The Rural Development Department was created on 1st July 1990 to deal with Minor Irrigation, Lift Irrigation, Rural Road, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation sectors. Later, in 1996, the Department was restructured and Minor Irrigation and Lift Irrigation were transferred to Water Resources Department, thus bringing together all irrigation works under one Department. In 2017, the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Organisation transferred to PR&DW Department after the merger of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation transferred from RD to PR&DW deptt. The Rural Development Department in its present form consists of one organisation i.e. Rural Works Organisation.

In order to improve the quality of life in rural areas and address the multi-dimensional problems of people living in those areas, several programmes have been conceived and implemented. The success of a rural development programme largely depends upon organizational arrangements and adoption of an appropriate strategy