The Government of India initiated the Community Development Programme as a major step towards improving the socio-economic conditions in rural areas.
The Community Development Programme (CDP) was a government initiative launched to foster integrated rural development across India. Its main aim was to bring about socio-economic improvements through community participation and government support, covering aspects like agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure.
The programme was officially launched on October 2, 1952, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. This date is significant as the programme embodied the Gandhian philosophy of village self-sufficiency and upliftment.
Therefore, the Community Development Programme was launched in 1952.