The traditional agriculture research plan is top down oriented. The agriculture research plans are normally loaded with high dose of command approach and subsidy orientation to the passive farming community who are considered to having homogenous micro farming realities. The assumptions are wrong is known to everybody for quite long time. Counter evidence to that paradigm of command approach is the participatory tool driven planning which accommodates micro climate variations while developing research plan for agriculture interventions. The Agriculture in Darjeeling hills of West...

The 74th Constitution Amendment in Indian Parliament has provided a broad structure for organizing urban governance. Urban local bodies are expected to assume a large role in planning, financing and management of urban areas. Apart many other activities the urban Poverty Alleviation Programs (SJSRY) and Health Care Intervention (IPP-8) are major two programs implemented by Urban Local Body (ULB). Kalyani Municipality an Urban Local Body (ULB) in West Bengal, India has implemented the above two programs with considerable period of time. The two case studies illustrate the ...

In India plethora of grassroots experiences abound which dovetail livelihood and micro credit related activities around Self Help Group (SHG) paradigm. The SHG is the organisational means for channelling credit and imparting training for micro enterprise for women living in disadvantaged livelihood environment. The costal district in West Bengal, India is constrained in many of the livelihood opportunities. The first study deals with the parameters in SHG functioning and how SHG community was accommodated in Micro Finance and livelihood development. The other study deals with the livelihood...