Dr. Banarsi Lal
Rural transformation is an inevitable and fundamental process of development. Rural transformation impacts the agri-food systems. It is a process through which the rural incomes grow, rural economies diversify and linkages with urban and peri-urban areas evolve. It is a long-term process of change in the fundamental features of the way people in rural areas live and act economically. It is a complex phenomenon determined by a variety of interrelated political, economic, demographic, socio-cultural and environmental drivers. In India over 65 per cent population still lives in the rural areas. All the great personalities of India such as Mahatma Gandhi and Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam always advocated the need of transforming the villages as the villages are the keys for the inclusive development of the country. So there is great need to concentrate in the rural areas of the country. Presently government is striving to improve the infrastructure in the villages such as roads, sanitation, power and water to develop the villages. It is easy to say to develop the villages but to transform them is really a herculean task. But a well knit strategy with adequate financial support can transform the villages of India. A scheme known as Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission has been started by the government of India which is a reflection of former President of India, Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam’s idea of PURA (Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas).This scheme focused on the infrastructure development in the rural areas. It also includes skill development and economic development in the villages. Presently government is endevouring to end the rural-urban divide by the idea of rurban and providing the urban amenities in the rural areas. There is need to revamp the rural areas. There is also need to concentrate on agriculture, rural infrastructure development, skill creation, employment and health to boost the path of development in the villages.
Government has launched Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana(SAGY).This scheme instills certain values in the village to foster mutual cooperation, self-help and self-reliance, enabling the poorest person in the village to come out of poverty and achieve well-being, preserving and promoting local cultural heritage. According to this scheme, every Member of Parliament would adopt a village Panchayat to be developed through government schemes and local initiatives. Selected Panchayats have already started getting priority for developing infrastructure under existing schemes like National Health Mission, MGNREGS, ICDS and now Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. This plan envisages a model village with the schools that have toilets, computers, health facilities, yoga centres, gym, solid and liquid waste management, drinking water etc. This scheme can make the villages self-reliant and self-sufficient. There is also need to develop the social and physical infrastructure of the rural areas. PURA (Providing Urban Facilities in Rural Areas) aims to reform the rural economy. This can also reduce the rural migration towards populated cities. There is dire need to concentrate on agriculture, value addition in food, healthcare and education, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) etc. so that income and employment in rural areas can be enhanced. The poverty can be eradicated with the proper strategy.
Skill India Mission is another significant scheme for rural development. Through this scheme entrepreneurship in rural areas can be developed. It is an ambitious scheme. The National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship aims at empowering those who left out from the mainstream education system by imparting the skill development training to them. This can open new avenues of employment on a large scale. Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) can play a significant role in imparting the skill development trainings to the rural people on the areas such as mushroom cultivation, beekeeping, poultry farming, dairy farming, commercial floriculture etc. This can open new avenues of employment and income in rural areas. India can play the role of human resource capital if China is acting like manufacturing factory. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can play the crucial role in benefitting the rural people. Farmers of one place can learn new things in agriculture from the farmers of another place. They can also see the weather forecasting and can also find out the marketing channels of their farm produce. The village problems and their solutions can be mitigated under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan.100 per cent rural electrification can also play a great role in the villages’ transformation. Rural roads are being constructed under Pardhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana at a speedy rate. Roads can help to transport the farm produce of villagers to the urban areas. The job scheme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarnantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has also been accorded priority. This scheme is playing a twin role of job creation and economic development in the areas. It has been observed that water scarcity is increasing due to poor monsoons. Government is striving to mitigate the problem of irrigation under MGNERGA. For that purpose more funds and efforts are needed. Setting up of 300 Rurban Clusters under Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rural Mission and strengthening of the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) are steps in the right direction. Now some districts are getting two KVKs to mitigate the farming needs of the farmers. KVKs are providing technical know-how on agriculture and allied sectors to the farmers. They are helpful to increase the crops production and thus ultimately are able to increase the income and employment among the farmers. There is need to increase the crops yields in the rain-fed areas and also to increase the agricultural credit. There is also need to ease the burden of loan repayment of the farmers so that there stress can be minimized. The government is making special endevours towards agricultural sector. Agricultural scientists and farmers need to make their best efforts to enhance the farm income.
Rural sector needs to be rejuvenated and the rural-urban disparity needs to reduced. Rurban development has rightly been identified as the government ambitious plan for improving the infrastructure in rural areas such as roads, sanitation, water and power. Rural areas require physical and social infrastructure for their development. Rejuvenation of the villages is imperative at this juncture. This can help to increase the income of the weaker section of the rural people. If common people will not get the benefits then the approach to development would be a futile exercise. India is a highly populated country and there is a need of balanced and sustainable development. It has been observed that rampant industrialization is ignoring the environmental and other concerns. This has disastrous effects on the rural economy. There is a need of strategy to eradicate the poverty across the nation and thrust should be given in the rural areas. Rural development will help to boost the economy of the nation.
(The writer is Sr. Scientist & Head of KVK, Reasi, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Jammu (SKUAST-J).