ACTIVITIES OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT The Rural Development Department is primarily responsible for planning, implementation and monitoring of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes designed by the Government of India for alleviation of rural poverty. The strategy has been to identify the people below poverty line (BPL) in rural areas and then helping them with financial assistance in the form of subsidy and loan so that they can start self-employment ventures. The efforts have been further reinforced through supplementary wage employment programmes, on the one hand, and schemes for social welfare and security, on the other. Side by side physical facilities and required basic infrastructure are being created out of the State Plan funds so as to make implementation of social and economic development possible and sustainable. The people’s participation in the programmes is sought through traditional village institutions and Panchayat Raj bodies (now dissolved).
THE DEPARTMENT IS NOW COMMITTED TO CONCRETIZING AND PURSUING THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES:
☞ creation of self-employment opportunities and wage employment avenues for the people below the poverty line with a view to improving the overall quality of life in the rural areas;
☞ employment of women for economic activity and social progress and making them self-relient;
☞ decentralization of authority to promote people’s action and institutionalism of participatory development;
☞ intensification of the focus on collectivism in popular efforts by promoting group activities;
PROGRAMME CONTENTS AND ACHIEVEMENT
Prior to the introduction of IRDP and allied schemes, including wage employment programme from 6th Five year plan, all the individual beneficiary schemes and creation of rural infrastructures were implemented by providing 50% of estimated cost as subsidy and balance 50% was borne by the individuals and community in the shape of the labour and local materials. The field functionaries of the government had received tremendous response from the people through the institution of various traditional village organizations in village reconstruction activities.
The Rural Development Programme was revamped by the Government of India from Sixth Five Year Plan by introduction of IRDP and allied schemes like TRYSEM,. DWCRA, Improved Tool-Kits to Rural Artisans, Ganga Kalyan Yojana and million Wells Schemes for providing income generating assets to the BPL families. Side by side, wage employment programmes like NREP, RLEGP, JRY, EAS, etc., were taken up for providing wage employment avenues to the BPL families during lean season.
The achievement under some of the major programmes are as follows:
I. INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.
