Let’s begin with a simple truth: Hills are beautiful but challenging.While they enrich our biodiversity and culture, they also present unique developmental hurdles that are quite different from the plains. To address these distinct needs, the Government launched the Hill Area Development Programme (HADP) with a philosophy: “Development should respect geography.” Importance of Hill Areas…
Let us begin with a basic but essential question:What exactly is drought? Is it simply a lack of rain? The answer is both yes and no. Drought is not just a climatic event, it is also an economic and ecological crisis—especially in a country like India where agriculture is rain-dependent. At its core, drought occurs…
When we speak of deserts, we often imagine a barren, lifeless land—hot, dry, sandy. But let’s pause and ask a critical planning question:Can desert regions be developed meaningfully?India’s planners grappled with this question, and the answer came in the form of a focused area-based initiative called the Desert Development Programme (DDP). Historical Background of DDP…
Let us begin with a simple yet important question: What do we mean by a ‘backward area’? In everyday language, a backward area might seem like a place that lags behind others in development—no factories, poor infrastructure, low incomes. But when we study this concept through the lens of regional planning, especially in India’s planning…
Let’s start with the most fundamental idea. A watershed is not a body of water. It is the entire land area that drains water — from rainfall or snowmelt — into a particular water body like: 🧭 In Hindi, we might call it जलग्रहण क्षेत्र — the area that “catches” or “collects” water. Think of…
A Command Area refers to the geographical area that is irrigated by canals, wells, tanks, or tube wells. It is the commanded region — the land area where water from these sources is meant to reach for agricultural use. But here’s the paradox:🔍 Irrigation Potential is Created, but often not Utilized. Why? 🚧 Problems in…
🔹Background & Context: Why was IRDP needed? Let’s begin with the “why”. After Independence, India launched several rural-focused development schemes: ✅ These were well-intentioned, but: 🛑 Result? Lack of integration and coordination⛓️ These isolated schemes couldn’t tackle the deep-rooted poverty in rural India. ➡️ This led to the realization that rural poverty can’t be solved…
Let’s begin with a fundamental question: What is Panchayati Raj? Panchayati Raj is a system of rural local self-government in India. Think of it as democracy not just in Parliament, but in the village. It empowers people at the grassroots to make decisions about their own development. Evolution of Panchayati Raj The idea of Panchayati…
🔹 Context & Need Despite decades of planned development through centralized Five Year Plans, India continues to face: Why?A key reason: Centralized planning failed to reflect ground-level realities. It often imposed top-down solutions on diverse regions with different socio-economic, geographical, and cultural contexts. 🧩 What is Multi-Level Planning? Multi-Level Planning (MLP) is a decentralized and…
Achievements of Five-Year Plans While Five Year Plans often missed their numerical growth targets, they played a foundational and transformative role in shaping India’s socio-economic fabric. 1. Economic Growth 📌 Interpretation: Despite low starting points and a multitude of challenges—partition, refugee crisis, wars, and global oil shocks—India laid a base for a mixed economy with…
