RDPs in India - Book Chapter PDF

# Chapter 35: Important Rural Development Programmes in India ## Authors: Ujjwal Kumar, Dhiraj K. Singh, V.K. Yadav - Division of Socio-Economics and Extension - ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna - ¹Principle Scientist & Head; ²Scientist(SS); ³Principal Scientist - _"India lives in h...

# Chapter 35: Important Rural Development Programmes in India ## Authors: Ujjwal Kumar, Dhiraj K. Singh, V.K. Yadav - Division of Socio-Economics and Extension - ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna - ¹Principle Scientist & Head; ²Scientist(SS); ³Principal Scientist - _"India lives in her seven and half lakhs of villages."_ - Mahatma Gandhi ## Introduction - Despite the increase in urban areas after independence, the majority of India still lives in villages. - The 2011 census showed that out of a total population of 121 crores, 83.3 (nearly 70%) still live in villages. Developing the people residing in Indian villages is an integral part of India's socio-economic development. - According to Ensminger (1974), rural development is the process of transforming traditionally oriented rural culture towards an acceptance and reliance on science and technology. - Lela (1975) defined rural development as an improvement in the living standards of the masses of low-income populations residing in rural areas and making the process of self-sustaining. - Agarwal (1989) viewed rural development as a strategy designed to improve the economic and social lives of a specific group of people (the rural poor). Thus, rural development means helping the poor people living in the villages in their socio-economic development. ## Objectives of Rural Development Programs - To achieve enhanced production and productivity in rural areas. - To bring about greater socio-economic equity. - To bring about a spatial balance in social and economic development. - To bring about improvement in the ecological environment so that it may be conductive to growth and happiness. - To develop broad-based community participation in the process of development. ## Important Rural Development Efforts During the Pre-Independence Era | SI. No. | Programme and Place | Year | Initiating Person/Agency | Objective | |---|---|---|---|---| | 1. | Gurgoan Project at Haryana | 1920 | F.L. Bryne | Increasing farmer's yields and for that a village guide was posted in each village for dissemination of agriculture-related technology to farmers. | | 2. | Sevagram Initiative at Wardha, Gujarat | 1920 | Mahatma Gandhi | To eradicate untouchability, promote education and sanitation. | | 3. | Shanti Niketan Project in Sunderban, Bengal | 1921 | Rabindra Nath Tagore | Rural Reconstruction Institute was established to improve the life of villages. | | 4. | Marthandum Project in Kerala | 1921 | Spencer Hatch | Spiritual, mental, physical, economical, and social development of peoples. | | 5. | Samagra Gram Service at Sevagram, Maharashtra | 1927 | Mahatma Gandhi | Training and educational service to villagers through various associations for all-round development and to make villages self-reliant and self-sufficient. | | 6. | Indian Village Service in UP | 1945 | Arthur T. Mosher & B.N. Gupta | To develop individual voluntary leaders and local agencies so that they can realize the best in their own villages. | | 7. | Firka Development Scheme | 1946 | Madras Govt. | Attainment of "Village Swaraj" by bringing about educational, economic, sanitary improvements, and to make peoples self-confident. | | 8. | Sarvodaya in Bombay state | 1946 | On Gandhian concept | Village guide to work for education and service of the people. | ## Post-Independence Rural Development Programmes ### Nilokheri Project (1947) - Located in Karnal district of Haryana. - Launched for the settlement of refugees who migrated to Punjab during the riots which took place soon after independence. - Initiated by S.K. Dey, then Minister of Community Development to rehabilitate 7000 displaced persons from Pakistan. - Later integrated with 100 surrounding villages, making a rural cum urban township. - Called "Mazdoor Manzil". ### Etawah Pilot Project (1948-52) - Albert Mayer's Etawah Pilot Project of 1948 for Rural Planning and Development played a key role in the development of the Community Development Projects in India. - Facilitated extension activities to reach the village level. - Established a new administrative pattern with a Multipurpose Village Level Worker. ### Grow More Food Campaign (1947-48) - An organized effort towards increasing agricultural production which was not successful. - The GMF Enquiry Committee reported in 1952, which paved the way for the creation of the National Extension Service. - The committee recommended: - Reorganization of the Government's administrative machinery to efficiently handle its duties under the new concept of India as a welfare state. - Mobilizing the best non-official leadership available to guide the 60 million farm families in the villages. - Establishing an extension organization for rural work. - Staffing consisting of a B.D.O., four technical officers, and twelve VLWs for a Tahsil/Taluk. - Development activities at the district level under the Collector assisted by specialists. - Creating a State level cabinet and a non-official board for facilitating joint action with a Development Commissioner in charge of the entire rural development program. ### The Community Development Programme (CDP -1952) - The term Community Development (CD) was first officially used in 1948 at the British Colonial Office's Cambridge Conference. - Community Development Programmes were organized on October 2, 1952 in 55 districts, aiming at the socio-economic transformation of rural