Rural Development Approaches and Strategies

Dr. Radhika Kapur

Abstract
The main objective of this research paper is to understand the approaches and
strategies that are necessary to bring about development of rural communities. In rural
communities, there are number of aspects that need to be developed. These include,
education, employment opportunities, agriculture and farming practices, administration and
management, infrastructure, civic amenities, health care and medical and environmental
conditions. When improvements would take place in these areas, then rural individuals would
be able to secure better livelihoods opportunities. Furthermore, when approaches and
strategies are formulated by the Government, organizations and other agencies, then it is vital
to generate awareness among rural individuals and help them in acquiring benefits of these
measures and approaches in an appropriate manner. The main areas that have been taken into
account in this research paper include, development objectives of rural areas, components of
rural development policy, approaches for rural development, strategies of rural development
and other strategies promoting rural development.
Keywords: Approaches, Capabilities, Policies, Rural Development, Strategies
When one is researching upon the concept of rural development, then it is referred to
the overall development of rural communities. It is a multi-dimensional and a comprehensive
concept, which takes into consideration, number of aspects, these include, agriculture and
allied activities, village and cottage industries, farming practices, system of education,
training centres, health care and medical facilities, environmental conditions, housing
accommodation, infrastructure, technology, skills development opportunities for the
individuals, administration and management practices, employment opportunities and human
resource development. When the individuals are researching upon the aspects, which promote
backwardness of rural communities, then it is vital for them to take into consideration
measures, policies and programs that would promote development of all the above stated
aspects. In rural communities, the individuals are experiencing the problems of poverty,
illiteracy and unemployment to a major extent. Therefore, measures and policies also need to
put emphasis upon alleviation of these problems.
The development of rural communities is the ultimate outcome of the transactions
between physical, technological, economic, socio-cultural and institutional factors. The
approaches and the strategies need to be designed to bring about improvements, primarily in
the living conditions of the individuals, belonging to deprived, marginalized and socio-
economically backward sections of the society. To promote the development of rural areas, it
is necessary to represent an intersection between agricultural, social, managerial, behavioural
and engineering sciences (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in
India, n.d.). When there are implementation of policies, practices, strategies and approaches
aiming at rural development, then the individuals need to generate awareness in terms of
deficient areas and challenges, which the rural individuals are experiencing. The
organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and integration with each
other to achieve the desired goals and objectives. Many developing countries have been
working effectively towards development of rural communities and have received significant
outcomes.
Development Objectives of Rural Areas
When acquiring an understanding of rural development approaches and strategies, it is
essential to acquire an efficient understanding of areas in rural communities, which are in a
backward and underdeveloped state and which need to be improved. When the individuals
are involved in the implementation of strategies and approaches, then they need to be aware
of major objectives of rural individuals. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4.
Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Improvement of Economic Capabilities
In order to bring about improvements in the living conditions and overall quality of
lives, it is necessary to generate a source of income. In rural areas, agriculture and farming
practices are stated as the major occupations of the individuals. Apart from these, they are
engaged in the production and manufacturing of handicrafts, silk weaving, pottery making,
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that involvement in employment opportunities and
occupations are the major objectives of not only individuals residing in urban communities,
but also rural individuals. In the agriculture sector, strategies need to focus upon bringing
about improvements in agricultural productivity and marketing of agricultural products. It is
vital for the farmers and agricultural labourers to put into operation, innovative and scientific
methods to augment production. Agricultural income can be increased through the
implementation of two comprehensive methods. These are, stabilizing the prices of
agricultural products and intermediary exploitation and improving agricultural productivity
and infrastructure.
To bring about improvements in agricultural productivity, one gets involved in the
production of multiple crops, by making use of advanced agricultural techniques.
Introduction of modern irrigation methods is regarded as one of the strategies of improving
agricultural infrastructure. The main aspects that need to be taken into consideration to
improve agricultural productivity are, development of small-irrigation systems, i.e.
construction of irrigation systems and development of water user associations; capacity
building for agricultural extension workers, i.e. improvement of cultivation techniques,
improvements in the production of crops and vegetables and agroforestry; empowerment of
community based activities for farming, i.e. organization of shipping and distributive co-
operatives and rice banks and comprehensive rural and agricultural development, i.e.
integrated projects with the development of small-scale irrigation, capacity building for the
agricultural workers and strengthening of the community-based activities for farming. The
improvements made in these areas, would render an effective contribution in augmenting
productivity and profitability through engagement in agriculture and farming practices.
Improvement of Human Capabilities
When improvement of human capabilities is taken into consideration, then emphasis
is put upon one’s health conditions and educational levels. In rural communities, health
conditions of the individuals are regarded to be in a deprived state. When the individuals are
experiencing health problems or illnesses, then they would certainly experience problems in
getting involved in any tasks or activities. Therefore, improvements need to be initiated in
rural communities, and bringing about developments in the health care and medical facilities
is regarded to be of major significance. In rural communities, health care and medical centres
are not in a well-developed state. The individuals in most cases are required to migrate to
urban areas to obtain medical treatment. When the elderly individuals or other individuals
within the family experience illnesses, then the other family members are required to leave
their work and take care of ailing members. Hence, due to this, they experience a decline in
productivity. Therefore, augmentation of medical and health care centres is crucial for rural
development.
For the purpose of generating income, it is vital to bring about improvements in the
educational standards. Literacy skills enable the individuals to read manuals on agricultural
techniques and equipment, thus leading to an increase in agricultural productivity. When the
individuals possess the basic literacy skills, they can easily acquire information in terms of
policies, measures and programs that have been put into operation, leading to their well-
being. Furthermore, they are able to carry out various tasks and activities in a manageable
manner, including the implementation of household responsibilities, health care, diet and
nutrition, child development and so forth. When they are engaged in the production
processes, then they would be able to acquire satisfactory information in terms of marketing
strategies and approaches and able to enhance productivity and profitability. In rural
communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state and major cause for
this is inadequate financial resources. For bringing about improvements in educational
standards in rural communities, it is necessary to recruit skilled and qualified teachers,
enhance teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies, improve infrastructure and
overall school environmental conditions.
Improvement of Protective Capabilities
The protective capabilities are referred to the capabilities of the individuals to protect
them from various problems and difficulties. These are particularly the ones, which prove to
be impediments within the course of their progression. These problems are poverty,
malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment, natural disasters and crime and violence. In rural
communities, when there are occurrence of natural calamities and disasters, then rural
individuals are required to experience detrimental effects to a major extent. The cultivated
land gets easily damaged from floods, erosion, earthquakes etc. The rural individuals, who
are residing in the conditions of poverty, do not possess adequate resources to sustain their
living conditions sufficiently. Therefore, it is vital for them to be aware of the measures and
strategies that are needed to preserve the natural environmental conditions and their well-
being. The protection of forests is not only effectual in the alleviation of natural disasters,
such as, floods, but also protecting land from top-soil erosion and generating awareness in
terms of financial management, hygiene and sanitation.
The rural individuals need to recognize the significance of education. It is vital for
them to get enrolled in educational institutions and training centres and generate information
in terms of various strategies and concepts. Acquisition of education in terms of various
strategies and concepts, would help the individuals to differentiate between appropriate and
inappropriate, provide solutions to various problems, look for employment and income
generation opportunities and sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner. In order
to eliminate illiteracy, there have been establishment of adult education centres in rural
communities, to provide training to adults. These adults, have either never been to school
before, or have dropped out, before their educational skills are honed. There have been
implementation of programs and measures, which aim at promoting welfare of the rural
individuals. The main areas, upon which these measures are focused upon include, agriculture
and farming practices, education and training opportunities, employment opportunities, skills
development, law and order, management and administration, infrastructure development,
development of civic amenities, environmental preservation methods and so forth.
Improvement of Political Capabilities
Political capabilities are the capabilities that facilitate the participation of the
individuals in policy-making and in the making of decisions, on an independent basis in
situations, where human rights are guaranteed. The rural development approaches have the
main objective to make the development plans corresponding to the various conditions of the
rural communities and to implement the projects through community participation.
Development assistance, which responds rapidly to the local needs and requirements, needs
to work in integration and co-operation with the governments. For this reason,
decentralization is regarded as an important factor in the local community development.
Appropriate decentralization measures are required in the rural development activities. The
major activities include, capacity building of the central governments and improvements in
laws and financial management for decentralization. The rural development projects should
be consistent with the local government development plans. If there are differences, then
impediments would take place in the achievement of the desired objectives.
The improvements in the administrative capabilities of the local governments is
required for policy making and sustainability, based upon local conditions. The formulation
of development plans requires the incorporation of local opinions, community participation
and utilization of existing local resources. The administrative officers, who are involved in
the implementation of management and administrative functions, need to possess the
essential skills and abilities. One of the major aspects is, individuals need to be aware in
terms of areas, which are deficient and are required to get improved. The development of
political capabilities among rural individuals, also focus upon their participation in the
decision making processes and other political activities. The management and leadership
capabilities of the administrators and leaders should be improved. The individuals, who are in
charge of planning and administrative functions need to augment their skills and capabilities
on a continuous basis. For leading to improvements in skills and capabilities, there have been
provision of training opportunities. The location of training centres in terms of administrative,
managerial and leadership skills are mostly in urban communities.
Components of Rural Development Policy
The policies that are formulated to bring about rural development are required to
incorporate the components, which have been stated as follows:
Environmental Conditions - The first component is the individual and his
environment. The individuals need to develop the skills and abilities to make effective use of
resources that the natural environmental conditions are providing. On the other hand, the
individuals are required to generate awareness in terms of various strategies and approaches
that are required for the preservation of the environment. Curbing various forms of pollution
is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals need to be aware of various
strategies and methods for keeping the water bodies and environmental conditions clean.
Furthermore, they should be aware of making effective use of resources to improve the living
conditions.
Ecological Settings - The second component focuses upon ecological setting.
Ecological setting refers to the principle biophysical characteristics at multiple scales that
have a strong influence upon the composition, structure, and function of the particular
ecosystem, over a long period of time and serve to describe and distinguish it ecologically.
The major aspects that need to be taken into account in the case of ecological settings are,
wetness, soil depth, temperature, solar exposure and wind exposure that define the ecological
characteristics (Conservation Assessment and Prioritization System, n.d.). It is vital for the
rural individuals to possess adequate information, in terms of these traits, particularly when
they are engaged in agriculture and farming practices.
Technology - The third component of rural development is making use of technology.
The rural individuals have recognized the significance of technology. They are aware that
making use of technical methods would make their tasks and activities manageable. In the
present existence, they are making use of technical methods in the agriculture sector, farming
practices and production and manufacturing of goods. In addition to the use of technology in
the implementation of tasks and activities, individuals are also making use of it, in the form
of mobile phones and computers to augment their knowledge and information. The elderly
individuals and home-makers usually make use of it for leisure and recreational purposes.
Infrastructure - The development of infrastructure is integral to the development of
rural areas. The infrastructural facilities that need to be developed in rural communities are,
roads, transportation, communications, power supplies, water supplies, public services,
broadcasting and telecommunications. In rural households, individuals experience shortage of
power supplies and water supplies. They are required to fetch water from the wells or water
bodies, located nearby. The conditions of roads and modes of transportation are not in a well-
developed state, which are imposing problems for the individuals in transferring from one
place to another. Therefore, developments made in the infrastructural facilities are integral to
rural development.
Self-Reliance – When focusing upon rural development, the development of
individuals is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals are mostly illiterate
and unaware. They are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and possess
traditional viewpoints and perspectives. Their lives are primarily based upon their
perspectives and viewpoints. In order to promote their well-being, it is necessary to promote
self-reliance among individuals. This can be brought about through mobilization of resources,
local initiatives and participation of the individuals in various tasks and activities, which may
be social, political, cultural, economic and religious (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
Law and Order – In rural communities, the establishment of law and order enables the
individuals to organize tasks and activities in accordance to the rules and policies. Law and
order is referred to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity, which the citizens are required
to put into operation for obeying the law of land (Chapter III. Role in Maintenance of Law
and Order of District, n.d.). For instance, there has been prevalence of discriminatory
treatment and criminal and violent acts within rural communities. Through the
implementation of law and order, the individuals, who are doers, get subjected to disciplinary
action. Therefore, the main objective of law and order is to ensure the individuals make
provision of equal rights and opportunities to both males and females. Furthermore, there
should not be any kind of discrimination on the basis of any factors, including, caste, creed,
race, religion, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background. The individuals should
inculcate the traits of morality and ethics among themselves, for leading to progression of
themselves as well as the community as a whole.
Education – The education is regarded as the main instrument that lays the foundation
for the individuals to lead to progress in all areas and enrich their overall quality of lives. In
rural communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state. In schools, the
teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies are not put into practice in an effective
manner, there is lack of infrastructure, facilities and amenities and shortage of qualified and
experienced teachers. Measures need to be formulated to bring about improvements in these
aspects, so there would be an increase in the enrolment of students in schools. Acquisition of
education would enable the individuals to augment their skills and abilities, so they can carry
out tasks and activities to sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner.
Training Programs – The development of training programs among rural communities
is essential for the progression and well-being of the individuals as well as to enable them to
augment productivity and profitability. Agriculture is regarded as the major occupation of the
individuals in rural areas. In order to enhance productivity, it is vital for the individuals to get
enrolled in training programs and acquire knowledge in terms of modern and innovative
methods and strategies. There have been establishment of training centres, which are
providing knowledge and rendering an effective contribution in the up-gradation of skills of
the individuals. The different areas include, health care, diet and nutrition, child development,
handicrafts and artworks, and so forth.
Distributive Justice – The distributive justice involves operationalization of the value
of access entails exercises of power and authority. It follows both the matter of common
sense and empirical observation. The creation, structuring, reinforcement and boundaries of
access opportunities will be related to the main features of distribution of management and
power within society. To the extent, power needs conversion into authority, the value of
access by itself will not be ignored. On the other hand, considerations of power, in the here
and now sense will not be sacrificed in the pursuance of the desired goals and objectives. The
legal systems make provision of access institutions, rather than dispute institutions (Baxi,
1976).
Medical and Health Care – The establishment of health care centres are regarded to
be of utmost significance, as individuals, belonging to all age groups and backgrounds are
required to take care of their health care needs and requirements. When the individuals are in
good health, then they would be able to effectively get involved in the implementation of
various tasks and activities. These include, management of household responsibilities, child
development, agricultural and allied activities, taking care of needs and requirements of
elderly family members, participation in social, political, religious, economic and cultural
programs and carrying out daily routine activities. In old age, individuals are required to pay
adequate attention towards one’s health care and obtain regular medical check-ups.
Approaches for Rural Development
India has acquired vast experience in the implementation of rural development
programs. Within the course of time, there have been changes made in the approaches to rural
development and transformations have also been taking place in area planning. The main
purpose of these approaches is to bring about developments of various areas that would
render an effective contribution in making the lives of the individuals productive. The
important areas include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing. When these approaches are implemented, then it also needs to
ensure that they produce the desired outcomes in a rapid manner and accelerate the growth
and development of rural communities. When the resources available are limited, then the
rural individuals need to make sure that they make adequate use of them and not cause any
wastage (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
India has a long history of experimenting with various approaches of rural
development. It is been believed by the individuals since the past that effective growth and
development of the communities and nation, as a whole will take place, when developments
of vital areas will take place in rural communities. Since the country achieved its
independence, there have been introduction of several programs to initiate development of
rural communities. The planning for rural development has acquired the attention of policy-
makers, along with the national plan for economic development. India adopted both the
centralized and the decentralized planning models in the process of planned economic
development (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches to rural development that have been stated in the five year plans have
been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India,
n.d.).
The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956), adopted the Harrod - Domer model of capital
accumulation and saving mobilization as a methodological approach. The Community
Development Program (CPD) was put into practice to achieve the desired objective.
The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961) was based upon the Feldman - Mahalnobis
model of sectorial growth. This strategy invested in the strategies to achieve industrialization,
which is considered as the main aspect of economic development.
In the Third Five Year Plan (1961-1966), all round agricultural development was
envisaged. The increase in the agricultural production and allied activities received top
priority during this plan period. Agricultural programs such as, Intensive Agricultural Area
Development Program (IAADP) and High Yield Varieties Program (HYVP) were
implemented within the country.
During the annual plans (1966-1969), few more programs were implemented to
achieve all round development. The important programs were, Farmers Training and
Education Programs, Rural Works Program (RWP), Tribal Development Block, Rural
Manpower Program and Composite Program for Women and Child Development.
