Management of Rural Institutions

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MANAGEMENT OF RURAL INSTITUTIONS IN INDIA

Prof. Mohd.Akbar Ali Khan *

More than 70 per cent of our people live in villages and 80 per cent of our poor also live in rural areas. Thebenefits of economic growth are not percolating to more than two-thirds of our population. The dividebetween the rural and urban areas in terms of economic infrastructure is widening. Crop failures due tounpredictable climatic variations, inability to meet the rising cost of cultivation, and the increasing debtburden, are among the factors that lead our farmers to growing frustration.Despite making spectacular progress in various fields, India still faces poverty, unemployment, ignoranceand socio-economic inequality. New economic forces in the post liberalization period are bringing with themnew opportunities for development and for contributing to nation-building. It is, however, important toensure that our growth is inclusive and that we do not leave anyone behind and that the benefits of development reach everyone, particularly the rural masses that have not been effectively touched by theefforts of six decades of freedom. The policies and programmes formulated to augment economic growthshould also contribute towards improving the lives of the poor and the vulnerable.Agriculture is the backbone of our economy. In recent years, agriculture growth in India has fallen. Thoughthe share of agriculture in the gross domestic product has seen a steady decline from 36.4 per cent in 1982-83 to 18.5 per cent in 2006-07, the sector continues to sustain more than half a billion people, providingemployment to 52 per cent of the workforce. It is an important source of raw material and absorbs manyindustrial products, particularly fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural implements and consumer goods. The veryfact that over a period, the growth in agriculture has remained much lower than the growth in the non-agriculture sectors will explain the unpleasant plight of the rural people. Today there is a greater need thanever before to critically analyze and address the problems facing this rural sector, especially themanagement of rural institutions.Poverty, hunger and healthcare represent some of the major challenges before rural India. The unenviableplight of the landless laborers and small and marginalized farmers can be attributed to factors such asnatural calamities, crop failures, exploitation by moneylenders, lack of adequate supplementary income andlow level of education, besides lack of effective intervention by the state in the form of measures like landreforms. It is a socio-economic phenomenon rooted in structural inequalities and an unjust and in egalitariansocial and economic order.* Professor of Commerce, Department of Commerce, Osmania University, Hyderabad-7(A.P).(maakhan786@gmail.com)

Addressing the problem of unemployment in the rural areas is crucial to improving the economic conditionsof the people. Governments, at the Centre and the States, have adopted multi-pronged approach andseveral initiatives have been launched in recent years to address the challenges in our rural economy. Thepolitical leadership, the bureaucracy, the management of rural institutions and the media have vital roles inthe rural development.Rural development has always been the prime focus of our government since independence. Therefore, itis pertinent that our villages are developed so that the standard of living of people living in villages and ruraltowns can improve. All five years plans were focused towards the special benefit of the rural community.The Government of India and the State government initiated various schemes for development from time totime but the fact remains that it can be effective if not only planned properly but also executedsystematically.

Rural Management is the operation of the rural sector as a system. The management system needsto grasp and conceive the rural programmes and schemes. It is concerned with the transformationof the rural society. While professionalisation and inculcation of management skills are important,it is equally necessary to sensitize the administrators, workers and managers, creating in them anawareness of the major task of their bringing about rural transformation. People's participation andorganization of the poor have political overtones and implications which neither the so-called morefortunate ones in society nor public administrators are prepared to face. It needs creative leadershipand idealism.

Take for example, the successful scheme of rural development, such as, ‘Revolution Flood’,an operation started by the Dairy Development Board; the objective was high production of milk and dairyproducts. The scheme was very successful in Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and theproduction of milk and milk based products jumped exponentially. Further the products were exportedyielding high return of foreign exchange. As a result, farm income increased and the quality of life of thevillagers. Today farmers in these places have more than a dozen of cows or buffaloes and the incomegained is cumulative. This was further carried out in other state in stages and the result has been equallyencouraging. Rural planners have realized that a sustained development process can get the best possibleresult for rural development.Another Scheme is the ‘Green Evolution’. This was yield of food products of export variety. Again, thenorthern states took the lead and produced maximum yield and earning for the country. The import of foodgrains was reduced one-fourth thus saving a lot of money for the country.All these are due to sustained rural development actions. Given the magnitude of our rural population the

Government of India has worked up to the fact that proper rural development will yield good incomeprospects. Therefore, the government is encouraging professionals to set up industry and developmentprocess in rural areas. Secondly, becoming very popular. apart from the Government of India, manyvoluntary agencies and private companies are also supporting rural development and rural management.The knack to work in villages cannot be developed overnight. It is a continuous process of development andthe spirit has to come from within. The government of India has set up a prestigious institute known asIndian Institute of Rural Management at Anand in Gujrat to cater to the growing needs of professionals inrural management. The other avenue open for rural management professional are the research institutes.There are also equal opportunities in agencies like United National and its subsidiary social researchagencies. If one works in a rural area, the basic objective is the upliftment of the rural working and livinglifestyle. This is quite devotion and needs lots of patience. The advantage to work in a village or in a ruralarea is the pollution free environment, the hygienic food and pure water would add more to the health of theperson.

Non-Government agencies like Action Aid and Organization of Rural Development advicesworldwide government for their rural development. Their function is backed by high-end researchfacilities and case study module back up for international sources. Many of the non-governmentalorganization funds are given by the countries like America and the United Kingdom. Their fundingis further supplemented by some development work in the particular region.There are manyinstitutions and projects which corporate houses fund the rural development. This gives thecompany some kind or brand equity and extra mileage. The main work for a rural management professional is planning systematic development of theregion where one is working. Secondly, the person is expected to collect necessary data on topicslike illiteracy rate, nourishment rate, development of women and social relevant information.These data are further classified into broader heads and many plans done accordingly. The entiredevelopment of any project depends on the rural development professional whose sincerity, hardwork, commitment and perfection is of utmost importance.As far as United Nations is concerned, the organization through its other agencies like, United Nations International Children Education Fund. UNICEF and UNESCO contribute a lot to therural development of India. These projects are assigned to individual parties and organizationsspecializing in the particular area.For the Government of India, there are plenty of schemes and projects both handled by the Central

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