"India lives in its villages"- this axiom is as true today
as it was over fifty years ago. The majority of our
population lives in the rural areas. The all round
socio-economic transformation of Rural India is a must for
the nation to realize its potential and secure the position
it deserves among the comity of nations. Government of India
therefore, accords a high priority to Rural Development and
is accordingly implementing a number of Programmes aimed at
sustainable holistic development of the rural areas. A
strategic pro-poor policy in terms of which the rural poor
are treated as a net resource replete with their own ideas
and experience, well in tune with the local conditions forms
an integral part of the Development Strategy. In the
process, the disadvantaged sections of society receive a
high priority.
In order that the Programme implementation reflects the felt
needs and aspirations of the local areas, the
Panchayati Raj
Institutions constitute the bedrock for the implementation
of the Programmes of the Ministry. Accordingly, under most
of the Programmes of the Ministry, an active role for
Panchayati Raj Institutions has been envisaged in the
implementation of the Programmes of the Ministry. Sustained
efforts have been made during the year to strengthen local
governance, institutionalizing people's participation and
empowering women through the Panchayati Raj Institutions.
The State Governments were pursued in the direction of
delegation of adequate administrative and financial powers
to Panchayati Raj Institutions.
Consequent upon the enactment of the Constitution (73rd
Amendment) Act, 1992 almost all the States/UTs except J&K,
NCT Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh have enacted their
legislation. Except Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, NCT
Delhi and Pondicherry, all other States/UTs have held
elections. As a result, 2,27,698 Panchayats at village
level, 5906 Panchayats at intermediate level and 474
Panchayats at district level have been constituted in the
country. These Panchayats are being manned by about 34Lakh
elected representatives of Panchayats at all levels. This is
the broadest representative base that exists in any country
of the world developed or under developed. The Constitution
(83rd Amendment) Act,2000 exempting the State of
Arunachal Pradesh for making reservation for Scheduled
Castes in Panchayats came into force with effect from 8th
September, 2000.
In order to ensure that the fruits of economic reforms are
shared by all sections of society, five elements of social
and economic infrastructure, critical to the quality of life
in rural areas, were identified. These are Health,
Education, Drinking Water, Housing and Roads. To impart
greater momentum to the efforts in these sectors, the
Government launched the Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY)
The Ministry of Rural Development has been entrusted with
the responsibility of implementing the Drinking water,
Housing and Roads component of PMGY.
There is a close link between Rural Connectivity and Growth,
be it in the area of Trade, Employment, Education or
Healthcare. The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY),
launched on 25th December, 2000 seeks to provide all-weather
roads to all unconnected rural habitations with a population
of more than 500 persons in the next seven years. A well
conceived Programme has been devised and an allocation of
Rs.2500crore has been made in the Budget 2000-2001 for this
Programme. The primary focus of the Pradhan Mantri Gram
Sadak Yojana will be on construction of new roads. The
Programme also aims to upgrade, to specifications, existing
roads in rural areas so as to achieve connectivity through
all weather roads. It has been estimated that an investment
of Rs.10Lakh will bring 165 persons above the poverty line.
Shelter is one of the basic requirements for leading a
dignified and secure life. The shortage of housing is most
acutely felt in rural areas. The Ministry is targeting the
construction of about 25Lakh houses annually in rural areas
for which a provision of Rs.1, 710Crores has been made in
the current year. In order to facilitate provision of
quality shelter for all, the Ministry is implementing a
number of schemes.
Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana – Gramin Awaas was launched
during the year with the objective of sustainable habitat
development at the village level and to meet the growing
housing needs of the rural poor. The Central allocation for
the Programme is Rs.375crore. The Scheme is implemented on
the pattern of Indira Awaas Yojana. The Additional Central
Assistance is released to the State Governments/Union
Territories on their submitting specific project proposals
which are scrutinized by a Committee on whose
recommendations funds are released to the State Governments
/ Union Territories by the Ministry of Finance.
