RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Rural development has always been an important issue in all discussions pertaining to economic
development, especially of developing countries, throughout the world. In the developing countries
and some formerly communist societies, rural mass comprise a substantial majority of the
population.

Over 3.5 billion people live in the Asia and Pacific region and some 63% of them in rural
areas. Although millions of rural people have escaped poverty as a result of rural
development in many Asian countries, a large majority of rural people continue to suffer from
persistent poverty.

The socio-economic disparities between rural and urban areas are widening and creating
tremendous pressure on the social and economic fabric of many developing Asian
economies.

These factors, among many others, tend to highlight the importance of rural development.
The policy makers in most of the developing economies recognize this importance and have
been implementing a host of programs and measures to achieve rural development
objectives.

Rural - Is an area, where the people are engaged in primary industry in the sense that they
produce things directly for the first time in cooperation with nature as stated by Srivastava (1961).

– Rural areas are sparsely settled places away from the influence of large cities and towns.
People live in village, on farms and in other isolated houses.
– Rural areas can have an agricultural character, though many rural areas are characterized by
an economy based on logging, mining, oil and gas exploration, or tourism.
– Governmental services like law enforcement, schools, fire departments, and libraries may be
distant, limited in scope, or unavailable.
– Utilities like water, sewer, street lighting, and garbage collection may not be present.
– Public transport is sometimes absent or very limited, people use their own vehicles,
walk or ride an animal.
A society or community can be classified as rural based on the criteria of lower population
density,
less social differentiation, less social and spatial mobility, slow rate of social change, etc.

Rural Development (RD) is a process, which aims at improving the well being and self realization
of people living outside the urbanized areas through collective process.
 . According to Agarwal (1989), rural development is a strategy designed to improve the
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economic and social life of rural poor.
. The United Nations defines Rural Development as:
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Rural Development is a process of change, by which the efforts of the people themselves are
united, those of government authorities to improve their economic, social and cultural conditions of
communities in to the life of the nation and to enable them to contribute fully to national
programme.

Rural Development is a process of bringing change among rural community from the
traditional way of living to progressive way of living. It is also expressed as a movement for
progress.

Rural development is a national necessity and has considerable importance in India because of the
following reasons.

1. About three-fourth of India's population live in rural areas, thus rural development is needed to
develop nation as whole.
2. Nearly half of the country's national income is derived from agriculture, which is major
occupation of rural India.
3. Around seventy per cent of Indian population gets employment through agriculture.
4. Bulks of raw materials for industries come from agriculture and rural sector.
5.Growing disparity between the urban elite and the rural poor can lead to political instability.

The main objective of the rural development programme is to raise the economic and
social level of the rural people.

Need and Importance of rural development

Rural development is a national necessity and has considerable importance in India because of the
following reasons.
. To develop rural area as whole in terms of culture, society, economy, technology and health.
. To develop living standards of rural mass.
. To develop and empower human resource of rural area in terms of their psychology, skill,
knowledge, attitude and other abilities.
. To develop infrastructure facility of rural area.
. To provide minimum facility to rural mass in terms of drinking water, education, transport,
electricity and communication.
. To develop rural institutions like panchayat, cooperatives, post, banking and credit.
. To provide financial assist to develop the artisans in the rural areas, farmers and agrarian
unskilled labor, small and big rural entrepreneurs to improve their economy.
 . To develop agriculture, animal husbandry and other agricultural related areas.
. To develop rural industries through the development of handicrafts, small scaled industries,
village industries, rural crafts, cottage industries and other related economic operations in
the rural sector.
. To minimise gap between the urban and rural in terms of facilities availed.

Problems in Rural Development

A)People related:

1. Traditional way of thinking.

2. Poor understanding.
3. Low level of education to understand developmental efforts and new technology.
4. Deprived psychology and scientific orientation.
5. Lack of confidence.
6. Poor awareness.
7. Low level of education.
8. Existence of unfelt needs.
9. Personal ego.

2. Agricultural related problems:

1. Lack of expected awareness, knowledge, skill and attitude.

2. Unavailability of inputs.
3. Poor marketing facility.
4. Insufficient extension staff and services.
5. Multidimensional tasks to extension personnel.
6. Small size of land holding.
7. Division of land.
8. Unwillingness to work and stay in rural areas.

3. Infrastructure related problems:

1. Poor infrastructure facilities like water, electricity, transport, educational institutions,

communication, health, storage facility etc.

4. Economic problems:

1. Unfavourable economic condition to adopt high cost technology.

2. High cost of inputs.
3. Underprivileged rural industries

5. Social and Cultural problems:

1. Cultural norms and traditions

2. Conflict within and between groups, castes, religions, regions, languages.

6. Leadership related problems:

1. Leadership among the hands of inactive and incompetent people.

2. Malafied interest of leaders.
3. Biased political will.

7. Administrative problems:

1. Earlier, majority of the programmes were planning based on top to bottom approach and were
target oriented.
2. Political interference.
3. Lack of motivation and interest.
4. Unwillingness to work in rural area.
5. Improper utilization of budget.

Components of rural development:

1. Education and Training

- Importance: Education and training empower rural populations by improving literacy, enhancing
skills, and fostering critical thinking. This enables individuals to access better jobs, make informed
decisions, and contribute meaningfully to community growth.
- Examples: Adult literacy programs, vocational training for farmers and artisans, and improving
access to primary, secondary, and higher education.

2. Natural Resources Utilisation

- Importance: Rural areas often depend on natural resources for their livelihood. Sustainable
management of resources like water, soil, forests, and minerals ensures long-term productivity and
environmental health.
- Examples: Promoting sustainable agriculture, water conservation techniques, afforestation, and
renewable energy projects like solar and wind power.

3. Improvement of the Service Industry in Rural Areas

- Importance: The service sector supports essential needs and economic activities. Developing
healthcare, banking, transportation, and retail in rural areas increases access to goods and
services, improving quality of life and economic opportunities.
- Examples: Establishing rural health centers, mobile banking services, rural tourism initiatives,
and better transport networks.

4. Improvement of Human Resources

- Importance: Human capital is a key driver of development. Improving health, education, and
skills enhances productivity and innovation in rural communities.
- Examples: Health campaigns for disease prevention, maternal and child care programs, skill-
building workshops, and initiatives for women’s empowerment.

5. Establishment of Administration Offices and Organisations

- Importance: Effective governance structures are critical for implementing development policies,
resolving disputes, and ensuring accountability. Local offices enable communities to access
government schemes and programs easily.
- Examples: Panchayati Raj institutions, rural development agencies, and village-level
administrative offices for managing public services and welfare programs.

6. Developing Infrastructure

- Importance: Infrastructure is the backbone of economic and social development. Better

connectivity, utilities, and facilities improve access to markets, education, healthcare, and
opportunities.
- Examples: Building roads, irrigation systems, rural electrification, schools, hospitals, and digital
connectivity.
7. Economic Structure

- Importance: A strong and diversified economic structure ensures stability and growth.
Encouraging entrepreneurship, small-scale industries, and non-agricultural jobs reduces
dependence on farming alone.
- Examples: Promoting agro-processing industries, rural tourism, cottage industries, and financial
inclusion through microfinance and rural credit schemes.

By focusing on these components holistically, rural development addresses economic, social, and
environmental challenges, improving the quality of life and reducing rural-urban disparitie