Subject(s): Rural development, Agriculture, Agriculture and state, Panchayat -- Rural development and panchayats, agriculture and rural development towards a policy framework : Diversification and structural change, perverse economics, land and water development strategies, financial reforms and issues, hunger and poverty, forest, fish, land reform, small town and rural linkages -- How well are the village equipped- creating a future growth potential index at state level :Proximity to administrative centers, physical and social infrastructure, coverage of government support programs -- More rural roads, road connectivity -- Panchayati raj movement in India - retrospective and present status : 73rd constitutional amendment, women's leadership, political space to marginalized sections, impediment for Panchayati raj, rural development, conduct of panchayat elections, devolution of financial powers to PRIs, constitution of district planning committees (DPCs), status of Gram Sabha, panchayats (extension to the scheduled area) act 1996, checks and balance over PRIs and accountability, centrally sponsored schemes and Panchayati raj institutions, parallel organizations and PRI -- Panchayati raj- women's empowerment : Social and economic characteristics of women representatives, literacy level, income and occupation, gender exclusion, women empowerment through PRIs, women in panchayats- capacity building and systemic improvements, training , self help groups -- Working of agricultural cooperative in India- lesson from Chinese experience : Evolution of laws related to cooperatives in India, rural scenario, township and village enterprises (TVEs) in China, evolution of TVE in China, role of community government -- Panchayati raj- civil society and ICT initiatives : land , water and livelihood, integrated watershed development, involvement of women in agriculture- TANWA Tamil Nadu, human development and social services, education, health, family planning, PRIA - capacity building and advocacy, civil society, monitoring and evaluation of schemes implemented through voluntary sector, -- Attracting private capital in pursuit of social goals- social investing approach to Indian micro credit : Public goods and supply chain, smart subsidy as catalyst, development of micro finance sector in Asia, commercial viability of micro finance sector in Asia, Indian micro finance sector, lok capital- model for creating large scale commercially viable MFIs in India -- Rural development decentralization and rural markets : Central government programs for rural development -- Addressing food security concerns in India- ana analysis of various policy options : Right to food, PDS system, tenth plan document, committee on long term grain policy, effectiveness of food stamps program, feasibility of food stamps in India, mid day meal schemes, grain bank schemes -- 10th plan document on targeted public distribution system, 10th plan document on food stamp program, committee on long term grain policy recommendations, supreme court verdicts on right to food, status of mid day meals in different parts of India