DECENTRALIZING RURAL GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT: Perspectives, Ideas and Experiences

Decentralization for local governance and development is not only an institutional arrangement to be viewed simply from the perspective of public administration or to be confined exclusively to the domain of policy makers. It is something more; it is an ideology and a way of formulating and implementing policy decisions in public spheres and as such includes a variety of perspectives and aspects. Thus decentralizing rural governance and development is viewed in this volume not simply in terms of constitutionalizing and revamping the local level arrangements but in premises of diverse ideas and experiments originating in the society. The present volume is an attempt in this direction putting together the contributions of experts, academics and development professionals engaged in this field. The common thread uniting the papers in this publication highlights the thesis that the amendments, backed by interplay of diverse socio-political forces, have made the changes in the ‘oceanic circle’ of Indian society that is capable of ushering in a great beginning in the politics of inclusion. Indeed a process of churning has begun in the democratic power structure of the country to provide a legitimate share for the millions, which has been observed by the contributors in this volume with an outlook of social scientists more concerned with society and its transformation.

Anil Kumar Jana is a senior professor and formerly head of the Department of Political Science with Rural Administration at Vidyasagar University, West Bengal. He has a long and illustrious teaching experience spanning four decades. Besides a good number of published papers and articles to his credit, his publications include Quit India Movement in Bengal, Indian Politics at the Crossroads (ed.), and Administering District Plans in India. Professor Jana has the unique exposure to the functioning of the PRIs at field level apart from having long experience in planning and management of higher level educational institutions. He is the founder secretary and director of Vidyasagar Centre for Social Sciences, Midnapore and also edits Samaj Jijnasa, a journal of social sciences in Bengali.