ASSIGNMENT ON

Institution name: Shahjalal University of Science & Technology.

Course: Rural Development and Politics (PSS-363)

Topic: Discuss the limitations and improvement of The National Rural Development Policy
(NRDP)-2001

Submitted by

Name: Bushra Khatun Jannat

Reg. no: 2017235033

Semester: 3 year 2 semester

Submit date: 06/12/2020

Submitted to

Teacher Name: Mst. Tahmina Akter

Lecturer

Political Studies

SUST.
Introduction

Progress of Bangladesh is part to development of rural areas. Both government and non-
government organizations are implementing multifarious programmes for rural uplift. Among
these programmes, the significant ones cover micro-credit for poverty alleviation, social security,
development of physical infrastructure of rural areas, women’s empowerment, education, health,
family welfare, nutrition, promotion of environment etc. The necessity of formulating a “National
Rural Development Policy” has long been felt in order that these programmes be implemented in
an orchestrated manner and on the basis of clear directions.

The National Rural Development Policy (NRDP)-2001

The national Rural Development Policy (NRDP) is formulated to meet the constitutional
obligations to develop human resources and bring about positive changes in the standard of living
of the people who live in the rural areas of Bangladesh and are dependent on the natural resources
therein. The NRDP is intended to provide a set of governing principles for guiding all rural
development activities. Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina while inaugurating the Rural
Poverty Alleviation Foundation on 9 July 2000, announced that a National Rural Development
Policy would be formulate. The National Rural Development Policy-2001 has 7 sections. The main
section is Programmes that consists of 30 sub-sections. To mention a few sub-sections: Poverty
Alleviation, Agro-based Rural Economy, Education for Rural Areas, Rural Health Services and
Nutrition Development, Rural Population Control, Rural Industries Development, Empowerment
of Rural Women, Cooperatives for Rural Development, Rural Environment Promotion, Power and
Fuel Energy. In addition, the policy offers clear directions regarding rationale and background,
aims and objectives, philosophy and principles, strategies and ways of implementation of the RD
policy.

Background

Bangladesh is closely linked with rural development. There are certain articles in the Constitution
of Bangladesh that uphold commitments to improve rural people’s quality of life, alleviate poverty
and bring prosperity in rural life. Commitment has been made in Article 14 of the Constitution that
“It shall be a fundamental responsibility of the State to emancipate the toiling masses the peasants
and workers- and backward sections of the people from all forms of exploitation.” Similarly rural
development and agricultural revolution have been given priority in Article 16. The goal of the
liberation movement was emancipation of the people from hunger, poverty and exploitation. The
people of rural Bangladesh could see their dream of a better life as well as the promise of achieving
self-reliance embedded in the clarion call for economic emancipation. With a view to fulfilling
that dream, the Integrated Rural Development Board was established immediately after
Bangladesh was liberated. The objective was to increase food production, create food reserves,
increase the purchasing capacity of farmers, spread education and ensure health services. It can be
mentioned that, in the sixties and cooperative movement was launched in the country through
which economic activities were initiated in rural areas and these efforts appeared to be successful.
But due to increased demand for a better quality of life and improved methods of living, the
necessity of modern technologies and innovative solutions was felt. But when the democratic
government after having come to power have kindled hopes in rural people through making
unprecedented contributions in every sphere of development and have opened up avenues for
achieving self-reliance. Against this backdrop, the importance of formulating a rural development
policy was felt in order to keep the momentum of development going. The democratic government
take some small policy for rural development when these efforts appeared to be successful that
time the government, National Rural Development Policy 2001 is formulated in order to achieve
comprehensive development of the country by keeping the present momentum of progress in
poverty alleviation and rural life sustained.

Objective

 Develop the local government systems.

 Increase equal participation of women with men in socio-economic and political.
 Develop rural human life style.
 Meet the constitutional obligation
 Develop human resources
 Bring about positive changes in the standard of the living of the people.
 The NRDP is intended a set of governing principle for guiding all rural development
activities.
Aims and Objective

