Development implies an overall positive change in the physical quality of life of the people. This positive change includes both economic, as well as social aspects and involves an improvement in the general standard of living. Therefore, development not only calls for economic growth, but also implies equitable distribution of the gains of economic growth. This should translate into improvement of quality of life through better health, education, housing and welfare.Today, the key factor that divides the developed world and the undeveloped countries is not just economic growth, but, more importantly- technology. This technology is largely, readily available for development in all fields. However, what is required in the present day scenario is to put into place institutional structures to hasten technology flow to the users, so that the latest technology is available to them at their doorstep.
In India, the Govt. operates a large number of schemes for rural development including Agriculture and Horticulture, Health, Education, RD, Tribal Welfare, Forestry, Fisheries etc. There has been a growing concern in the country regarding the percolation of technology down to the common man specially in the rural communities. The Govt. of India has tried to address this problem in various ways including the formation of CAPART and encouraging voluntary action etc., but large scale success is still elusive. In spite of this, the percolation of not just technology, but also information is poor, chiefly because at the village level or the panchayat level, there is no institutional structure to act as an interactive platform for technology flow between the various departments and the people. It is necessary for the planners to understand that technology flow to the rural people can not be likened to a pill which can simply be given to the common man to make him healthy and pull him up above the poverty line. Instead, it is to be seen as an interactive process of education regarding the available alternatives, so that the rural communities are empowered to take informed decisions for their development. Technology flow requires that:

a)      That there should be flow of information to the common man as to various technologies available to him and what they imply in terms of technology adoption for them.
b)      Once the common man is empowered by being armed with this knowledge regarding various technology alternatives available to him, he will be in a position to take appropriate decisions regarding technology adoption e.g. a house hold that has a larger family size may adopted a flori culture model for livelihood generation, since greater number of family members would translate into greater number of workers. On the other hand, another family with larger land holding but with smaller family size may like to go in for a bamboo plantation that may require less labour intensive management.
With this rural development scenario it is necessary to put into place an institutional platform for this interactive technology flow and Rural Development Clubs (RDCs) at the block level and the panchayat level are proposed as such innovative interactive platforms.
However despite the success of all these programmes, prosperity is still a distant dream for the people, especially in the rural countryside. People continue to be afflicted by poverty, illiteracy and poor health.
In spite of our best efforts, it is seen that there is a vast gap between the technology available with the various departments and those adopted by the people in any field e.g. Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry, Fisheries, Health, Education, Housing and Rural Development etc. Different departments work independently and in isolation, operating their own departmental schemes. This has resulted, in a scenario where it is frequently noticed that the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. It is, therefore, proposed to have a convergence of all information and technology available with different departments at the Block level or the panchayat level in the form of establishment of “Rural Development Club” (RDCs). It is proposed that these RDCs should be established in Tripura in a phased manner, first at the block level and subsequently at the Panchayat level.
A) A typical Rural Development Club is conceived as a large hall with wall space allocated to each of the line departments where they shall display the following:

 1. Work/operation to be carried out within that fortnight e.g. in case of Agriculture Department, they may indicate the agriculture operations required to be carried out in that fortnight for various crops (rice, jute, oilseeds etc) such as weeding, spraying of pesticides, fertilizer application and dosage etc.
 2. Latest technology available such as new variety of seed of say rice or wheat or oilseeds or pulses available with the Agriculture department or new crops suggested for adoption.
 3. All extension material of various departments shall be made available in the rural development club.
 4. Each departmental will hold extension meetings at least once in two months with the target groups at the development club and answer queries related to their department.

B) The RDC will have facilities for a black & white TV (without cable facilities) to enable the villagers to get the benefit of Doordarshan TV programmes targeted at rural people.

C) While planning for the Rural Development Club, it should be taken into consideration that space provision is allowed for installation of computer with internet facilities at least at a future date. This computer can be networked with govt. Wide Area Network so that villagers can have access to information on govt. schemes etc.
D) All development work should be focused around the RDCs.

E) It is understood that the Telecom Deptt. has a scheme for rural telephones. It is also understood that telecom Deptt. has been complaining that the kiosks housing these telephones are frequently damaged and construction materials stolen. Possibly Telecom Deptt and Govt. of Tripura can examine if it is feasible to have such telephones within the rural development clubs located at the Panchayat level. This will ensure its affective utilization.

  F) We may also examine other such innovative roles for “Rural Development Clubs”.