URP 513:RURAL PLANNING

SESSION #4
INSTITUTIONS FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
2

Rural Development Institutions

Introduction
3

 Majority of the people in Bangladesh live in rural areas where

problems of unemployment, inequality and poverty are
common (IFAD, 2001).
 Bangladesh has been undertaking rural development programs
both at the government and non-government organizational
levels.
 However, within the existing framework, rural development
policies and poverty reduction programs in Bangladesh have
been unable to significantly benefit the target population.

 Though government and government agencies are playing an

important complementary role in the rural development sector,
their roles are not completely positive.
Introduction
4

 In Bangladesh, growing attention has been paid to rural

development during the past two and half decades.
 Over 80% percent of the people live in rural areas.
 For Bangladesh, rural development is essential, because the entire
country is a large village with only 7 metropolitan cities and 64
towns.
 To improve the effectiveness of rural development, it is necessary
to conduct study reviewing and current framework of rural
development strategies in Bangladesh-
a) Identify the weakness of rural development policy
b) Examine the current administrative patterns;
c) Suggests potential areas, for improvement in effective rural
development in Bangladesh.
The meaning of rural development
5

The concept of rural development is to improve the vicious situation

of rural areas by a multi-sectoral approach such as economic
vitalization, employment increase, education, health care and social
welfare.(CIRDAP, 1997)

In developing countries, the following five components are

necessary-
1. Appropriate government economic policies
2. Modernizing farm structures especially land reform to meet
rising food demands
3. Supportive social institutions
4. Creating an effective supporting system
5. Changing the rural environment to improve levels of living
Rural Development issues
6

 Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD,1996)

agreed that the contemporary issues in the field of Rural
Development are-
1) Poverty alleviation
2) Strengthening rural infrastructure
3) Decentralized decision making
4) Increasing production and employment
5) Modernizing farm structure and land reform
6) Development of human resource
7) People’s Participation
8) Collaboration between government and NGO
 The Evolution of Rural Development policy in
7 Bangladesh
The history of modern rural development policy in Bangladesh may
be divided into three periods, namely the British, Pakistan and
Bangladesh periods.
British and Pakistan Periods
Bangladesh was a part of British India for about two hundred years
(1757-1947). The colonial rulers were primarily concerned with law
and order, administration and revenue collection in the rural areas.
Bangladesh period: Since Independence
Rural development in Bangladesh has been accorded the top most
priority in the government development strategy
Example -The First Five Year Plan, the Perspective Plan (1990-2010)
Current Administrative Patterns and Rural Development
8
Bodies
 The president is the head of the state.
 The government is headed by the prime minister.
 Legislative power is exercised by the parliament. Bangladesh
has a 330 member parliament called “Jatiya Sangsad”.
 The entire country is broadly divided into Seven divisions

There are 64 districts, 490 upazilas and 4501 unions,

which are the units of local government.
Local government units (District, upazila and Union levels) are
usually responsible for rural development activities, though policy
and planning are formulated by the central government
Current Administrative Patterns and Rural Development
9
Bodies
President
Legislative
Judiciary Executive

Prime Minister Parliament

Courts
Council of Ministers

Ministers/ Divisions

Departments/ Divisions Autonomous

Bureaus (Geographical) /Corporation

District Thanas/ Unions

Upazillas
Figure 01: Administrative structures of government in Bangladesh
 Current Administrative Patterns and Rural
10 Development Bodies

 The three Hill District Local Government Councils were

created in 1989 by three separate acts.

This legislation was enacted to grant autonomy

to the ethnic minorities living in these regions.
 The lowest administrative unit is the union and each
union Comprises 10-15 villages. Several unions form a
thana and several thanas form a district
Current Administrative Patterns and Rural Development
11
Bodies
Ministry of LGED and Cooperative

Special affairs division Urban Rural

District council
City corporation Municipality
Upazila council

Union council
Hill district local government

Figure 02: Administrative structures of local government in Bangladesh (LGED)

Local government Units
12
District:
• During the institutional history of Bangladesh, the district has
been the crucial building block of central government.
• Development of local government at this level has taken the form
of supervised bodies under the control of the chief executive
officer, i.e., the Deputy Commissioner, with a narrow functional
and financial jurisdiction.
• Institutional attention to the district-level body has been marked
by great ambiguity in policy objectives and this is reflected in
long periods of inactivity.
• However, Zila-Parishads have essentially existed only on
paper since independence.
Local government Units
13

Thana/Upazilla :
• The Thana Council was presided over by the chief executive
officer at this level, currently known as the Nirbahi Officer.
• The institutional development of the Thana Council got an
important impetus from the Comilla Model of 1960s which
significantly expanded rural development functions at this
level.
• In 1982 major change was brought about in the status of the
thana-level body, renamed the Upazila-Parishad (sub-district
council), when provision was made for a directly elected
chairman.
Local government Units
14

