RURAL DEVELOPMENT: A STRATEGY FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN INDIA

Rural development has assumed global attention especially among the developing nations. It has great significance for a country like India where majority of the population, around 65% of the people, live in rural areas. The present strategy of rural development in India mainly focuses on poverty alleviation, better livelihood opportunities, provision of basic amenities and infrastructure facilities through innovative programmes of wage and self-employment. This article overviews the role and function of the Government and its’ programmes for rural development in India. Science and technological interventions in the field of rural development have been discussed briefly and efforts being made to document some of the appropriate technologies developed by several research institutes, organizations suitable for application in rural areas are listed. Besides, the actual realization achieved during the Xth plan and the proposed target and strategy of the XIth plan have been highlighted to showcase the recent trend of developmental activities under the Ministry of Rural Development.