Importance of Rural Development
Improvement in the quality of life of rural people is the important agenda of rural development programme. In India – a country where the number of people living in rural areas, rural development programme is necessary aspect.
Rural development implies both the economic betterment of people as well as greater social transformation. The basic objective of all rural development endeavors / programmes has been the welfare of the millions. In order to achieve this, planned attempts have been made to eliminate poverty, ignorance and inequality of opportunities. A wide spectrum of programmes has been undertaken so far, to alleviate rural poverty and ensure improved quality of life for the rural population especially those below the poverty line. In the initial phase of planned rural development, the concentration was on sectors of agriculture industry, communication, education and health. The Ministry of Rural Development places importance now on health, education, drinking water, housing and road so that the quality of life in rural areas improves and the fruit of economic reform are shared by all sections of the society.
With time and experience, it is realized that accelerated and meaningful development can be achieved only if people of the grass root are involved, “people’s participation” has become the keyword in rural development programmes. The participation of the people is necessary to provide the rural people with better prospects for economic development