Notes: Rural Agrarian transformation in Indian | Sociology Mains Optional for UPSC 2024 PDF Download

 Page 1


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
Sleepy Classes 
C (ii) Rural and Agrarian transformation in India 
(a) Programmes of rural development, Community development programme, 
Cooperatives, Poverty Alleviation Schemes. 
 
 
Rural Development Definition –  
Improving living standards of low-income rural population.  
Rural Development is much broader than Agriculture’s Development.  
But since agriculture is the main source of employment, therefore, main focus is always on 
agriculture. 
 
Rural Development aims to provide below mentioned aspects: 
        
Economic Aspect Social Aspect Technical 
Agricultural Productivity Rural Housing Transport 
Land Improvement Drinking Water Communication 
Minor Irrigation Electrification Small Scale Industries 
Animal Husbandry Education 
Village and Cotton 
Industry 
Fisheries Family Welfare 
 
Minor Forest Produce 
  
 
 
  
Page 2


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
Sleepy Classes 
C (ii) Rural and Agrarian transformation in India 
(a) Programmes of rural development, Community development programme, 
Cooperatives, Poverty Alleviation Schemes. 
 
 
Rural Development Definition –  
Improving living standards of low-income rural population.  
Rural Development is much broader than Agriculture’s Development.  
But since agriculture is the main source of employment, therefore, main focus is always on 
agriculture. 
 
Rural Development aims to provide below mentioned aspects: 
        
Economic Aspect Social Aspect Technical 
Agricultural Productivity Rural Housing Transport 
Land Improvement Drinking Water Communication 
Minor Irrigation Electrification Small Scale Industries 
Animal Husbandry Education 
Village and Cotton 
Industry 
Fisheries Family Welfare 
 
Minor Forest Produce 
  
 
 
  
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
Sleepy Classes 
Various Phases of Rural Development – 
 
First Phase 
 
Community Development Programme (CDP) – 1952: 
Based on Gandhian concept of “Sevagram” ? Self sufficiency. 
(Sevagram, meaning "A town for/of service" is the name of a town in the state of 
Maharashtra, India. It is located about 8 km from Wardha. It was the place of Gandhiji's 
ashram and his residence from 1936 to his death in 1948.) 
CDP drew inspiration from some pre-independence rural development programs with 
Pt.Nehru being its main enthusiast.  
Village seen as a common commodity with common interests. 
Broadly speaking, CDP ?  
- One abled body person to give free labour from every family. So as to have feeling of 
collectively built resources.  
- At Block Level,  a BDO, a Political Leader and Media to work in tandem on a cluster. 
The idea was to create Gram Sevaks for achieving: 
As Carl Taylor puts it– 
- Development 
- Caste Disappearance 
 
3 phases of CDP – 
• National Extension phase – Areas selected with little govt expenditure 
• Intensive Community Development phase – Blocks selected high govt expenditure 
• Post Development Phase – Previous phases assumed success, govt expenditure 
lessened, now more supervisory. 
 
By 1957 – 4 Major categories – 
• Constructional Programs (schools, roads etc.) 
• Irrigation (wells , tubewells, pumps etc.) 
• Agriculture (waste land dev, soil, manure etc.) 
Page 3


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
Sleepy Classes 
C (ii) Rural and Agrarian transformation in India 
(a) Programmes of rural development, Community development programme, 
Cooperatives, Poverty Alleviation Schemes. 
 
 
Rural Development Definition –  
Improving living standards of low-income rural population.  
Rural Development is much broader than Agriculture’s Development.  
But since agriculture is the main source of employment, therefore, main focus is always on 
agriculture. 
 
Rural Development aims to provide below mentioned aspects: 
        
Economic Aspect Social Aspect Technical 
Agricultural Productivity Rural Housing Transport 
Land Improvement Drinking Water Communication 
Minor Irrigation Electrification Small Scale Industries 
Animal Husbandry Education 
Village and Cotton 
Industry 
Fisheries Family Welfare 
 
Minor Forest Produce 
  
 
 
  
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
Sleepy Classes 
Various Phases of Rural Development – 
 
First Phase 
 
Community Development Programme (CDP) – 1952: 
Based on Gandhian concept of “Sevagram” ? Self sufficiency. 
(Sevagram, meaning "A town for/of service" is the name of a town in the state of 
Maharashtra, India. It is located about 8 km from Wardha. It was the place of Gandhiji's 
ashram and his residence from 1936 to his death in 1948.) 
CDP drew inspiration from some pre-independence rural development programs with 
Pt.Nehru being its main enthusiast.  
Village seen as a common commodity with common interests. 
Broadly speaking, CDP ?  
- One abled body person to give free labour from every family. So as to have feeling of 
collectively built resources.  
- At Block Level,  a BDO, a Political Leader and Media to work in tandem on a cluster. 
The idea was to create Gram Sevaks for achieving: 
As Carl Taylor puts it– 
- Development 
- Caste Disappearance 
 
3 phases of CDP – 
• National Extension phase – Areas selected with little govt expenditure 
• Intensive Community Development phase – Blocks selected high govt expenditure 
• Post Development Phase – Previous phases assumed success, govt expenditure 
lessened, now more supervisory. 
 