Union:
• Union Parishad (UP) is the frontline local government organization
closest to rural people. This is the lowest tier of local government
and currently each union cover an average population of 25000.
• Undergone many changes and is currently called Union-Parishad
(Union Council). These became fully elected bodies in 1962.
• Longest institutional history, dating back to 1870.
• This continuity in institutional life, however, is built on a very
narrow functional and financial jurisdiction
• Notwithstanding these limitations, Union Parishads have been
the focal point in the local government system except for a
period in the 1980s when the Thana became the focal point.
Allocation of resources to rural local government
15
• Allocation of resources to rural local government during the last
ten years has ranged from .25 to .52% of the national budget.
• During the fiscal year 2010-2011 all central government agencies
working at the local level (i.E., At UP and upazila levels) have spent
about 700% higher amount of resources compared to the
resources allocated to local elected bodies.
• There is a conventional allegation that the local government
bodies, especially the up, has a lower level of capacity to absorb
a higher amount of resources.
• Empirical evidences suggest that the implementation rate of
projects with centrally allocated fund is 100 percent for the ups
compared to around 54 percent for the different line agencies
working at the field levels. (Akash, 2012).
 Power relations, governance process and dynamics at
union parishad level
16
• Role of UP: UP is an elite-dominated, male-controlled body where the
Chairman is placed in a relatively powerful position, and often makes
decisions in conjunction with a small circle of associates, from which
women members, in particular, are excluded.
i. As a body, it is heavily influenced by the local Member of Parliament
(MP), especially in the allocation process and use of the Annual
Development Programme fund, as well as various safety-net
programs.
• Limited or no access to project implementation process: In spite of legal
provisions of the UP Act, the members of the community have limited
access to and or control over the selection of the types of community base
development projects.
• Exclusion of “declining and coping poor”: Especially women, old and
marginalized are generally excluded from major decision-making arenas as
well as various services of the state and or UP. Even the safety-net
programs are misused within the patronage system of politics.
 Power relations, governance process and dynamics at
union parishad level
17
• Lack of accountability of government officials: Government officials located
at the upazila and the union level are answerable only to their own line
departments and tend not to consult with let alone coordinate work through
the UP
• Role of UNO is critical: A range of line departments performing both
regulatory and developmental roles are located at the upazila. UNO are
controlling, monitoring the ups and also informally influencing the UP
decisions on behalf of the mps
• Dependency syndrome of the UP elected officials on UNO: Relationship
between elected representatives and local officials is characterized by mutual
mistrust, suspicion and dependency . The UNO in effect directly and
indirectly control and monitor the functions of the UP
• Role and relationship of mps with local government: Expected to perform
minor and advisory role at the local government. In practice, MPs both
formally and informally control the role, activities, project selection and
implementation of upazila and union parishads
 Institutional Issues that affect UP governance
18
 Limited manpower and resources
• UPs, in general, lack managerial capability and resources to design and run
innovative service delivery in areas like employment generation, health
and education.
• Rather, UPs tend to be more interested and confined to infrastructure
specially construction of roads and culverts.
• Delayed release of Government development grants also hampers the
timely completion and quality of UP projects.
 Lack of Coordination:
• There was a lack of coordination between UP and extension service
delivery workers of the government at the field level.
• There are no formal links even between the Standing Committees of the
UP with the extension workers of the corresponding line agencies of the
Government.
• Deprives the UP of getting technical assistance and other professional
support from the GOB line agencies
 Institutional Issues that affect UP governance
19

 Lack of appropriate rules and regulation:

• There was a lack of integrated rules and regulations for the coordination
and monitoring of the field-level extension staff of the Government of
Bangladesh
• Moreover, appropriate instructions from different line ministries to their
respective extension workers are still missing
 Weak and ineffective monitoring:
• The deputy director local government (DDLG), on behalf of the deputy
commissioner, is supposed to visit union Parishad periodically
• The conventional monitoring tool being developed by the monitoring wing
of the LGD is also not done with proper care
• Due to a lack of logistic support and incentive systems, the Upazila based
union tag officers of respective line ministries hardly visit the UPs for
supervision of development activities
 Institutional Issues that affect UP governance
20
 Lack of accountability and transparency:
• There was hardly any scope for the members of the community to lodge any
complaint to the appropriate authority when there was any service delivery
forgery or corruption
• No formal mechanism for the UP to work closely with NGOs. UPs are not
aware of which activities are being carried out by a number of NGOs in their
respective areas.
• Such lack of transparency and accountability has some bearings on the service
delivery, especially to the poor and disadvantaged community.
 Political manipulation:
• Community people noted that the influential local political elite, especially
those in the ruling party coalition with UP Chairman/ members, tend to
manipulate the service delivery process of the UP
 Non-Cooperation from Upazila-based bureaucracy: Non-cooperation from
field bureaucracy is also a critical factor that affects the quality and process of
service delivery.
 Government Agencies in Rural Development
21

BARD
• BARD basically operates by organising the small and marginal
farmers into co-operative societies to increase agricultural
production through improved methods and also by promoting
formal and informal groups of landless men and distressed women
to promote income generating activities
• Integrated Rural Development Program(IRDP)was launched in 1972
with a view to replicating the two-tier co-operative system as the
main vehicle for rural development.
• Based on the “Comilla Model” that evolved through experiments in
BARD at Comilla in the 1960s.
• In view of its success, the program was transformed in 1982 into a
nation-wide institution called BRDB.
 Government Agencies in Rural Development
22

BARD
• BRDB is the largest government agency for rural
development and poverty alleviation.
• Bangladesh Rural Development Board has designed some
special rural development projects under the names RD-
5, RD-09 and RD-12.