people. - This institutional infrastructure at the grassroots level facilitated the abolition of intermediary landlords and implemented land reforms that enabled farmers to adopt technologies in agriculture. ### National Extension Services (NES, 1953) - The CD programs were limited in resources. - The National Extension Service was launched in 1953 to expand coverage and reduce costs with greater participation from the people. It attempted to bring in more people while creating a more committed level in rural development. - The program could not achieve much success due to implementation problems, a lack of local organization and bureaucratic intervention. - In the mid-1960s, the critics of the CD program called it a total failure, causing the Ministry of Community Developmental to be eclipsed and eventually dissolve in 1966. ### Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs, 1957) - A team headed by Mr. Balwant Rai Mehta was constituted in 1957 to study the CD projects and National Extension Service. - It recommended democratic decentralization, suggesting that the government, which derives its authority from the people, should redistribute it to the people. - The Panchayati Raj envisioned democratic decentralization as an institution of linked democratic bodies at the grassroots level to oversee planning and development functions with adequate resources. - While these institutions had some initial success, they proved to be unsuccessful due to limited funding, functionaries, and the exclusion of developmental works from their purview. ### The Intensive Agriculture District Programme (IADP-1960) - A Ford Foundation Team (1959) recommended increasing intensive efforts in certain crop areas due to agricultural production being low. - While the CD program created conditions for socio-economic transformation, the impact on agricultural production was not felt. - The IADP was piloted in seven districts in 1960-61, known as the "Package Programme" for maximizing food production. ### The Intensive Agricultural Area Programme (IAAP, 1964) - The mid-term appraisal of the Third Five Year Plan emphasized development of scientific and progressive agriculture using an intensive approach. - 20-25% of the cultivated area of the country should be selected for intensive agricultural development under IAAP. - The IAAP followed the package approach and went into operation in March 1964. ### National Demonstration Programme (NDP-1964) - Based on the concept of increasing the productivity per unit area and time using proven agricultural technology. - ICAR's National Demonstration program on major food crops was launched in 1964. - The program sought to show the genetic production potentiality of new technologies, encourage farmers to adopt them, and popularize these technologies. - Demonstrations were carried out by scientists at institutes in neighboring villages, demonstrating the potentiality of new seeds and practices on a range of crops, such as wheat, paddy, sorghum, pearl millet, and maize. ### High Yielding Varieties Programme (HYVP, 1966) - Launched in the Kharif of 1966-67. - Aim was to achieve self-sufficiency in food by 1970-71. - Core philosophy was to increase the productivity of food grains by adopting the latest varieties and enhanced inputs. - Key features include the introduction of new high-yielding varieties of improved seeds and enhanced application of fertilizers and extended use of pesticides. ### Small Farmers Development Agencies (SFDA) and Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Laborers Development Agency (MAFALDA): 1971 - The RBI had appointed an All-India Rural Credit Review Committee in 1969. - Chairman of the committee was B. Venkatappiah. - Committee recommended establishment of the Small Farmers Development Agency (SFDA). - The SFDA was set up to investigate and identify the problems of small farmers and ensure that various services reach them. - Objectives also included making sure that farmers secure loans from cooperative banks and have access to other assistance, such as improved seeds, fertilizers, and other inputs. - The scheme was started in 1971-72 in selected districts and financed by central as well as state governments. - Provision of subsidies to farmers, from 25% (non-tribal farmers) to 50% (tribal farmers), was included. - This initiative saw proper linkages of central and state governments and financial institutions together for the first time. - Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Laborers Development Agency (MAFALDA) was established alongside SFDA. - Both programs aimed to assist marginal farmers and agricultural labourers in the maximum productive use of their small holdings and skills by undertaking animal husbandry, horticulture etc. - In 1980, the SFDA and MAFALDA were merged to form the Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP). ### Drought Prone Area Programme (DPAP, 1973), Desert Development Programme (DDP, 1977), and Integrated Watershed Development Programme (IWDP, 1989) #### DPAP - The "earliest area development programme", launched by the Central Government in 1973-74. - Tackles special problems faced by fragile areas constantly affected by severe drought conditions. - Characterized by large human and cattle populations which put continuous pressure on fragile natural resources for food, fodder, and fuel. #### DDP - Launched for hot desert areas of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and cold desert areas of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. #### IWDP - Launched in 1989 under the aegis of the National Wasteland Development Board for development of wastelands on a watershed basis. - A Technical Committee, chaired by Professor C.H. Hanumantha