Integrated Rural Area Development and Planning: a Micro Level Study: Rural Development in Developing Countries

The study entitled Integrated Rural Area Development and Planning: A Case of Mursan Block, District Hathras (U. P.) is an attempt to analyse the planning process for the sustainable rural development. The term development is concerned with economic and human welfare and progress. It implies certain qualitative as well as quantitative changes occurring in a given areal unit or a certain human group and is measured at a particular time, with the net result that the socio-economic level and standards or the quality of life of the people inhabiting the rural region, are raised or rendered better as compared to an earlier stage on the temporal dimension. The main theme is based on a policy level realisation that although the district has been recognised as a unit of planning, it is being increasingly felt that in the Indian context, due to large variety/ complexity of socio-economic and environmental settings, further disaggregation should not take place. The main emphasis is, therefore, slowly shifting on planning at smaller area level, e.g. panchayat, or a cluster of villages to ensure better participation of the people and optimal utilisation of local resources.