A comprehensive Action Plan for Rural Housing envisaging
construction of 25Lakh houses annually in rural areas as
also up-gradation of unserviceable Kutcha houses has been
drawn up. The Action Plan is being implemented through
various Programmes such as Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY),
Credit- cum - Subsidy Scheme for Rural Housing, Innovative
Stream for Rural Housing & Habitat Development, Rural
Building Centres, Equity Contribution by Ministry of Rural
Development to HUDCO, Samagra Awaas Yojana & National
Mission for Rural Housing and Habitat. Since the inception
of Indira Awaas Yojana till January, 2001, around 70Lakh
houses have been constructed with an expenditure of
Rs.10,846Crores approximately.
Under Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana - Rural Drinking Water
Programme, a minimum 25% of the total allocation is to be
utilised by the respective States / UTs on projects/Schemes
for water conservation, water harvesting, water recharge and
sustainability of the drinking water sources in respect of
DDP/ DPAP areas. The scheme intends to expedite availability
of potable drinking water in all habitations of the country.
An amount of Rupees 375crore has been earmarked for the
Programme with a provision that States/UTs may allocate more
funds as per their priority out of total allocation made
under PMGY. To launch the Scheme, Ministry of Finance,
Department of Expenditure has released an amount of
Rs.184.89crore as first instalment of the Additional Central
Assistance to the States for PMGY- Rural Drinking Water.
Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme has been revamped.
The restructured Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme
aims at ushering of reforms by institutionalizing community
participation in the rural water supply sector with a view
to gradually replace the Government oriented, centralized,
supply driven and non-people participating Rural Water
Supply Programme by a people oriented decentralised, demand
driven and community-based Rural Water Supply Programme. A
new initiative has been introduced, initially on an
experimental basis in many districts, to institutionalize
community participation in implementing, managing, and
maintaining the rural drinking water supply schemes. 57
pilot projects have been launched in 57 Districts. Twenty
percent of the annual ARWSP outlay would be given to those
State Governments who undertake community based Rural Water
Supply Programmes by adopting the demand driven approach
based on empowerment of villagers to ensure their full
participation in the project. The Budget for the Rural Water
Supply Programme has been enhanced from Rs.1,800crore in
1999-2000 to Rupees1,960crore in the year 2000-2001 of which
Rs.1679.42Crores has been released to State Governments as
on 31.1.2001. A comprehensive Action Plan for covering all
rural habitations in the country with a provision of potable
drinking water has been prepared.
Sanitation and hygiene is the most crucial component of
quality of life. Rural Sanitation Programme launched by the
Ministry in 1986 to improve the quality of life of the rural
poor and to provide privacy and dignity to the women has
been restructured. The Restructured Central Rural Sanitation
Programme (CRSP) which is now community-led and people
centered, aims to provide adequate sanitation facilities to
the rural poor, generate awareness about health education.
It seeks to eradicate manual scavenging by converting all
existing dry latrines into low cost sanitary latrines. A
Rural School Sanitation Programme has also been introduced
as a major component and as an entry point encouraging wider
acceptance of sanitation by the rural masses. Total
Sanitation Campaign (TSC) which envisages a synergistic
interaction between the Government machinery, active NGO
participation, intensive IEC, the provision of an
alternative delivery system and more flexible, demand
oriented construction norms is being implemented in phases.
58 pilot Districts have been identified by the States for
the implementation of Total Sanitation Campaign in the
Phase-1 The approved outlay for Rural Sanitation in Ninth
Plan is Rs.500crore. The allocation for the current
financial year is Rs.140crore.
A new Programme 'Annapurna' was launched during this year to
provide food security to those indigent senior citizens who
are eligible for old age pension under the National Old Age
Pension Scheme but are not receiving it at present. The
beneficiaries under this Scheme are given 10 Kg. of food
grains (Rice or Wheat) free of cost, every month. An amount
of Rs.100crore has been provided for the Annapurna Scheme
during the current year (2000-2001).