 To create skilled human resources in the rural areas through imparting education, vocational
education and training.
 To make efforts to fulfill the needs of rural people through proper identification of the
problems for socio-economic uplift of the rural poor and disadvantaged people and
producers, specially the small, marginal and the landless farmers.
 To ensure equal participation of women with men in all socio-economic and cultural
development and cultural activities including education, training and income generating
activities.
 To create an enabling environment for, and facilitate people’s self-development through
unleashing their creativity and potentials.
 To achieve comprehensive village development including improvement in the standards of
living, increase in income and employment generation of rural people, particularly women
and the poor.
 To ensure stable social and economic development of Bangladesh through poverty
alleviation.
 To increase the opportunities for income generating activities in the rural areas through
ensuring rural people’s participation in their development process, so that the purchasing
power of the people is raised by increased income.
 To generate widespread self-employment opportunities in the rural areas.
 To ensure the improvement of the socio-economic conditions of the rural people in order to
in increase their income and fulfill the basic needs.
 To emphasize rural development with a view increasing national income and assets and
achieving equality based economic development as per provisions of the Constitution.
 To ensure the development of physical infrastructure in the rural areas, balanced distribution
of resources among people and marketing of the products.
 To reduce the disparity between the rural and urban areas in respect of standard of living,
services and supplies through integrated efforts; and gradually to reduce the disparity
between the developed and the underdeveloped areas.
 To develop the local government systems including enhancing capacity and effectiveness
of Union Parishads so that they become able to create a congenial atmosphere for, and
 facilitate a social movement with a view to establishing the practice of formulating and
implementing local level plans through proper utilization of local resources.
 To effect administrative reforms (at both local land national levels) in order to facilitate the
conduct of social movement through integration of works at local level, and development
of relationship among villagers, elected people’s representatives, govt. and NGO officials.
 To active measures for the development of he handicapped, different tribes, ethnic
minorities and people living in hilly areas.

Limitations

The NRDP-2002 have so many limitations, all those limitations discussed below-

1.Absence of policy maker

In national rural development policy-2001 included that All plans will be formulated, projects
selected, implemented, monitored, resources, problem and needs of every household in the village
will be identified through survey based, formulating local level plans and initiatives will be taken
to collect all relevant village data with active participation of the local people. Also included that
differents committee have been created for look after the policy implemention.

Example

 An inter-ministerial Steering Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Rural

Development and Cooperatives Division, will be constituted to ensure proper
implementation of the National Rural Development Policy
 National Rural Development Council headed by the Honourable Prime Minister will be
constituted and concerned ministers will be the members of this committee. The committee
will offer policy guidelines for implementing the objectives of the rural development
policy.
 Separate Coordination Committees will be constituted at District, Upazila and Union levels
for coordination and monitoring of all development works at the local level.
 Also Necessary measures will be taken to make local govt. institutions directly accountable
to the people. To this end, people’s active participation and involvement at all stages of the
development process will be ensured.
But there never said that who is the person make all policy for plans formulations, projects
selection, implementation, monitor, resources, problem and needs with active participation of the
local people.

2. Absence of Universal primary Education

National Rural Development policy-2001 included that the primary education of rural areas will
be universal, also included that Expansion of formal and non-formal education will be given
priority. If we provided formal and non-formal education in rural areas, that time education system
will not be a universal education system. Because some people took formal education and some
people took non-formal education and it will create disintegration in educational system.

3. Lack of monitoring

A policy will be successful when policy maker systematic and regular monitoring of positive
changes as well as negative changes. Because if policy maker find any negative changes that time
he want to decreased this negative changes. As a result, the negative changes will be reduced and
increased positive changes as well as possibility of implementation will be increased. But National
Rural Development Policy-2001 included only systematic and regular monitoring of positive
changes in the socio-economic conditions of the rural poor will be carried out on the basis of
definite criteria.

4. Population Control

According to this policy, “maktab, mosque, temple, church, all educational institutions as well as
religious education institutions and other community organizations will be involved to create
awareness regarding population control”. But we see that the formal education system in
Bangladesh play an important to create awareness regarding population control because on this
matter the government trained them. But we also see that, religious education institutions don’t
under control of government. They worked on the base of religious roll and regulation. According
to every religious roll and regulation, here never say that you reduced your population rather there
said that don’t take any population reduce policy because population is a mercy from Allah. So,
religious education institutions never play any role to create awareness regarding population
control especially Islam. Since, Bangladesh is a huge populated country and day by day it increase.
So, all institution should play an important role to create awareness regarding population control.
But the government should take some action for religious education institutions to encourage and
understanding about population problem. But the government didn’t took any action in this policy.

5. Homeopathic and herbal treatment

Perspective of Bangladesh, we always see that government give more important to Allopathic
treatment. There have so many university and collage which teach how to you apply Allopathic
treatment but have no Homeopathic hospital, Also all people of the country more interested about
Allopathic treatment not for homeopathic. We also see that all hospital and rural health centers
have so many Allopathic doctors. But there have no any set for homeopathic doctor and also there
have no enrollment system for homeopathic doctor. So, we see that there don’t take any action so
that homeopathic treatment will be increase and expansion. But According to NRDP-2001,
Homeopathic and herbal treatment like Unani and Ayurbedic being less expensive will be
encouraged for expansion. How is it be possible to expansion without any homeopathic doctors
and institution.

