EVALUATION OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT IN KAKOPATHAR BLOCK, TINSUKIA, ASSAM

Abstract

Kakopathar block is situated in the district of Tinsukia which is one of the most urbanized regions in Assam. It extends upto 832sq.km and covers 21% of the total geographical area of the district. The largest share of population from the district lives in the villages of Kakopathar. The planning and development in Kakopathar Block had started in 1964 after the establishment of the block during Community Development Programme, but till present rural character is still prevalent in the block. It is located in a core economic region distinguished by National Commission on Urbanization for planned urban development in India. Block Planning has a very unique history in Indian planning. Since independence Community Development Blocks are treated as normal administrative units. They have regular budgetary allocations. Block Development Officer (BDO) at each block or the revenue tehsil, with a team of subject specialists and village level workers (VLW) execute the various developmental activities in a block. The BDOs reported to the District Collector, who is the administrator of the district. This type of centralized approach however resulted failure in upliftment of regional disparities in rural and urban growth. Prior to the recommendations made by Balwant Rai Mehta Committee three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions were established at village, block and district in 1957. Accordingly, the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments in 1992 provided legal framework and endowed functions and responsibilities to the institutions at each level for performing developmental activities. The District Planning Committee (DPC)�â� � s as mandated by the 73rd CAA are to be constituted at all states for consolidating plans prepared by Panchayats and municipalities in the district into the Draft District Plan. Block planning units act as an extension of District Planning Committee at the intermediate level. This study is thus revisits the block planning in regional development and tries to find the imbalances in growth within a known flourished region. Generally, a district is often too large a unit in which to fully understand the extent to which local social and cultural contexts influence the effectiveness of key services. This is more possible at a smaller local government level, such as an Intermediate Panchayat or a Village Panchayat.