It was launched in 1952, during India's First Five Year Plan (1951-56)
It was one of India's earliest rural development initiatives after independence
The program aimed at all-round development of rural areas with people's participation
It focused on agriculture, education, health, transport, and developing local self-government institutions
The program was inspired by the Etawah Pilot Project in Uttar Pradesh
It promoted the concept of "self-help" among rural communities
The program established a three-tier Panchayati Raj system to decentralize planning and implementation
It laid the foundation for many subsequent rural development schemes in India