Essay on Rural Development
India is a land of villages. A major portion of our population lives in villages. Cities are few. Obviously, the prosperity of our nation depends upon the prosperity of our villages. Since Independence, Indian villages have undergone quite a lot of change, but there is much more that needs to be done.
Villages still face problems like illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, and scarcity of water and electricity. During the freedom struggle, Gandhiji had called upon students to go to the villages and work for the upliftment of the villagers.
But a student can act only as a part-time social worker. He cannot make changes in the law or influence the basic structure of the village. This has to be done by the government.
Indian villages are looked after by the Panchayats, but very often the Panchayat is helpless in solving the problems of the villagers. This is largely due to lack of funds or government inactivity. In order to develop villages, the government must make suitable laws that will encourage the setting up of small scale and cottage industries preferably agro-based.
This will provide the villagers with regular employment, and a steady source of income. This will also stop their migration to the cities, which are already overcrowded. For rural development, education is of the utmost importance.
Many villages lack schools and teachers. Teachers must be given incentives to go and teach in the villages, and regular checks must be kept on the quality of teaching. Health care is another very important aspect of rural development.
The government and the villagers must together try and see that every village has a primary health centre with good doctors and adequate medicines. An ideal village should have the following: at least one school, a library, 'a health centre, a bank, a post office, and a village hall.
Electricity and good roads should also be provided. Facilities such as pumps for drawing water from wells, arrangements for public sanitation, provision of good seeds and fertilizers should be made. The bank should be capable of giving loans to the villagers for buying cattle, seeds, manure, implements and tools.
Ultimately, every village should be self-sufficient and independent. Education of women should be stressed upon. Antisocial practices such as child marriage, sati, dowry, bride burning and female infanticide should be dealt with firmly. It will take some time for such steps to yield results, but once they are successful, our country will progress tremendously.
prosperity-भरभराट, उत्कर्ष. have undergone-अनुभवलेला आहे inactivityनिष्क्रियता. cottage industry-कुटिरोदयोग. adequate-पुरेसा, पाहिजे तेवढा.