During the Fourth Five Year Plan (1969-1974), efforts were initiated in the name of
“Growth with Social Justice” towards uplifting the deprived, marginalized and economically
weaker sections of the society. The important rural development programs were, Small
Farmers Development Agency (SFDA), Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers
Development Agency (MFAL), Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP) and Tribal Area
Development Program (TADP).
The Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-1979) was based on the inter-sectorial transactions
model of Leontif, which has put emphasis upon the strengthening of the inter-sectorial
linkages for balanced growth of the sectors. The major programs that were introduced are,
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Programs (HADP),
Minimum Needs Program (MNP), Food for Work Program (FWP) and 20-Point economic
program.
The Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-1985), aimed at the removal of poverty, growth,
modernization, self-reliance and social justice. To attain the all-round development of rural
communities, one single program, which was called the ‘Integrated Rural Development
Program’ (IRDP) was introduced. IRDP is regarded as the multi-sector, multi-level and multi-
section concept of rural development. The other programs that were introduced are, National
Rural Employment Program (NREP), Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Program
(RLEGP), Economic Rehabilitation of Rural Poor (ERRP), Training of Rural Youth for Self-
Employment (TRYSEM), Self-Employment for the Educated Unemployed Youth (SEEVY)
and Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA).
The important objectives of the Seventh Five Year Plan (1985-1990) were to build an
independent self-reliant economy, establishment of social system, based on equity and justice,
reduction of regional imbalance and implementation of advanced technologies. Some of the
rural infrastructural programs that have been introduced during this plan period are, Indira
Awaas Yojana (IAY), Integrated Rural Energy Planning Program (IREP), Jawahar Rozgar
Yojana (JRY) and Million Wells Scheme (MWS).
In the Eighth Five Year Plan (1992-1997), the important objectives were, generation
of employment opportunities, universalization of elementary education, provision of safe
drinking water and primary health care facilities and reinforcement of the infrastructural
facilities. The programs that were introduced were, Intensified Jawahar Rozgar Yojana
(IJRY), Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS), Operation Black Board (OBB) and District
Primary Education Program (DPEP).
The Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) aimed at generating employment opportunities
in the secondary sector, all round development of the agriculture sector, strengthening of the
rural economy through the establishment of agro-based industries, small-scale industries,
cottage industries and alleviation of poverty. The important anti-poverty programs include,
IRDP, TRYSEM, IAY, JRY, IJRY, DPAP, EAS and so forth.
Changes are required to be brought about in the rural development strategies in
accordance to the needs and requirements of the community. In the Tenth Five Year Plan
(2002-2007), the participatory strategy has been introduced by the Government to promote
rural development. Measures have been formulated to augment the social and economic
opportunities for the individuals by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. The Government of India has launched the ‘Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme’. In addition, attention has been paid towards development of rural infrastructure and
rural health. The important programs that were introduced to achieve these objectives are,
Gram Sadak Yojana and National Rural Health Mission (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches for rural development need to focus upon making provision of
remedies to the problems, experienced by rural individuals. These problems mainly include,
poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and homelessness. When improvements need to be made in
rural communities, then it is vital to pay adequate attention to urban communities, as they are
regarded as the main consumers of agricultural produce. In order to bring about effective
solutions to these problems, it is vital to formulate measures, programs and schemes, which
are dedicated towards alleviating these problems and bringing about improvements in the
overall living conditions of the individuals. Therefore, it is clear that improvements need to
be brought about in the traditional rural development approaches (Chapter 4. Effective
Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Development of rural areas is dependent upon assistance from the international
countries. However, there have been restraints upon the external inputs, due to the deprived
financial conditions of the donors. As a result, the augmentation of rural development
requires effective external inputs to generate significant outcomes and is capable of
endangering further improvements. Development issues must therefore be comprehensively
understood, as appropriate understanding would facilitate the achievement of desired
objectives. In rural communities, it is vital to make maximum use of human and material
resources (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.). The approaches to
effective rural development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for
Rural Development, n.d.).
Endogenous Development
Endogenous development is the development that puts emphasis upon the
comprehensive local development for human rights advocacy, human development and
qualitative progress of the living standards, based on environmental conservation and
sustainable social development. To implement a developmental approach that promotes inter-
industrial relationships, it is necessary to take into consideration, comprehensive utilization of
human resources, techniques, industries, methods, financial resources, materials, equipment,
cultures and networks that have the main objective of leading to progress. In addition,
necessary regulations and instructions are also required to promote co-operation between
cities and local economy. Furthermore, the participation of the community is also regarded as
indispensable in the formulation of measures and policies. The establishment of local
autonomy is required through community participation, decentralization and self-governance.
Another aspect to promote endogenous development is carried out through the project
implementation bodies.
Participatory Development
The development of human and physical resources in rural communities requires
recognition of the fact that local individuals themselves are the main implementers of
development projects. The rural individuals are in a backward state, therefore, when they
would make provision of ideas and perspectives, then they would be able to generate
awareness and acquire information in terms of various aspects and would improve their
overall quality of lives. When the rural individuals are participating actively, then their
participation would be productive. On the other hand, when they would participate passively,
then they would be more dependent upon the external inputs. Projects that rural individuals
plan and implement on their own is given priority as local materials and human resources are
required to get organized in more operative manner. Local independence and sustainable
development of the project outcomes are improved by the effective use of local resources.
Strategies of Rural Development
The strategies for rural development are based upon rural development approaches.
Improvements have been brought about in these strategies, after the country achieved it
independence. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The Multi-purpose Strategy
The rural development approach within the country began with the multi-purpose
approach. The Community Development Program (CPD) began in 1952. It had the main
objective of promoting development of material and human resources through the co-
operative efforts of the individuals and assistance available from the state. It was regarded as
an educational and an organizational process. Since, it also aimed at bringing about changes
in the practices and procedures, which proved to be barriers within the course of
implementation of desired objectives. The major objective was social and economic
improvement. The rationale of the approach was, all aspects were linked with each other. The
activities of CPD included, agriculture, animal husbandry, irrigation, water resources, co-
operation, village and small scale industries, health and sanitation, communication, housing
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that development of welfare and livelihoods
opportunities was one of the primary objectives of multi-purpose strategy.
Growth Oriented Strategy
The growth oriented strategy was based on rural individuals. Though rural individuals
are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness, but they also possess sharp mind-
sets and can make wise decisions. In order to participate in effective decision making
processes, they should be provided with rights and opportunities. The main objective of rural
individuals is to enhance their living conditions and to achieve this purpose, they are looking
for employment and income generating opportunities. Therefore, it can be stated that the
implementation of opportunities that would promote growth of the individuals in an
efficacious manner are referred to as growth oriented strategies. Agricultural sector is the
major area of employment and livelihood opportunities for the rural individuals, therefore,
the implementation of programs, such as, Intensive Agriculture District Program (IADP),
Intensive Cattle Development Program (ICDP) and High Yielding Varieties Program (HYVP)
was launched. This gave rise to Green Revolution. But this strategy provided assistance to
wealthier farmers. On the other hand, the deprived farmers remained in a backward state.
Target Group Strategy
In the target group strategy, a particular group is undertaken and researched upon.
Normally, as in this case, strategies for rural development are being researched upon.
Therefore, conditions may be analysed of small and marginal farmers, as well as wealthier
farmers. The conditions of small and marginal farmers are not in an improved state. They are
residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and therefore are unaware of modern
and innovative strategies and methods that are considered essential to augment production.
They are instead making use of traditional farming practices and methods in the production
processes. On the other hand, wealthy farmers are making use of technical and scientific
methods to enhance production. It has been studied upon that farmers are getting enrolled in
training centres and educational institutions to develop their knowledge and generate
awareness in terms of scientific, modern and innovative methods and practices. The
Antyodaya Schemes is the target approach. This approach produced the client-oriented design
and the ultimate goal is to transfer the responsibilities of planning and development to the
clientele themselves.
Area Development Strategy
Under the area development strategy, emphasis has been put upon the development of
backward regions. This strategy presumes that the growth centres have a geographical spread
effect that the regions, which are deficient in terms of resources or infrastructure etc. needs to
be adequately developed. The major programs that have been formulated under this strategy
are, Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP), Tribal Area Development Program (TADP),
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Program and so
forth. The tribal population is scattered throughout the country. They are mostly residing in
hilly and mountainous regions. They are dependent upon the natural environmental
conditions for their survival. Therefore, it is vital to implement measures and formulate
strategies that are focused upon the development of tribal areas. In order to generate the
desired outcomes, it is necessary to allocate the resources in an appropriate manner, so
development of backward regions can promote well-being of the individuals.
Spatial Planning Strategy
The spatial planning strategy is the strategy that demands for implementation of
special programs in their respective locations, induction of the production plans, employment
programs and supply of basic needs of rural population. In order to achieve these objectives,
the programs and the strategies need to be rural oriented. In the fifth five year plan, multi-
level planning is the planning that was focused upon to a large extent. In addition to multi-
level planning, it was vital for the individuals to generate awareness in terms of techno-
economic, socio-political and administrative functions. As it is apparent, when improvements
need to be made or when transformations need to be brought about, then emphasis need to be
put upon the implementation of modern and innovative methods. In some of the areas, when
there is lack of materials and resources, then it would lead to hindrances within the course of
achievement of desired objectives. On the other hand, shortage of techniques need to be
analysed and plans should be efficiently put into operation to promote welfare and goodwill
of rural population.
Integrated or Holistic Strategy
Integrated or holistic strategy has been formulated, taking into consideration the
perspective that development should be an integrated one. There is an integration in the
development of areas, regions, infrastructure, education, employment opportunities, human
resources, training, skills development programs and the overall quality of lives of rural
individuals. There are connections established between all the programs, provided they are
infrastructural development programs, human resources development programs, sectorial
development programs, and social welfare programs. The different programs influence the
functioning of others through connections. The integrated strategy combines all the features
of the previous strategies and is structured to achieve the goals and objectives of growth,
welfare, equity and community participation. This paradigm takes an integrated but
comprehensive perspective of major problems that occur within rural communities, including,
poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy. The goals of this strategy are expected to get
accomplished by building the capacity of the community to participate in the development
processes in partnership with the Government. The anti-poverty programs that have been
initiated, i.e. IRD program, National Rural Employment Program, and Training of Rural
Youth for Self-Employment were intended to follow this standard.
Participatory Strategy
During the past two decades, various new approaches like the top-down planning,
planning from below, bottom up planning, micro-level planning and multi-level planning,
have been put into operation within the framework of involving the individuals in the phase
of development. As the name implies, participatory strategy is concerned with the
involvement of individuals in the formulation of strategies and approaches. In the tenth five
year plan, the government has devised participatory strategy to promote the development of
rural communities. Provision has been made to augment social and economic opportunities
for the individuals and groups, by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. In the decision making processes, the individuals are required to conduct an
analysis of the alternatives and put into operation the one, which is most meaningful and
beneficial. When the individuals are participating in the decision making processes, then they
are required to implement rational and logical thinking. The rural individuals are well-aware
in terms of opportunities, which would lead to improvements in their living conditions.
Other Strategies Promoting Rural Development
The other important strategies that have the main purpose of promoting rural
development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural
Development, n.d.).
Anti-poverty Measures
Poverty is regarded as one of the major problems experienced by rural individuals.
The conditions of poverty are characterised by scarcity of resources, due to which,
individuals experience problems even in fulfilling their basic needs of food, clothing and
shelter. The alleviation of conditions of poverty is given utmost consideration for the purpose
of promoting effective living. The increase in rural poverty has been observed with the
increase in national poverty (Rural Development Strategy, n.d.). In the development and
progression of rural development activities, primarily for the purpose of alleviation of
poverty, it is essential for the individuals to adequately conduct an analysis of the poverty
levels. Furthermore, it also needs to be taken into consideration, how the levels of poverty are
causing unfavourable effects upon the lives of individuals. The government, agencies and
other organizations are paying attention to the problem of poverty and are implementing
programs and measures to alleviate it. The commitment of these organizations and agencies,
accumulation of the know-how applicable to other areas and training of human resources are
some of the crucial measures that need to be taken into consideration. The training of human
resources is regarded as an indispensable approach to achieve the desired objectives.
Food Production
There are cases of project implementation in terms of development of food areas. For
alleviating the problem of malnutrition and for improving food supply, it is necessary to put
into operation, a comprehensive approach. The formation of the system, which transmits the
lessons to other rural communities and development of agricultural practices need to be
implemented. To augment food production, it is apparent that measures should be put into
practice to improve agricultural productivity. One of the vital measures to augment
agricultural productivity is by making use of modern and innovative methods, scientific
approaches and technologies. The farmers and agricultural labourers get enrolled in training
centres and also pursue educational programs, which may generate awareness among them in
terms of these areas. In addition, there should also be formation of a system to transmit
lessons to other areas that have been learned from model projects. There should be co-
operation between the production plans and agricultural development plans to achieve the
desired goals. The important role of agriculture has been acknowledged in leading to growth
and causing a reduction in rural poverty and malnutrition has been highlighted in the World
Development Report of 2008 (Sector Approaches in Agriculture and Rural Development,
2008).
Conservation of the Natural Environment
The rural individuals are dependent upon the natural environmental conditions for
meeting their daily needs and requirements to a major extent. They normally experience
shortage of water within their homes. Water is considered as the basic necessity and hence,
they obtain it from the wells and water bodies located nearby. Rural individuals, in some
cases are also dependent upon natural environmental conditions for treating their wounds and
illnesses. They obtain herbs and medicinal plants from the forests. Another important benefit
of the forests is, individuals obtain fruits and vegetables for satisfying their nutritional
requirements. In addition, the promotion of effective forest-resource use and the combination
of alternative techniques, such as the use of biogas and cow manure are also required. As in
rural households, individuals usually make use of mud stoves and require wood, which they
obtain from forests. Hence, after acquiring information in terms of these aspects, it is vital for
the rural individuals to formulate measures in terms of preservation of the natural
environment. The efforts to promote local or indigenous agricultural systems, increasing
awareness regarding biodiversity conservation, food security and contribution to natural
landscape and cultural heritage are significant factors in promoting livelihoods security and
sustainable development of rural individuals (Participatory and Negotiated Territorial
Development, 2005).
Reconstruction Support
The term ‘reconstruction’ is primarily related to the construction of houses, shelters,
schools, training centres, hospitals, medical centres, market places and other public places.
These areas are vital in not only leading to effective growth and development of the
individuals, but also community as a whole. When there would be establishment of schools,
educational institutions and training centres, then individuals would recognize the
significance of education and augment their academic skills. The availability of health care
and medical centres, would support the individuals in taking care of their health and well-
being. Market places will enable individuals to make purchases of various items. Public
places are referred to the places, which are visited by public. These include, parks,
playground, theatres, religious places and so forth. Apart from the construction of these
places, it needs to be ensured that in rural communities, infrastructural facilities and civic
amenities need to be developed in an appropriate manner. Policies need to be formulated, so
the households should not experience scarcity of water and electricity. Water, electricity and
lighting facilities within households are regarded to be of utmost significance, which would
enable the individuals to implement their tasks and sustain their living conditions in an
efficient manner.
Administrative Capabilities
The administrative capabilities within rural communities need to take into
consideration the aspect that administrative functions and law and order practices need to get
carried out in an appropriate manner. Most of the developing countries are in the process of
decentralization. It is crucial for the local administrative officers to possess skills and
aptitude, particularly in terms of policy making in multi-sectorial local development and on
industrial development, including agriculture and farming practices. Capacity building of the
local administrative officers is regarded to be a prominent area and is implemented through
mutual co-operation with the governments. The administrative functions cannot be carried
out in isolation. When administration and managerial policies need to be formulated, then the
governments, organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and
integration. Furthermore, the dispatches of the policy advisors to the central governments are
also considered important to a major extent. The reason being, sending individuals to the
number of local governments is required to be put into operation by donor agencies. The
administrative capabilities also focus upon maintenance of law and order. Women and girls
should be provided with equal rights and opportunities. There should not be any
discriminatory treatment between individuals on the basis of factors, such as, gender, caste,
creed, race, religion, ethnicity, age and socio-economic background.
Conclusion
The primary objective of acquiring understanding in terms of rural development
approaches and strategies is to recognize the effective contributions that they make towards
leading to effective growth and progression of rural communities. Generating information in
terms of rural development objectives is the first and foremost aspect. These are,
improvement of economic capabilities, improvement of human capabilities, improvement of
protective capabilities and improvement of political capabilities. The components of rural
development policy are, environmental conditions, ecological settings, technology,
infrastructure, self-reliance, law and order, education, training programs, distributive justice
and medical and health care. When the rural development policies are initiated, then they
have the major objective of ensuring that the components are taken into account in an
appropriate manner. The main purpose of approaches is to promote development of various
areas. These include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing.
