(GIST OF KURUKSHETRA) Importance of Infrastructure in Rural Development

[January-2021]

Importance of Infrastructure in Rural Development

Introduction:

Rural improvement people development and a in the strategy well-being means designed sustained of rural to improve the economic and social life of a group of people thus the rural poor.
It involves the extension of benefits of development to the poorest among those seeking livelihood in the rural areas and this group may include small scale farmers, tenants and the landless; and to this many efforts have been made to develop infrastructure in rural areas.

Background:

Infrastructure is the backbone of any country. It plays a very important role in supporting nation's economic growth and the same is the case with India. When we talk about rural infrastructure in the country, then it is crucial for agriculture, agro-industries and poverty alleviation in the rural areas.
Rural infrastructure provides essential production conditions which is required for social and economic growth and for promoting the quality of life in rural areas. The development of rural areas is slow due to improper and inadequate provisions of infrastructure as compared to urban areas.

Roads in Rural India:

Roads in rural parts of the country are very important and critical component of rural development. It is the key to success of the rural economy; rural health; education; and for better road connectivity with the rest of the world. It is the main component to reduce the rural poverty by increasing the agricultural income.
On 25 December 2000, the Government of India had launched the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) with the aim to provide all weather access to eligible unconnected habitations.
It is a 100 percent centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) which covers only rural areas, and urban roads are excluded from the preview of this programme.
PMGSY-I: Under PMGSY-I, the aim of the scheme was to provide access to the eligible unconnected habitations in the rural areas with a population of 500 persons and above (census 2001) in plain areas. In respect of Special Category States i.e., hilly and desert areas; the tribal areas, the objective is to connect eligible unconnected habitations with a population of 250 persons and above. For most intensive integrated action plan (IAP), blocks as identified by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the unconnected habitations with population 100 and above are eligible to be covered under PMGSY-I.
PMGSY-II: However, as the programme unfolded, a dire need to consolidate the entire rural roads network by upgradation of selected routes and some major rural links was felt and accordingly a new intervention has been evolved which is namely PMGSY-II.
Under PMGSY-I, out of the targets fixed under new connectivity as well as up-gradation, over 70 percent of the projects have been sanctioned and about 93 percent proportion has been completed. However, the roads, both taken under the PMGSY-I as well as other schemes for rural roads, have not received the desired attention on the maintenance front for a number of reasons, which includes low contracting capacity, poor maintenance practices, inadequate feeling of ownership of the newly created roads at the State level etc.
PMGSY-III: The implementation of ongoing PMGSY-I and PMGSY-II as also construction and up-gradation of non-PMGSY rural roads by states under their own programmes has helped immensely in lifting the income of rural masses. It has also enabled creation of a regional absorption capacity of rural works departments and state public work department (PWDs), structure and procedure for implementation including quality assurance arrangements.
Energy Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY): The Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) was launched in 2015 with two components:
(i) to separate agriculture and non-agriculture feeders facilitating judicious rostering of supply to agricultural and non-agricultural consumers in rural areas and
(ii) strengthening and augmentation of sub transmission and distribution infrastructure in rural areas, including metering of distribution transformers/feeders/consumers end, and
(iii) rural electrification for completion the target laid down under Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) for 12th and 13lh Plans by subsuming RGGVY in DDUGY.

Conclusion:

Finally, the infrastructure schemes for the rural areas have improved the lives of the rural people in different ways and helped in reducing the poverty. People are connected to the nearest city centres and the district headquarters by road and also connected by electronic communication.
By providing tap water to the households and rural road connectivity and housing, there is a visible improvement in the health indicators and school enrolment. Infrastructure has brought social and economic change among the rural households and empowered them to live their lives with dignity and safety with improved living standards.