Community development block

In India, a Community development block (CD block) or simply Block is a sub-division of Tehsil, administratively earmarked for planning and development.[1] In tribal areas, similar sub-divisions are called tribal development blocks (TD blocks).[2] The area is administered by a Block Development Officer (BDO), supported by several technical specialists and village-level workers.[3] A community development block covers several gram panchayats, the local administrative units at the village level.

Administrative structure of India

Nomenclature

Only in the state of West Bengal are CD blocks considered the third level administrative units (equal to tehsils in North India. Elsewhere, tehsils are also called Talukas in the Western Indian states of Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and South Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. In Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, the term Circles are used, while Sub-divisions are present in the Eastern Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, and most of Northeast India (Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura). In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, a newer form of administrative unit called Mandals have replaced the Tehsil.

The state of Gujarat has a different structure, District Collector or Divisional Magistrate (DM), then Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) i.e. Deputy Collector administering two or more talukas. The sub-division is divided into taluks.

History

The concept of the community development block was first suggested by Grow More Food (GMF) Enquiry Committee in 1952 to address the challenge of multiple rural development agencies working without a sense of common objectives.[4] Based on the committee's recommendations, the community development programme was launched on a pilot basis in 1952 to provide for a substantial increase in the country's agricultural programme, and for improvements in systems of communication, in rural health and hygiene, and in rural education and also to initiate and direct a process of integrated culture change aimed at transforming the social and economic life of villagers.[5] The community development programme was rapidly implemented. In 1956, by the end of the first five-year plan period, there were 248 blocks, covering around a fifth of the population in the country. By the end the second five-year plan period, there were 3,000 blocks covering 70 per cent of the rural population. By 1964, the entire country was covered.[6]

Block Development Officer

In India, a Civil service officer of the rank of Block Development Officer (BDO) is the in-charge of a CD Block in India. BDO are usually officers of representative state-governments. BDO reports to the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM).

Blocks statewise
State CD Block Number of
CD Blocks
BiharCD Block534
HaryanaCD Block140
JharkhandCD Block263[7]
KeralaCD Block152[8]
OdishaCD Block314
TripuraCD Block58
UttarakhandCD Block95
Uttar PradeshCD Block822[9]
West BengalCD Block342[10][11]

See also

References
  1. Maheshwari, Shriram. "Rural Development and Bureaucracy in India". The Indian Journal of Public Administration. XXX (3): 1093–1100.
  2. Vidyarthi, Lalita Prasad (1981). Tribal Development and Its Administration. Concept Publishing Company.
  3. Sharma, Shailendra D. (1999). Development and Democracy in India. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc. ISBN 9781555878108.
  4. Report of The Grow More Food Enquiry Committee. Government of India Ministry of Food and Agriculture. 1952.
  5. "First Five Year Plan". Planning Commission. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  6. "The Failure of the Community Development Programme in India". Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  7. "Names of Blocks of Jharkhand". Jharkhandi Baba. 21 October 2017. Archived from the original on 21 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  8. "Block Panchayaths / Block Development Offices in Kerala". Commissionerate of Rural Development, Kerala. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  9. "Social Demography of Uttar Pradesh". Government of Uttar Pradesh official portal. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  10. "Census 2011, West Bengal" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  11. "Rural development in West Bengal". Department of Panchayat & Rural Development, Government of West Bengal homepage. Retrieved 19 September 2019.


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