The five year plans included the implementation of programs and schemes that
focused upon development of rural communities. The strategies for rural development are,
multi-purpose strategy, growth oriented strategy, target group strategy, area development
strategy, spatial planning strategy, integrated or holistic strategy and participatory strategy.
The other strategies promoting rural development are, anti-poverty measures, food
production, conservation of the natural environment, reconstruction support and
administrative capabilities. In rural communities, individuals have recognized the
significance of education. They have also generated information that making use of modern
and scientific methods and technology in the production processes will lead to increase in
productivity and profitability. But the conditions of poverty, malnutrition and scarcity of
resources are proving to be major impediments within the course of achievement of the
desired objectives. Hence, the main purpose of other strategies is to form the overall rural
environmental conditions in such a manner that would lead to effective growth and
development of individuals and communities.
Rural Development Approaches and Strategies
Dr. Radhika Kapur
Abstract
The main objective of this research paper is to understand the approaches and
strategies that are necessary to bring about development of rural communities. In rural
communities, there are number of aspects that need to be developed. These include,
education, employment opportunities, agriculture and farming practices, administration and
management, infrastructure, civic amenities, health care and medical and environmental
conditions. When improvements would take place in these areas, then rural individuals would
be able to secure better livelihoods opportunities. Furthermore, when approaches and
strategies are formulated by the Government, organizations and other agencies, then it is vital
to generate awareness among rural individuals and help them in acquiring benefits of these
measures and approaches in an appropriate manner. The main areas that have been taken into
account in this research paper include, development objectives of rural areas, components of
rural development policy, approaches for rural development, strategies of rural development
and other strategies promoting rural development.
Keywords: Approaches, Capabilities, Policies, Rural Development, Strategies
When one is researching upon the concept of rural development, then it is referred to
the overall development of rural communities. It is a multi-dimensional and a comprehensive
concept, which takes into consideration, number of aspects, these include, agriculture and
allied activities, village and cottage industries, farming practices, system of education,
training centres, health care and medical facilities, environmental conditions, housing
accommodation, infrastructure, technology, skills development opportunities for the
individuals, administration and management practices, employment opportunities and human
resource development. When the individuals are researching upon the aspects, which promote
backwardness of rural communities, then it is vital for them to take into consideration
measures, policies and programs that would promote development of all the above stated
aspects. In rural communities, the individuals are experiencing the problems of poverty,
illiteracy and unemployment to a major extent. Therefore, measures and policies also need to
put emphasis upon alleviation of these problems.
The development of rural communities is the ultimate outcome of the transactions
between physical, technological, economic, socio-cultural and institutional factors. The
approaches and the strategies need to be designed to bring about improvements, primarily in
the living conditions of the individuals, belonging to deprived, marginalized and socio-
economically backward sections of the society. To promote the development of rural areas, it
is necessary to represent an intersection between agricultural, social, managerial, behavioural
and engineering sciences (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in
India, n.d.). When there are implementation of policies, practices, strategies and approaches
aiming at rural development, then the individuals need to generate awareness in terms of
deficient areas and challenges, which the rural individuals are experiencing. The
organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and integration with each
other to achieve the desired goals and objectives. Many developing countries have been
working effectively towards development of rural communities and have received significant
outcomes.
Development Objectives of Rural Areas
When acquiring an understanding of rural development approaches and strategies, it is
essential to acquire an efficient understanding of areas in rural communities, which are in a
backward and underdeveloped state and which need to be improved. When the individuals
are involved in the implementation of strategies and approaches, then they need to be aware
of major objectives of rural individuals. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4.
Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Improvement of Economic Capabilities
In order to bring about improvements in the living conditions and overall quality of
lives, it is necessary to generate a source of income. In rural areas, agriculture and farming
practices are stated as the major occupations of the individuals. Apart from these, they are
engaged in the production and manufacturing of handicrafts, silk weaving, pottery making,
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that involvement in employment opportunities and
occupations are the major objectives of not only individuals residing in urban communities,
but also rural individuals. In the agriculture sector, strategies need to focus upon bringing
about improvements in agricultural productivity and marketing of agricultural products. It is
vital for the farmers and agricultural labourers to put into operation, innovative and scientific
methods to augment production. Agricultural income can be increased through the
implementation of two comprehensive methods. These are, stabilizing the prices of
agricultural products and intermediary exploitation and improving agricultural productivity
and infrastructure.
To bring about improvements in agricultural productivity, one gets involved in the
production of multiple crops, by making use of advanced agricultural techniques.
Introduction of modern irrigation methods is regarded as one of the strategies of improving
agricultural infrastructure. The main aspects that need to be taken into consideration to
improve agricultural productivity are, development of small-irrigation systems, i.e.
construction of irrigation systems and development of water user associations; capacity
building for agricultural extension workers, i.e. improvement of cultivation techniques,
improvements in the production of crops and vegetables and agroforestry; empowerment of
community based activities for farming, i.e. organization of shipping and distributive co-
operatives and rice banks and comprehensive rural and agricultural development, i.e.
integrated projects with the development of small-scale irrigation, capacity building for the
agricultural workers and strengthening of the community-based activities for farming. The
improvements made in these areas, would render an effective contribution in augmenting
productivity and profitability through engagement in agriculture and farming practices.
Improvement of Human Capabilities
When improvement of human capabilities is taken into consideration, then emphasis
is put upon one’s health conditions and educational levels. In rural communities, health
conditions of the individuals are regarded to be in a deprived state. When the individuals are
experiencing health problems or illnesses, then they would certainly experience problems in
getting involved in any tasks or activities. Therefore, improvements need to be initiated in
rural communities, and bringing about developments in the health care and medical facilities
is regarded to be of major significance. In rural communities, health care and medical centres
are not in a well-developed state. The individuals in most cases are required to migrate to
urban areas to obtain medical treatment. When the elderly individuals or other individuals
within the family experience illnesses, then the other family members are required to leave
their work and take care of ailing members. Hence, due to this, they experience a decline in
productivity. Therefore, augmentation of medical and health care centres is crucial for rural
development.
For the purpose of generating income, it is vital to bring about improvements in the
educational standards. Literacy skills enable the individuals to read manuals on agricultural
techniques and equipment, thus leading to an increase in agricultural productivity. When the
individuals possess the basic literacy skills, they can easily acquire information in terms of
policies, measures and programs that have been put into operation, leading to their well-
being. Furthermore, they are able to carry out various tasks and activities in a manageable
manner, including the implementation of household responsibilities, health care, diet and
nutrition, child development and so forth. When they are engaged in the production
processes, then they would be able to acquire satisfactory information in terms of marketing
strategies and approaches and able to enhance productivity and profitability. In rural
communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state and major cause for
this is inadequate financial resources. For bringing about improvements in educational
standards in rural communities, it is necessary to recruit skilled and qualified teachers,
enhance teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies, improve infrastructure and
overall school environmental conditions.
Improvement of Protective Capabilities
The protective capabilities are referred to the capabilities of the individuals to protect
them from various problems and difficulties. These are particularly the ones, which prove to
be impediments within the course of their progression. These problems are poverty,
malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment, natural disasters and crime and violence. In rural
communities, when there are occurrence of natural calamities and disasters, then rural
individuals are required to experience detrimental effects to a major extent. The cultivated
land gets easily damaged from floods, erosion, earthquakes etc. The rural individuals, who
are residing in the conditions of poverty, do not possess adequate resources to sustain their
living conditions sufficiently. Therefore, it is vital for them to be aware of the measures and
strategies that are needed to preserve the natural environmental conditions and their well-
being. The protection of forests is not only effectual in the alleviation of natural disasters,
such as, floods, but also protecting land from top-soil erosion and generating awareness in
terms of financial management, hygiene and sanitation.
The rural individuals need to recognize the significance of education. It is vital for
them to get enrolled in educational institutions and training centres and generate information
in terms of various strategies and concepts. Acquisition of education in terms of various
strategies and concepts, would help the individuals to differentiate between appropriate and
inappropriate, provide solutions to various problems, look for employment and income
generation opportunities and sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner. In order
to eliminate illiteracy, there have been establishment of adult education centres in rural
communities, to provide training to adults. These adults, have either never been to school
before, or have dropped out, before their educational skills are honed. There have been
implementation of programs and measures, which aim at promoting welfare of the rural
individuals. The main areas, upon which these measures are focused upon include, agriculture
and farming practices, education and training opportunities, employment opportunities, skills
development, law and order, management and administration, infrastructure development,
development of civic amenities, environmental preservation methods and so forth.
Improvement of Political Capabilities
Political capabilities are the capabilities that facilitate the participation of the
individuals in policy-making and in the making of decisions, on an independent basis in
situations, where human rights are guaranteed. The rural development approaches have the
main objective to make the development plans corresponding to the various conditions of the
rural communities and to implement the projects through community participation.
Development assistance, which responds rapidly to the local needs and requirements, needs
to work in integration and co-operation with the governments. For this reason,
decentralization is regarded as an important factor in the local community development.
Appropriate decentralization measures are required in the rural development activities. The
major activities include, capacity building of the central governments and improvements in
laws and financial management for decentralization. The rural development projects should
be consistent with the local government development plans. If there are differences, then
impediments would take place in the achievement of the desired objectives.
The improvements in the administrative capabilities of the local governments is
required for policy making and sustainability, based upon local conditions. The formulation
of development plans requires the incorporation of local opinions, community participation
and utilization of existing local resources. The administrative officers, who are involved in
the implementation of management and administrative functions, need to possess the
essential skills and abilities. One of the major aspects is, individuals need to be aware in
terms of areas, which are deficient and are required to get improved. The development of
political capabilities among rural individuals, also focus upon their participation in the
decision making processes and other political activities. The management and leadership
capabilities of the administrators and leaders should be improved. The individuals, who are in
charge of planning and administrative functions need to augment their skills and capabilities
on a continuous basis. For leading to improvements in skills and capabilities, there have been
provision of training opportunities. The location of training centres in terms of administrative,
managerial and leadership skills are mostly in urban communities.
Components of Rural Development Policy
The policies that are formulated to bring about rural development are required to
incorporate the components, which have been stated as follows:
Environmental Conditions - The first component is the individual and his
environment. The individuals need to develop the skills and abilities to make effective use of
resources that the natural environmental conditions are providing. On the other hand, the
individuals are required to generate awareness in terms of various strategies and approaches
that are required for the preservation of the environment. Curbing various forms of pollution
is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals need to be aware of various
strategies and methods for keeping the water bodies and environmental conditions clean.
Furthermore, they should be aware of making effective use of resources to improve the living
conditions.
Ecological Settings - The second component focuses upon ecological setting.
Ecological setting refers to the principle biophysical characteristics at multiple scales that
have a strong influence upon the composition, structure, and function of the particular
ecosystem, over a long period of time and serve to describe and distinguish it ecologically.
The major aspects that need to be taken into account in the case of ecological settings are,
wetness, soil depth, temperature, solar exposure and wind exposure that define the ecological
characteristics (Conservation Assessment and Prioritization System, n.d.). It is vital for the
rural individuals to possess adequate information, in terms of these traits, particularly when
they are engaged in agriculture and farming practices.
Technology - The third component of rural development is making use of technology.
The rural individuals have recognized the significance of technology. They are aware that
making use of technical methods would make their tasks and activities manageable. In the
present existence, they are making use of technical methods in the agriculture sector, farming
practices and production and manufacturing of goods. In addition to the use of technology in
the implementation of tasks and activities, individuals are also making use of it, in the form
of mobile phones and computers to augment their knowledge and information. The elderly
individuals and home-makers usually make use of it for leisure and recreational purposes.
Infrastructure - The development of infrastructure is integral to the development of
rural areas. The infrastructural facilities that need to be developed in rural communities are,
roads, transportation, communications, power supplies, water supplies, public services,
broadcasting and telecommunications. In rural households, individuals experience shortage of
power supplies and water supplies. They are required to fetch water from the wells or water
bodies, located nearby. The conditions of roads and modes of transportation are not in a well-
developed state, which are imposing problems for the individuals in transferring from one
place to another. Therefore, developments made in the infrastructural facilities are integral to
rural development.
Self-Reliance – When focusing upon rural development, the development of
individuals is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals are mostly illiterate
and unaware. They are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and possess
traditional viewpoints and perspectives. Their lives are primarily based upon their
perspectives and viewpoints. In order to promote their well-being, it is necessary to promote
self-reliance among individuals. This can be brought about through mobilization of resources,
local initiatives and participation of the individuals in various tasks and activities, which may
be social, political, cultural, economic and religious (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
Law and Order – In rural communities, the establishment of law and order enables the
individuals to organize tasks and activities in accordance to the rules and policies. Law and
order is referred to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity, which the citizens are required
to put into operation for obeying the law of land (Chapter III. Role in Maintenance of Law
and Order of District, n.d.). For instance, there has been prevalence of discriminatory
treatment and criminal and violent acts within rural communities. Through the
implementation of law and order, the individuals, who are doers, get subjected to disciplinary
action. Therefore, the main objective of law and order is to ensure the individuals make
provision of equal rights and opportunities to both males and females. Furthermore, there
should not be any kind of discrimination on the basis of any factors, including, caste, creed,
race, religion, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background. The individuals should
inculcate the traits of morality and ethics among themselves, for leading to progression of
themselves as well as the community as a whole.
Education – The education is regarded as the main instrument that lays the foundation
for the individuals to lead to progress in all areas and enrich their overall quality of lives. In
rural communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state. In schools, the
teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies are not put into practice in an effective
manner, there is lack of infrastructure, facilities and amenities and shortage of qualified and
experienced teachers. Measures need to be formulated to bring about improvements in these
aspects, so there would be an increase in the enrolment of students in schools. Acquisition of
education would enable the individuals to augment their skills and abilities, so they can carry
out tasks and activities to sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner.
Training Programs – The development of training programs among rural communities
is essential for the progression and well-being of the individuals as well as to enable them to
augment productivity and profitability. Agriculture is regarded as the major occupation of the
individuals in rural areas. In order to enhance productivity, it is vital for the individuals to get
enrolled in training programs and acquire knowledge in terms of modern and innovative
methods and strategies. There have been establishment of training centres, which are
providing knowledge and rendering an effective contribution in the up-gradation of skills of
the individuals. The different areas include, health care, diet and nutrition, child development,
handicrafts and artworks, and so forth.
Distributive Justice – The distributive justice involves operationalization of the value
of access entails exercises of power and authority. It follows both the matter of common
sense and empirical observation. The creation, structuring, reinforcement and boundaries of
access opportunities will be related to the main features of distribution of management and
power within society. To the extent, power needs conversion into authority, the value of
access by itself will not be ignored. On the other hand, considerations of power, in the here
and now sense will not be sacrificed in the pursuance of the desired goals and objectives. The
legal systems make provision of access institutions, rather than dispute institutions (Baxi,
1976).
Medical and Health Care – The establishment of health care centres are regarded to
be of utmost significance, as individuals, belonging to all age groups and backgrounds are
required to take care of their health care needs and requirements. When the individuals are in
good health, then they would be able to effectively get involved in the implementation of
various tasks and activities. These include, management of household responsibilities, child
development, agricultural and allied activities, taking care of needs and requirements of
elderly family members, participation in social, political, religious, economic and cultural
programs and carrying out daily routine activities. In old age, individuals are required to pay
adequate attention towards one’s health care and obtain regular medical check-ups.
Approaches for Rural Development
India has acquired vast experience in the implementation of rural development
programs. Within the course of time, there have been changes made in the approaches to rural
development and transformations have also been taking place in area planning. The main
purpose of these approaches is to bring about developments of various areas that would
render an effective contribution in making the lives of the individuals productive. The
important areas include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing. When these approaches are implemented, then it also needs to
ensure that they produce the desired outcomes in a rapid manner and accelerate the growth
and development of rural communities. When the resources available are limited, then the
rural individuals need to make sure that they make adequate use of them and not cause any
wastage (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
India has a long history of experimenting with various approaches of rural
development. It is been believed by the individuals since the past that effective growth and
development of the communities and nation, as a whole will take place, when developments
of vital areas will take place in rural communities. Since the country achieved its
independence, there have been introduction of several programs to initiate development of
rural communities. The planning for rural development has acquired the attention of policy-
makers, along with the national plan for economic development. India adopted both the
centralized and the decentralized planning models in the process of planned economic
development (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches to rural development that have been stated in the five year plans have
been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India,
n.d.).
The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956), adopted the Harrod - Domer model of capital
accumulation and saving mobilization as a methodological approach. The Community
Development Program (CPD) was put into practice to achieve the desired objective.
