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Articles: My Thoughts | Rural development
- Mr. pradeep gadipally
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India has been a welfare state ever since her Independence and the primary objective of all governmental endeavors has been the welfare of its millions. Planning has been one of the pillars of the Indian policy since independence and the country’s strength is derived from the achievement of planning. The policies and programmes have been designed with the aim of alleviation of rural poverty which has been one of the primary objectives of planned development in India.
It was realized that a sustainable strategy of poverty alleviation has to be based on increasing the productive employment opportunities in the process of growth itself. Elimination of poverty, ignorance, diseases and inequality of opportunities and providing a better and higher quality of life were the basic premises upon which all the plans and blue-prints of development were built.
Rural development implies both the economic betterment of people as well as greater social transformation. In order to provide the rural people with better prospects for economic development, increased participation of people in the rural development programmes, decentralization of planning, better enforcement of land reforms and greater access to credit are envisaged.
Initially, main thrust for development was laid on agriculture industry, communication, education, health and allied sectors but later on it was realized that accelerated development can be provided only if governmental efforts are adequately supplemented by direct and indirect involvement of people at the grass root level. Accordingly, on 31st March 1952, an organization known as Community Projects Administration was set up under the Planning Commission to administer the programmes relating to community development.
The community development programme inaugurated on October 2, 1952, was an important landmark in the history of the rural development. This programme underwent many changes and was handled by different Ministries.
In October 1974, the Department of Rural Development came into existence as a part of Ministry of Food and Agriculture. On 18th August 1979, the Department of Rural Development was elevated to the status of a new Ministry of Rural Reconstruction. That Ministry was renamed as Ministry of Rural Development on 23rd January 1982. In January 1985, the Ministry of Rural Development was again converted into a Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development which was later rechristened as Ministry of Agriculture in September 1985. On July 5, 1991 the Department was upgraded as Ministry of Rural Development.
Another Department viz. Department of Wasteland Development was created under this Ministry on 2nd July 1992. In March 1995, the Ministry was renamed as the Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment with three departments namely Department of Rural Employment and Poverty Alleviation, Rural Development and Wasteland Development.
Again, in 1999 Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment was renamed as Ministry of Rural Development. This Ministry has been acting as a catalyst effecting the change in rural areas through the implementation of wide spectrum of programmes which are aimed at poverty alleviation, employment generation, infrastructure development and social security. Over the years, with the experience gained, in the implementation of the programmes and in response to the felt needs of the poor, several programmes have been modified and new programmes have been introduced.
This Ministry’s main objective is to alleviate rural poverty and ensure improved quality of life for the rural population especially those below the poverty line. These objectives are achieved through formulation, development and implementation of programmes relating to various spheres of rural life and activities, from income generation to environmental replenishment.
In order to ensure that the fruits of economic reform are shared by all sections of societies five elements of social and economic infrastructure, critical to the quality of life in rural areas, were identified. These are health education drinking water, housing and roads. To impart greater momentum to the efforts in these sectors the Government had launched the Pradhan Mantri Gramdoya Yojana (PMGY) and the ministry of rural development was entrusted with the responsibility of implementing drinking water, housing and rural roads component of PMGY.
During the Ninth Plan period, several anti-poverty Programmes have been restructured to enhance the efficiency of the Programmes for providing increased benefits to the rural poor. Self Employment Programmes have been revamped by merging the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP), the Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA), the Supply of Improved Tool-Kits to Rural Artisans (SITRA), the Training of Rural Youth for Self Employment (TRYSEM), the Ganga Kalyan Yojana (GKY) and the Million Wells Scheme (MWS) into a holistic self-employment scheme called Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY).
Keeping in view the needs and aspirations of the local people, Panchayati Raj Institutions have been involved in the programme implementation and these institutions constitute the core of decentralized development of planning and its implementations. The Ministry is also vigorously pursuing with the State Governments for expeditious devolution of requisite administrative and financial powers to PRI’s as envisaged under 73rd amendment act of the Constitution of India.
On 25th December 2002, under Drinking Water Sector, a new initiative ‘Swajal Dhara’ empowering the Panchayats to formulate, implement, operate and maintain Drinking Water Projects has been launched. In order to further involve PRIs in the development process, a new initiative ‘Hariyali’ has been launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 27th January, 2003. Hariyali has been launched to strengthen and involve Panchayati Raj Institutions in the implementation of Watershed Development Programmes namely IWDP, DPAP and DDP.
The empowerment of rural women is crucial for the development of rural India. Bringing women into the mainstream of development is a major concern for the Government of India. Therefore, the programmes for poverty alleviation have a women’s component to ensure flow of adequate funds to this section. The Constitutional (73rd)Amendment, Act 1992 provides for reservation of selective posts for women. The Constitution has placed enormous responsibility on the Panchayats to formulate and execute various programmes of economic development and social justice, and a number of Centrally Sponsored Schemes are being implemented through Panchayats.
