Part One: Rural Development: An Overview
Rural Development: Nature And Scope
Approaches To Rural Development
Gandhian Approach To Rural Development
The Political Economy Of Rural Poverty
Rural Unemployment In India
Rural Migration
Rural Development And The Eighth Plan
Rural Development In The Ninth Plan (1997-2002)
Rural Development In The Tenth Plan
Rural Development In The Eleventh Plan, 2007-12
Part Two: Agriculture and Allied Programmes
Agriculture And Indian Economy
Food And Non-Food Crops And Trends In Yields
The Green Revolution
Food Security In India
Irrigation And Indian Agriculture
Trends In Agricultural Exports
Agricultural Price Policy Of India
Forest Resources Of India
Rural Industrialisation In India
Technology For Rural Development
Part Three: Rural Power Structure
Land Reforms In India
Plight Of Agricultural Labourers
Conditions Of Rural Artisans
Organising The Rural Poor
Part Four: Special Schemes
Rationale Of Special Schemes
Employment Generation Programmes
National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGY)
Integrated Rural Development Programme
Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY)
Training Rural Youth For Self-Employment (TRYSEM)
Tribal Development Programmes
Development Of Women And Children In Rural Areas (DWCRA)
Implementation, Monitoring And Evaluation Of Rural Development Programmes
Part Five: Rural Banking in India
Rural Indebtedness And Rural Credit
The Cooperatives
The Commercial Banks
The Differential Interest Rate Scheme
The Lead Bank Scheme
Service Area Approach
Regional Rural Banks
National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development
Techniques Of Lending For Agriculture
The Problem Of Overdues
Microfinance In India
Part Six: Rural Delivery System
Agricultural Marketing In India
Rural Development Administration And Panchayati Raj Institutions
People`s Participation In Rural Development
Rural Development: Role Of Voluntary Agencies
Public Distribution System In The Rural Context
Basic Needs Of Rural India
Communication For Rural Development
Part Seven: Rural Development − Experiences of Select Countries
Rural Development In China
Rural Development In Pakistan
Rural Development In Bangladesh
Rural Development In Sri Lanka
Rural Development In The Philippines
Rural Development In Tanzania
Select Bibliography

Rural Development has been receiving increasing attention of the governments across the world. In the Indian context, rural development assumes special significance for two important reasons. First, about two-thirds of the population still lives in villages and there cannot be any progress so long as rural areas remain backward. Second, the backwardness of the rural sector would be a major impediment to the overall progress of the economy. The industrial sector cannot think of sufficient demand for its products so long as the rural incomes are low.

The rural areas suffer from poor infrastructural facilities. The villages are yet to emerge as the main centres of production activity. The proclivity is to produce goods in urban areas, even to meet the basic needs of rural consumers. This apart, the rural population requires not one but a few inputs and services. These have to be provided at the right time and in the right sequence. This demands the right kind of co-ordination amongst agencies extending help to the rural sector.

Given the unfavourable power structure in rural India, the benefits of the Revolution or even the anti-poverty programmes do not reach to benefit the rural population. The workers and small producers in India cannot put in their best in an inequitous atmosphere. Therefore, production suffers. Also, the rural sector cannot take advantage of opportunities available so long as the institutions are dominated by the rich.

The rural people should take active part in all stages of the planning process. At present, they look up to the government for each and everything. This dependency syndrome needs to be dispelled. People`s participation in the development sphere is crucial. The people must be made fully aware of the opportunities available and how to take advantage of them.