Rural Development: Principles, Policies and Management

This, the second edition of Professor Katar Singh's very successful text, deals systematically with the vast subject of rural development–its basic concepts, elements, objectives, paradigms, determinants, policies and programmes, and management. Stressing the fact that with more than 70 per cent of its population living in rural areas, any strategy for socio-economic development in India must focus on rural development, Professor Katar Singh emphasises the pivotal role of human resources as both a means and an end to development. Rural development is viewed as a multidimensional process involving the reorganising and reorienting of entire economic and social systems and interactions among various biological, technological, economic, institutional and organisational factors. This thoroughly revised edition includes an integrated treatment of the principles, policies and management of rural development; new research and statistical data; illustrations and examples from current situations; the latest measures of rural development; and a new methodology for project monitoring and evaluation. This well-documented and comprehensive new edition will serve as a textbook for graduate and postgraduate students of rural development, agricultural development, agricultural policy and planning, and rural management. It will also interest policy-makers and planners, and those managing both governmental and non-governmental organisations engaged in rural development.