Through the years, many millions of people have been living in poverty with lack of economic opportunity. These people live in the underdeveloped areas of the world. Until recent years, they accepted their poverty as a part of life, but the two world wars and the spread of industrial civilization have changed their lives. They now realize their misery is unnecessary and a better standard of living is possible. These people need the hand of fellowship with all free nations to give them guidance and help in their endeavor to bring about a better life for their masses. The United States and the rest of the free world can no longer live in isolation from the two-thirds of the human race that are poor and hungry. Most Americans are now realizing our importance in helping to raise the standard of living throughout the world. The United States has adopted the Point Four Technical Assistance Program to provide help to these underdeveloped areas in order that they may realize their aspirations for a better life. This aid is provided only to those countries that ask for help; it is not forced upon those countries that are reluctant. The objective of Point Four is to help the people of those countries, through their own efforts to produce more food, more clothing, more materials for housing, and more mechanical power to lighten their burdens. India is an underdeveloped country that has put forth a. great effort to improve its economic condition. After becoming independent in 1947, India tried out many experiments in rural betterment. These experiments proved to be so successful that India drew up a Five-Year Plan and a Community Development Program to help relieve the tremendous poverty in India. The development programs are to arouse the Indian people to an understanding of what they can accomplish through their own group efforts. These millions of people, who have lived so long in poverty, will benefit from modern scientific knowledge. The United States immediately made Point Four Technical Assistance available to India upon the signing of the Indo-American Agreement in January 1952. This assistance was to be used in assisting the Indian Government in its program of economic development. The first major task undertaken under tho economic development programs was to improve agricultural production. Other goals to be worked toward were better education, improved health, housing, and developing of natural resources. These goals will have to be carried out over a long period of time to obtain maximum economic development, but minimum development goals were hoped to be reached by 1956. India is receiving Point Four Technical Assistance from the United States, the United Nations, and other countries of the world in order that its people may be lifted out of poverty into a better standard of living. This cannot be done overnight, but with continued help India’s people will be able to realize their hopes of a self-sufficient country and a better life. / Master of Science