The book analyze the initiatives of government to achieve the rural development in India in pre as well as the post independence era. In this book the fundamentals of rural development like concept, meaning, problems, process, approaches, strategies have been analyzed vividly. Moreover, different rural development programmes, institutional linkages, importance of Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) for rural development, role of GPs to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and government’s planning for rural development in India have also been clearly focused. Further, the role of women in rural development is clearly presented in the book.