The Organisation Structure
The CDP was undertaken and implemented by the Goi and the various state governments in cooperation with one another. For this purpose, an innovative multi-tier organisational structure was designed under the Technical Cooperation Programme Agreement (TCPA) of 5 January 1952 between the Goi and the government of the USA.
At the national level, the Goi formed a central committee with the Prime Minister as the Chairperson, the Members of the Planning Commission, and the Minister of Food and Agriculture as members, to lay down the broad policies and provide the general
supervision for the agreed projects. All nation building ministries were directed to
collaborate with the programme through the Community Projects Administration (CPA),
which was specially created for the purpose. The CDP organisation at the national level
has undergone a number of changes over time. Now the Ministry of Rural Development
is the administrative ministry in charge of all the centrally sponsored rural development
programmes, including the CDP, in the country.
At the state level, a State Development Committee (SDC) headed by the Chief Minister
was responsible for directing and coordinating the programme within the state. Many
state governments had constituted State Planning Commissions or State Planning Boards
for this purpose. The programme falls within the administrative purview of the State
Departments of Rural Development.
At the district level, a District Development Officer (DDO) is responsible for the CDP in his district. Now, after the 73rd Constitution Amendment, statutory Zila Parishads are responsible for implementation of the programme in the districts. The Zila Parishad is chaired by an elected non-official and the DDO is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
of the Zila Parishad. However, there are state to state variations in the organisational structure of the CDP at the district level. At the block level, the statutory Block Parishad or Samiti, or Block Panchayat Samiti, which is chaired by an elected non-official, oversees the implementation of the CDP. The Block Development Officer (BDO) is the Secretary
to the Block Samiti and is responsible for implementation of the programme.
At the village level, Village Level Workers (VLWs), or Gram Sevaks and Gram Sevikas, are responsible for implementing the programme within a cluster of villages. VLWs work under the advice and control of the BDO. With the establishment of panchayati raj in all states now, the village or gram panchayat, which is headed by an elected nonofficial,
is responsible for implementing the programme within its jurisdiction. The VLW assigned to the panchayat acts as its secretary.