The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961) was based upon the Feldman - Mahalnobis
model of sectorial growth. This strategy invested in the strategies to achieve industrialization,
which is considered as the main aspect of economic development.
In the Third Five Year Plan (1961-1966), all round agricultural development was
envisaged. The increase in the agricultural production and allied activities received top
priority during this plan period. Agricultural programs such as, Intensive Agricultural Area
Development Program (IAADP) and High Yield Varieties Program (HYVP) were
implemented within the country.
During the annual plans (1966-1969), few more programs were implemented to
achieve all round development. The important programs were, Farmers Training and
Education Programs, Rural Works Program (RWP), Tribal Development Block, Rural
Manpower Program and Composite Program for Women and Child Development.
During the Fourth Five Year Plan (1969-1974), efforts were initiated in the name of
“Growth with Social Justice” towards uplifting the deprived, marginalized and economically
weaker sections of the society. The important rural development programs were, Small
Farmers Development Agency (SFDA), Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers
Development Agency (MFAL), Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP) and Tribal Area
Development Program (TADP).
The Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-1979) was based on the inter-sectorial transactions
model of Leontif, which has put emphasis upon the strengthening of the inter-sectorial
linkages for balanced growth of the sectors. The major programs that were introduced are,
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Programs (HADP),
Minimum Needs Program (MNP), Food for Work Program (FWP) and 20-Point economic
program.
The Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-1985), aimed at the removal of poverty, growth,
modernization, self-reliance and social justice. To attain the all-round development of rural
communities, one single program, which was called the ‘Integrated Rural Development
Program’ (IRDP) was introduced. IRDP is regarded as the multi-sector, multi-level and multi-
section concept of rural development. The other programs that were introduced are, National
Rural Employment Program (NREP), Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Program
(RLEGP), Economic Rehabilitation of Rural Poor (ERRP), Training of Rural Youth for Self-
Employment (TRYSEM), Self-Employment for the Educated Unemployed Youth (SEEVY)
and Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA).
The important objectives of the Seventh Five Year Plan (1985-1990) were to build an
independent self-reliant economy, establishment of social system, based on equity and justice,
reduction of regional imbalance and implementation of advanced technologies. Some of the
rural infrastructural programs that have been introduced during this plan period are, Indira
Awaas Yojana (IAY), Integrated Rural Energy Planning Program (IREP), Jawahar Rozgar
Yojana (JRY) and Million Wells Scheme (MWS).
In the Eighth Five Year Plan (1992-1997), the important objectives were, generation
of employment opportunities, universalization of elementary education, provision of safe
drinking water and primary health care facilities and reinforcement of the infrastructural
facilities. The programs that were introduced were, Intensified Jawahar Rozgar Yojana
(IJRY), Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS), Operation Black Board (OBB) and District
Primary Education Program (DPEP).
The Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) aimed at generating employment opportunities
in the secondary sector, all round development of the agriculture sector, strengthening of the
rural economy through the establishment of agro-based industries, small-scale industries,
cottage industries and alleviation of poverty. The important anti-poverty programs include,
IRDP, TRYSEM, IAY, JRY, IJRY, DPAP, EAS and so forth.
Changes are required to be brought about in the rural development strategies in
accordance to the needs and requirements of the community. In the Tenth Five Year Plan
(2002-2007), the participatory strategy has been introduced by the Government to promote
rural development. Measures have been formulated to augment the social and economic
opportunities for the individuals by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. The Government of India has launched the ‘Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme’. In addition, attention has been paid towards development of rural infrastructure and
rural health. The important programs that were introduced to achieve these objectives are,
Gram Sadak Yojana and National Rural Health Mission (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches for rural development need to focus upon making provision of
remedies to the problems, experienced by rural individuals. These problems mainly include,
poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and homelessness. When improvements need to be made in
rural communities, then it is vital to pay adequate attention to urban communities, as they are
regarded as the main consumers of agricultural produce. In order to bring about effective
solutions to these problems, it is vital to formulate measures, programs and schemes, which
are dedicated towards alleviating these problems and bringing about improvements in the
overall living conditions of the individuals. Therefore, it is clear that improvements need to
be brought about in the traditional rural development approaches (Chapter 4. Effective
Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Development of rural areas is dependent upon assistance from the international
countries. However, there have been restraints upon the external inputs, due to the deprived
financial conditions of the donors. As a result, the augmentation of rural development
requires effective external inputs to generate significant outcomes and is capable of
endangering further improvements. Development issues must therefore be comprehensively
understood, as appropriate understanding would facilitate the achievement of desired
objectives. In rural communities, it is vital to make maximum use of human and material
resources (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.). The approaches to
effective rural development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for
Rural Development, n.d.).
Endogenous Development
Endogenous development is the development that puts emphasis upon the
comprehensive local development for human rights advocacy, human development and
qualitative progress of the living standards, based on environmental conservation and
sustainable social development. To implement a developmental approach that promotes inter-
industrial relationships, it is necessary to take into consideration, comprehensive utilization of
human resources, techniques, industries, methods, financial resources, materials, equipment,
cultures and networks that have the main objective of leading to progress. In addition,
necessary regulations and instructions are also required to promote co-operation between
cities and local economy. Furthermore, the participation of the community is also regarded as
indispensable in the formulation of measures and policies. The establishment of local
autonomy is required through community participation, decentralization and self-governance.
Another aspect to promote endogenous development is carried out through the project
implementation bodies.
Participatory Development
The development of human and physical resources in rural communities requires
recognition of the fact that local individuals themselves are the main implementers of
development projects. The rural individuals are in a backward state, therefore, when they
would make provision of ideas and perspectives, then they would be able to generate
awareness and acquire information in terms of various aspects and would improve their
overall quality of lives. When the rural individuals are participating actively, then their
participation would be productive. On the other hand, when they would participate passively,
then they would be more dependent upon the external inputs. Projects that rural individuals
plan and implement on their own is given priority as local materials and human resources are
required to get organized in more operative manner. Local independence and sustainable
development of the project outcomes are improved by the effective use of local resources.
Strategies of Rural Development
The strategies for rural development are based upon rural development approaches.
Improvements have been brought about in these strategies, after the country achieved it
independence. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The Multi-purpose Strategy
The rural development approach within the country began with the multi-purpose
approach. The Community Development Program (CPD) began in 1952. It had the main
objective of promoting development of material and human resources through the co-
operative efforts of the individuals and assistance available from the state. It was regarded as
an educational and an organizational process. Since, it also aimed at bringing about changes
in the practices and procedures, which proved to be barriers within the course of
implementation of desired objectives. The major objective was social and economic
improvement. The rationale of the approach was, all aspects were linked with each other. The
activities of CPD included, agriculture, animal husbandry, irrigation, water resources, co-
operation, village and small scale industries, health and sanitation, communication, housing
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that development of welfare and livelihoods
opportunities was one of the primary objectives of multi-purpose strategy.
Growth Oriented Strategy
The growth oriented strategy was based on rural individuals. Though rural individuals
are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness, but they also possess sharp mind-
sets and can make wise decisions. In order to participate in effective decision making
processes, they should be provided with rights and opportunities. The main objective of rural
individuals is to enhance their living conditions and to achieve this purpose, they are looking
for employment and income generating opportunities. Therefore, it can be stated that the
implementation of opportunities that would promote growth of the individuals in an
efficacious manner are referred to as growth oriented strategies. Agricultural sector is the
major area of employment and livelihood opportunities for the rural individuals, therefore,
the implementation of programs, such as, Intensive Agriculture District Program (IADP),
Intensive Cattle Development Program (ICDP) and High Yielding Varieties Program (HYVP)
was launched. This gave rise to Green Revolution. But this strategy provided assistance to
wealthier farmers. On the other hand, the deprived farmers remained in a backward state.
Target Group Strategy
In the target group strategy, a particular group is undertaken and researched upon.
Normally, as in this case, strategies for rural development are being researched upon.
Therefore, conditions may be analysed of small and marginal farmers, as well as wealthier
farmers. The conditions of small and marginal farmers are not in an improved state. They are
residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and therefore are unaware of modern
and innovative strategies and methods that are considered essential to augment production.
They are instead making use of traditional farming practices and methods in the production
processes. On the other hand, wealthy farmers are making use of technical and scientific
methods to enhance production. It has been studied upon that farmers are getting enrolled in
training centres and educational institutions to develop their knowledge and generate
awareness in terms of scientific, modern and innovative methods and practices. The
Antyodaya Schemes is the target approach. This approach produced the client-oriented design
and the ultimate goal is to transfer the responsibilities of planning and development to the
clientele themselves.
Area Development Strategy
Under the area development strategy, emphasis has been put upon the development of
backward regions. This strategy presumes that the growth centres have a geographical spread
effect that the regions, which are deficient in terms of resources or infrastructure etc. needs to
be adequately developed. The major programs that have been formulated under this strategy
are, Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP), Tribal Area Development Program (TADP),
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Program and so
forth. The tribal population is scattered throughout the country. They are mostly residing in
hilly and mountainous regions. They are dependent upon the natural environmental
conditions for their survival. Therefore, it is vital to implement measures and formulate
strategies that are focused upon the development of tribal areas. In order to generate the
desired outcomes, it is necessary to allocate the resources in an appropriate manner, so
development of backward regions can promote well-being of the individuals.
Spatial Planning Strategy
The spatial planning strategy is the strategy that demands for implementation of
special programs in their respective locations, induction of the production plans, employment
programs and supply of basic needs of rural population. In order to achieve these objectives,
the programs and the strategies need to be rural oriented. In the fifth five year plan, multi-
level planning is the planning that was focused upon to a large extent. In addition to multi-
level planning, it was vital for the individuals to generate awareness in terms of techno-
economic, socio-political and administrative functions. As it is apparent, when improvements
need to be made or when transformations need to be brought about, then emphasis need to be
put upon the implementation of modern and innovative methods. In some of the areas, when
there is lack of materials and resources, then it would lead to hindrances within the course of
achievement of desired objectives. On the other hand, shortage of techniques need to be
analysed and plans should be efficiently put into operation to promote welfare and goodwill
of rural population.
Integrated or Holistic Strategy
Integrated or holistic strategy has been formulated, taking into consideration the
perspective that development should be an integrated one. There is an integration in the
development of areas, regions, infrastructure, education, employment opportunities, human
resources, training, skills development programs and the overall quality of lives of rural
individuals. There are connections established between all the programs, provided they are
infrastructural development programs, human resources development programs, sectorial
development programs, and social welfare programs. The different programs influence the
functioning of others through connections. The integrated strategy combines all the features
of the previous strategies and is structured to achieve the goals and objectives of growth,
welfare, equity and community participation. This paradigm takes an integrated but
comprehensive perspective of major problems that occur within rural communities, including,
poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy. The goals of this strategy are expected to get
accomplished by building the capacity of the community to participate in the development
processes in partnership with the Government. The anti-poverty programs that have been
initiated, i.e. IRD program, National Rural Employment Program, and Training of Rural
Youth for Self-Employment were intended to follow this standard.
Participatory Strategy
During the past two decades, various new approaches like the top-down planning,
planning from below, bottom up planning, micro-level planning and multi-level planning,
have been put into operation within the framework of involving the individuals in the phase
of development. As the name implies, participatory strategy is concerned with the
involvement of individuals in the formulation of strategies and approaches. In the tenth five
year plan, the government has devised participatory strategy to promote the development of
rural communities. Provision has been made to augment social and economic opportunities
for the individuals and groups, by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. In the decision making processes, the individuals are required to conduct an
analysis of the alternatives and put into operation the one, which is most meaningful and
beneficial. When the individuals are participating in the decision making processes, then they
are required to implement rational and logical thinking. The rural individuals are well-aware
in terms of opportunities, which would lead to improvements in their living conditions.
Other Strategies Promoting Rural Development
The other important strategies that have the main purpose of promoting rural
development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural
Development, n.d.).
Anti-poverty Measures
Poverty is regarded as one of the major problems experienced by rural individuals.
The conditions of poverty are characterised by scarcity of resources, due to which,
individuals experience problems even in fulfilling their basic needs of food, clothing and
shelter. The alleviation of conditions of poverty is given utmost consideration for the purpose
of promoting effective living. The increase in rural poverty has been observed with the
increase in national poverty (Rural Development Strategy, n.d.). In the development and
progression of rural development activities, primarily for the purpose of alleviation of
poverty, it is essential for the individuals to adequately conduct an analysis of the poverty
levels. Furthermore, it also needs to be taken into consideration, how the levels of poverty are
causing unfavourable effects upon the lives of individuals. The government, agencies and
other organizations are paying attention to the problem of poverty and are implementing
programs and measures to alleviate it. The commitment of these organizations and agencies,
accumulation of the know-how applicable to other areas and training of human resources are
some of the crucial measures that need to be taken into consideration. The training of human
resources is regarded as an indispensable approach to achieve the desired objectives.
Food Production
There are cases of project implementation in terms of development of food areas. For
alleviating the problem of malnutrition and for improving food supply, it is necessary to put
into operation, a comprehensive approach. The formation of the system, which transmits the
lessons to other rural communities and development of agricultural practices need to be
implemented. To augment food production, it is apparent that measures should be put into
practice to improve agricultural productivity. One of the vital measures to augment
agricultural productivity is by making use of modern and innovative methods, scientific
approaches and technologies. The farmers and agricultural labourers get enrolled in training
centres and also pursue educational programs, which may generate awareness among them in
terms of these areas. In addition, there should also be formation of a system to transmit
lessons to other areas that have been learned from model projects. There should be co-
operation between the production plans and agricultural development plans to achieve the
desired goals. The important role of agriculture has been acknowledged in leading to growth
and causing a reduction in rural poverty and malnutrition has been highlighted in the World
Development Report of 2008 (Sector Approaches in Agriculture and Rural Development,
2008).
Conservation of the Natural Environment
The rural individuals are dependent upon the natural environmental conditions for
meeting their daily needs and requirements to a major extent. They normally experience
shortage of water within their homes. Water is considered as the basic necessity and hence,
they obtain it from the wells and water bodies located nearby. Rural individuals, in some
cases are also dependent upon natural environmental conditions for treating their wounds and
illnesses. They obtain herbs and medicinal plants from the forests. Another important benefit
of the forests is, individuals obtain fruits and vegetables for satisfying their nutritional
requirements. In addition, the promotion of effective forest-resource use and the combination
of alternative techniques, such as the use of biogas and cow manure are also required. As in
rural households, individuals usually make use of mud stoves and require wood, which they
obtain from forests. Hence, after acquiring information in terms of these aspects, it is vital for
the rural individuals to formulate measures in terms of preservation of the natural
environment. The efforts to promote local or indigenous agricultural systems, increasing
awareness regarding biodiversity conservation, food security and contribution to natural
landscape and cultural heritage are significant factors in promoting livelihoods security and
sustainable development of rural individuals (Participatory and Negotiated Territorial
Development, 2005).
Reconstruction Support
The term ‘reconstruction’ is primarily related to the construction of houses, shelters,
schools, training centres, hospitals, medical centres, market places and other public places.
These areas are vital in not only leading to effective growth and development of the
individuals, but also community as a whole. When there would be establishment of schools,
educational institutions and training centres, then individuals would recognize the
significance of education and augment their academic skills. The availability of health care
and medical centres, would support the individuals in taking care of their health and well-
being. Market places will enable individuals to make purchases of various items. Public
places are referred to the places, which are visited by public. These include, parks,
playground, theatres, religious places and so forth. Apart from the construction of these
places, it needs to be ensured that in rural communities, infrastructural facilities and civic
amenities need to be developed in an appropriate manner. Policies need to be formulated, so
the households should not experience scarcity of water and electricity. Water, electricity and
lighting facilities within households are regarded to be of utmost significance, which would
enable the individuals to implement their tasks and sustain their living conditions in an
efficient manner.
Administrative Capabilities
The administrative capabilities within rural communities need to take into
consideration the aspect that administrative functions and law and order practices need to get
carried out in an appropriate manner. Most of the developing countries are in the process of
decentralization. It is crucial for the local administrative officers to possess skills and
aptitude, particularly in terms of policy making in multi-sectorial local development and on
industrial development, including agriculture and farming practices. Capacity building of the
local administrative officers is regarded to be a prominent area and is implemented through
mutual co-operation with the governments. The administrative functions cannot be carried
out in isolation. When administration and managerial policies need to be formulated, then the
governments, organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and
integration. Furthermore, the dispatches of the policy advisors to the central governments are
also considered important to a major extent. The reason being, sending individuals to the
number of local governments is required to be put into operation by donor agencies. The
administrative capabilities also focus upon maintenance of law and order. Women and girls
should be provided with equal rights and opportunities. There should not be any
discriminatory treatment between individuals on the basis of factors, such as, gender, caste,
creed, race, religion, ethnicity, age and socio-economic background.
