Information System for Local Level Planning in Bangladesh

Abstract

Since the widescale adminislrati\'e reforms Introduced In 1982, the Upazila Parlshad is now tile most important tier of local government in terms of planning fUllclion~. The Upazlla Parlshad and the government offices represenled at Ihat level have Important roles In plannIng the course of developlllf'ni of thc upazlla. PlannIng Involves the formulation of ralionnl decisions which cannot be done without knowledge. which In lurn Is Ini"urm<llloll-b8Sed, lnlinmation Is a basic resource and tool for the pbnneL Tt Is therefore Important to make necessary informallon nvallablc In the platlfl[Ts. This has led to the concept of Information syslelJl'S for plnnners. which has become popular in Ihe developed ('ul1Jllrks and Is now gaining ground In the less developed eounlril's Filso, 'Ibe p18.nnlng of our upazilas may be facilJ1nted by the ilnpkmClltatlol1 of all infornlfl,Uon syslem. A village based Information syslem \\iould be Illosl appropriate for upazila level pla-nnlng. As a 'flrsl sil'p ["Winds evolving such n system, thE" data requlrelllC'nt of upazila lcvd pbnllers were IdentlfJed In this study mainly through an anal.\'sis of flit' nature of projects adopted by the Upazila I'arlshads. An Inventory of lnforlll<llion colleell~d by dllTerent agencies nl the upnzlla kl'r1 W<1Sprepared and gaps between inforlllaUon requirmcnts and a\'81labllity were identified. Possible lliethods and sources 01-dala {'ollectloll were prescrIbed. An overview of the wllole system ilwillding Ihe clifferent modules of the system were also suggestrd_