According to Edward Weidner, development administration is “The process of guiding an organisation toward the achievement of progressive political, economic and social objectives that are authoritatively determined in one manner or the other”.
An approach to have innovative planning towards growth is called Development Administration. The need for this was felt due to limitations in the traditional approach to public administration.
The new approach to public administration and public policy focuses on socio-economic development, political modernization, and adaptation of new technologies in administration.
Development Administration has two important aspects viz.
Administration of development – setting development goals and achieving them through the medium of administration.
Development of administration – the existing system has to be improved so as the achieve the goals.
Citizen participation – Development being a process of social and economic change, it is important that people participate actively in it.
If the process of development is cut off from the grassroots then it eventually fails to materialize the objectives it has set. This necessitates peoples’ participation in the process of planning, implementation, and eventual evaluation. In a diverse society like India people’s participation is necessary. In India, the needs, requirements, and choices of people may vary vastly according to region. The Indian government had introduced a Community Development Programme in 1952 followed by National Extension Service in 1953. The focus was to promote development in the rural and remote areas. The experience of these programmes helped the government to focus on rural India. The purpose of the participation of the rural and urban citizens was sought through the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts.
