An atmosphere for implementing VBDDP was coming up in West Bengal and especially in the Midnapur district since 1977. Attempts have been made to use institutionalised means to find out the solutions to various rural problems. Politicisation of the Panchayat elections since 1978 helped increasing awareness and political consciousness of the rural masses. The methodology followed by Left Front Ministry for implementing the Land Reform, specially the mechanism of 'Operation Barga' for recording of share croppers through convening the village meeting of the rural people, Panchayat and Government officials was a grand success in creating a conscious collective will force among the rural masses to use institutionalised means to find out solutions to some of their longstanding problems. The success of the local initiatives assisted by the Panchayat in combating the effects of devastating floods in 1978 increased the self-confidence of the local people. This was further strengthened by the adoption of the methodology of implementing majority of rural development and relief activities through the village Panchayat that gave Panchayat the experience in regard to the formulation and implementation of the local development programmes. The programmes were locally formulated, expounded, discussed and approved and implemented in terms of their own perception , needs and priorities. This generated a sense of confidence among the villagers in their capacity for self-governance.

One important aspect of VBDDP relates to the requirements and collection of good quality data for formulation of plan. The amount and type of data required for a highly decentralised planning process like VBDDP is significantly different from the one that are presently available. Collection of data is to be done collectively for all the families of a small village or a section of the people of the village as a whole through village or mahalla meetings., through discussions aided by recording of the information of the planning workers in the village. The draft recording of the information is then read out at the village meeting so that they can take the necessary steps together for correcting the information.

In VBDDP the major emphasis is placed on the process of data collection. These are not simply filling up of the forms, schedules or questionnaire. The most significant aspect here is that the planners, data collectors, and villagers are the same set of persons. As a consequence the problem cited above does not arise. Data requirements, its collection, processing analysis and use are to be done by the same set of persons. This process helps in developing and understanding among the villagers of their own condition and problems. This understanding might lead the villagers to think and to act for the possible solution of their problems based on their own perception.

Operationalisation of village based planning requires proper knowledge of resource flows at different tiers of planning. VBDDP in Midnapur considered that the planning at the village level should give more emphasis on the 'People's sector' which includes all the items which can be implemented by the local people themselves. Then the village plan should consider the 'Bank sector' which includes all the items, which may need bank loan, and lastly ' Government sector' that includes all the items that need government grant. In practice, a particular item may involve all the three sectors.

Fulfillment of the tasks of VBDDP at different tiers requires sufficient number of planning and development personnel at each and every tier of decentralised district planning. These personnel should be properly trained and motivated. The district should create a proper structure so that these personnel can work in an organised and coherent way. An institutional set up where these planning and development personnel can work has to be evolved and strengthened. This institutionalisation of planning work and creation of planning personnel at each and every tier of sub district level planning are necessary for evolving a replicable methodology.

Midnapur Zilla Parishad initiated the process in four phases. The phases were divided into the periods---Phase I(1980-85), Phase II(1985-88), Phase III(1989-94), Phase IV(1994 onwards). The first one was an experimental phase. The programme was taken up in all the 1600 villages of 8 out of 54 Panchayat Samities. In the second phase, the planning committees were formed for planning in all the districts. Midnapur took the decision to prepare district plan based on block plans, block plans based on gram panchayat plans, and gram panchayat plan based on village plan. In the third phase formats were designed for family survey, village survey and gram panchayat plan.