Atmanirbhar Bharat is developing into a mass movement as well as the anchor for policy framework. Focus on rural development seems to be a key step in this direction. Knowing fully well that rural sector demand traditionally remains robust, though the effect is visible due to pandemic which has also caused supply constraints due to supply-chain disruptions, it has been one focus area towards this goal. Knowing fully well that rural sector demand traditionally remains robust, yet as the effect of pandemic is visible, increasing demand has been one focus area. Pandemic has also caused supply constraints due to supply-chain disruptions, hence attending to this aspect too has been vital for Atmanirbhar Bharat.
For productivity enhancement of agri-sector, credit availability has been the main concern in past, esp. that of small farmers, who constitute 80 per cent of the farmer community. ₹ 1,80,000Cr have been provided to more than 11Cr farmer families under PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, providing necessary investment for transformation. Further, the new changes in the crop insurance scheme has allowed more than ₹1,00,000Cr as compensation to about 8Cr farmers.
46% of Indian economy is in the rural area which supports 70% of the population. Only 14% is from agriculture, so non-farm rural sector accounts for over 30% of GDP. Increase in Productivity is the operative part for leap in New India’s growth story.
Construction of roads, resources and infrastructure in rural areas has opened up possibilities for the country which have been neglected for decades. With a rate of more than 100km/day, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana has been instrumental in the construction of 36,500 km of roads in rural areas in 2020–21, connecting thousands of habitations with all-weather roads. Under the Svamitva scheme, more than 40 lakh property cards have been issued in 27,000 villages, where these property cards are not only preventing disputes but are also assisting the rural populations in accessing credit through formal banking setup.
More than 2Cr pucca houses have been provided to the poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in the last few years. Under Jal Jeevan Mission around 6Cr rural households have been provided tap water connection despite the constraints imposed by the pandemic, bringing huge relief to women in particular. Support to rural women central Self-Help Groups, partnering as ‘Banking Sakhi’, resourcing them with Ujjawala Yojana, entrepreneurship promotion through ‘Mudra’ scheme, educating them through ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, have made tremendous changes in the status, outlook and capabilities. Resultant contribution to the growth and development of the rural economy, thereby to national GDP, is going to be many fold.
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