Administrative structure of India

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. A block is a rural subdivision and typically smaller than a tehsil. A tehsil is purely for revenue administration, whereas a block is for rural development purposes. In most states, a block is coterminous with the panchayat samiti area.[4][5][6]

Nomenclature

The nomenclature varies from state to state, such as common terms like "block" and others including community development block, panchayat union block, panchayat block, panchayat samiti block, development block, etc. All denote a CD Block, which is a subdivision of a district, exclusively for rural development.[7][6][4]

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.[8] 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.[9] 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.[10]

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
Andaman and Nicobar Islands CD Block 9[11]
Andhra Pradesh Mandal 685
Arunachal Pradesh Block or Circle 112[12]
Assam Block 219[5]
Bihar Block 342
Chandigarh Block 3
Chhattisgarh CD Block 342
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu CD Block 342
Delhi CD Block 342
Goa CD Block 342
Gujarat CD Block 342
Haryana Block 142
Himachal Pradesh CD Block 342
Jammu and Kashmir CD Block 342
Jharkhand Block 263
Karnataka CD Block 342
Kerala Block 152
Ladakh CD Block 342
Lakshadweep CD Block 342
Madhya Pradesh CD Block 342
Maharashtra CD Block 342
Manipur CD Block 342
Meghalaya CD Block 342
Mizoram CD Block 342
Nagaland CD Block 342
Odisha CD Block 314
Puducherry CD Block 342
Punjab CD Block 342
Rajasthan CD Block 342
Sikkim CD Block 342
Tamilnadu Taluk 220
Telangana Mandal 342
Tripura CD Block 58
Uttar Pradesh CD Block 822[13]
Uttarakhand CD Block 95
West Bengal CD Block 342[14][15]

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. ^ a b "Development Blocks | District Barabanki, Government of Uttar Pradesh | India". Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b CD Blocks of Assam. "Administrative setup".
  6. ^ a b "List of Blocks/Block development offices, Rural Development Department, Government of Tamil Nadu" (PDF). ((cite journal)): |first= missing |last= (help); Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ "Block development offices; Kerala, Commissionerate of Rural Development".
  8. ^ Report of The Grow More Food Enquiry Committee. Government of India Ministry of Food and Agriculture. 1952.
  9. ^ "First Five Year Plan". Planning Commission. Archived from the original on 16 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  10. ^ "The Failure of the Community Development Programme in India". Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  11. ^ About of the block. "Tehsil details".
  12. ^ Administrative setup. "Administrative setup" (PDF).
  13. ^ "Social Demography of Uttar Pradesh". Government of Uttar Pradesh official portal. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  14. ^ "Census 2011, West Bengal" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  15. ^ "Rural development in West Bengal". Department of Panchayat & Rural Development, Government of West Bengal homepage. Retrieved 19 September 2019.


Categories