• Landless men and women, marginal and small farmers

constitute the target population of these projects

(CIRDAP,2000)
 Government Agencies in Rural Development
23
Program Organization Activity
Credit BRDB’s Follow specific credit operational plans with
Support RD-5, 9, 12 provision for individual/groups loans, savings and
Grameen other group activities.
Bank.
Training RD-5 Human development, Women issues, skill
development, Book keeping and accounting, need-
based training.
RD-9 Functional literacy and skill development training.
RD-12 Education and human development, leadership
development, private mechanics training.
Support RD-5 Marketing assistance, Legal support services.
Services
RD-9 Primary health care and non-formal education.

RD-12 No support services.

 NGO intervention and Rural Development
24
• The activities of NGOs began only after a devastating
natural disaster that had occurred in 1970 and of course,
after the war of liberation in 1971
• Initially, the NGOs both national and international were
mostly involved in the distribution of food, medicines,
blankets, clothes and other necessary supplies among
war-affected people
• Cover almost all sectors of development such as
education, nutrition, skill and awareness development,
training, employment and income generation, credit
and savings, marketing and social development which
includes legal education and gender equality
Basic Structural differences between Government and NGOs
25
Area Government NGOs
Poverty Within perspective of overall Focus on specific poverty
Alleviation national developmental concerns. alleviation and rural
and Rural development concerns.
Development

Resources Capability to generate own Mostly dependent on

resources along with donor donations, contracts and
assistance. donor funding.
Management Guided by rules and regulations Simpler and flexible.
with limited scope of flexibility in
operations.
Compliance Centralized bureaucratic structure Effectiveness determined by
with quality dependent on nature ability to mobilize target
of governance. groups at the grassroots
level.
 Weaknesses of government in Rural Development
26
1) The review of the Five-Year Plans shows that the problem of poverty was
recognized with all seriousness attaching the highest priority to its
alleviation. Rural-urban poverty gaps in Bangladesh is still high, whereas
84 percent of the national poor live in rural areas, only 16 per cent live in
urban areas (BIDS, 2011)
2) Local government units (such as district, thana and union) are not properly
structured and their functions and resources are extremely meager. Local
government is ultimately responsible and subordinate to central
government.
3) Local government programs are not very effective at the rural poor
household levels. Most disadvantaged group reported that very few of
them got support from local government
4) Land reform is often proposed as a necessary first condition for rural and
agricultural development in developing countries. However Five Year Plans
and Perspective Plan have not provide any specific policy for the land
reform.
Weaknesses of government in Rural Development
27

5) Several NGO staff members reported that they sometimes

faced difficulties working in some areas. In most cases, they
accused government agencies of non-cooperation

6) Government programs are designed by administrators, and

who live in the city areas, not in villages. Input from people
with village experience is rarely heard and rarely sought

7) Government programs have elaborate rules and regulations

to instruct officials who will guide the poor. These
instructions are often designed for administrative
convenience rather than to reflect and adapt to the reality of
the poor
 The Planning Control Cycle
28

• In spite of some weaknesses of government, since

independence things have been improved in the field of rural
development

• Therefore, collaboration between NGOs and government is

necessary to ensure the effectiveness of efforts in rural areas

• The NGO Bureau, Association of Development Agencies in

Bangladesh (ADAB) and government can form a standing
committee to work this out at various levels

• To support effective rural development, government in

Bangladesh may include a planning control cycle
The Planning Control Cycle
29

Initiating both long short term plans

Evaluating differences Decision

between performance and Implementing the plans by
making organizing and directing
plans

Monitoring and measuring performance

 Strategies for rural development
30
Successful rural development in Bangladesh may requires a strategy on the
following fronts-
• Decentralization of the local administration structure: it is a commonly
held view that local self government could result in better performance
in terms of effectiveness, equity and efficiency, particularly in developing
local infrastructure such as communication facilities, water supply,
marketing and other essential services
• If decentralization of the local administration is on the agenda, it is
significant to establish a local government structure at the village level
• To reduce rural poverty, it is necessary to allocate a significant portion
of public resources in favor of the rural agro-related programs and
within those sectors which favor disadvantaged groups
• Land reform is indispensable for rural and agricultural development in
Bangladesh. As done in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan (IDB,2001)
31