Conclusion
The primary objective of acquiring understanding in terms of rural development
approaches and strategies is to recognize the effective contributions that they make towards
leading to effective growth and progression of rural communities. Generating information in
terms of rural development objectives is the first and foremost aspect. These are,
improvement of economic capabilities, improvement of human capabilities, improvement of
protective capabilities and improvement of political capabilities. The components of rural
development policy are, environmental conditions, ecological settings, technology,
infrastructure, self-reliance, law and order, education, training programs, distributive justice
and medical and health care. When the rural development policies are initiated, then they
have the major objective of ensuring that the components are taken into account in an
appropriate manner. The main purpose of approaches is to promote development of various
areas. These include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing.
The five year plans included the implementation of programs and schemes that
focused upon development of rural communities. The strategies for rural development are,
multi-purpose strategy, growth oriented strategy, target group strategy, area development
strategy, spatial planning strategy, integrated or holistic strategy and participatory strategy.
The other strategies promoting rural development are, anti-poverty measures, food
production, conservation of the natural environment, reconstruction support and
administrative capabilities. In rural communities, individuals have recognized the
significance of education. They have also generated information that making use of modern
and scientific methods and technology in the production processes will lead to increase in
productivity and profitability. But the conditions of poverty, malnutrition and scarcity of
resources are proving to be major impediments within the course of achievement of the
desired objectives. Hence, the main purpose of other strategies is to form the overall rural
environmental conditions in such a manner that would lead to effective growth and
development of individuals and communities.
Rural Development Approaches and Strategies
Dr. Radhika Kapur
Abstract
The main objective of this research paper is to understand the approaches and
strategies that are necessary to bring about development of rural communities. In rural
communities, there are number of aspects that need to be developed. These include,
education, employment opportunities, agriculture and farming practices, administration and
management, infrastructure, civic amenities, health care and medical and environmental
conditions. When improvements would take place in these areas, then rural individuals would
be able to secure better livelihoods opportunities. Furthermore, when approaches and
strategies are formulated by the Government, organizations and other agencies, then it is vital
to generate awareness among rural individuals and help them in acquiring benefits of these
measures and approaches in an appropriate manner. The main areas that have been taken into
account in this research paper include, development objectives of rural areas, components of
rural development policy, approaches for rural development, strategies of rural development
and other strategies promoting rural development.
Keywords: Approaches, Capabilities, Policies, Rural Development, Strategies
When one is researching upon the concept of rural development, then it is referred to
the overall development of rural communities. It is a multi-dimensional and a comprehensive
concept, which takes into consideration, number of aspects, these include, agriculture and
allied activities, village and cottage industries, farming practices, system of education,
training centres, health care and medical facilities, environmental conditions, housing
accommodation, infrastructure, technology, skills development opportunities for the
individuals, administration and management practices, employment opportunities and human
resource development. When the individuals are researching upon the aspects, which promote
backwardness of rural communities, then it is vital for them to take into consideration
measures, policies and programs that would promote development of all the above stated
aspects. In rural communities, the individuals are experiencing the problems of poverty,
illiteracy and unemployment to a major extent. Therefore, measures and policies also need to
put emphasis upon alleviation of these problems.
The development of rural communities is the ultimate outcome of the transactions
between physical, technological, economic, socio-cultural and institutional factors. The
approaches and the strategies need to be designed to bring about improvements, primarily in
the living conditions of the individuals, belonging to deprived, marginalized and socio-
economically backward sections of the society. To promote the development of rural areas, it
is necessary to represent an intersection between agricultural, social, managerial, behavioural
and engineering sciences (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in
India, n.d.). When there are implementation of policies, practices, strategies and approaches
aiming at rural development, then the individuals need to generate awareness in terms of
deficient areas and challenges, which the rural individuals are experiencing. The
organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and integration with each
other to achieve the desired goals and objectives. Many developing countries have been
working effectively towards development of rural communities and have received significant
outcomes.
Development Objectives of Rural Areas
When acquiring an understanding of rural development approaches and strategies, it is
essential to acquire an efficient understanding of areas in rural communities, which are in a
backward and underdeveloped state and which need to be improved. When the individuals
are involved in the implementation of strategies and approaches, then they need to be aware
of major objectives of rural individuals. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4.
Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Improvement of Economic Capabilities
In order to bring about improvements in the living conditions and overall quality of
lives, it is necessary to generate a source of income. In rural areas, agriculture and farming
practices are stated as the major occupations of the individuals. Apart from these, they are
engaged in the production and manufacturing of handicrafts, silk weaving, pottery making,
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that involvement in employment opportunities and
occupations are the major objectives of not only individuals residing in urban communities,
but also rural individuals. In the agriculture sector, strategies need to focus upon bringing
about improvements in agricultural productivity and marketing of agricultural products. It is
vital for the farmers and agricultural labourers to put into operation, innovative and scientific
methods to augment production. Agricultural income can be increased through the
implementation of two comprehensive methods. These are, stabilizing the prices of
agricultural products and intermediary exploitation and improving agricultural productivity
and infrastructure.
To bring about improvements in agricultural productivity, one gets involved in the
production of multiple crops, by making use of advanced agricultural techniques.
Introduction of modern irrigation methods is regarded as one of the strategies of improving
agricultural infrastructure. The main aspects that need to be taken into consideration to
improve agricultural productivity are, development of small-irrigation systems, i.e.
construction of irrigation systems and development of water user associations; capacity
building for agricultural extension workers, i.e. improvement of cultivation techniques,
improvements in the production of crops and vegetables and agroforestry; empowerment of
community based activities for farming, i.e. organization of shipping and distributive co-
operatives and rice banks and comprehensive rural and agricultural development, i.e.
integrated projects with the development of small-scale irrigation, capacity building for the
agricultural workers and strengthening of the community-based activities for farming. The
improvements made in these areas, would render an effective contribution in augmenting
productivity and profitability through engagement in agriculture and farming practices.
Improvement of Human Capabilities
When improvement of human capabilities is taken into consideration, then emphasis
is put upon one’s health conditions and educational levels. In rural communities, health
conditions of the individuals are regarded to be in a deprived state. When the individuals are
experiencing health problems or illnesses, then they would certainly experience problems in
getting involved in any tasks or activities. Therefore, improvements need to be initiated in
rural communities, and bringing about developments in the health care and medical facilities
is regarded to be of major significance. In rural communities, health care and medical centres
are not in a well-developed state. The individuals in most cases are required to migrate to
urban areas to obtain medical treatment. When the elderly individuals or other individuals
within the family experience illnesses, then the other family members are required to leave
their work and take care of ailing members. Hence, due to this, they experience a decline in
productivity. Therefore, augmentation of medical and health care centres is crucial for rural
development.
For the purpose of generating income, it is vital to bring about improvements in the
educational standards. Literacy skills enable the individuals to read manuals on agricultural
techniques and equipment, thus leading to an increase in agricultural productivity. When the
individuals possess the basic literacy skills, they can easily acquire information in terms of
policies, measures and programs that have been put into operation, leading to their well-
being. Furthermore, they are able to carry out various tasks and activities in a manageable
manner, including the implementation of household responsibilities, health care, diet and
nutrition, child development and so forth. When they are engaged in the production
processes, then they would be able to acquire satisfactory information in terms of marketing
strategies and approaches and able to enhance productivity and profitability. In rural
communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state and major cause for
this is inadequate financial resources. For bringing about improvements in educational
standards in rural communities, it is necessary to recruit skilled and qualified teachers,
enhance teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies, improve infrastructure and
overall school environmental conditions.
Improvement of Protective Capabilities
The protective capabilities are referred to the capabilities of the individuals to protect
them from various problems and difficulties. These are particularly the ones, which prove to
be impediments within the course of their progression. These problems are poverty,
malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment, natural disasters and crime and violence. In rural
communities, when there are occurrence of natural calamities and disasters, then rural
individuals are required to experience detrimental effects to a major extent. The cultivated
land gets easily damaged from floods, erosion, earthquakes etc. The rural individuals, who
are residing in the conditions of poverty, do not possess adequate resources to sustain their
living conditions sufficiently. Therefore, it is vital for them to be aware of the measures and
strategies that are needed to preserve the natural environmental conditions and their well-
being. The protection of forests is not only effectual in the alleviation of natural disasters,
such as, floods, but also protecting land from top-soil erosion and generating awareness in
terms of financial management, hygiene and sanitation.
The rural individuals need to recognize the significance of education. It is vital for
them to get enrolled in educational institutions and training centres and generate information
in terms of various strategies and concepts. Acquisition of education in terms of various
strategies and concepts, would help the individuals to differentiate between appropriate and
inappropriate, provide solutions to various problems, look for employment and income
generation opportunities and sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner. In order
to eliminate illiteracy, there have been establishment of adult education centres in rural
communities, to provide training to adults. These adults, have either never been to school
before, or have dropped out, before their educational skills are honed. There have been
implementation of programs and measures, which aim at promoting welfare of the rural
individuals. The main areas, upon which these measures are focused upon include, agriculture
and farming practices, education and training opportunities, employment opportunities, skills
development, law and order, management and administration, infrastructure development,
development of civic amenities, environmental preservation methods and so forth.
Improvement of Political Capabilities
Political capabilities are the capabilities that facilitate the participation of the
individuals in policy-making and in the making of decisions, on an independent basis in
situations, where human rights are guaranteed. The rural development approaches have the
main objective to make the development plans corresponding to the various conditions of the
rural communities and to implement the projects through community participation.
Development assistance, which responds rapidly to the local needs and requirements, needs
to work in integration and co-operation with the governments. For this reason,
decentralization is regarded as an important factor in the local community development.
Appropriate decentralization measures are required in the rural development activities. The
major activities include, capacity building of the central governments and improvements in
laws and financial management for decentralization. The rural development projects should
be consistent with the local government development plans. If there are differences, then
impediments would take place in the achievement of the desired objectives.
The improvements in the administrative capabilities of the local governments is
required for policy making and sustainability, based upon local conditions. The formulation
of development plans requires the incorporation of local opinions, community participation
and utilization of existing local resources. The administrative officers, who are involved in
the implementation of management and administrative functions, need to possess the
essential skills and abilities. One of the major aspects is, individuals need to be aware in
terms of areas, which are deficient and are required to get improved. The development of
political capabilities among rural individuals, also focus upon their participation in the
decision making processes and other political activities. The management and leadership
capabilities of the administrators and leaders should be improved. The individuals, who are in
charge of planning and administrative functions need to augment their skills and capabilities
on a continuous basis. For leading to improvements in skills and capabilities, there have been
provision of training opportunities. The location of training centres in terms of administrative,
managerial and leadership skills are mostly in urban communities.
Components of Rural Development Policy
The policies that are formulated to bring about rural development are required to
incorporate the components, which have been stated as follows:
Environmental Conditions - The first component is the individual and his
environment. The individuals need to develop the skills and abilities to make effective use of
resources that the natural environmental conditions are providing. On the other hand, the
individuals are required to generate awareness in terms of various strategies and approaches
that are required for the preservation of the environment. Curbing various forms of pollution
is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals need to be aware of various
strategies and methods for keeping the water bodies and environmental conditions clean.
Furthermore, they should be aware of making effective use of resources to improve the living
conditions.
Ecological Settings - The second component focuses upon ecological setting.
Ecological setting refers to the principle biophysical characteristics at multiple scales that
have a strong influence upon the composition, structure, and function of the particular
ecosystem, over a long period of time and serve to describe and distinguish it ecologically.
The major aspects that need to be taken into account in the case of ecological settings are,
wetness, soil depth, temperature, solar exposure and wind exposure that define the ecological
characteristics (Conservation Assessment and Prioritization System, n.d.). It is vital for the
rural individuals to possess adequate information, in terms of these traits, particularly when
they are engaged in agriculture and farming practices.
Technology - The third component of rural development is making use of technology.
The rural individuals have recognized the significance of technology. They are aware that
making use of technical methods would make their tasks and activities manageable. In the
present existence, they are making use of technical methods in the agriculture sector, farming
practices and production and manufacturing of goods. In addition to the use of technology in
the implementation of tasks and activities, individuals are also making use of it, in the form
of mobile phones and computers to augment their knowledge and information. The elderly
individuals and home-makers usually make use of it for leisure and recreational purposes.
Infrastructure - The development of infrastructure is integral to the development of
rural areas. The infrastructural facilities that need to be developed in rural communities are,
roads, transportation, communications, power supplies, water supplies, public services,
broadcasting and telecommunications. In rural households, individuals experience shortage of
power supplies and water supplies. They are required to fetch water from the wells or water
bodies, located nearby. The conditions of roads and modes of transportation are not in a well-
developed state, which are imposing problems for the individuals in transferring from one
place to another. Therefore, developments made in the infrastructural facilities are integral to
rural development.
Self-Reliance – When focusing upon rural development, the development of
individuals is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals are mostly illiterate
and unaware. They are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and possess
traditional viewpoints and perspectives. Their lives are primarily based upon their
perspectives and viewpoints. In order to promote their well-being, it is necessary to promote
self-reliance among individuals. This can be brought about through mobilization of resources,
local initiatives and participation of the individuals in various tasks and activities, which may
be social, political, cultural, economic and religious (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
Law and Order – In rural communities, the establishment of law and order enables the
individuals to organize tasks and activities in accordance to the rules and policies. Law and
order is referred to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity, which the citizens are required
to put into operation for obeying the law of land (Chapter III. Role in Maintenance of Law
and Order of District, n.d.). For instance, there has been prevalence of discriminatory
treatment and criminal and violent acts within rural communities. Through the
implementation of law and order, the individuals, who are doers, get subjected to disciplinary
action. Therefore, the main objective of law and order is to ensure the individuals make
provision of equal rights and opportunities to both males and females. Furthermore, there
should not be any kind of discrimination on the basis of any factors, including, caste, creed,
race, religion, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background. The individuals should
inculcate the traits of morality and ethics among themselves, for leading to progression of
themselves as well as the community as a whole.
Education – The education is regarded as the main instrument that lays the foundation
for the individuals to lead to progress in all areas and enrich their overall quality of lives. In
rural communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state. In schools, the
teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies are not put into practice in an effective
manner, there is lack of infrastructure, facilities and amenities and shortage of qualified and
experienced teachers. Measures need to be formulated to bring about improvements in these
aspects, so there would be an increase in the enrolment of students in schools. Acquisition of
education would enable the individuals to augment their skills and abilities, so they can carry
out tasks and activities to sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner.
Training Programs – The development of training programs among rural communities
is essential for the progression and well-being of the individuals as well as to enable them to
augment productivity and profitability. Agriculture is regarded as the major occupation of the
individuals in rural areas. In order to enhance productivity, it is vital for the individuals to get
enrolled in training programs and acquire knowledge in terms of modern and innovative
methods and strategies. There have been establishment of training centres, which are
providing knowledge and rendering an effective contribution in the up-gradation of skills of
the individuals. The different areas include, health care, diet and nutrition, child development,
handicrafts and artworks, and so forth.
Distributive Justice – The distributive justice involves operationalization of the value
of access entails exercises of power and authority. It follows both the matter of common
sense and empirical observation. The creation, structuring, reinforcement and boundaries of
access opportunities will be related to the main features of distribution of management and
power within society. To the extent, power needs conversion into authority, the value of
access by itself will not be ignored. On the other hand, considerations of power, in the here
and now sense will not be sacrificed in the pursuance of the desired goals and objectives. The
legal systems make provision of access institutions, rather than dispute institutions (Baxi,
1976).
Medical and Health Care – The establishment of health care centres are regarded to
be of utmost significance, as individuals, belonging to all age groups and backgrounds are
required to take care of their health care needs and requirements. When the individuals are in
good health, then they would be able to effectively get involved in the implementation of
various tasks and activities. These include, management of household responsibilities, child
development, agricultural and allied activities, taking care of needs and requirements of
elderly family members, participation in social, political, religious, economic and cultural
programs and carrying out daily routine activities. In old age, individuals are required to pay
adequate attention towards one’s health care and obtain regular medical check-ups.
Approaches for Rural Development
India has acquired vast experience in the implementation of rural development
programs. Within the course of time, there have been changes made in the approaches to rural
development and transformations have also been taking place in area planning. The main
purpose of these approaches is to bring about developments of various areas that would
render an effective contribution in making the lives of the individuals productive. The
important areas include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing. When these approaches are implemented, then it also needs to
ensure that they produce the desired outcomes in a rapid manner and accelerate the growth
and development of rural communities. When the resources available are limited, then the
rural individuals need to make sure that they make adequate use of them and not cause any
wastage (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
India has a long history of experimenting with various approaches of rural
development. It is been believed by the individuals since the past that effective growth and
development of the communities and nation, as a whole will take place, when developments
of vital areas will take place in rural communities. Since the country achieved its
independence, there have been introduction of several programs to initiate development of
rural communities. The planning for rural development has acquired the attention of policy-
makers, along with the national plan for economic development. India adopted both the
centralized and the decentralized planning models in the process of planned economic
development (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches to rural development that have been stated in the five year plans have
been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India,
n.d.).
