Community development blocks in India


In India a community development block is a rural area administratively earmarked for planning and development. The area is administered by a Block Development Officer, supported by several technical specialists and village-level workers. A community development block covers several gram panchayats, the local administrative units at the village level.
In some states of India, CD blocks are the third level administrative units. Bihar, for example, has 38 districts, 101 sub-divisions and 534 CD blocks. West Bengal has 18 districts and 341 development blocks.

History

The concept of the community development block was first suggested by Grow More Food Enquiry Committee in 1952 to address the challenge of multiple rural development agencies working without a sense of common objectives. Based on the Committee's recommendations, the community development programme was launched on a pilot basis in 1952 to provide for a substantial increase in the country's agricultural programme, and for improvements in systems of communication, in rural health and hygiene, and in rural education and also to initiate and direct a process of integrated culture change aimed at transforming the social and economic life of villagers. The community development programme was rapidly implemented. In 1956, by the end of the first five-year plan period, there were 248 blocks, covering around a fifth of the population in the country. By the end the second five-year plan period, there were 3,000 blocks covering 70 per cent of the rural population. By 1964, the entire country was covered.

States with Blocks (3rd level administration)

StateCD BlockNumber of
CD Blocks
BiharCD Block534
HaryanaCD Block140
JharkhandCD Block263
OdishaCD Block314
TripuraCD Block58
UttarakhandCD Block95
West BengalCD Block341