Synopsis Development Administration in an Indian State is an account of evolution of the Block Administration and its role in introducing and inducing participatory processes of development in what is known as a ‘complex, diverse and risk-prone environment’. The book highlights the constitutional mandate for involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions and focuses on the role of the BDO in planning and implementing the rural social development. The concept of Community Development, which commenced on 2 October 1952 in Etah district of U.P. on an experimental basis, was extended to the whole country during the next ten years. The BDO became the principal functionary for implementing the community development programmes and his duties and responsibilities increased progressively with the passage of time and democratization and decentralization of the planning process. An attempt has been made in this book to expose the development functionaries to the duties and responsibilities of the ‘king pin’ of the development administration and for doing so, the Block Development Administration in Orissa state has been taken as a basis