The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956), adopted the Harrod - Domer model of capital
accumulation and saving mobilization as a methodological approach. The Community
Development Program (CPD) was put into practice to achieve the desired objective.
The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961) was based upon the Feldman - Mahalnobis
model of sectorial growth. This strategy invested in the strategies to achieve industrialization,
which is considered as the main aspect of economic development.
In the Third Five Year Plan (1961-1966), all round agricultural development was
envisaged. The increase in the agricultural production and allied activities received top
priority during this plan period. Agricultural programs such as, Intensive Agricultural Area
Development Program (IAADP) and High Yield Varieties Program (HYVP) were
implemented within the country.
During the annual plans (1966-1969), few more programs were implemented to
achieve all round development. The important programs were, Farmers Training and
Education Programs, Rural Works Program (RWP), Tribal Development Block, Rural
Manpower Program and Composite Program for Women and Child Development.
During the Fourth Five Year Plan (1969-1974), efforts were initiated in the name of
“Growth with Social Justice” towards uplifting the deprived, marginalized and economically
weaker sections of the society. The important rural development programs were, Small
Farmers Development Agency (SFDA), Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers
Development Agency (MFAL), Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP) and Tribal Area
Development Program (TADP).
The Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-1979) was based on the inter-sectorial transactions
model of Leontif, which has put emphasis upon the strengthening of the inter-sectorial
linkages for balanced growth of the sectors. The major programs that were introduced are,
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Programs (HADP),
Minimum Needs Program (MNP), Food for Work Program (FWP) and 20-Point economic
program.
The Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-1985), aimed at the removal of poverty, growth,
modernization, self-reliance and social justice. To attain the all-round development of rural
communities, one single program, which was called the ‘Integrated Rural Development
Program’ (IRDP) was introduced. IRDP is regarded as the multi-sector, multi-level and multi-
section concept of rural development. The other programs that were introduced are, National
Rural Employment Program (NREP), Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Program
(RLEGP), Economic Rehabilitation of Rural Poor (ERRP), Training of Rural Youth for Self-
Employment (TRYSEM), Self-Employment for the Educated Unemployed Youth (SEEVY)
and Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA).
The important objectives of the Seventh Five Year Plan (1985-1990) were to build an
independent self-reliant economy, establishment of social system, based on equity and justice,
reduction of regional imbalance and implementation of advanced technologies. Some of the
rural infrastructural programs that have been introduced during this plan period are, Indira
Awaas Yojana (IAY), Integrated Rural Energy Planning Program (IREP), Jawahar Rozgar
Yojana (JRY) and Million Wells Scheme (MWS).
In the Eighth Five Year Plan (1992-1997), the important objectives were, generation
of employment opportunities, universalization of elementary education, provision of safe
drinking water and primary health care facilities and reinforcement of the infrastructural
facilities. The programs that were introduced were, Intensified Jawahar Rozgar Yojana
(IJRY), Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS), Operation Black Board (OBB) and District
Primary Education Program (DPEP).
The Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) aimed at generating employment opportunities
in the secondary sector, all round development of the agriculture sector, strengthening of the
rural economy through the establishment of agro-based industries, small-scale industries,
cottage industries and alleviation of poverty. The important anti-poverty programs include,
IRDP, TRYSEM, IAY, JRY, IJRY, DPAP, EAS and so forth.
Changes are required to be brought about in the rural development strategies in
accordance to the needs and requirements of the community. In the Tenth Five Year Plan
(2002-2007), the participatory strategy has been introduced by the Government to promote
rural development. Measures have been formulated to augment the social and economic
opportunities for the individuals by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. The Government of India has launched the ‘Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme’. In addition, attention has been paid towards development of rural infrastructure and
rural health. The important programs that were introduced to achieve these objectives are,
Gram Sadak Yojana and National Rural Health Mission (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches for rural development need to focus upon making provision of
remedies to the problems, experienced by rural individuals. These problems mainly include,
poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and homelessness. When improvements need to be made in
rural communities, then it is vital to pay adequate attention to urban communities, as they are
regarded as the main consumers of agricultural produce. In order to bring about effective
solutions to these problems, it is vital to formulate measures, programs and schemes, which
are dedicated towards alleviating these problems and bringing about improvements in the
overall living conditions of the individuals. Therefore, it is clear that improvements need to
be brought about in the traditional rural development approaches (Chapter 4. Effective
Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Development of rural areas is dependent upon assistance from the international
countries. However, there have been restraints upon the external inputs, due to the deprived
financial conditions of the donors. As a result, the augmentation of rural development
requires effective external inputs to generate significant outcomes and is capable of
endangering further improvements. Development issues must therefore be comprehensively
understood, as appropriate understanding would facilitate the achievement of desired
objectives. In rural communities, it is vital to make maximum use of human and material
resources (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.). The approaches to
effective rural development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for
Rural Development, n.d.).
Endogenous Development
Endogenous development is the development that puts emphasis upon the
comprehensive local development for human rights advocacy, human development and
qualitative progress of the living standards, based on environmental conservation and
sustainable social development. To implement a developmental approach that promotes inter-
industrial relationships, it is necessary to take into consideration, comprehensive utilization of
human resources, techniques, industries, methods, financial resources, materials, equipment,
cultures and networks that have the main objective of leading to progress. In addition,
necessary regulations and instructions are also required to promote co-operation between
cities and local economy. Furthermore, the participation of the community is also regarded as
indispensable in the formulation of measures and policies. The establishment of local
autonomy is required through community participation, decentralization and self-governance.
Another aspect to promote endogenous development is carried out through the project
implementation bodies.
Participatory Development
The development of human and physical resources in rural communities requires
recognition of the fact that local individuals themselves are the main implementers of
development projects. The rural individuals are in a backward state, therefore, when they
would make provision of ideas and perspectives, then they would be able to generate
awareness and acquire information in terms of various aspects and would improve their
overall quality of lives. When the rural individuals are participating actively, then their
participation would be productive. On the other hand, when they would participate passively,
then they would be more dependent upon the external inputs. Projects that rural individuals
plan and implement on their own is given priority as local materials and human resources are
required to get organized in more operative manner. Local independence and sustainable
development of the project outcomes are improved by the effective use of local resources.
Strategies of Rural Development
The strategies for rural development are based upon rural development approaches.
Improvements have been brought about in these strategies, after the country achieved it
independence. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The Multi-purpose Strategy
The rural development approach within the country began with the multi-purpose
approach. The Community Development Program (CPD) began in 1952. It had the main
objective of promoting development of material and human resources through the co-
operative efforts of the individuals and assistance available from the state. It was regarded as
an educational and an organizational process. Since, it also aimed at bringing about changes
in the practices and procedures, which proved to be barriers within the course of
implementation of desired objectives. The major objective was social and economic
improvement. The rationale of the approach was, all aspects were linked with each other. The
activities of CPD included, agriculture, animal husbandry, irrigation, water resources, co-
operation, village and small scale industries, health and sanitation, communication, housing
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that development of welfare and livelihoods
opportunities was one of the primary objectives of multi-purpose strategy.
Growth Oriented Strategy
The growth oriented strategy was based on rural individuals. Though rural individuals
are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness, but they also possess sharp mind-
sets and can make wise decisions. In order to participate in effective decision making
processes, they should be provided with rights and opportunities. The main objective of rural
individuals is to enhance their living conditions and to achieve this purpose, they are looking
for employment and income generating opportunities. Therefore, it can be stated that the
implementation of opportunities that would promote growth of the individuals in an
efficacious manner are referred to as growth oriented strategies. Agricultural sector is the
major area of employment and livelihood opportunities for the rural individuals, therefore,
the implementation of programs, such as, Intensive Agriculture District Program (IADP),
Intensive Cattle Development Program (ICDP) and High Yielding Varieties Program (HYVP)
was launched. This gave rise to Green Revolution. But this strategy provided assistance to
wealthier farmers. On the other hand, the deprived farmers remained in a backward state.
Target Group Strategy
In the target group strategy, a particular group is undertaken and researched upon.
Normally, as in this case, strategies for rural development are being researched upon.
Therefore, conditions may be analysed of small and marginal farmers, as well as wealthier
farmers. The conditions of small and marginal farmers are not in an improved state. They are
residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and therefore are unaware of modern
and innovative strategies and methods that are considered essential to augment production.
They are instead making use of traditional farming practices and methods in the production
processes. On the other hand, wealthy farmers are making use of technical and scientific
methods to enhance production. It has been studied upon that farmers are getting enrolled in
training centres and educational institutions to develop their knowledge and generate
awareness in terms of scientific, modern and innovative methods and practices. The
Antyodaya Schemes is the target approach. This approach produced the client-oriented design
and the ultimate goal is to transfer the responsibilities of planning and development to the
clientele themselves.
Area Development Strategy
Under the area development strategy, emphasis has been put upon the development of
backward regions. This strategy presumes that the growth centres have a geographical spread
effect that the regions, which are deficient in terms of resources or infrastructure etc. needs to
be adequately developed. The major programs that have been formulated under this strategy
are, Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP), Tribal Area Development Program (TADP),
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Program and so
forth. The tribal population is scattered throughout the country. They are mostly residing in
hilly and mountainous regions. They are dependent upon the natural environmental
conditions for their survival. Therefore, it is vital to implement measures and formulate
strategies that are focused upon the development of tribal areas. In order to generate the
desired outcomes, it is necessary to allocate the resources in an appropriate manner, so
development of backward regions can promote well-being of the individuals.
Spatial Planning Strategy
The spatial planning strategy is the strategy that demands for implementation of
special programs in their respective locations, induction of the production plans, employment
programs and supply of basic needs of rural population. In order to achieve these objectives,
the programs and the strategies need to be rural oriented. In the fifth five year plan, multi-
level planning is the planning that was focused upon to a large extent. In addition to multi-
level planning, it was vital for the individuals to generate awareness in terms of techno-
economic, socio-political and administrative functions. As it is apparent, when improvements
need to be made or when transformations need to be brought about, then emphasis need to be
put upon the implementation of modern and innovative methods. In some of the areas, when
there is lack of materials and resources, then it would lead to hindrances within the course of
achievement of desired objectives. On the other hand, shortage of techniques need to be
analysed and plans should be efficiently put into operation to promote welfare and goodwill
of rural population.
Integrated or Holistic Strategy
Integrated or holistic strategy has been formulated, taking into consideration the
perspective that development should be an integrated one. There is an integration in the
development of areas, regions, infrastructure, education, employment opportunities, human
resources, training, skills development programs and the overall quality of lives of rural
individuals. There are connections established between all the programs, provided they are
infrastructural development programs, human resources development programs, sectorial
development programs, and social welfare programs. The different programs influence the
functioning of others through connections. The integrated strategy combines all the features
of the previous strategies and is structured to achieve the goals and objectives of growth,
welfare, equity and community participation. This paradigm takes an integrated but
comprehensive perspective of major problems that occur within rural communities, including,
poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy. The goals of this strategy are expected to get
accomplished by building the capacity of the community to participate in the development
processes in partnership with the Government. The anti-poverty programs that have been
initiated, i.e. IRD program, National Rural Employment Program, and Training of Rural
Youth for Self-Employment were intended to follow this standard.
Participatory Strategy
During the past two decades, various new approaches like the top-down planning,
planning from below, bottom up planning, micro-level planning and multi-level planning,
have been put into operation within the framework of involving the individuals in the phase
of development. As the name implies, participatory strategy is concerned with the
involvement of individuals in the formulation of strategies and approaches. In the tenth five
year plan, the government has devised participatory strategy to promote the development of
rural communities. Provision has been made to augment social and economic opportunities
for the individuals and groups, by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. In the decision making processes, the individuals are required to conduct an
analysis of the alternatives and put into operation the one, which is most meaningful and
beneficial. When the individuals are participating in the decision making processes, then they
are required to implement rational and logical thinking. The rural individuals are well-aware
in terms of opportunities, which would lead to improvements in their living conditions.
Other Strategies Promoting Rural Development
The other important strategies that have the main purpose of promoting rural
development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural
Development, n.d.).
Anti-poverty Measures
Poverty is regarded as one of the major problems experienced by rural individuals.
The conditions of poverty are characterised by scarcity of resources, due to which,
individuals experience problems even in fulfilling their basic needs of food, clothing and
shelter. The alleviation of conditions of poverty is given utmost consideration for the purpose
of promoting effective living. The increase in rural poverty has been observed with the
increase in national poverty (Rural Development Strategy, n.d.). In the development and
progression of rural development activities, primarily for the purpose of alleviation of
poverty, it is essential for the individuals to adequately conduct an analysis of the poverty
levels. Furthermore, it also needs to be taken into consideration, how the levels of poverty are
causing unfavourable effects upon the lives of individuals. The government, agencies and
other organizations are paying attention to the problem of poverty and are implementing
programs and measures to alleviate it. The commitment of these organizations and agencies,
accumulation of the know-how applicable to other areas and training of human resources are
some of the crucial measures that need to be taken into consideration. The training of human
resources is regarded as an indispensable approach to achieve the desired objectives.
Food Production
There are cases of project implementation in terms of development of food areas. For
alleviating the problem of malnutrition and for improving food supply, it is necessary to put
into operation, a comprehensive approach. The formation of the system, which transmits the
lessons to other rural communities and development of agricultural practices need to be
implemented. To augment food production, it is apparent that measures should be put into
practice to improve agricultural productivity. One of the vital measures to augment
agricultural productivity is by making use of modern and innovative methods, scientific
approaches and technologies. The farmers and agricultural labourers get enrolled in training
centres and also pursue educational programs, which may generate awareness among them in
terms of these areas. In addition, there should also be formation of a system to transmit
lessons to other areas that have been learned from model projects. There should be co-
operation between the production plans and agricultural development plans to achieve the
desired goals. The important role of agriculture has been acknowledged in leading to growth
and causing a reduction in rural poverty and malnutrition has been highlighted in the World
Development Report of 2008 (Sector Approaches in Agriculture and Rural Development,
2008).
Conservation of the Natural Environment
The rural individuals are dependent upon the natural environmental conditions for
meeting their daily needs and requirements to a major extent. They normally experience
shortage of water within their homes. Water is considered as the basic necessity and hence,
they obtain it from the wells and water bodies located nearby. Rural individuals, in some
cases are also dependent upon natural environmental conditions for treating their wounds and
illnesses. They obtain herbs and medicinal plants from the forests. Another important benefit
of the forests is, individuals obtain fruits and vegetables for satisfying their nutritional
requirements. In addition, the promotion of effective forest-resource use and the combination
of alternative techniques, such as the use of biogas and cow manure are also required. As in
rural households, individuals usually make use of mud stoves and require wood, which they
obtain from forests. Hence, after acquiring information in terms of these aspects, it is vital for
the rural individuals to formulate measures in terms of preservation of the natural
environment. The efforts to promote local or indigenous agricultural systems, increasing
awareness regarding biodiversity conservation, food security and contribution to natural
landscape and cultural heritage are significant factors in promoting livelihoods security and
sustainable development of rural individuals (Participatory and Negotiated Territorial
Development, 2005).
Reconstruction Support
The term ‘reconstruction’ is primarily related to the construction of houses, shelters,
schools, training centres, hospitals, medical centres, market places and other public places.
These areas are vital in not only leading to effective growth and development of the
individuals, but also community as a whole. When there would be establishment of schools,
educational institutions and training centres, then individuals would recognize the
significance of education and augment their academic skills. The availability of health care
and medical centres, would support the individuals in taking care of their health and well-
being. Market places will enable individuals to make purchases of various items. Public
places are referred to the places, which are visited by public. These include, parks,
playground, theatres, religious places and so forth. Apart from the construction of these
places, it needs to be ensured that in rural communities, infrastructural facilities and civic
amenities need to be developed in an appropriate manner. Policies need to be formulated, so
the households should not experience scarcity of water and electricity. Water, electricity and
lighting facilities within households are regarded to be of utmost significance, which would
enable the individuals to implement their tasks and sustain their living conditions in an
efficient manner.
