue collection/not political, and they knew that they had to have their hands into the local governments to reach the grass roots for top to bottom control. This led to severe exploitation of the rural areas by the British for their vested interests and a big blow to the economy. The recurrent famines in the later part of the 19th century and the recommendations of the Famine Commission Lord Mayo's resolution regarding local government was passed where the majority of officials were to be nominated by the British govt.
Lord Ripon's Resolution of 1882 or Local self government set the political tone of local government self government in India. The members were to be elected locally.
2/3rd members to be elected and chaired by non official of the British govt. This was seen with contempt and suspicion by the British bureaucracy and stiff resistance was put up by them. This proposal was barely implemented and in late 19th century it was withdrawn. In the 1906 session of Congress this concept was brought up again for debate and some initiatives regarding the same were taken by the ruling govt. with the initiative of Lord Curzon, Provincial Department of
Agriculture with Agricultural College and Provincial Research Institute were
established. in 1906 the Indian Agricultural Service was constituted.This was further carried on to the Government of India Act of 1919 (Provision of Abject in Transferred List) and followed by the Government Act 1935 as well with some changes to suit the current scenario.
During the Independence struggle and infact throughout it, the national leaders advocated village communities. The Gandhian view prevailed and Panchayates became the foundation of the local self government. This principle is enshrined in Article 40 of the Indian Constitution under the Directive Principles Of State Policy that lays down that the State shall take steps to organise village Panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self - government.
A large number of rural development programmes were started by the Nationalists and Social reformers out of which some gradually diminished due to various technical/administrative reasons and some merged with the Govt. sponsored schemes later.
Villages and rural development have always been a part of India since time immemorial and they used to be self sufficient and self sustained resembling small republics and the respective rulers used to pitch in efforts to better them.
However, the present structure and style of functioning of local self governments is a British structure. A beginning of local government is said to have been made in the year 1687 when for the first time, a local governing body - Municipal corporation was formed in Madras.
The British were concerned with finances/revenue collection/not political, and they knew that they had to have their hands into the local governments to reach the grass roots for top to bottom control. This led to severe exploitation of the rural areas by the British for their vested interests and a big blow to the economy. The recurrent famines in the later part of the 19th century and the recommendations of the Famine Commission Lord Mayo's resolution regarding local government was passed where the majority of officials were to be nominated by the British govt.
Lord Ripon's Resolution of 1882 or Local self government set the political tone of local government self government in India. The members were to be elected locally.
2/3rd members to be elected and chaired by non official of the British govt. This was seen with contempt and suspicion by the British bureaucracy and stiff resistance was put up by them. This proposal was barely implemented and in late 19th century it was withdrawn. In the 1906 session of Congress this concept was brought up again for debate and some initiatives regarding the same were taken by the ruling govt. with the initiative of Lord Curzon, Provincial Department of
Agriculture with Agricultural College and Provincial Research Institute were
established. in 1906 the Indian Agricultural Service was constituted.This was further carried on to the Government of India Act of 1919 (Provision of Abject in Transferred List) and followed by the Government Act 1935 as well with some changes to suit the current scenario.
During the Independence struggle and infact throughout it, the national leaders advocated village communities. The Gandhian view prevailed and Panchayates became the foundation of the local self government. This principle is enshrined in Article 40 of the Indian Constitution under the Directive Principles Of State Policy that lays down that the State shall take steps to organise village Panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self - government.
A large number of rural development programmes were started by the Nationalists and Social reformers out of which some gradually diminished due to various technical/administrative reasons and some merged with the Govt. sponsored schemes later.
