Vol. 3, Issue 12, Part I (2017)

Abstract
The leading objective of rural development is to improve the quality of life of the rural people by alleviating poverty through the instrument of self-employment and wage employment programmes, by providing community infrastructure facilities such as drinking water, electricity, road connectivity, health facilities, rural housing and education and promoting decentralization of powers to strengthen the Panchayati Raj Institutions. In terms of rural development the government's policy and programmes have also laid emphasis on poverty alleviation, generation of employment and income opportunities and provision of infrastructure and basic facilities to meet the needs of rural poor. Even, as a measure to strengthen the grass root level democracy, the government is constantly endeavoring to empower Panchayati Raj Institutions in terms of functions, powers and finance. At a standstill, till date various rural areas in India are undeveloped, and struggling for their basic rights and requirements. More often than not, this is an issue of mismanagement and complete failure of governance system. The argument of this paper is that, an effective people’s participation enhances the transparency of the development works, the accountability of the implementing authority, and compliance with the local laws, which consequently establish good governance. Hence, there is need of good governance, and in the context of good governance and rural development, the participation of the people is considered necessary for better implementation of rural development programmes. Thus, the two issues of “good governance” and “people’s participation” in rural development is the center of this paper.