Synopsis Presently India is on the fast changing track where both the government and the bureaucracy are actively engaged in providing its people new look and developed administrative set-up. After independence, the government has reformed bureaucracy time and again with the object to successfully implement the policies and programmes related to development. Development administration in India assumed real pace during the regime of Mrs Indira Gandhi who directed the planners to make a shift in planning from macro-level to micro-level specially for the people living below the poverty line. Need was to decentralize power and make bureaucrats and administrators committed to the cause of mass development all over the country and increase the scope of people's participation in administration.

It was expected that both the government and its officials would help the people to get rid of poverty, but poverty is yet a dominant feature of the country. Development has widened the scope of mass corruption in the country. Bureaucrats are largely responsible for it because of their growing lust for money. Both corrupt politicians and officials keeping aside their responsibility and morality are engaged in making money at the cost of the country and its people. Another trend which has developed is politicization of administration and administrators are becoming middlemen of the politicians who are in power.

This book, describing the function of bureaucracy, its types and objectives, highlights the necessary changes in Indian bureaucracy for decentralization of power. It critically examines the role of bureaucrats towards changing India and investigates the causes of slow progress in the field of development administration and suggest ways for further improvement. It also analyses and examines socio-economic changes that have taken place in rural India. The book will be useful for bureaucrats, politicians and for degree students of public/development administration and also for those who are preparing for various competitive examinations.