Progress 

Development

1. Progress is a term that sees the present in comparison to the past. It is a relativistic notion.

1. The notion of development is a phenomenon. It refers to a change in the desired direction. It is a strategy of planned social change in a direction that is considered desirable by the members of a society.

2. Progress refers not so much to social change as to the direction which human beings delib-rately give to that change.

2. Development is contextual and relative in nature. So, the notion of development may differ from society. This is based on the socio-cultural background, geographical and political situation of the society.

3. It indicates the existence of some predetermined, ideal destination or goal. This means that a "final goal" has to be reached. So, a movement in the desired direction has to be undertaken. This movement takes place so as to reach the final goal and can be termed progress.

3. It is a composite concept. It includes progress in various other fields like trade, agriculture, industry, health, education and so on.

4. The earliest criteria used to determine progress were those related to technical advancement, like money economy and communication systems. But it was found that this could not be the sole basis of evaluating progress.

4. Along with different areas of development, the welfare of weaker sections (Poors, lahomers, peasants), women, old people, sick people, handicaps, small children, unemployed and minorities (languages, religions, sects, etc.) are some of the considerations. 

5. Progress in one area is in fact related to and dep-erdent on another area. This leads us to recog-nize change as a complex phenomenon. More so, because every successive stage of human development  would be progress.

5. We say that development is a value loaded concept that takes into account the socio-cultural and economic needs of a given society, region and people.

6. The growing complexity of any organisation or elaborate division of labour would show progress. So, progress cannot simply be treated as a movement from simple to complex but one that also involves several dimensions.

6. Several policies are launched, aimed at the development of rural people, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes,women, urban people, agricultural workers and industrial workers etc.