Rural Development in Mizoram

Development of rural areas and population has been one of the most crucial policy issues in India since Independence. India has opted for multiple approaches to rural development keeping in view the multivariate needs of the people living here. During these 50 years of development planning, our rural development strategy has shifted from the growth - oriented to the target group -oriented and from target group ?oriented to employment - oriented and welfare - oriented. However over a period of last 50 years of rural development experience it has been noted by a number of scholars as well as social activists that such a model of rural development has been almost a failure. The rural poor have not experienced any significant change in their living conditions rather the number of rural poor has grown and their conditions worsened. Integrated Rural Development programme (IRDP) a major self - employment generating programme was launched in 1980, to provide income generating assets and self employment opportunities to rural families who live below the poverty - line (BPL). But the perusal of this programme reveals that this programme could not deliver adequate results and hardly had any impact on rural poverty. It is in this context that the present book ? Rural Development in Mizoram: A Study of IRDP?, which contains findings of the field research conducted in the Aizawl district of Mizoram acquires much more significance. In its original form it was submitted as doctoral dissertation to the University of Panjab in 1998, which awarded the author Ph.D. degree in Jan 1999. Besides examining the Integrated Rural Development Programme and highlighting the state-sponsored rural development programmes, this book identifies the motivational factors of grassroots bureaucracy and deals with beneficiary participation and the NGO?s participation in the achievement of the rural development goals. The discussion of the five case studies in the book unfolds the reality. The book not only discusses the problem of successful implementation of IRDP in the state, but also has suggested ways and means to fill the gap. The book would be useful to the researchers, policy makers, voluntary organizations and all those engaged in promoting rural development in Mizoram.

Dr. Kalpana Das (b. 1956), M.A. (Political Science), M.A. (Public Administration), M.Phil, Ph.D. is currently working in the Department of Public Administration, Utkal University, Orissa, as a guest faculty. Prior to joining this university, she had worked as a Lecturer at Kamla Nehru Women’s College, Bhubaneswar, from 1979 to 1983 and in the Dept. of Public Administration, North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Mizoram campus, Aizawl (presently known as Mizoram University), from 1989 to 2001. She has participated and contributed papers in various national and international seminars. She is a life member of Indian Institute of Public Administration. As the author has spent considerable time in Mizoram, her experiences have been quite useful in her research for this study.