Administrative Capabilities
The administrative capabilities within rural communities need to take into
consideration the aspect that administrative functions and law and order practices need to get
carried out in an appropriate manner. Most of the developing countries are in the process of
decentralization. It is crucial for the local administrative officers to possess skills and
aptitude, particularly in terms of policy making in multi-sectorial local development and on
industrial development, including agriculture and farming practices. Capacity building of the
local administrative officers is regarded to be a prominent area and is implemented through
mutual co-operation with the governments. The administrative functions cannot be carried
out in isolation. When administration and managerial policies need to be formulated, then the
governments, organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and
integration. Furthermore, the dispatches of the policy advisors to the central governments are
also considered important to a major extent. The reason being, sending individuals to the
number of local governments is required to be put into operation by donor agencies. The
administrative capabilities also focus upon maintenance of law and order. Women and girls
should be provided with equal rights and opportunities. There should not be any
discriminatory treatment between individuals on the basis of factors, such as, gender, caste,
creed, race, religion, ethnicity, age and socio-economic background.
Conclusion
The primary objective of acquiring understanding in terms of rural development
approaches and strategies is to recognize the effective contributions that they make towards
leading to effective growth and progression of rural communities. Generating information in
terms of rural development objectives is the first and foremost aspect. These are,
improvement of economic capabilities, improvement of human capabilities, improvement of
protective capabilities and improvement of political capabilities. The components of rural
development policy are, environmental conditions, ecological settings, technology,
infrastructure, self-reliance, law and order, education, training programs, distributive justice
and medical and health care. When the rural development policies are initiated, then they
have the major objective of ensuring that the components are taken into account in an
appropriate manner. The main purpose of approaches is to promote development of various
areas. These include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing.
The five year plans included the implementation of programs and schemes that
focused upon development of rural communities. The strategies for rural development are,
multi-purpose strategy, growth oriented strategy, target group strategy, area development
strategy, spatial planning strategy, integrated or holistic strategy and participatory strategy.
The other strategies promoting rural development are, anti-poverty measures, food
production, conservation of the natural environment, reconstruction support and
administrative capabilities. In rural communities, individuals have recognized the
significance of education. They have also generated information that making use of modern
and scientific methods and technology in the production processes will lead to increase in
productivity and profitability. But the conditions of poverty, malnutrition and scarcity of
resources are proving to be major impediments within the course of achievement of the
desired objectives. Hence, the main purpose of other strategies is to form the overall rural
environmental conditions in such a manner that would lead to effective growth and
development of individuals and communities.
Rural Development Approaches and Strategies
Dr. Radhika Kapur
Abstract
The main objective of this research paper is to understand the approaches and
strategies that are necessary to bring about development of rural communities. In rural
communities, there are number of aspects that need to be developed. These include,
education, employment opportunities, agriculture and farming practices, administration and
management, infrastructure, civic amenities, health care and medical and environmental
conditions. When improvements would take place in these areas, then rural individuals would
be able to secure better livelihoods opportunities. Furthermore, when approaches and
strategies are formulated by the Government, organizations and other agencies, then it is vital
to generate awareness among rural individuals and help them in acquiring benefits of these
measures and approaches in an appropriate manner. The main areas that have been taken into
account in this research paper include, development objectives of rural areas, components of
rural development policy, approaches for rural development, strategies of rural development
and other strategies promoting rural development.
Keywords: Approaches, Capabilities, Policies, Rural Development, Strategies
When one is researching upon the concept of rural development, then it is referred to
the overall development of rural communities. It is a multi-dimensional and a comprehensive
concept, which takes into consideration, number of aspects, these include, agriculture and
allied activities, village and cottage industries, farming practices, system of education,
training centres, health care and medical facilities, environmental conditions, housing
accommodation, infrastructure, technology, skills development opportunities for the
individuals, administration and management practices, employment opportunities and human
resource development. When the individuals are researching upon the aspects, which promote
backwardness of rural communities, then it is vital for them to take into consideration
measures, policies and programs that would promote development of all the above stated
aspects. In rural communities, the individuals are experiencing the problems of poverty,
illiteracy and unemployment to a major extent. Therefore, measures and policies also need to
put emphasis upon alleviation of these problems.
The development of rural communities is the ultimate outcome of the transactions
between physical, technological, economic, socio-cultural and institutional factors. The
approaches and the strategies need to be designed to bring about improvements, primarily in
the living conditions of the individuals, belonging to deprived, marginalized and socio-
economically backward sections of the society. To promote the development of rural areas, it
is necessary to represent an intersection between agricultural, social, managerial, behavioural
and engineering sciences (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in
India, n.d.). When there are implementation of policies, practices, strategies and approaches
aiming at rural development, then the individuals need to generate awareness in terms of
deficient areas and challenges, which the rural individuals are experiencing. The
organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and integration with each
other to achieve the desired goals and objectives. Many developing countries have been
working effectively towards development of rural communities and have received significant
outcomes.
Development Objectives of Rural Areas
When acquiring an understanding of rural development approaches and strategies, it is
essential to acquire an efficient understanding of areas in rural communities, which are in a
backward and underdeveloped state and which need to be improved. When the individuals
are involved in the implementation of strategies and approaches, then they need to be aware
of major objectives of rural individuals. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4.
Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Improvement of Economic Capabilities
In order to bring about improvements in the living conditions and overall quality of
lives, it is necessary to generate a source of income. In rural areas, agriculture and farming
practices are stated as the major occupations of the individuals. Apart from these, they are
engaged in the production and manufacturing of handicrafts, silk weaving, pottery making,
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that involvement in employment opportunities and
occupations are the major objectives of not only individuals residing in urban communities,
but also rural individuals. In the agriculture sector, strategies need to focus upon bringing
about improvements in agricultural productivity and marketing of agricultural products. It is
vital for the farmers and agricultural labourers to put into operation, innovative and scientific
methods to augment production. Agricultural income can be increased through the
implementation of two comprehensive methods. These are, stabilizing the prices of
agricultural products and intermediary exploitation and improving agricultural productivity
and infrastructure.
To bring about improvements in agricultural productivity, one gets involved in the
production of multiple crops, by making use of advanced agricultural techniques.
Introduction of modern irrigation methods is regarded as one of the strategies of improving
agricultural infrastructure. The main aspects that need to be taken into consideration to
improve agricultural productivity are, development of small-irrigation systems, i.e.
construction of irrigation systems and development of water user associations; capacity
building for agricultural extension workers, i.e. improvement of cultivation techniques,
improvements in the production of crops and vegetables and agroforestry; empowerment of
community based activities for farming, i.e. organization of shipping and distributive co-
operatives and rice banks and comprehensive rural and agricultural development, i.e.
integrated projects with the development of small-scale irrigation, capacity building for the
agricultural workers and strengthening of the community-based activities for farming. The
improvements made in these areas, would render an effective contribution in augmenting
productivity and profitability through engagement in agriculture and farming practices.
Improvement of Human Capabilities
When improvement of human capabilities is taken into consideration, then emphasis
is put upon one’s health conditions and educational levels. In rural communities, health
conditions of the individuals are regarded to be in a deprived state. When the individuals are
experiencing health problems or illnesses, then they would certainly experience problems in
getting involved in any tasks or activities. Therefore, improvements need to be initiated in
rural communities, and bringing about developments in the health care and medical facilities
is regarded to be of major significance. In rural communities, health care and medical centres
are not in a well-developed state. The individuals in most cases are required to migrate to
urban areas to obtain medical treatment. When the elderly individuals or other individuals
within the family experience illnesses, then the other family members are required to leave
their work and take care of ailing members. Hence, due to this, they experience a decline in
productivity. Therefore, augmentation of medical and health care centres is crucial for rural
development.
For the purpose of generating income, it is vital to bring about improvements in the
educational standards. Literacy skills enable the individuals to read manuals on agricultural
techniques and equipment, thus leading to an increase in agricultural productivity. When the
individuals possess the basic literacy skills, they can easily acquire information in terms of
policies, measures and programs that have been put into operation, leading to their well-
being. Furthermore, they are able to carry out various tasks and activities in a manageable
manner, including the implementation of household responsibilities, health care, diet and
nutrition, child development and so forth. When they are engaged in the production
processes, then they would be able to acquire satisfactory information in terms of marketing
strategies and approaches and able to enhance productivity and profitability. In rural
communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state and major cause for
this is inadequate financial resources. For bringing about improvements in educational
standards in rural communities, it is necessary to recruit skilled and qualified teachers,
enhance teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies, improve infrastructure and
overall school environmental conditions.
Improvement of Protective Capabilities
The protective capabilities are referred to the capabilities of the individuals to protect
them from various problems and difficulties. These are particularly the ones, which prove to
be impediments within the course of their progression. These problems are poverty,
malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment, natural disasters and crime and violence. In rural
communities, when there are occurrence of natural calamities and disasters, then rural
individuals are required to experience detrimental effects to a major extent. The cultivated
land gets easily damaged from floods, erosion, earthquakes etc. The rural individuals, who
are residing in the conditions of poverty, do not possess adequate resources to sustain their
living conditions sufficiently. Therefore, it is vital for them to be aware of the measures and
strategies that are needed to preserve the natural environmental conditions and their well-
being. The protection of forests is not only effectual in the alleviation of natural disasters,
such as, floods, but also protecting land from top-soil erosion and generating awareness in
terms of financial management, hygiene and sanitation.
The rural individuals need to recognize the significance of education. It is vital for
them to get enrolled in educational institutions and training centres and generate information
in terms of various strategies and concepts. Acquisition of education in terms of various
strategies and concepts, would help the individuals to differentiate between appropriate and
inappropriate, provide solutions to various problems, look for employment and income
generation opportunities and sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner. In order
to eliminate illiteracy, there have been establishment of adult education centres in rural
communities, to provide training to adults. These adults, have either never been to school
before, or have dropped out, before their educational skills are honed. There have been
implementation of programs and measures, which aim at promoting welfare of the rural
individuals. The main areas, upon which these measures are focused upon include, agriculture
and farming practices, education and training opportunities, employment opportunities, skills
development, law and order, management and administration, infrastructure development,
development of civic amenities, environmental preservation methods and so forth.
Improvement of Political Capabilities
Political capabilities are the capabilities that facilitate the participation of the
individuals in policy-making and in the making of decisions, on an independent basis in
situations, where human rights are guaranteed. The rural development approaches have the
main objective to make the development plans corresponding to the various conditions of the
rural communities and to implement the projects through community participation.
Development assistance, which responds rapidly to the local needs and requirements, needs
to work in integration and co-operation with the governments. For this reason,
decentralization is regarded as an important factor in the local community development.
Appropriate decentralization measures are required in the rural development activities. The
major activities include, capacity building of the central governments and improvements in
laws and financial management for decentralization. The rural development projects should
be consistent with the local government development plans. If there are differences, then
impediments would take place in the achievement of the desired objectives.
The improvements in the administrative capabilities of the local governments is
required for policy making and sustainability, based upon local conditions. The formulation
of development plans requires the incorporation of local opinions, community participation
and utilization of existing local resources. The administrative officers, who are involved in
the implementation of management and administrative functions, need to possess the
essential skills and abilities. One of the major aspects is, individuals need to be aware in
terms of areas, which are deficient and are required to get improved. The development of
political capabilities among rural individuals, also focus upon their participation in the
decision making processes and other political activities. The management and leadership
capabilities of the administrators and leaders should be improved. The individuals, who are in
charge of planning and administrative functions need to augment their skills and capabilities
on a continuous basis. For leading to improvements in skills and capabilities, there have been
provision of training opportunities. The location of training centres in terms of administrative,
managerial and leadership skills are mostly in urban communities.
Components of Rural Development Policy
The policies that are formulated to bring about rural development are required to
incorporate the components, which have been stated as follows:
Environmental Conditions - The first component is the individual and his
environment. The individuals need to develop the skills and abilities to make effective use of
resources that the natural environmental conditions are providing. On the other hand, the
individuals are required to generate awareness in terms of various strategies and approaches
that are required for the preservation of the environment. Curbing various forms of pollution
is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals need to be aware of various
strategies and methods for keeping the water bodies and environmental conditions clean.
Furthermore, they should be aware of making effective use of resources to improve the living
conditions.
Ecological Settings - The second component focuses upon ecological setting.
Ecological setting refers to the principle biophysical characteristics at multiple scales that
have a strong influence upon the composition, structure, and function of the particular
ecosystem, over a long period of time and serve to describe and distinguish it ecologically.
The major aspects that need to be taken into account in the case of ecological settings are,
wetness, soil depth, temperature, solar exposure and wind exposure that define the ecological
characteristics (Conservation Assessment and Prioritization System, n.d.). It is vital for the
rural individuals to possess adequate information, in terms of these traits, particularly when
they are engaged in agriculture and farming practices.
Technology - The third component of rural development is making use of technology.
The rural individuals have recognized the significance of technology. They are aware that
making use of technical methods would make their tasks and activities manageable. In the
present existence, they are making use of technical methods in the agriculture sector, farming
practices and production and manufacturing of goods. In addition to the use of technology in
the implementation of tasks and activities, individuals are also making use of it, in the form
of mobile phones and computers to augment their knowledge and information. The elderly
individuals and home-makers usually make use of it for leisure and recreational purposes.
Infrastructure - The development of infrastructure is integral to the development of
rural areas. The infrastructural facilities that need to be developed in rural communities are,
roads, transportation, communications, power supplies, water supplies, public services,
broadcasting and telecommunications. In rural households, individuals experience shortage of
power supplies and water supplies. They are required to fetch water from the wells or water
bodies, located nearby. The conditions of roads and modes of transportation are not in a well-
developed state, which are imposing problems for the individuals in transferring from one
place to another. Therefore, developments made in the infrastructural facilities are integral to
rural development.
Self-Reliance – When focusing upon rural development, the development of
individuals is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals are mostly illiterate
and unaware. They are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and possess
traditional viewpoints and perspectives. Their lives are primarily based upon their
perspectives and viewpoints. In order to promote their well-being, it is necessary to promote
self-reliance among individuals. This can be brought about through mobilization of resources,
local initiatives and participation of the individuals in various tasks and activities, which may
be social, political, cultural, economic and religious (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
Law and Order – In rural communities, the establishment of law and order enables the
individuals to organize tasks and activities in accordance to the rules and policies. Law and
order is referred to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity, which the citizens are required
to put into operation for obeying the law of land (Chapter III. Role in Maintenance of Law
and Order of District, n.d.). For instance, there has been prevalence of discriminatory
treatment and criminal and violent acts within rural communities. Through the
implementation of law and order, the individuals, who are doers, get subjected to disciplinary
action. Therefore, the main objective of law and order is to ensure the individuals make
provision of equal rights and opportunities to both males and females. Furthermore, there
should not be any kind of discrimination on the basis of any factors, including, caste, creed,
race, religion, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background. The individuals should
inculcate the traits of morality and ethics among themselves, for leading to progression of
themselves as well as the community as a whole.
Education – The education is regarded as the main instrument that lays the foundation
for the individuals to lead to progress in all areas and enrich their overall quality of lives. In
rural communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state. In schools, the
teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies are not put into practice in an effective
manner, there is lack of infrastructure, facilities and amenities and shortage of qualified and
experienced teachers. Measures need to be formulated to bring about improvements in these
aspects, so there would be an increase in the enrolment of students in schools. Acquisition of
education would enable the individuals to augment their skills and abilities, so they can carry
out tasks and activities to sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner.
Training Programs – The development of training programs among rural communities
is essential for the progression and well-being of the individuals as well as to enable them to
augment productivity and profitability. Agriculture is regarded as the major occupation of the
individuals in rural areas. In order to enhance productivity, it is vital for the individuals to get
enrolled in training programs and acquire knowledge in terms of modern and innovative
methods and strategies. There have been establishment of training centres, which are
providing knowledge and rendering an effective contribution in the up-gradation of skills of
the individuals. The different areas include, health care, diet and nutrition, child development,
handicrafts and artworks, and so forth.
Distributive Justice – The distributive justice involves operationalization of the value
of access entails exercises of power and authority. It follows both the matter of common
sense and empirical observation. The creation, structuring, reinforcement and boundaries of
access opportunities will be related to the main features of distribution of management and
power within society. To the extent, power needs conversion into authority, the value of
access by itself will not be ignored. On the other hand, considerations of power, in the here
and now sense will not be sacrificed in the pursuance of the desired goals and objectives. The
legal systems make provision of access institutions, rather than dispute institutions (Baxi,
1976).
Medical and Health Care – The establishment of health care centres are regarded to
be of utmost significance, as individuals, belonging to all age groups and backgrounds are
required to take care of their health care needs and requirements. When the individuals are in
good health, then they would be able to effectively get involved in the implementation of
various tasks and activities. These include, management of household responsibilities, child
development, agricultural and allied activities, taking care of needs and requirements of
elderly family members, participation in social, political, religious, economic and cultural
programs and carrying out daily routine activities. In old age, individuals are required to pay
adequate attention towards one’s health care and obtain regular medical check-ups.
