ISSN 2360-7998
Abstract
Accepted 29th January, 2015
Development practitioners are the channels through which one can reach the grass root level people. They play a crucial role in changing the lifestyle of the people. They act as change agents, inventing new approaches and creating new solutions to change society for the better. Today they have to practice development management with a professional approach. There are many challenges in front of them so they have to be competent to face those challenges and are required to be indigenously trained. The present study aimed at studying the perceptions of the development practitioners regarding various aspects of development practice through a survey method using purposive sampling method delimiting it to Gujarat state only. The findings revealed that the development practitioners held various meanings for development term. The areas like literacy, health, poverty alleviation, gender empowerment, water and sanitation were perceived as priority areas of most concern for development . They perceived that the competencies like communication skills, ability to lead the group, ability to work with the team, problem solving ability, confidence in carrying out development work as well as participatory approach, development support communication approach and localized approach were perceived to a great extent as a basis for planning development programs by the development practitioners.
Keywords: development practitioners, areas of concern, approaches, competencies, challenges