6. Layout design

According to NRDP-2001 took some action for development of rural housing like Construction of
building, new settlement etc. on cultivable agricultural land will be discouraged, and measures for
planned construction of houses will be taken, Research for innovation and development of
technologies of low cost housing for rural areas will be undertaken, residential area and cultivable
area will be separately demarcated wherever possible for more profitable use of agricultural land
and for facilitating improved technology-based cultivation, Initiatives will be taken for expansion
of planned infrastructure on priority basis in the residential areas, Prior to new settlement in village
areas, especially in island and char areas, necessary layout design has to be done. But we know
that, island and char areas have so many problem for people living. But this policy not clear that
how much opportunity will give them for their standard living by layout design, what kind of
layout design will be taken, is it suitable for people? And if people again faced any problem there
that time what kind of policy and action will take. This policy also not clear that who make this
design, how is it, what will be basis of layout design, and who will implement this work.
7. Geographical specialties

There are many place where people harmful by different natural disasters. That time Government,
in order to address the primary objective of poverty alleviation, will continue target group and area
focused programmes (such as food for works, housing, credit, support, skills development and
training, creation of non-agricultural periodical employment opportunities in the non-agricultural
sector etc.) in certain areas of the country on the basis of their geographical specialties and actual
needs. But this policy didn’t clear or specify that which areas will focus. It is a limitation because
natural disasters are not one kind. It is different types (flood, drought, tsunami etc) and created
different times. Every place faced different natural disasters and some place are especial for some
natural disasters like (Sunamgonj is especial for flood).

8. Special professions

According to NRDP-2001 took some action for Rural Capital Flow and Financing like (ensure the
maximum use of capacity, necessary capital will be supplied, banking services will be expanded,
replication of successful Micro-credit Programmes will be expanded, Collateral free loans will be
given to the people of special professions and disadvantaged sections of the society on the basis
of group security only). According to this policy, loan will be given to the people of special
professions. But this policy not clear that which professions is special professions in rural areas,
and which people can take this loan.

9. Immature situation of judgment

According to NRDP-2001, For promoting rural law and order situation, the traditional village level
informal dispute settlement system called ‘Salish’ will be encouraged and Practicable measures
will be taken to make the functions of village court regular, speedy and flawless. When ‘Salish’
system increased in rural areas that time all people will go to “Salish” because cost percentage is
low. As a result the functions of village courts can’t increase their regularity, speedy and flawless.
But we see that there are some kind of immature situation will create.

10. Physical and mental health services

According to NRDP-2001, “Both men and women, in all stages of the life-cycle will be ensured
access to physical and mental health services, and their health and nutrition awareness will be
raised through training to be imparted by relevant institutions and organization”. But we see that
only physical health services provided in rural areas but it quality is low. There have lacking of
mentalist doctor without doctors how is it possible to services.

11. Unsure the place of skill development

According to NRDP-2001, Programmes integrating awareness creating, skills training, access to

rural finance services and marketing support will be emphasized to promote rural employment and
self-employment. But this policy not clear that which kind of skill, training, programmes will
provided. This policy don’t mansion it.

12. Reduce dependence on traditional jobs.

Some time we see that traditional jobs performed good rather than modern jobs especial incase of
environment. Because we also see that modern instrument is very harmful for environment. But
according to NRDP-2001, “A conducive environment will be created to reduce dependence on
traditional jobs through provision of opportunities of self-employment in rural areas”. So, we can
say that it is a wrong decision.

Recommendation

1. Identify a policy maker who take all plans and decision.

2. Education system should be formal that time it will be a universal education system.

3. Policy maker should systematic and regular monitoring of positive changes as well as negative
changes.

4. The government should take some action for religious education institutions to encourage,
training and understanding about population problem.

5. The government should create some collages for homeopathic and herbal treatment, ensure some
set for homeopaths doctors, enrollment and advertising about important of homeopathic and herbal
treatment in rural areas.

6. The government should widely clear that what kind of layout will take, what is it basis, how is
it applied.
7. Identify which areas are especial for which natural disasters and mansion it.

8. mansion what kinds of special profession will provide for loan.

9. the government should increase one system for rural ceases or judgment. It would be “Salish”
or village court.

10. Increase the quality of rural health services.

11. Identify what kind of skill, training and project will provide and mansion it in policy.

12. Modern jobs and traditional jobs should work together so that don’t increase unemployment
population.

Conclusion

The NRDP-2001 offers an outline of integration of efforts of people, people’s representatives, all
govt. departments, ministries, agencies and all other supportive forces. It is expected that rural
development as visualized in the constitution could be made a solid reality in the quickest possible
time given that poverty alleviation endeavors are made in a planned and concerted manner in
earnest pursuance of the policy. The National Rural Development Policy 2001 is hoped to be
trusted by all development aspiring people as an acceptable set of guidelines for rural development
in Bangladesh.