Study about Hill Area Development Programme In Assam And West Bengal
Executive Summary:~ The Hill Area Development Program (HADP) has been introduced by the Government of India to initiate socio economic development in the hill areas of India since the inception of the Fifth Five Year Plan. The main objective of this program is to ensure „sustainable‟ development of hill areas, keeping in view the basic needs of the hill people and generating ample livelihood options for the local community. With the progress of the Five Year plans, the focus has been shifting to preservation of biodiversity and rejuvenation of hill ecology.The major objectives of the current evaluation study was to understand the approach and strategy for the implementation of HADP and analyze the „impact‟ of the program in the two districts of Assam, namely Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills and the district of Darjeeling in West Bengal.
The broad objectives of HADP of balancing development and eco-preservation such that sustainable development is ensured in districts of Assam and West Bengal have only recently gained momentum in the appropriate direction. This is primarily because the HADP guidelines in the initial stages of the Five Year plans did not emphasize on ensuring protection of biodiversity and maintaining ecological balance. As late as the Tenth Plan, the objectives lacked clear specifications on preservation issues and how the programs need to be restructured for bringing forth sustainability in the states. A major shift in the policy making took place when the watershed development approach was highlighted for implementation of HADP in the 11th Plan. Keep reading…
