Development AdnhhistfPtion :
1.5 FEATURES OF DEVELOPMENT -- Concept and Meaning
ADMINISTRATION
There are certain distinct features of development administration. We would now
discuss them briefly:
Change Orientation
The first and foremost element of development administration is its change
orientation. Change forms part of philosophic values of development administration.
Development administration involves itself in establishing a new social order in which
growth and distributive justice coexist. For Pai Panandikar the central theme of
development administration is socioeconomic and political change.
Development administration cannot be status-quo oriented. No development can take
place unless and until it introduces certain positive changes in a system. Changes such
as structural reorganisation of administration, innovative programme to increase
production, remove unemployment, poverty etc., new schemes to improve employer-
employee relations must form a part, of development administration.
Coal Orientation
Developing countries are facing the problems of poverty, squalor, injustice, unequal
distribution of wealth, lopsided agricultural growth, underdeveloped technology etc.
These colossal issues need to be tackled systematically by fixation of priorities and
goals. Development administration is the means through which the goals of
development viz., social justice, modernisation, industrialisation and economic growth
can be achieved.
Innovative Administration
Development administration focuses on replacing/ improving the existing governing
structures and norms with the ones that suit the changing political and social
environment. In other words [Link] one that is dynamic and
progressive in thought and action. It is interested in identifying and applying new
structures, methods, procedures, techniques, policies, planning projects and
programmes so that the objectives and goals of development are achieved with
minimum possible resources and time. India, for example, has experimented with
many new institutions and procedures which can be termed as the hallmarks of
development administration. We have introduced various development programmes
like IRDP (Integrated Rural Development Programme), TRYSEM (Training Rural
Youth for Self Employment), NREP (National Rural Employment Programme),
DWACRA (Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas), Tribal
Development Programmes etc. These pragrammes broadly aim at removal of
unemployment, creation of job opportunities and reduction of poverty. These
programmes will be discussed in detail in Block 4 of this course. We have also
established some development agencies like the District Rural Development Agency,
District Planning Cells, State Planning Boards, Co-operatives etc. Thus development
administration has to be innovative enough in order to realise the pre-determined
objectives of development. In fact, innovative and creative administration leads to
speedy realisation of goals.
Client-Oriented Administration
Development administration is positively oriented towards meeting the needs of the
specific target groups, like small and marginal farmers of landless agncultura!
labourers and rural artisans in India. The socio-cultural and politicoeconomic
prsgress of these sections forms the essential basis of performance appraisal of
development administrators. Many target group centred or beneficiary-group oriented
organisations have to be created so as to provide these under-privileged sections the
requisite goods and services. It has been suggested that development administration is
'people-oriented' administration which gives priority to the needs of its beneficiaries
by preparing, reviewing and, if necessary, changing the programmes, policies and
activities aimed at the satisfaction of the needs of people in question. The
administration is involved in the betterment of the lot of the deprived and the weak.
Their upliftment becomes a part of the whole administrative ethos. The welfare of the
weaker sections is a part of the administrative value. This feature points 'out the
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Concepts and Approaches are highly motivatdd and committed to a progressive philosophy aiming at cutting the
roots of vested interests in the society. 'This is possible if the people of initiative, extra-
dedication and perseverance are inducted into the development administrative
structures. Training of personnel can be one effective method of creating such a team.
Development administrators should not just formulate plans for the people but even
monitor them in such a way that the beneficiaries are actually benefited.
Participation-Oriented Administration
Development administration accepts for its purposes the principle of associative and
participative system of administration. Here, people are not treated as mere passive
recipierits of benefits or goods and services. They are taken as active participants in
the formulation and execution of development plans, policies and programmes. It is
recognised that centralised administration will not only be unable to take cognisance
of local problems in a realistic frame, but it would also be deprived of the use of local
initiatives, energies and resources. Hence, effective formulation of programmes and
their implementation with the help and association of the local people is now a well
recognised principle of administration. It involves giving people an increasing share in
the governance and management of developmental affairs of the government. That is
why the involvement of Panchayati Raj institutions in planning and administration
has found renewed support in the development strategy of India.
Effective Co-ordination
Since development implies increasing specialisation and professionalisation, the
number of agencies and organisations involved in development tasks has considerably
gone up. In order to have the maximum benefit of this emergent administrative
system, co-ordination between various administrative units and activities is essential.
To achieve maximum results, wastage of resources, time and cost has to be avoided.
Development .administration has to co-ordinate the activities of development agencies
and organisations to integrate their efforts and energies for the realisation of
development goals. This would even save the administration from the problems of
duplication of functions, neglect of important functions and unnecessary focus on
irrelevant or marginally relevant activities. It would thus minimise administrative lag.
Ecological Perspective
Development administration shapes the environment-political, social and economic
and also gets affected by it in turn. It is not a closed system. It receives a feedback
from the social system and responds to the demands put on it by the system. In a way,
development administration is related to the environment and involves close
interaction between the administration and environment. The environment sets forth
the operative parameters of development administration. It requires the qualities of
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flexibility and responsiveness in administrative actions and methods. The changes in
administration affect its environment and changes in environment also has its bearing
on administration.
Check Your .Progress 2
Note: i) Use the space given below for your answers.
ii) Check your answers with those given at the end of the unit.
1) Highlight the genesis of development administration.