The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), which came
into effect from August 15, 1995, represents a significant
step towards the fulfillment of the Directive Principles in
Article 41 and 42 of the Constitution of India. The
Programme consists of three Schemes, viz., the National Old
Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS), the National Family Benefit
Scheme (NFBS), and National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS).
The NSAP is a 100 percent Centrally Sponsored Programme and
extends benefits in the form of old age pension of Rs.75 per
month to aged destitutes, Rs.10, 000 to the bereaved (poor)
family on the death of its primary breadwinner and Rs.500 as
maternity benefit to poor women, up to the first two live
births. During 2000-2001, 63Lakh families were benefited
under NSAP.
Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana provides demand driven rural
infrastructure at the village level. The Programme is
implemented by Gram Panchayats to enable village community
to create durable assets such as school buildings, roads
etc. The Central allocation for the Scheme during the
current year (2000-2001) is Rs.1650.00Crores. Under the
Scheme, 2,44,069 works have been completed and 885.12Lakh
man-days of employment has been generated during the year.
The people in rural areas are still largely dependent on
Agriculture for employment. However, this sector is not able
to provide sustained employment to all the persons who are
in need of employment. Therefore, since October, 1993, the
Ministry has been implementing an Employment Assurance
Scheme to provide employment to persons below the poverty
line in lean agriculture season. The Programme has been
restructured with effect from 1st April, 1999. The
restructured Scheme aims at providing wage employment
opportunities of manual work to rural poor living below the
poverty line during the period of acute shortage of wage
employment. The secondary objective is the creation of
durable community, social and economic assets for sustained
development. During this year, the budgetary allocation of
this scheme is Rs.1300.00crore and 745.24Lakh man-days of
employment have been generated up to 31.12.2000.
The Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) a
comprehensive Self Employment Programme launched in April,
1999, aims at raising the family incomes of the rural poor
and providing for the needed flexibility of design at the
grassroots level to suit the local needs and available
resources. SGSY emphasizes the Group approach. Self Help
Groups have been found to be immensely effective means of
ensuring the success of self-employment Programmes. The
Group approach enables the rural poor to face various
challenges in self-employment such as up-gradation of
skills, marketing, handling finances etc. The Scheme covers
all aspects of self employment like organisation of rural
poor into Self Help Groups (SHG) and their capacity
building, training, planning of activity clusters,
infrastructure development, financial assistance through
bank credit and subsidy and marketing support etc.
With a view to promote marketing of rural products, the
Ministry supported the organization of India International
Trade Fair, 2000 and regional fairs during the year at
Jaipur, Patna, Chennai and Guwahati. The 'SARAS' Pavilion at
the India International Trade Fair, Pragati Maidan, New
Delhi organised by the Ministry during November 14- 27, 2000
provided an opportunity to publicise the restructured
programmes and initiatives taken by the Ministry through
various exhibits, audio visual aids and personal interaction
with visitors. Rural artisans from about 500 districts from
all over the country displayed and sold their products. The
total sale during the period was over Rs.1.5crore, and the
pavilion won the Award for Excellence in the Trade Fair. The
rural artisans, who participated in the Fair, gained
valuable experience through interaction with visitors as
well as Trade representatives. The trade enquiries exposed
them to marketing forces and helped them to open new avenues
for future markets. Since 1.4.1999, 3.85Lakhs
Self-Help
Groups have been formed and a total of 13.80Lakhs Swarozgaris have been assisted.
The role of communication as a powerful agent of rapid and
planned development is well recognised. Information,
Education and Communication (IEC) plays a pivotal role in
creating awareness, mobilising people and making the
development participatory through advocacy and by
transferring knowledge, skills and techniques to the people.
IEC plays two important roles - informative and persuasive
and therefore, communication planning is an integral part of
planning for sustainable development. To meet the
communication needs of various Programmes of the Ministry
holistically, an integrated IEC strategy envisaging optimum
utilisation of available modes of communication,
conventional and non conventional has been evolved in order
to effectively meet the communication needs of the
Programmes of the Ministry. With focus on meeting the
information needs of the target groups of various Programmes
in rural areas, Panchayati Raj functionaries, the IEC
strategy also seeks to sensitize opinion makers, urbans
elite, NGOs, Corporate bodies etc about issues concerning
Rural Development. The IEC activities through various modes
of communication have been scaled up during the year.
