UPSC Prelims 2000 Q2: Indian Economy – Agriculture & Rural Development
- (a) Planned Development
- (b) Community Development
- (c) Panchayati Raj System
- (d) Integrated Development Programme
Answer: (b) Community Development
Explanation
Which programme aimed to give millions of workers a sense of partnership
| Programme | Main idea |
|---|---|
| Community Development Programme (2 October 1952) | People's participation — villagers as partners in their own development |
| Planned development (Five Year Plans, from 1951) | State-led targets for the whole economy |
| Panchayati Raj (1959, after the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee) | Elected local bodies to run development |
| Integrated Rural Development Programme (1978-80) | Assets and credit for poor families |
The passage speaks of instilling in the vast millions of workers a sense of partnership and of cooperative performance.
That is the core idea of the Community Development Programme, launched on 2 October 1952 with community development blocks, under which villagers were meant to plan and carry out work together with officials.
When the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) found that people's participation was weak, it recommended elected Panchayati Raj bodies, which came later, in 1959.
Answer: (b) Community Development.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Planned development is about national targets, not cooperative work by villagers.
- (b) CORRECT. Partnership and cooperative performance by millions of workers is the spirit of the Community Development Programme.
- (c) Incorrect. Panchayati Raj came in 1959 as a remedy for the weak participation in community development.
- (d) Incorrect. The integrated rural development programme targeted poor families with assets and credit.
Key point
Community Development Programme: 2 October 1952; first blocks set up under the First Five Year Plan.
Remember
CDP 1952 → Balwant Rai Mehta review 1957 → Panchayati Raj 1959.
Common mistakes
- Picking Panchayati Raj because it also involves local people.
- Picking planned development because the passage mentions workers and performance.
- Forgetting that the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee reviewed community development.
Exam tip
Partnership + cooperative performance of villagers = Community Development.
Sources
- Planning Commission — First Five Year Plan (1951-56), chapter 'Community Development and Rural Extension'
- M. Laxmikanth — Indian Polity, chapter 'Panchayati Raj' (Balwant Rai Mehta Committee)