Initiatives Taken in Rural Areas (Bharat Nirman)

Question:   Bharat Nirman.

The UPA Government had launched the Bharat Nirman programme in 2004 with a view to improving rural infrastructure in a comprehensive manner. The second phase of this programme commenced in 2009 to provide electricity, safe drinking water, all weather roads, telephones and broadband connectivity to all eligible villages/habitations and substantially augment rural housing stock and irrigation potential. The cumulative targets of creating additional irrigation potential of 1 crore hectares, providing electricity to 1 lakh villages and 1.75 crore poor households, upgrading 1.94 lakh kms of existing rural roads and providing safe drinking water to identified habitations, have been achieved well before 31st March, 2012, the targeted date.

A. Rural Housing

71.8 lakh houses were constructed during the first phase against a target of 60 lakhs. Against an ambitious target of constructing 120 lakh houses during the second phase, nearly 82 lakh houses have been constructed / upgraded at a cost of more than Rs.38,500 crore.

B. Rural Roads

Nearly 43,000 habitations have been connected with all weather roads and over 2.31 lakh kms of existing rural roads have been upgraded / renewed since Bharat Nirman was launched. In 2011-12, more than 4,500 habitations were connected and nearly 9,150 kms of road length upgraded / renewed.

C. Rural Water Supply

During the first phase, the emphasis was on providing safe drinking water to over 3.5 lakh habitations. With this work complete, the priority has now shifted to improve water quality in affected habitations. More than 20,000 water quality affected habitations have been provided safe drinking water during 2011-12. To give greater focus on drinking water and sanitation, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has been upgraded to a Ministry.

D. Water Resources- Irrigation

Cumulatively over the two phases, a total of 107 lakh hectares of additional irrigation potential has been created. Emphasis was also laid on repair, renovation and restoration of water bodies. During the year 2011-12 National Water Mission was launched as one of the eight missions under National Action Plan on Climate Change.

E. Rural Electrification

In 2011-12, under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, electrification of 7,934 villages have been completed and 34.44 lakh BPL connections provided. Cumulatively, intensive electrification in 2.48 lakh already electrified villages and works in more than one lakh un-electrified villages have been completed. Moreover, free electricity connections have been provided to 194.25 lakh rural BPL households.

F. Rural telecommunication & IT

Out of a total of 62,302 villages not having access to public telephones, 62,088 villages have been provided with Village Public Telephones (VPTs). In all, 5,80,556 villages, out of a total of 5,93,601 inhabited villages have been provided with VPTs. Out of 2.5 lakh targeted village Panchayats, 1.47 lakh have been connected through broadband.

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