The Ministry continued to play a key role, as a nodal
Department, for the two international organisations viz. The
Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the
Pacific (CIRDAP) and the Afro-Asian Rural Development
Organisation (AARDO). CIRDAP is currently implementing as
many as 34 projects in various member countries relating to
training, research, information & communication etc. The
projects are at different stages of completion. In addition,
21 projects concerning various facets of rural development
are in the pipeline. Similarly, AARDO conducted a number of
training programmes, workshops and seminars in different
member States on various subjects. Currently, 7 projects in
the countries of Ghana (2 projects), Jordan (2 projects),
Pakistan, Oman & Philippines have been financed by AARDO. It
organised 48th Session of its Executive Committee at New
Delhi on 16-18 January 2001, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu,
Minister of Rural Development and currently the President of
AARDO, inaugurated the Session on 16th January, 2001. This
Ministry also continues to be a Member of the Commonwealth
Local Government Forum (CLGF), a Commonwealth Institution.
During its Board Meeting, held on 15th September,
2000, Minister for Rural Development was co-opted to the
Board of CLGF for the period 2000-2002.
A twelve Member Delegation from Bangladesh comprising Union
Parishad Chairmen and Senior Officials visited India during
the period 30th August-11th September, 2000 to gain
experience, interalia, on the working system of Local
Government Institutions in India. An Eight Member Delegation
from Brazil led by Governor of Santa Catarina (Brazil)
visited India during the period 6-11 November, 2000. The
areas of interest of the Delegation related, interalia, to
Rural Development Programmes.
A Community based Pro-poor Initiatives Programme, assisted
by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is being
implemented in the Ministry. The thrust of the Programme is
on social mobilisation and people's empowerment for poverty
alleviation and it combines both area-based and issue-based
approaches. Seventeen sub-programmes are being implemented
as part of this Programme.
Land is a critically important national resource among the
natural resources, the efficient management of which is
vital for economic growth and development of rural areas,
especially while addressing the concerns of poverty and
backwardness. To meet the imperative need to put in place an
integrated mechanism capable of responding effectively to
the challenges of managing our scarce land resources- a
separate Department of Land Resources (DoLR) came into being
in April, 1999 under the Ministry of Rural Development. All
the land based Programmes/Schemes, which were earlier on
with different Departments of the Ministry, have now been
located in the Department of Land Resources. All its Area
Development Programmes are being implemented through the
Watershed Development Approach in accordance with the
recommendations of the Hanumantha Rao Committee since April,
1995. With a view to achieving comprehensive area
development, instructions have also been issued for
convergence of all rural development programmes in the areas
where watershed development is taken up.
A Wastelands Atlas of India prepared by National Remote
Sensing Agency (NRSA), Hyderabad was released by the Prime
Minister in May this year. The total extent of wasteland is
estimated at 63.85 million hectares, which is around 20 per
cent of the geographical area of the country. Department of
Land Resources continues to implement the three Area
Development Programmes - the Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP),
the Desert Development Programme (DDP) and the Integrated
Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP). These aim at
increasing the soil and moisture conservation and
productivity of wastelands / degraded lands and thereby
increase the income of the people. These programmes are
being implemented through community participation, following
the Watershed approach. The participation of the local
community in planning, implementation, monitoring and
training for the management of watersheds has been
recognised as a critical input in these programmes.
Updating of land records is vital for increasing
productivity of land, implementing various rural development
programmes and also for effective enforcement of land
reforms. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Computerization
of Land Records is being implemented in 544 districts of the
country leaving only those districts where there are no land
records. An International Conference on Land Resource
Management held in New Delhi in November this year laid
stress on people's participation in bringing about land
reform, watershed development and emancipation of rural
India.
