Psychology in India, Volume 3

6

Psychosocial Interventions for Community Development

Ajit K. Dalal

INTRODUCTION

Community development (CD) has been the central theme of most of the socio-economic planning in India in the last 50 years. After gaining political independence, the popular parliamentary government formed in India became concerned with finding mechanisms and resources to put India on a fast track of development. Realizing the fact that unless 80 per cent of the rural population is involved in the developmental process, no substantial progress is possible, a variety of efforts were initiated. Given the diversity and complexity of Indian society, it was a major challenge for the government, bureaucrats, activists, and social scientists to prepare viable CD programmes. ...