The President Smt. Pratibha Devi Singh Patil has said that India needs to accelerate the pace of its development process to match up with the rapidly developing world and needs to take onboard 70% of the population living in rural areas in this march towards progress to make it a meaningful one. Smt. Patil was addressing the inaugural session of a two days National Conference of the Project Directors of District Rural Development Agencies(DRDA) organized by the Ministry of Rural Development here today. She said The National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme if implemented in letter and spirit will bring out a revolution in rural areas leading not only to to immediate wage-employment generation but, also in the long run, to the rejuvenation of land, water bodies and bio-diversity. She called for sincere and prompt efforts in the implementation of employment generation schemes in the rural areas of the country and exhorted the implementing agencies to plan, implement and monitor the schemes so as to realize the objective of rural development.
Smt. Patil referred to the various ongoing schemes of the Rural Development Ministry namely, the Bharat Nirman, Indira Awaas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana , the swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) and emphasized on the benefits for their potential of bringing about an all round development and welfare in the rural areas. She particularly underlined the importance of Bharat Nirman and its elements for ushering in a new chapter in the process of rural development in India in a time bound manner. The president said that in order to ensure that people’s trust in the development mechanism is not dented it is important that the implementers at grass root level who have a face to face relation with the people play a proactive role in understanding the needs of the people and plan and implement the schemes accordingly. She exorted the Project Directors to take initiatives and play a vital role as change agents for development so that full benefit of different schemes accrues to the poorest of the poor in the rural areas.
Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Shri Montek Singh Ahloowalia said the 11th Plan emphasizes on all the key areas of of rural development so that we can achieve an inclusive growth and 70% of our population are not left out from enjoying the fruit of development and growth. He further said with the strengthening of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, there is a change of circumstances since the the DRDAs were established and the DRDAs are required to adapt to this change in circumstances so that they continue to play an important role in the implementation of the schemes. It is up to the implementing agencies i.e. DRDAs to draw and design the district development plan which are of cardinal importance and a constitutional requirement of our planning process. He called for better convergence at district level between various stakeholder Departments and Ministries etc. so that the funds provided for developmental schemes is utilized in a proper,systematic and transparent way and there is no overlapping of any kind..
Addressing the Project Directors as the “Local Commanders”, in the battle against poverty and unemployment, the Minister for Rural Development Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said they have to play and important role not only as the agents of Government in the district but should also approach the development issue of their respective areas with a humane touch. Dr. Singh said since there is growing emphasis on rural development programmes by the Government at the centre and there is a progressing increase in the availability of funds in the last four years commensurate result and physical achievements can only come if the agencies involved in the task of development at the lowest level is geared up to the optimum. The importance of DRDA require no emphasis as over the years they have been the main stay of the development process at the district level. The minister also indicated that combined with the wage employment guarantee scheme, the SGSY has the potential to wipe out the curse of unemployment from the face of rural India. In view of this the ministry proposes to bring at least one member from each BPL family under the ambit of SHG movement by the end of 11th Plan period. This universalization of SHGs would go a long way in the overall development of the villages. He reiterated the goals under Bharat Nirman and indicated that his Ministry is committed to achieve higher goals from the ones set out under Bharat Nirman by the end of 2009. Dr. Singh also said there has been a great leap in case of rural sanitation coverage, from 21.9% in 2001 it has now touched 50%. He also indicated his sincere desire to reduce the age of eligibility for getting old age pension from present 65 years to 60 years.
The two day conference will have presentations on NREGA and SGRY, SGSY, IAY and DRDA administration. The issues related with Monitoring and evaluation of schemes, Area Development Programmes, Drinking Water Supply and Total Sanitation Campaign and measures related with HIV prtevention control in rural areas will also figure in the presentation process. The conference is expected to evolve meaningful resolutions regarding the better implementation of rural oriented developmental schemes.
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SMK/ST/JA
(Release ID :34957)