<prompt> Community development block includes: March 2012 March 201110 villages and 10,000 population70 villages and 70,000 population100 villages and 1,00,000 population500 villages and 5,00,000 population  <response>: Ans. C: 100 villages and 1,00,000 population Under the Community Development Programme, the rural areas of the country have been organized into Community Development Blocks-each block comprising approximately 100 villages and a population of 1 lakh Community development block It is a rural area earmarked for administration and development in India. The area is administered by a Block Development Officer. A community development block covers several gram panchayats, local administrative unit at the village level. The community development programme was launched on a pilot basis in 1952 to provide for a substantial increase in the countrys agricultural programme, and for improvements in systems of communication, in rural health and hygiene, and in rural education. The community development programme was rapidly implemented. In 1956, by the end of the first five year plan period, there were 248 blocks, covering around a fifth of the population in the country. By the end the second five year plan period, there were 3,000 blocks covering 70 per cent of the rural population. By 1964, the entire country was covered. 