RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Meaning
Rural development is a process that enhances the standard of living and
general well-being of people in rural places. Its purpose is to reduce poverty, create
employment, ease infrastructural constructions, and offer access to the basic needs
like education, health, sanitation and housing. The other concern of rural
development is the empowerment of rural people in terms of skills, agricultural
development, sustainable management of resources, and social welfare
programmes.
Definition and Concept
The World Bank defines rural development as a strategy designed to
improve the economic and social life of a specific group of people the rural poor. It
involves extending the benefits of development to the poorest among those who
seek a livelihood in the rural areas. The group includes small scale farmers, tenants
and the landless.
Singh (1999) conceptualized rural development as a phenomenon, strategy
and discipline and connotes overall development of rural areas with a view to
improve the quality of life of rural people. It is a comprehensive and
multidimensional concept, and encompasses the development of agriculture and
allied activities, village and cottage industries and crafts, socio-economic
infrastructure, community services and facilities, and, above all, the human
resources in rural areas
As a phenomenon, rural development is the end result of interaction between
various physical, technological, economic, socio-cultural and institutional factors.
For example, in order to improve public health and hygiene, sanitary latrine should
be introduced in rural areas. But the latrine (a new technology) should be
economically feasible, socio-culturally acceptable by the people and the local
Panchayat (institution) motivate the people for adoption.
As a strategy, it is designed to improve the economic and social well-being
of a specific group of people the rural poor.
As a discipline, it is multidisciplinary in nature, representing an interaction
of agricultural, social, behavioral, engineering and management sciences.
In the words of Robert Chambers (1983), rural development is a strategy to
enable a specific group of people, poor rural women and men, to gain for
themselves and their children more of what they want and need. It involves helping
the poorest among those who seek a livelihood in the rural areas to demand and
control more of the benefits of rural development. The group includes small-scale
farmers, tenants and landless.
Rogers and Whiting defined rural development not only as providing jobs
and increased incomes to rural people but also making available a quality of rural
living through increased and improved community services. They feel that the
ambit of rural development is indeed very wide. It connotes efforts to increase
production to create opportunities for saving, credit and investment and to root out
the fundamental causes of poverty, disease, suffering, ignorance and exploitation.
The paramount objective is to ensure improved conditions of life in all rural areas
so that more people will have the desire and opportunity to remain there.
Thus, Rural Development is a process of developing and utilizing natural
and human resources, technologies, infrastructure facilities, institution and
organizations, and government policies and programmes to encourage and speed
up economic growth in rural areas, to provide jobs and to improve the quality of
rural life towards self-sustenance
Major Programmes for Rural Development
1. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(MGNREGA), 2005:
Aims to provide 100 days of guaranteed wage employment to rural
households annually.
Focuses on social inclusion, gender parity, and equitable growth.
Steps taken for implementation include electronic fund management,
Aadhaar seeding, and geo-tagging of assets.
2. Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-
NRLM):
Launched in 2011 to organize rural poor households into self-help groups
(SHGs) and federations.
Ensures coverage of vulnerable sections identified through SECC and
participatory processes.
Components include promoting institutions of the poor, capacity building,
and infrastructure support.
3. Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI):
A three-way partnership between MoRD, state governments, and sponsor
banks to provide entrepreneurship training to rural youth.
MoRD provides grant-in-aid for training costs and infrastructure
development.
4. Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G):
Aims to provide pucca houses with basic amenities to rural households by
2024.
Unit assistance varies based on location, with priority given to SC/ST
households and persons with disabilities.
5. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY):
Launched in 2000 to provide all-weather road connectivity to rural
habitations.
Objective is to connect eligible unconnected habitations with a population
threshold, managed by the NRRDA.
6. National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP):
Introduced in 1995 as a centrally sponsored scheme for BPL households.
Aims to provide social assistance for aged, widows, disabled, and families
in case of the primary breadwinner's death.
Includes various pension schemes and the National Family Benefit
Scheme.
7. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya-Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY):
Launched in 2014 to provide skill training to rural youth aged 15-35.
Targets socially disadvantaged groups with a focus on placement in wage
employment.
Aims to convert India's demographic surplus into a demographic dividend.
8. Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM):
Launched in 2016 to deliver interventions to rural areas on the threshold of
growth.
Identifies rurban clusters showing signs of urbanisation for holistic
development.
Investment for cluster development is a mix of Convergence and Critical
Gap Funds.
9. Rural Housing Scheme:
Restructured into Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) in
2016.
Provides assistance for house construction based on SECC 2011 data.
Cost sharing between Government of India and state governments, with
specific allocations for SC/ST and minority households.
[Link] Housing Interest Subsidy Scheme (RHISS):
Launched in 2017 to provide interest subvention on housing loans.
Targets rural households not on the Permanent Wait List.
Implemented through the National Housing Bank.
[Link] Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY):
Launched in 2014 for MPs to develop model villages.
Aims for integrated development across various sectors.
Emphasises values such as community participation, gender equality, and
environmental sustainability.
Includes village development plans and impact monitoring tools.
Institutions and Reforms
Institutions and reforms in rural development have been designed to enhance
governance, modernise land records, and promote the sustainable management of
resources towards inclusive growth.
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan started in 2018 by merging schemes like Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan and Teacher
Education.
The scheme aims to provide quality education in rural areas from preschool
to senior secondary level. It focuses on universal access, equity and quality
improvement.
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan works to improve school infrastructure and equip
classrooms with teaching materials. Teacher training programmes are
organized regularly.
Financial support is provided for various interventions undertaken by states.
Construction of new school buildings and hostels is funded.
Importance is given to vocational education from Class 9 onwards. Students
are counseled about career options and trained in employable skills.
Panchayati Raj
o Ministry ensures local governance under Part IX of the Constitution and
PESA.
o Vision: Strong, participatory, and accountable local governments.
o Mission: Build capacity and improve service delivery through Panchayats.
Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan
o Strengthens Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
o Supports 117 aspirational districts.
o Includes e-Panchayat, technical assistance, and training.
SVAMITVA
o SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in
Village Areas) is a Central Sector Scheme of the Union Ministry of Rural
Development and Panchayati Raj, Government of India. Launched on 24 April
2021, on the National Panchayati Raj Day.
o Provides property cards and rights to rural households.
o Uses drone-based surveys for accurate mapping.
o Helps in planning, reduces disputes, and enables property-based credit.
Drinking Water and Sanitation
Drinking Water and Sanitation is supposed to provide safe drinking water,
adequate sanitation, and hygiene amenities to enhance the health and living
conditions of people in rural areas.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin):
Swachh Bharat Mission Focuses on behaviour change and gender-sensitive
sanitation (2014).
Promotes low-cost, sustainable toilet technologies.
Improves sanitation and cleanliness in villages.
Goal: Open Defecation Free (ODF) India.
Provides toilets, waste management, and hygiene awareness.
Jal Jeevan Mission – Har Ghar Jal:
Announcement: Launched in 2019.
Objective: Provide Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to every
rural home by 2024.
Focus: Long-term drinking water security and turning water service delivery
into a people's movement.