2. The Community Development Programme (CDP) was India's first large scale, well planned
and organised initiative to promote agricultural and rural development,
with the main focus on equity. It was launched in October 1952. Its main objective
was to secure total development of the material and human resources of rural areas,
and to develop local leadership and self-governing institutions, so as to raise the
levels of living of the rural people. It laid the foundation for agricultural and rural
development programmes.