Rao, was appointed in 1994 to appraise the impact of DPAP/DDP and suggest measures for improvement. - The committee recommended a common set of operational guidelines and expenditure norms for the three programs of the Ministry of Rural Development. - The Guidelines for Watershed Development were subsequently framed and implemented in 1995. - Further updates were implemented in 2001 and 2003, later becoming known as the "Haryali Guidelines". - The 11th Plan stressed upon developing action plans for rainfed areas in close consultation with the State Governments. - In 2009, DPAP, DDP, and IWDP were consolidated as a comprehensive program called the 'Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP). ### Training and Visit System - Developed by World Bank Expert, Daniel Benor. - Initially, thirteen major states in India adopted the Training and Visit (T&V) system but later on adopted by most of the states. - The T&V System involved training of Village Extension Workers (VEWs) and their frequent visits to farmers' fields. - VEWs had to visit farmers' fields every fortnight. - The system was first introduced in Rajasthan Canal area in Rajasthan and Chambal Command area in Madhya Pradesh in the year 1974. ### Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs - 1974) - The ICAR constituted a committee in 1973 headed by Dr. Mohan Singh Mehta of Seva Mandir, Udaipur, for working out a detailed plan for establishing agriculture science centres. - The first KVK (pilot basis) was established in 1974 at Puducherry (Pondicherry) under the administrative control of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. - The mandate of the KVK is Technology Assessment and Demonstration for Application and Capacity Development. - By 2018, India has 700 KVKs. ### Operational Research Projects (ORPS - 1974) - Aimed at disseminating proven technology in a discipline/area amongst farmers on a watershed basis (covering a whole village or a cluster of villages). - Evaluated technological, extension, or administrative constraints, such as barriers to the rapid spread of improved technologies. - Conducted on a large scale, involving a whole village or cluster of villages. - The program sought to demonstrate the impact of new technologies and involve allied agencies and institutions to show the need for inter-institutional and interdisciplinary approaches. ### Command Area Development Programme (CADP, 1974) - Launched in 1974-75. - Aimed at bridging the gap between irrigation potential created and actually utilized in major and medium irrigation schemes. - The program sought to develop adequate delivery of the irrigation water up to the fields. - A Command Area Development Authority was established to maximize productivity in the irrigation command areas. ### Lab to Land Programme (LLP, 1979) - Launched by the ICAR in 1979 as part of its Golden Jubilee celebration. - Improved the economic condition of small and marginal farmers and landless agricultural laborers. - Focused on scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, through technology transfer from agricultural universities, research institutes, etc. ### Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) - In the second half of the 1970s there was a growing awareness that the benefits of development were not reaching the poorest of the poor. - The experience gained by implementing some other programmes like the Small Farmers Development Agency (SFDA), Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers (MFAL) Programme, and the Drought Prone Area Programmes (DPAP) suggested that there was a need for an integrated approach to rural development. - IRDP was started in March, 1976, in twenty selected districts in the country. - By October 1980, the entire country was covered by the programme. - The main objective of the IRDP was to help those families who live below the poverty line with such economic assistance that will help them to cross the proverty line. - This was achieved by providing productive assets to the poor families below the poverty line. - Assets were created by providing financial assistance in the form of subsidies given by the Government and loans given by the banks. - The main beneficiaries of this programme were rural poor families, small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers and rural artisans. ### Training of Rural Youth for Self Employment (TRYSEM, 1979) - Launched on August 15th, 1979. - A supporting component of the IRDP, sponsored by the Central Government. - The objective of TRYSEM was to train young persons in self-employment and business related activities. - Key objectives were: - Providing training in technical and business skills to rural youth from families below the poverty line. - Enabling rural youth to set up self-employment activities. - Providing rural youth with the skills to take up proper wage-employment activities. ### National Rural Employment Programme (NREP, 1980) - Launched during the Sixth Five Year Plan. - Replaced the Food for Work Programme - Aimed at integrating development projects and target group oriented employment generation projects. - NREP sought to provide supplementary employment opportunities to rural workers, particularly during lean periods. - NREP's goal was to create a rural economy and steady rise in the income level of the rural poor. ### Development of Women and Children in Rural Area (DWCRA, 1982) - A sub-programme of IRDP. - Sharply focused on rural women below poverty line to enhance their income generating capabilities and improve their quality of life. - The aim of DWCRA was to improve the social and economic conditions of rural poor women. - The programme's primary thrust was on the formation of groups of 15 