The rural uplift programmes in free India were launched in 1952 under community development programme with the objective of transforming the look of the countryside and developing a new perspective among the village folk.
Keeping in mind the challenging objectives of community development programmes, the development of scientific methods in agriculture has enabled enhanced production of rice, barley, wheat, cotton and other crops and further efforts are being made in this direction. Cottage industry is the mainstay of rural workers and the production of cottage goods based on agro, marine and natural products or bio-products is significantly enhanced that has led to increased employment opportunities in this sector.
Co-operative credit societies have emerged in an effort to meet the increasing demand of capital by small farmers and workers engaged in cottage industries. Moreover, efforts are in continuation to perform tasks for the benefits of the village community, such as village roads, gas plants, tanks, adult education units and technical know-how centres in the rural sector. The distinguishing features of the village uplift programmes are rural industrialisation, enhanced agricultural production and transforming the vision of the rural community.
The outcomes of the community development programme during the five-year plans have been quite appreciable. Significant improvement has been made in areas like village link roads, electrification, rural water supply and sanitation and mass education. Medium of entertainments such as radio and television are also common in rural areas now. Schools, colleges, and other educational and technical institutes are spreading in rural and semi-rural areas.
A large amount of harvesters, tractors and tubewells have cropped up in villages. Seeds and fertilisers of high quality are provided to the farmers near their locality. Minor irrigation schemes are coming up leading to improved production and the village industries are expanding. Setting up of primary health centres and veterinary health care units has resulted in improved living and livestock. Various developments and the resulting benefits have emboldened the spirit of village boys and girls who are heading for loans to set up new venture.
Panchayati Raj as an important community development aspect has been brought in all the provinces. The major purpose of introducing Panchayati Raj is to decentralise and democratise the administration of community development. The system envisions a significant transformation in the dimensions of local administration and rural development. With the objective of involving all the people of rural areas for their own development and betterment, the Panchayati Raj government will manage rural water supply, irrigation facilities, housing programme, consolidation of assets, roads, schools and health centres. The new set-up places large numbers of women at high positions in these panchayats.
Village entrepreneurs are being helped by banks through easy schemes in the setting-up of new projects and generation of employment opportunities in the rural regions. Banks are coming up with easy instalment schemes for large amount of money, seeds and machinery at cheaper rate for increased production and launching of various development projects.
The Indian villages are rapidly transforming due to initiation of these large-scale programmes under different names by various financial institutions. The government these days is also aware of its duty towards the huge rural population.
India’s villages depict the real life of India and not its town. Hence, village uplift programmes should be given the highest priority. This is the reason that plans are always underway to ensure that the farmer is felicitated to get all his input requirements at a subsidised price and sell his produce at a fair price.
Though the village uplift programme is going well, but much needs to be done. Though the living standard of villages has begun to flourish, yet the concerns of landless agricultural labourers still require considerable attention. Hindrances to the prosperity of villages in the form of red tapism, unprincipled and corrupt administration need to be eliminated. The village lifestyle has also begun to suffer due to rise of dirty politics and vices like gambling, drinking and litigation have entered into the lifestyle of people and even causing loss of life. The rural people need to acknowledge their new responsibility in the new set-up and come up with solutions to their problems. Considerable attention is still required in areas like rural employment, education, health, sanitation, storage of wheat and rice, co-operative farming and increase in agriculture and industrial production so that villages in India regain their old glory, health and prosperity.