Need for Rural Development

Need for Rural Development

Rural development is very urgent in the context of the overall growth and development of Indian economy due to the following reasons.

1.        A major share of population lives in rural areas, and their development and contributions are very much supportive for the nation building activities. India cannot be developed by retaining rural as backward.

2.        The rural economy supports the urban sectors by way of supplying drinking water, milk, food and raw materials. Hence, the backwardness of the rural sector would be a major impediment to the overall progress of the economy.

3.        Improvements in education, health and sanitation in villages can help avoid many urban problems namely, begging, rack picking and road side slumming.

4.        Development of agriculture and allied activities are necessary for providing gainful employment in rural areas and improving overall food production.

5.        The evils of brain-drain and rural-urban migration can be reduced if rural areas are developed.

6.        In order to better utilise the unused and under-utilised resources, there is a need to develop the rural economy.

7.        Rural development should minimise the gap between rural and urban areas in terms of the provision of infrastructural facilities. It was called as PURA by former President Abdul Kalam.

8.        In order to improve the nation’s status in the global arena in terms of the economic indicators like Human Development Index (HDI), Women Empowerment Index (WEI), Gender Disparity Index (GDI), Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI) and Gross National Happiness Index (GNHI) should be given due attention.