to 20 women from poor households at the village level. - Focused on providing services like credit and skill training, cash and infrastructural support for self-employment. - Its strategy of group formation aimed to improve women's access to basic services, such as health, education, child care, nutrition, and sanitation. - Merged with the Swarnajayanti Grama Swarojagar Yojana (SGSY) on 1st April, 1999. ### Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) - Autonomous organization (Registered Society) under the Department of Rural Development. - Established in 1986. - Major objective was to promote voluntary action among rural people through the participation of the entire community, and promoting technology that is appropriate for the rural set up. - The Young Professionals Scheme was introduced in CAPART in 1988 for creating a training platform for youth drawn from diverse academic streams. - The scheme aimed to groom these youth to become rural managers and achieve the objective of introducing professionalism in the rural development sector. - CAPART selects post graduates from various disciplines related to rural development, such as Social work, Rural management, Engineering and Marketing. - Candidates are rigorously selected at the campus level (including premier educational institutions across the country) and then receive fifteen days’ orientation training at selected resource institutes. ### Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY, 1995) - A flagship scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development to provide houses to the poor in rural areas. - The objective of the Indira Awaas Yojana was to help construct/upgradation of dwelling units of members of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, freed bonded labourers, minorities in the below poverty line and other below poverty line non-SC/ ST rural households by providing them a lump sum financial assistance. ### Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY, 1999) - A collection of supporting programmes for IRDP, such as Training of Rural Youth for Self-Employment (TRYSEM), Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA), Supply of Improved toolkits to Rural Artisans (SITRA), and Ganga Kalyan Yojana (GKY). - Aim was to make the rural poor cross the poverty line by generating sustainable income. - The problem with these programmes was the lack of proper linkages between them. - The restructuring of the programmes addressed these issues and led to the introduction of the _Swarajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY)_ in April 1999, which aimed at a more effective model for providing sustainable income. - Covered all aspects of self-employment, including organization of the poor into SHGs (Self Help Groups), training, credit, technology, infrastructure build up, capacity building of SHGs, and marketing. - The objective was to provide a sustainable income to the rural poor. ### Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY, 2000) - Launched on December 25th, 2000. - Fully funded Centrally Sponsored Scheme to provide all weather road connection in rural areas. - Aim was to connect all habitations with a population of 500 persons and above in the plain areas and 250 persons and above in hill States, the tribal and the desert areas. ### Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY, 2001) - Launched on September 25th, 2001. - To provide additional wage employment in the rural areas. - Consists of a cash and food grains component. - The Centre bears 75% of the cost of the cash component and 100% of the food grains component. - The balance is borne by the States/UTs. - Under special components, the Centre released 26 lakh tonnes of foodgrains to the thirteen calamity affected States. ### Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA, 2003) - Migration of people to urban areas due to lack of livelihood opportunities, modern amenities and decent living in rural areas was a major problem. - The idea of integrated development of villages leading to urbanization through a mission was introduced by the then President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. - The idea was to address the provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA). - Dr. Kalam visualized providing four connectivities: physical connectivity, electronic connectivity, knowledge connectivity leading to economic connectivity of rural areas. - PURA was implemented as a pilot scheme during the 10th Five Year Plan in Basmath (Maharashtra), Bharthana (Uttar Pradesh), Gohpur (Assam), Kujanga (Orissa), Motipur (Bihar), Rayadurg (Andhra Pradesh) and Shahpura (Rajasthan). ### National Horticulture Mission (NHM, 2005) - Launched to promote holistic growth of the horticulture sector through area-based regionally differentiated strategies. - This program was implemented in the country during the Tenth Plan (2005-06). - The NHM has enhanced horticulture production, improved nutritional security and income support to farm households and others. - The program has established convergence and synergy among multiple ongoing and planned programmes for horticulture development. - It has generated employment for skilled and unskilled persons, especially unemployed youth. ### Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA, 2005) - Notified on September 7, 2005. - The objective of the Act is to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household. - It is intended for those households whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. ### Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms (2005) - Central government initiative of the 2005-06, named _"Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms (SSEPER)"_. - It