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(GIST OF KURUKSHETRA) Major Drivers of Rural Transformation

[October-2021]

Rural transformation is one of the high-priority areas in India due to its strong relevance in national economy; active role in pursuance of Sustainable Development Goals; and critical importance in improving quality of life of rural communities.
Over 65 percent Indians inhabiting rural areas face more challenges in life and livelihood as compared to their urban counterparts. Hence, Government of India launched a comprehensive programme of rural transformation with a vision to transform lives and livelihoods through proactive socio-economic inclusion, integration and empowerment of rural people. Rural transformation encompasses a whole gamut of social and economic reforms along with inclusive and sustainable development, energy security and affordable access to basic minimum needs for all.

Steps towards to achieve the goal of rural transformation:

Addressing basic needs and enhancing provision of and access to services as a precursor to improve livelihoods.
Increasing employment opportunities through labour-intensive approaches including green jobs and development of rural infrastructure.
Supporting development and use of safe and environment friendly technologies and practices for housing and infrastructure development in rural areas.
Women empowerment through access to credit and new technologies along with gender specific capacity building and skill development.
Strengthening road connectivity for accessing essential public service benefits.
Promoting convergence and developing synergies between various stakeholder departments, agencies, co-operatives and institutions for better impacts and economic returns.
Supporting training and capacity building of rural communities to effectively implement development programmes.
Promoting green energy programs to provide energy security for livelihood and household needs.

ASPIRE Scheme:

A unique and especial ASPIRE Scheme, that is, ‘A Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industries and Entrepreneurship’ is driving rural transformation by supporting small enterprises in the agriculture industry.
Launched in 2015, the scheme aims to set up a network of technology and incubation centres to expedite the wave of entrepreneurship in rural India. Skill up gradation, hand holding, mentoring, incubation and credit support are major verticals along which support is provided to eligible entrepreneurs.
The Union Budget (2019) proposed that 80 livelihood business incubators and 20 technology business incubators will be set up in 2019-20 with the aim to develop and train 75,000 skilled entrepreneurs in agro-rural industries. Being pro-agriculture in nature, value addition of agriculture and forestry produce; recycling of agricultural pre/post harvest wastages; and development of innovative business models for agri-marketing are some of the priority areas for business enterprises.

Conclusion:

To achieve sustained and sustainable rural transformation, Government is endeavouring to make socio-economic development in rural areas inclusive and holistic. Various schemes and programmes are designed to break the vicious cycle of poverty in rural India.
Use of IT and digital technologies have made the transformation process fast, transparent and a two-way module to address grievances. In addition, the rural citizens are now empowered through public information systems about their various rights and entitlements. Rural transformation is ensuring rural India a life with dignity, respect and ‘ease of living.’