Thus, women Members and Chairpersons of Panchayats, who are basically new entrants in Panchayats, have to acquire the required skill and be given appropriate orientation to assume their rightful roles as leaders and decision makers. To impart training for elected representatives of PRIs is primarily the responsibility of the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations. Ministry of Rural Development also extends some financial assistance to the States/UTs with a view to improve the quality of training programmes and to catalyze capacity building initiatives for the PRI elected members and functionaries.
This Ministry is a nodal department for the two international organizations viz., the Centre on Integrated Rural Development of Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) and the Afro-Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO).
The Ministry consists of the following three Departments:
1. Department of Rural Development
2. Department of Land Resources
3. Department of Drinking Water Supply
The Department of Rural Development implements schemes for generation of self employment and wage employment, provision of housing and minor irrigation assets to rural poor, social assistance to the destitute and Rural Roads. Apart from this, the Department provides the support services and other quality inputs such as assistance for strengthening of DRDA Administration, Panchayati raj institutions, training & research, human resource development, development of voluntary action etc. for the proper implementation of the programmes. The major programmes of the Department of Rural Development are Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, (PMGSY), Rural Housing (RH) Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) and Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY).
Department of Land Resources implements schemes to increase the bio-mass production by developing wastelands in the country. Department also provides the support services and other quality inputs such as land reforms, betterment of revenue system and land records. It also undertakes development of desert areas and drought prone areas in the country. The major programmes of the Department of Land Resources are Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP) The Desert Development Programme (DDP) the Integrated Wasteland Development Programme (IWDP) and Land Reforms (LR). These aim at increasing the soil and moisture conservation and productivity of the wasteland of the degraded lands thereby increase the income of the people.
The provision of Drinking Water Supply and extension of Sanitation facilities to the rural poor are the main components of the activities of the Department of Drinking Water Supply. The major programmes of the Drinking Water Supply Department are The Swajaldhara, the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) and the Total Sanitation Programme (TSP).
The Ministry now consists of three Departments Department of Rural Development, Department of Land Resources and Department of Drinking water supply.
Department of Rural Development :
Department of Rural Development deals with:
(a) All matters pertaining to rural employment or unemployment such as working out of strategies and programmes for rural employment including special works, wage or income generation and training related thereto;
(b) Micro level planning related to rural employment or unemployment and administrative infrastructure therefore.
(2) Integrated rural development, including small farmers development agency, marginal farmers and agricultural laborers, etc.
(3) Rural housing including Rural Housing Policy and all matters germane and incidental thereto under country or rural planning, in so far as it relates to rural areas.
(4) All matters relating to panchayati raj and panchayati raj institutions.
(5) Minimum Needs Programme in rural areas in the field of elementary education, adult education, rural health, rural electrification and the nutrition programmes.
(6) All matters relating to rural roads including those under the Minimum Needs Programme in the rural areas.
All matters relating to cooperation with the Centre for Integrated Rural Development of Asia and Pacific (CIRDAP) and the Afro-Asian Rural Reconstruction Organization (AARRO).
PROGRAMMES/SCHEMES OF DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana
Employment Assurance Scheme
Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana
Indira Awaas Yojana
Credit-cum-Subsidy Scheme for Rural Housing
Innovative stream for Rural Housing and Habitat Development
Rural Building scheme :
Samagra Awaas Yojana
National Social Assistance Programme.
Training :
CAPART
DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCES
Department of Land Resources deals with:
(1) Land reforms, land acquisition, land revenues, land records and other related matters.
(2) Promotion of rural employment through Wastelands Development.
(3) Promotion of production of fuel wood, fodder and timber on non-forest lands, including private wastelands.
(4) Research and development of appropriate low cost technologies for increasing productivity of wastelands in sustainable ways.
(5) Inter-departmental and inter-disciplinary coordination in programme planning and implementation of the Wastelands Development Programme, including training.
(6) Promotion of people's participation and public cooperation, and coordination of efforts of Panchayats and other voluntary and non-Government agencies for Wastelands Development.
PROGRAMMES/SCHEMES OF DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCES
·Land Reforms
·Drought Prone Area Programme
·Desert Development Programme
·Integrated Wastelands Development Scheme
DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER SUPPLY
Department of Drinking Water Supply deals with:
(1) Drinking water supply, sewage, drainage and sanitation relating to rural areas along with international cooperation and technical assistance in this field.
(2) Public cooperation, including all matters relating to voluntary agencies for rural development and National Fund for Rural Development.
PROGRAMMES/SCHEMES OF DEPARTMENT OF DRINKING WATER SUPPLY
·RajivGandhi National Drinking Water Mission
·Centrally Sponsored Rural Sanitation Programme
Programmes :
1.Programmes (Description/Guidelines) (Dep of rural development, Dep of Drinking water Supply, Dep of Land resources)
2.Performance of schemes
3.Credit under SGSY
4.LRC Status
5.RR Policy 2003
AUTONOMOUS BODIES :
1.DRDA’S (District Rural development Agency)
2.NIRDA (National Institute Rural Development Authority)
3.NRRD’S (NATIONAL RURAL ROADS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY)
4.CAPART (Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology).
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