State of Rural Development in India

Abstract

The Rural Development in India has been realised as one of the most important factors for the growth of the rural economy. As majority of the population, around 65% of the people, live in rural areas, the prime goal of rural development is to enhance the wellbeing of common masses and their socio-economic empowerment by alleviating poverty through the instrument of employment programmes, by providing basic social services to the rural people specially education, health facilities, safe drinking water, electricity, road connectivity, rural housing, etc. In order to achieve this, planned attempts have been made by the Government of India (GOI) to alleviate rural poverty and ensure improved quality of life for the rural population especially those below the poverty line.  A wide spectrum of programmes undertaken in the country so far like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), National Rural Livelihood Mission, Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) etc. have been overviewed in this article. Other than the programmes undertaken by the GOI, the paper also discusses the role and importance of  various institutions and organisations  proclaimed as the vehicles  of socio-economic transformation in rural India like Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI’s), Micro Financial Institutions (MFI’s), Value Chains, Services Cooperatives, Contract Farming, etc.

Keywords: Rural Poverty, Rural Development, Rural Development Programmes, Panchayati Raj Institutions MGNREGA, Micro Finance Institutions.