Question

What are the challenges facing rural development?

State any three challenges facing rural development in India.

Answer 1

1. In 1961, 82% of India’s population resided in villages. In 1971, the percentage was 80.01%. So far, the rural area has shouldered the responsibility of providing food grains and other raw material to urban areas, supplying labour to the industrial sectors of the city, and taking care of natural resources.
2. There are three major challenges with reference to rural development, namely, bringing about economic development, developing facilities to meet social needs and finally bringing about a change of attitude in matters concerning society, culture and ways of thinking.
3. It is equally necessary to expedite irrigation projects and bring about land reforms.

Answer 2

Some of the main areas that require development in rural India are as follows:

1. Infrastructure development: Basic infrastructure facilities such as electricity, irrigation, availability of credit, transport services, and the construction of village roads and feeder roads connecting to nearby highways are still inadequate. These areas need greater attention from the government for overall rural progress.
2. Removal of poverty: Poverty remains a major problem in rural India and must be addressed seriously to improve the living standards of people, especially those at the lowest level of society. This issue can be reduced by providing better access to productive employment opportunities.
3. Development of Human Capital: Human capital formation is an important concern because of insufficient health and educational facilities in rural areas. Rural human resources can be improved by taking effective steps to strengthen education and healthcare services.