was designed to be implemented by each state at the district level. - The pilot test of ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) was initiated in 28 Districts of 7 States under Innovations in Technology Project (NATP) in the year 1998. - The scheme promoted a decentralized farmer-driven and farmer-accountable extension system. - The scheme promoted a new institutional arrangement for technology dissemination in the form of agriculture. - [Diagram of the ATMA Scheme] ### Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY, 2007) - To provide benefits to the farmer community, the Ministry of Agriculture launched the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) during the Financial Year 2007-08. - Encourages States to invest more towards agriculture and allied sectors so as to achieve 4% annual growth. - The Ministry has envisaged an outlay of Rs.25,000/- crore for the 12th Five Year Plan. - The scheme requires the States to prepare District and State Agriculture Plans for creation of such infrastructure. - Provides adequate flexibility and autonomy to the State Governments in selection, planning, and implementation of projects under the scheme. ### National Food Security Mission (NFSM, 2007) - The National Development Council in its 53rd meeting held on May 29th, 2007 adopted a resolution to launch the Food Security Mission. - Created to increase the production of rice by 10 million tons, wheat by 8 million tons, and pulses by 2 million tons by the end of the Eleventh Plan. - Launched in Rabi 2007 with a financial outlay of Rs. 4882 crore. ### Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP, 2009) - To improve the status of women in Agriculture and enhance the opportunities for their empowerment, the Government of India announced the "Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana" (MKSP). - Classified as a sub-component of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), the MKSP was funded with Rs. 100 crore during the 2010-11 budget. - The primary objective of the MKSP is to empower women in agriculture by making systematic investments to enhance their participation and productivity. - Additionally, the MKSP creates and sustains agriculture-based livelihoods of rural women. ### National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM, 2011) - The government realized that a large number of households still need to be organized into SHGs and that existing SHGs needed further strengthening and intensive financial support. - The government approved the restructuring of the SGSY as the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) and the scheme was implemented across the country. - The goal of the NRLM was to organize rural poor into SHGs, making them capable for self-employment. - Their objective was to develop better livelihood options for the poor. ### Rural Development Schemes of Ministry of Rural Development, Govt of India | Name of programme | Year of start | Objective | |---|---|---| | Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G, Earlier Indira Awas Yojana) | 2016 | To fulfil Govt priority of Housing for all by 2022. | | Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission or National Rurban Mission (NRuM) | 2016 | Started in Chhattisgarh. Aims to spur social, economic, and infrastructure development in rural areas by developing a cluster of 300 Smart Villages over the next 3 years across the country. | | Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) | 2014 | Creating Model Gram Panchayat in all parts of country by adoption of village by MP. Each MP to develop three villages by 2019, eight villages by 2024. | | Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) | 2014 | To provide employment to youth residing in rural area through demand-led skill training at no cost. Mandatory coverage of socially disadvantaged groups (SC/ST 50%; Minority 15%; Women 33%) | | Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) | 2011 | Linking rural households to sustainable livelihood opportunities by organizing them into self-managed institution (e.g., SHGs), building their skills and capacities, and enabling them to access finance and other services to come out of poverty. | | Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA, 2005) | 2005 | Providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year. | | Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) | 2000 | Connectivity of rural area by providing all-weather road. | | National Social Assistance Scheme (NSAP) | 1995 | Providing social security to old aged, widows, disabled persons and bereaved family on death of primary bread winner belonging to BPL through pension schemes. | ## Conclusion - The sustainable development in rural areas depends on the effective implementation of rural development programmes. - Since independence the country has formulated various rural development programmes. - There are several rural development schemes working in India. - The success of these programs is key to development. - All development interventions need to converge at the grassroots level. - This will create a better infrastructure in rural areas and provide employment opportunities to villages to stop migration. - Increasing productivity in agricultural crops, livestock, fisheries, and other allied sectors will boost the purchasing power of people in rural areas, enhancing their socio-economic status in the country. ## Multiple-Choice Questions 1. **Name the project in which "Village Guide" worked.** (a) Gurgaon Project (b) Sriniketan Project (c) Yamuna-par Punarniavan Project (d) Marthandam Project 2. **Sriniketan project was initiated by** (a) Ravindra Nath Tagore (b) Dr Spancer Hatch (c) F.L. Brayne (d) Mahatma Gandhi