72 SOCIAL SCIENTIST The Domestic Product of West Bengal at current prices has improved by about 32 percent from 1977-78, and the most significant contribution to this has been made by the construction sector with an increase of 23.3 percent. This gain has been possible because of the massive contruction activity undertaken by the state government and other public bodies in the urban and rural areas. In the rural areas, massive reconstruction activities were carried out specially after the floods of 1978 to rebuild the assets lost during the floods under the Food for Work, the Rural Works and the Rural Restoration programmes. These programmes were implemented through the "panchayats involving the common people" ^ A survey of the Rural Work programme gives the remarkable evidence that, in the supervision of the programme, the involvement of both the panchayat members and^the common people was, in the majority of cases, purely voluntary.3 In the distribution of land vested in the government, the panchayat samitis are entrusted with the major responsibility with a view to ensuring that the proper distribution of land takes place in ^favour of the landless and the marginal cultivators. In the recording of the names of bargadars, anew style of operation known as "Operation Barga",4 the panchayat samitis arc playing a decisive role. The average rate of recording has increased by about 300 percent; the total number of bargadars recorded by October 1979 was 751,000. Gram panchayats arc also rendering financial help to the homeless poor bargadars and other homeless persons recorded as raiyots or non-agricultural tenants to build houses. The state government is also providing credit to these poorer sections through ihc nationalized commercial banks. The panchayats are responsible for sponsoring the more deserving persons. In this process, up to August 1979, about 59,000 recorded bargadars and owners of "vested" land had obtained finance. Panchayats are also involved in the implementation of small irrigation projects—the construction ofdugwclls, bamboo tubcwells, boro bundles and tank irrigation facilities—based on local resources and labour power. They also arrange the production and distribution of organic manure and compost. The state government has constructed rural godowns and has arranged, through financial institutions, for credit to farmers against their crops stored in these godowns. The marketing committees with representation for panchayats have shouldered the organizational responsibility. It is heartening to note that it is through this organization and with the active participation of the