Development Planning Is A Dynamic Process Of Desired Change In The Historical Flows Of Men, Materials And Products. The Change May Be Slow But Steady Or Drastic. In Decentralised Planning, However, Drastic Changes In Historical Flows Are Constrained By Regional And National Priorities. The Work Marshals The Fundamentals Of Economics, Political Science And Public Administration To Develop A Conceptualisation Of De¬Centralisation, Panchayati Raj Institutions And District Planning. Besides, It Examines The Experiences Of Indian States, Particularly That Of Punjab.The Issues Are Organised In Four Broad Parts : Part I, On Decentralisation, Scans Through The Theoretical Foundations And Planning Experiences In Respect Of Decentralisation. Part Ii, On Panchayati Raj Local Self-Government Institutions, Dilates On The Punjab Panchayati Raj Bill, 1994 And Panchayat Finances. Part Hi, On Agro-Climatic Regional Planning Strategy Examines The Relevance Of Agro-Climatic Regionalisation At District Level. Part Iv, On District Development Planning Strategy, Examines The District'S Strengths And Weaknessess In Terms Of Population And Workforce, Income Flows, Non-Agriculture Enterprises And Agricultural Enterprises. In The Final Round, It Develops A Development Strategy For The District Economy. The Work Will Be Useful To Policy Makers, Planners, Students Of Development And Institutional Economics, Public Administration And Political Science, And Trainers And Trainees Of State And District Planning Institutes.

Papers presented at a symposium organized by the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi.

Contributed articles.

Study conducted in the Bīrbhūm District of West Bengal, India.