Synopsis This empirically rooted presentation provides within a cover comprehensive account of few rural development issues like panchayat politics, panchayat finance, panchayat leadership, people’s participation, primary education, public health and tea garden. The investigative essays contribute to the debate on rural development, particularly in West Bengal and India in general. In West Bengal the pro-poor orientation and ideological commitment of the ruling government are said to have precipitated rural development more successfully than elsewhere, the continual rule of the government more successfully than elsewhere, the continual rule of the government facilitated the fruition of the alternative development policy being pursued. Taking a balanced view on the objective and achievement, success and failure, the riveting analysis identifies the disjuncture between potentiality and performance, divulges deficiencies and harps on political and policy redirection. This will be indispensable source book for Humanities departments of universities and colleges, rural development agencies and research institutions, policy makers, social activists and political leaders.