Question : Upliftment of Villages

(a) whether the principle of self-reliant village that formed the basis of strong Indian Economy and its reputation as a golden bird, has been destroyed due to colonialism;

(b) if so, whether any steps have been taken to rectify/improve this situation;

(c) whether with the passage of time, the decline in agricultural profit, the dazzling lights of cities, need for modern education and lack of modern amenities have turned villages into were residential centres of Indian housing; and

(d) if so, whether any corrective steps have been taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a) to (d): No Sir. The Ministry of Rural Development is implementing a number of welfare schemes for rural areas of the country viz., Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Deen Dayal Upadhayay – Gramin Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), Rural Self Employment and Training Institutes (RSETIs), Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM) and Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana(SAGY) to bring about overall improvement in the quality of life of the people in rural areas, strengthening of livelihood opportunities, providing minimum guaranteed rural employment, promoting self-employment, skilling of rural youths in various useful trades and entrepreneurship qualities, infrastructure development, provision of social assistance and other basic amenities. These programmes aim to raise the living standard of the people in rural areas and to facilitate an overall development of vilages which furthers the objective of self reliant village and lays the foundation of a strong Indian Economy. The Ministry of Rural Development reviews regularly all the above mentioned schemes/ programmes at various levels like Meeting of Performance Review Committee, Common Review Mission, Third Party Evaluation, National level monitors etc. for effective implementation of its schemes/programmes.

To ensure effective service delivery under these interventions, various field level functionaries are trained and their skills upgraded, collaboration with Panchayati Raj Institutions and elected representatives is strengthened, Community Connect, social auditing and beneficiary connect etc. are reinforced, as well as, effective use of Information Technology and Space Technology is factored into for good governance and transparency. A very strong mechanism for improving the effectiveness of 43 flagship schemes is put in place which provides information to all Hon’ble Members of Parliament for co-ordination and monitoring of schemes on real time basis on a single platform i.e District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA).

In addition to above, the Government is also implementing various schemes for socio-economic upliftment of rural areas and its people through various other Ministries, namely, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, Ujala scheme, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Mission Indradhanush, Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana, Poshan Abhiyan, Jal Jeevan Mission, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, National Food Security Act, Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana etc.