A Centrally Sponsored Scheme for strengthening of DRDA
Administration was launched w.e.f. 1.4.99. With this, a
separate provision has been made to meet the administrative
expenses of the DRDAs. The primary objective of the Scheme
of DRDA Administration is to professionalise the DRDAs so
that they are able to effectively manage the anti poverty
programmes of the Ministry of Rural Development and interact
effectively with other agencies. The DRDAs will maintain a
distinctive identity with Panchayati Raj Institutions.
The Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural
Technology (CAPART) was set up as a pioneer organisation in
September, 1986 as a nodal agency by merging two
organisations, namely, People's Action for Development India
(PADI) and Council for Advancement of Rural Technology
(CART) with the mandate of promoting voluntary action and
propagating appropriate rural technologies for the benefit
of rural masses. Since then, it has been contributing its
mite by involving people in the development process through
the medium of VOs to supplement Government efforts.
In the past one year, the Council for People's Action and
Rural Technology (CAPART) has formulated Policy Guidelines
for CAPART's functioning. The Policy Guidelines were
formulated by a Committee specially constituted for this
purpose, comprising of prominent members of voluntary
organisations and policy makers. Recently, CAPART also
revised its funding pattern and instead of providing for
innovative and flexible projects. Since inception and up to
November, 2000, CAPART sanctioned 19,265 projects involving
a sum of Rs.552Crores and released Rs.423Crores to about
8,000 voluntary organisations.
The Ministry lays great emphasis on monitoring and
evaluation of all the Rural Development Programmes, in
general, and poverty alleviation and employment generation
schemes, in particular, being implemented in various States/UTs.
In addition to periodical progress reports and the returns
being received from the State Governments, depicting the
financial and physical progress of the programmes, it is
obligatory for the States to furnish requisite Utilisation
Certificates. The comprehensive system of Monitoring and
Evaluation in the Ministry also includes field visits by the
Area Officers of the Ministry, Intensive field inspections
by the Officers at the State level, concurrent/quick
evaluation studies, video conferencing and strengthening of
information technology. The Ministry has created a Website
at
www.rural.nic.in with the technical assistance of the
National Informatics Centre.
In order to ensure effective monitoring of implementation of
the programmes, the Ministry has financed the
computerisation of District Rural Development Agencies (DRDA)
all over the country. The Ministry undertook the pilot
project of providing Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT)
connectivity to 15 DRDAs. This will provide CRISP
applications software package to process data related to
SGSY, JGSY, IAY, EAS and Watershed Development facilitate
online availability of information, provide web-based
information system and E-mail facilities and Internet access
to 15 DRDAs.
Training has gained an important position in Rural
Development activities concerning various poverty
alleviation programmes. As training, research and
development are closely linked, continuing education of both
policy makers and programme implementers is imperative.
Towards facilitating this, National Institute of Rural
Development (NIRD) has conducted 51 training programmes, 16
workshops/seminars, 6 International programmes, 16 sponsored
programmes and 18 off-campus programmes, during the period
from April to December 2000. These training programmes were
made more need-based and focused during the year by
systematically analysing the training needs of the various
categories of functionaries. In addition, extensive support
has been provided to a number of Training and Research
Institutions dealing with issues related to rural
development.
Thus with the time-bound multi-pronged approach adopted by
the Ministry through a wide range of Programmes and
initiatives taken by the Ministry as also gearing up of
monitoring mechanism during the year, it is hoped that it
would lead to significant improvement in the overall quality
of the life in rural areas.
Minister (RD) has been concerned about the reach of rural
development schemes to the target groups. To ensure that
maximum benefits of the programmes of the Ministry, accrue
to the people in the villages, a four pronged strategy, of
creating awareness about the programmes of the Ministry,
ensuring transparency in the implementation of the
programmes at the field level, encouraging participation of
the people in development process and promoting the concept
of social audit for accountability has been adopted by the
Ministry. Action is also being taken to ensure that in the
villages, people are aware about the Schemes, the allocation
and the works taken up along with estimates. This is
proposed to be done through wall paintings and sign boards
in all villages.
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