CE 403: Socio-economic Aspects of

Development Projects

Development Concepts
Socio-economic Development
Human Development

Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman

Professor of Civil Engineering
BUET, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman
 CE403: Course Outline
Development Concept
Socio-economic Development
Human Development
Development Indicators
Sustainable Development
Human Poverty
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Development Project: Definition and Characteristics
Socio-economic aspects of Development Projects
Population Displacement
Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman
 Development Concept

 Development is a term that most of us feel we

understand, yet find hard to describe and even
harder to measure.

 It is however, a widely accepted goal for nations

and for regions.

 But to give it a precise meaning is virtually

impossible because the concept embraces values,
standards and goals which differ in emphasis
among individuals, between groups and between
nations.
Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman
 Development Concept

In spite of individuals’ differences in development

priorities, there are, however, some fundamental
goals for which there is a general consensus:

alleviation of basic poverty,

provision of adequate employment
opportunities and
lessening of inequalities in income and jobs

Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman

 Development Concept

Further goals may include other aspects of social

justice such as

 less environmental degradation,

 greater political freedom, freedom of
speech etc., such freedom however,
entails responsibility and judgment

Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman

 Development Concept

 Thus, ‘development’ is a multi-dimensional

process involving both quantitative and qualitative
improvements in a society,
 i.e., not just more income and more output but
also basic changes in socio-economic structure.

Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT VERSUS ECONOMIC GROWTH

 Economic growth is a term more appropriately

applied to increased production and income within
the existing economic system - growth can simply
mean more of the same kind of output allocated
among the population and between regions of the
country as before.

 The concept of economic development goes further

and embraces structural changes and a reallocation
of resources within society which it is hoped will
raise the overall level of human welfare.
Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT VERSUS ECONOMIC GROWTH

• “Economic development” is much more than just

“economic growth”
• While the economic component is a major in
development as a whole, it is not the totality of the
process.
• Economic development implies a restructuring of
the economic and the social systems
 by means of new techniques of production and
distribution,
 widening range of goods and services and
 raising incomes throughout the population and the
country on a continuing long term basis.
Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman
 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman

 CONCEPT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

• The real wealth of a nation is its people - both

women and men.

• And the purpose of development is to create an

enabling environment for people to enjoy long,
healthy and creative lives.

• This simple but powerful truth is too often

forgotten in the pursuit of material and financial
wealth.

Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman

 CONCEPT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Human development is a process of enlarging people’s

choices.
• These choices can be infinite and can change
over time.
• But at all levels of development, the three
essential ones are for people
to lead a long and healthy life,
to acquire knowledge, and
to have access to the resources needed for a
decent standard of living.
If these essential choices are not available, many other
opportunities remain inaccessible.
Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman
 CONCEPT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

• But human development does not end

there.
• Additional choices, highly valued by many
people, range

from political, economic and social

freedom
to opportunities for being creative and
productive and enjoying personal self-
respect and guaranteed human rights.
Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman
 CONCEPT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Human development thus has two sides:

• One is the formation of human capabilities – such as
• improved health,
• knowledge and
• skill.
• The other is the use people make of their acquired
capabilities:
• for productive purposes,
• for leisure or
• for being active in cultural, social and political affairs.

If the scales of human development do not finely balance

the two sides, much human frustration can result.
Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT VS. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• According to the concept of human

development, income clearly is only one
option that people would like to have,
though certainly an important one.

• But the purpose of development is to

enlarge all human choices, not just
income.
Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT VS. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• The concept of human development is much broader

than the conventional theories of economic
development.
 Economic growth models deal with expanding GNI
rather than enhancing the quality of human lives.
 Human resource development treats human beings
primarily as an input in the production process – a
means rather than an end.
 Welfare approaches look at human beings as
beneficiaries and not as agents of change in the
development process.
 The basic needs approach focuses on providing material
goods and services to deprived population groups rather
than on enlarging human choices in all fields.
Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT VS. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Human development, by contrast, brings together

the production and distribution of commodities
and
the expansion and use of human capabilities.
• Human development analyses all issues in society –
whether economic growth, trade, employment,
political freedom or cultural values - from the
perspective of people.
• Human development thus focuses on enlarging
human choice and it applies equally to
developing and
industrial countries.
Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman
MAJOR ELEMENTS IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

• There are four major elements in the

concept of human development:

productivity,
equity,
sustainability and
empowerment

Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman

MAJOR ELEMENTS IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

• Productivity: Through enhanced capabilities, the

creativity and productivity of people must be
increased so that they become effective agents of
growth.
• Equity: Economic growth must be combined with
equitable distribution of its benefits.
• Sustainability: Equitable opportunities must be
available both to present and to future generations.
• Empowerment: And all people, women and men,
must be empowered to participate in the design
and implementation of key decisions that shape
their lives.

Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman

 Thank You

Dr. Md. Mujibur Rahman