The Regional Science Association of India in collaboration with the Department of Geography, University of Calcutta International had organise the National Workshop during 8-13 July, 2019. The basic objective is to create a forum for debating key issues of rural development in India at the present juncture. The concerns of the rural sector relate to impacts of neoliberal growth, outflow of resources both natural and human, rapid degeneration and pollution of the environment and persistent issues related to implementation of adhoc schemes and programmes over the years. The benefit-cost ratio is alarming, while poverty and inequality still remains - what then, are the new approaches and ways to analyse the present situation and evaluate the ways and means of confronting the contentious issues in rural development?