PROBLEM AND PROSPECTS OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN PURULIA DISTRICT OF WESTBENGAL

Panchayat systems have been playing an important role in order to monitor these rural development programmes. These institutions have been helpful in identifying real beneficiaries in order to get maximum benefits out of these schemes. Under these schemes priority has been given to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, women, weaker sections and the upliftment of backward areas. A number of hurdles and constraints and deficiencies are also responsible for failure of these rural development programmes. In this paper, an attempt has been made to examine various issues, aspects and dimensions related to Panchayat system in Purulia district of West Bengal. It has been sought to analyze changes in the rural society and its impact on socio-economic transformation due to panchayat, political participation, and political mobilization etc. There are number of factors responsible for created hurdles in performing the role of PRIs. These are castism, groupism and factionalism, which resulting to bitter infightings, allegations and counter-allegations, mutual suspicions and rivalries etc.