By 1957 – 4 Major categories – 
• Constructional Programs (schools, roads etc.) 
• Irrigation (wells , tubewells, pumps etc.) 
• Agriculture (waste land dev, soil, manure etc.) 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
Sleepy Classes 
• Institutional Programs (youth, women, dispensaries, smokeless chulhas etc.) 
 
But it Failed. 
Reasons of Failure: 
1) Projects on Paper  
2) Upper caste, Upper class dominated 
3) Caste inequality rose 
4) VKRV Rao ? Waste of money  
 
Critique – 
 
1. Created Community dependence on govt 
2. Interests of landed class not same with service and other classes 
3. Bureaucracy lacked social service ethos 
4. Development top-down. Slow. 
5. Land owners more benefitted. 
6. Great emphasis on Economic aspect. Little on social and technical. 
7. Dominant castes hijacked top positions and diverted subsidy benefits. 
 
 
Second Phase 
 
• Land Reforms (early 60s) – Already covered 
• Green Revolution (mid 60s) – Done 
 
Third Phase 
• Post GR - Done 
• Area Centric Prog (70s) – 
o Draught Area Dev Prog 
Page 4


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
Sleepy Classes 
C (ii) Rural and Agrarian transformation in India 
(a) Programmes of rural development, Community development programme, 
Cooperatives, Poverty Alleviation Schemes. 
 
 
Rural Development Definition –  
Improving living standards of low-income rural population.  
Rural Development is much broader than Agriculture’s Development.  
But since agriculture is the main source of employment, therefore, main focus is always on 
agriculture. 
 
Rural Development aims to provide below mentioned aspects: 
        
Economic Aspect Social Aspect Technical 
Agricultural Productivity Rural Housing Transport 
Land Improvement Drinking Water Communication 
Minor Irrigation Electrification Small Scale Industries 
Animal Husbandry Education 
Village and Cotton 
Industry 
Fisheries Family Welfare 
 
Minor Forest Produce 
  
 
 
  
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
Sleepy Classes 
Various Phases of Rural Development – 
 
First Phase 
 
Community Development Programme (CDP) – 1952: 
Based on Gandhian concept of “Sevagram” ? Self sufficiency. 
(Sevagram, meaning "A town for/of service" is the name of a town in the state of 
Maharashtra, India. It is located about 8 km from Wardha. It was the place of Gandhiji's 
ashram and his residence from 1936 to his death in 1948.) 
CDP drew inspiration from some pre-independence rural development programs with 
Pt.Nehru being its main enthusiast.  
Village seen as a common commodity with common interests. 
Broadly speaking, CDP ?  
- One abled body person to give free labour from every family. So as to have feeling of 
collectively built resources.  
- At Block Level,  a BDO, a Political Leader and Media to work in tandem on a cluster. 
The idea was to create Gram Sevaks for achieving: 
As Carl Taylor puts it– 
- Development 
- Caste Disappearance 
 
3 phases of CDP – 
• National Extension phase – Areas selected with little govt expenditure 
• Intensive Community Development phase – Blocks selected high govt expenditure 
• Post Development Phase – Previous phases assumed success, govt expenditure 
lessened, now more supervisory. 
 
By 1957 – 4 Major categories – 
• Constructional Programs (schools, roads etc.) 
• Irrigation (wells , tubewells, pumps etc.) 
• Agriculture (waste land dev, soil, manure etc.) 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
Sleepy Classes 
• Institutional Programs (youth, women, dispensaries, smokeless chulhas etc.) 
 
But it Failed. 
Reasons of Failure: 
1) Projects on Paper  
2) Upper caste, Upper class dominated 
3) Caste inequality rose 
4) VKRV Rao ? Waste of money  
 
Critique – 
 
1. Created Community dependence on govt 
2. Interests of landed class not same with service and other classes 
3. Bureaucracy lacked social service ethos 
4. Development top-down. Slow. 
5. Land owners more benefitted. 
6. Great emphasis on Economic aspect. Little on social and technical. 
7. Dominant castes hijacked top positions and diverted subsidy benefits. 
 
 
Second Phase 
 
• Land Reforms (early 60s) – Already covered 
• Green Revolution (mid 60s) – Done 
 
Third Phase 
• Post GR - Done 
• Area Centric Prog (70s) – 
o Draught Area Dev Prog 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
Sleepy Classes 
o Hill Area Dev Prog 
o Command Area Dev Prog 
• Employement, Poverty Alleviation (80s) – 
o 20 point programme 
o Comprehensive Child Dev Prog 
o National Rural Employement Scheme 
o Crop insurance etc. 
Critique – 
• Slogan – Growth with redistribution. But growth was missing.  
(Slow economic growth)  
• Class conflict took caste form. Politics re-focused on caste. Many parties came up. 
(Caste in politics) 
• Rural Labour Enquiry Commission – Half of the population is in perpetual debt.  
(High debt)  
 
• Social Work Research Centre – Agri workers employed for 3 months only.   
(Seasonal employment)  
 
• Subsidy approach increased dependence on state.  
(Dependence)  
 
Broadly: 
- Govt. Dependence  
- Caste not same 
- Class not same 
- Bureaucratic hurdles 
- Seasonality of employment 
- Urban – Rural Plans not synergized 
- Top – Down 
 
Fourth Phase – 90s 
Discussed in Post Independence Post LPG Phase .