Evaluate the community development programme.

Critical Evaluation of the Community Development Programme (CDP, 1952)

1. Introduction and Origin of CDP:

Launched on 2nd October 1952 (on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday) with US Ford Foundation technical and financial assistance, the Community Development Programme was independent India's first nationwide multidimensional rural reconstruction initiative.

2. Core Objectives of CDP:

• Achieving holistic rural transformation covering agriculture, animal husbandry, rural roads, basic primary health, sanitation, adult education, and cottage crafts.
• Fostering community self-reliance, popular participation (Shramdaan), and local democratic initiative.
• Creating a dedicated administrative machinery reaching down to the village level (creation of Development Blocks, BDOs, and Village Level Workers [VLWs/Gram Sevaks]).

3. Major Achievements of CDP:

• 1. Creation of Block Administrative Architecture: Established the Community Development Block (विकास खंड) as the permanent administrative unit of rural development, headed by the BDO.
• 2. Grassroots Extension Machinery: Introduced the concept of multi-purpose Village Level Workers (VLW) to transfer agricultural technologies to farmers.
• 3. Physical Infrastructure Creation: Constructed thousands of kilometers of link roads, primary school buildings, village wells, and primary health centres (PHCs).
• 4. Catalyst for Panchayati Raj: The shortcomings of CDP led directly to the appointment of the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957), which recommended the 3-tier Democratic Decentralization (Panchayati Raj System).

4. Critical Shortcomings and Failures:

• Bureaucratic Domination (Top-down Approach): Transformed into an official program administered by rigid bureaucrats rather than a genuine people's movement with grassroots initiative.
• Elite Capture: Benefits were overwhelmingly cornered by large, dominant caste landlords; marginal farmers, tenants, and SC/ST landless laborers were excluded.
• Lack of Organic People's Participation: Over-reliance on government funds; failed to generate sustained self-help or voluntary contribution (Lok Shakti).
• Thinly Spread Financial Resources: Rapid expansion across the country diluted budgetary allocations and technical support per village.

Conclusion:

While CDP failed to achieve a self-sustaining rural movement due to bureaucratic top-down design, it laid the foundational administrative and physical infrastructure for modern rural development and paved the way for constitutional Panchayati Raj.