Approaches for Rural Development
India has acquired vast experience in the implementation of rural development
programs. Within the course of time, there have been changes made in the approaches to rural
development and transformations have also been taking place in area planning. The main
purpose of these approaches is to bring about developments of various areas that would
render an effective contribution in making the lives of the individuals productive. The
important areas include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing. When these approaches are implemented, then it also needs to
ensure that they produce the desired outcomes in a rapid manner and accelerate the growth
and development of rural communities. When the resources available are limited, then the
rural individuals need to make sure that they make adequate use of them and not cause any
wastage (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
India has a long history of experimenting with various approaches of rural
development. It is been believed by the individuals since the past that effective growth and
development of the communities and nation, as a whole will take place, when developments
of vital areas will take place in rural communities. Since the country achieved its
independence, there have been introduction of several programs to initiate development of
rural communities. The planning for rural development has acquired the attention of policy-
makers, along with the national plan for economic development. India adopted both the
centralized and the decentralized planning models in the process of planned economic
development (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches to rural development that have been stated in the five year plans have
been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India,
n.d.).
The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956), adopted the Harrod - Domer model of capital
accumulation and saving mobilization as a methodological approach. The Community
Development Program (CPD) was put into practice to achieve the desired objective.
The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961) was based upon the Feldman - Mahalnobis
model of sectorial growth. This strategy invested in the strategies to achieve industrialization,
which is considered as the main aspect of economic development.
In the Third Five Year Plan (1961-1966), all round agricultural development was
envisaged. The increase in the agricultural production and allied activities received top
priority during this plan period. Agricultural programs such as, Intensive Agricultural Area
Development Program (IAADP) and High Yield Varieties Program (HYVP) were
implemented within the country.
During the annual plans (1966-1969), few more programs were implemented to
achieve all round development. The important programs were, Farmers Training and
Education Programs, Rural Works Program (RWP), Tribal Development Block, Rural
Manpower Program and Composite Program for Women and Child Development.
During the Fourth Five Year Plan (1969-1974), efforts were initiated in the name of
“Growth with Social Justice” towards uplifting the deprived, marginalized and economically
weaker sections of the society. The important rural development programs were, Small
Farmers Development Agency (SFDA), Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers
Development Agency (MFAL), Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP) and Tribal Area
Development Program (TADP).
The Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-1979) was based on the inter-sectorial transactions
model of Leontif, which has put emphasis upon the strengthening of the inter-sectorial
linkages for balanced growth of the sectors. The major programs that were introduced are,
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Programs (HADP),
Minimum Needs Program (MNP), Food for Work Program (FWP) and 20-Point economic
program.
The Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-1985), aimed at the removal of poverty, growth,
modernization, self-reliance and social justice. To attain the all-round development of rural
communities, one single program, which was called the ‘Integrated Rural Development
Program’ (IRDP) was introduced. IRDP is regarded as the multi-sector, multi-level and multi-
section concept of rural development. The other programs that were introduced are, National
Rural Employment Program (NREP), Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Program
(RLEGP), Economic Rehabilitation of Rural Poor (ERRP), Training of Rural Youth for Self-
Employment (TRYSEM), Self-Employment for the Educated Unemployed Youth (SEEVY)
and Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA).
The important objectives of the Seventh Five Year Plan (1985-1990) were to build an
independent self-reliant economy, establishment of social system, based on equity and justice,
reduction of regional imbalance and implementation of advanced technologies. Some of the
rural infrastructural programs that have been introduced during this plan period are, Indira
Awaas Yojana (IAY), Integrated Rural Energy Planning Program (IREP), Jawahar Rozgar
Yojana (JRY) and Million Wells Scheme (MWS).
In the Eighth Five Year Plan (1992-1997), the important objectives were, generation
of employment opportunities, universalization of elementary education, provision of safe
drinking water and primary health care facilities and reinforcement of the infrastructural
facilities. The programs that were introduced were, Intensified Jawahar Rozgar Yojana
(IJRY), Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS), Operation Black Board (OBB) and District
Primary Education Program (DPEP).
The Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) aimed at generating employment opportunities
in the secondary sector, all round development of the agriculture sector, strengthening of the
rural economy through the establishment of agro-based industries, small-scale industries,
cottage industries and alleviation of poverty. The important anti-poverty programs include,
IRDP, TRYSEM, IAY, JRY, IJRY, DPAP, EAS and so forth.
Changes are required to be brought about in the rural development strategies in
accordance to the needs and requirements of the community. In the Tenth Five Year Plan
(2002-2007), the participatory strategy has been introduced by the Government to promote
rural development. Measures have been formulated to augment the social and economic
opportunities for the individuals by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. The Government of India has launched the ‘Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme’. In addition, attention has been paid towards development of rural infrastructure and
rural health. The important programs that were introduced to achieve these objectives are,
Gram Sadak Yojana and National Rural Health Mission (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches for rural development need to focus upon making provision of
remedies to the problems, experienced by rural individuals. These problems mainly include,
poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and homelessness. When improvements need to be made in
rural communities, then it is vital to pay adequate attention to urban communities, as they are
regarded as the main consumers of agricultural produce. In order to bring about effective
solutions to these problems, it is vital to formulate measures, programs and schemes, which
are dedicated towards alleviating these problems and bringing about improvements in the
overall living conditions of the individuals. Therefore, it is clear that improvements need to
be brought about in the traditional rural development approaches (Chapter 4. Effective
Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Development of rural areas is dependent upon assistance from the international
countries. However, there have been restraints upon the external inputs, due to the deprived
financial conditions of the donors. As a result, the augmentation of rural development
requires effective external inputs to generate significant outcomes and is capable of
endangering further improvements. Development issues must therefore be comprehensively
understood, as appropriate understanding would facilitate the achievement of desired
objectives. In rural communities, it is vital to make maximum use of human and material
resources (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.). The approaches to
effective rural development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for
Rural Development, n.d.).
Endogenous Development
Endogenous development is the development that puts emphasis upon the
comprehensive local development for human rights advocacy, human development and
qualitative progress of the living standards, based on environmental conservation and
sustainable social development. To implement a developmental approach that promotes inter-
industrial relationships, it is necessary to take into consideration, comprehensive utilization of
human resources, techniques, industries, methods, financial resources, materials, equipment,
cultures and networks that have the main objective of leading to progress. In addition,
necessary regulations and instructions are also required to promote co-operation between
cities and local economy. Furthermore, the participation of the community is also regarded as
indispensable in the formulation of measures and policies. The establishment of local
autonomy is required through community participation, decentralization and self-governance.
Another aspect to promote endogenous development is carried out through the project
implementation bodies.
Participatory Development
The development of human and physical resources in rural communities requires
recognition of the fact that local individuals themselves are the main implementers of
development projects. The rural individuals are in a backward state, therefore, when they
would make provision of ideas and perspectives, then they would be able to generate
awareness and acquire information in terms of various aspects and would improve their
overall quality of lives. When the rural individuals are participating actively, then their
participation would be productive. On the other hand, when they would participate passively,
then they would be more dependent upon the external inputs. Projects that rural individuals
plan and implement on their own is given priority as local materials and human resources are
required to get organized in more operative manner. Local independence and sustainable
development of the project outcomes are improved by the effective use of local resources.
Strategies of Rural Development
The strategies for rural development are based upon rural development approaches.
Improvements have been brought about in these strategies, after the country achieved it
independence. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The Multi-purpose Strategy
The rural development approach within the country began with the multi-purpose
approach. The Community Development Program (CPD) began in 1952. It had the main
objective of promoting development of material and human resources through the co-
operative efforts of the individuals and assistance available from the state. It was regarded as
an educational and an organizational process. Since, it also aimed at bringing about changes
in the practices and procedures, which proved to be barriers within the course of
implementation of desired objectives. The major objective was social and economic
improvement. The rationale of the approach was, all aspects were linked with each other. The
activities of CPD included, agriculture, animal husbandry, irrigation, water resources, co-
operation, village and small scale industries, health and sanitation, communication, housing
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that development of welfare and livelihoods
opportunities was one of the primary objectives of multi-purpose strategy.
Growth Oriented Strategy
The growth oriented strategy was based on rural individuals. Though rural individuals
are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness, but they also possess sharp mind-
sets and can make wise decisions. In order to participate in effective decision making
processes, they should be provided with rights and opportunities. The main objective of rural
individuals is to enhance their living conditions and to achieve this purpose, they are looking
for employment and income generating opportunities. Therefore, it can be stated that the
implementation of opportunities that would promote growth of the individuals in an
efficacious manner are referred to as growth oriented strategies. Agricultural sector is the
major area of employment and livelihood opportunities for the rural individuals, therefore,
the implementation of programs, such as, Intensive Agriculture District Program (IADP),
Intensive Cattle Development Program (ICDP) and High Yielding Varieties Program (HYVP)
was launched. This gave rise to Green Revolution. But this strategy provided assistance to
wealthier farmers. On the other hand, the deprived farmers remained in a backward state.
Target Group Strategy
In the target group strategy, a particular group is undertaken and researched upon.
Normally, as in this case, strategies for rural development are being researched upon.
Therefore, conditions may be analysed of small and marginal farmers, as well as wealthier
farmers. The conditions of small and marginal farmers are not in an improved state. They are
residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and therefore are unaware of modern
and innovative strategies and methods that are considered essential to augment production.
They are instead making use of traditional farming practices and methods in the production
processes. On the other hand, wealthy farmers are making use of technical and scientific
methods to enhance production. It has been studied upon that farmers are getting enrolled in
training centres and educational institutions to develop their knowledge and generate
awareness in terms of scientific, modern and innovative methods and practices. The
Antyodaya Schemes is the target approach. This approach produced the client-oriented design
and the ultimate goal is to transfer the responsibilities of planning and development to the
clientele themselves.
Area Development Strategy
Under the area development strategy, emphasis has been put upon the development of
backward regions. This strategy presumes that the growth centres have a geographical spread
effect that the regions, which are deficient in terms of resources or infrastructure etc. needs to
be adequately developed. The major programs that have been formulated under this strategy
are, Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP), Tribal Area Development Program (TADP),
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Program and so
forth. The tribal population is scattered throughout the country. They are mostly residing in
hilly and mountainous regions. They are dependent upon the natural environmental
conditions for their survival. Therefore, it is vital to implement measures and formulate
strategies that are focused upon the development of tribal areas. In order to generate the
desired outcomes, it is necessary to allocate the resources in an appropriate manner, so
development of backward regions can promote well-being of the individuals.
Spatial Planning Strategy
The spatial planning strategy is the strategy that demands for implementation of
special programs in their respective locations, induction of the production plans, employment
programs and supply of basic needs of rural population. In order to achieve these objectives,
the programs and the strategies need to be rural oriented. In the fifth five year plan, multi-
level planning is the planning that was focused upon to a large extent. In addition to multi-
level planning, it was vital for the individuals to generate awareness in terms of techno-
economic, socio-political and administrative functions. As it is apparent, when improvements
need to be made or when transformations need to be brought about, then emphasis need to be
put upon the implementation of modern and innovative methods. In some of the areas, when
there is lack of materials and resources, then it would lead to hindrances within the course of
achievement of desired objectives. On the other hand, shortage of techniques need to be
analysed and plans should be efficiently put into operation to promote welfare and goodwill
of rural population.
Integrated or Holistic Strategy
Integrated or holistic strategy has been formulated, taking into consideration the
perspective that development should be an integrated one. There is an integration in the
development of areas, regions, infrastructure, education, employment opportunities, human
resources, training, skills development programs and the overall quality of lives of rural
individuals. There are connections established between all the programs, provided they are
infrastructural development programs, human resources development programs, sectorial
development programs, and social welfare programs. The different programs influence the
functioning of others through connections. The integrated strategy combines all the features
of the previous strategies and is structured to achieve the goals and objectives of growth,
welfare, equity and community participation. This paradigm takes an integrated but
comprehensive perspective of major problems that occur within rural communities, including,
poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy. The goals of this strategy are expected to get
accomplished by building the capacity of the community to participate in the development
processes in partnership with the Government. The anti-poverty programs that have been
initiated, i.e. IRD program, National Rural Employment Program, and Training of Rural
Youth for Self-Employment were intended to follow this standard.
Participatory Strategy
During the past two decades, various new approaches like the top-down planning,
planning from below, bottom up planning, micro-level planning and multi-level planning,
have been put into operation within the framework of involving the individuals in the phase
of development. As the name implies, participatory strategy is concerned with the
involvement of individuals in the formulation of strategies and approaches. In the tenth five
year plan, the government has devised participatory strategy to promote the development of
rural communities. Provision has been made to augment social and economic opportunities
for the individuals and groups, by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. In the decision making processes, the individuals are required to conduct an
analysis of the alternatives and put into operation the one, which is most meaningful and
beneficial. When the individuals are participating in the decision making processes, then they
are required to implement rational and logical thinking. The rural individuals are well-aware
in terms of opportunities, which would lead to improvements in their living conditions.
Other Strategies Promoting Rural Development
The other important strategies that have the main purpose of promoting rural
development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural
Development, n.d.).
Anti-poverty Measures
Poverty is regarded as one of the major problems experienced by rural individuals.
The conditions of poverty are characterised by scarcity of resources, due to which,
individuals experience problems even in fulfilling their basic needs of food, clothing and
shelter. The alleviation of conditions of poverty is given utmost consideration for the purpose
of promoting effective living. The increase in rural poverty has been observed with the
increase in national poverty (Rural Development Strategy, n.d.). In the development and
progression of rural development activities, primarily for the purpose of alleviation of
poverty, it is essential for the individuals to adequately conduct an analysis of the poverty
levels. Furthermore, it also needs to be taken into consideration, how the levels of poverty are
causing unfavourable effects upon the lives of individuals. The government, agencies and
other organizations are paying attention to the problem of poverty and are implementing
programs and measures to alleviate it. The commitment of these organizations and agencies,
accumulation of the know-how applicable to other areas and training of human resources are
some of the crucial measures that need to be taken into consideration. The training of human
resources is regarded as an indispensable approach to achieve the desired objectives.
Food Production
There are cases of project implementation in terms of development of food areas. For
alleviating the problem of malnutrition and for improving food supply, it is necessary to put
into operation, a comprehensive approach. The formation of the system, which transmits the
lessons to other rural communities and development of agricultural practices need to be
implemented. To augment food production, it is apparent that measures should be put into
practice to improve agricultural productivity. One of the vital measures to augment
agricultural productivity is by making use of modern and innovative methods, scientific
approaches and technologies. The farmers and agricultural labourers get enrolled in training
centres and also pursue educational programs, which may generate awareness among them in
terms of these areas. In addition, there should also be formation of a system to transmit
lessons to other areas that have been learned from model projects. There should be co-
operation between the production plans and agricultural development plans to achieve the
desired goals. The important role of agriculture has been acknowledged in leading to growth
and causing a reduction in rural poverty and malnutrition has been highlighted in the World
Development Report of 2008 (Sector Approaches in Agriculture and Rural Development,
2008).
Conservation of the Natural Environment
The rural individuals are dependent upon the natural environmental conditions for
meeting their daily needs and requirements to a major extent. They normally experience
shortage of water within their homes. Water is considered as the basic necessity and hence,
they obtain it from the wells and water bodies located nearby. Rural individuals, in some
cases are also dependent upon natural environmental conditions for treating their wounds and
illnesses. They obtain herbs and medicinal plants from the forests. Another important benefit
of the forests is, individuals obtain fruits and vegetables for satisfying their nutritional
requirements. In addition, the promotion of effective forest-resource use and the combination
of alternative techniques, such as the use of biogas and cow manure are also required. As in
rural households, individuals usually make use of mud stoves and require wood, which they
obtain from forests. Hence, after acquiring information in terms of these aspects, it is vital for
the rural individuals to formulate measures in terms of preservation of the natural
environment. The efforts to promote local or indigenous agricultural systems, increasing
awareness regarding biodiversity conservation, food security and contribution to natural
landscape and cultural heritage are significant factors in promoting livelihoods security and
sustainable development of rural individuals (Participatory and Negotiated Territorial
Development, 2005).
Reconstruction Support
The term ‘reconstruction’ is primarily related to the construction of houses, shelters,
schools, training centres, hospitals, medical centres, market places and other public places.
These areas are vital in not only leading to effective growth and development of the
individuals, but also community as a whole. When there would be establishment of schools,
educational institutions and training centres, then individuals would recognize the
significance of education and augment their academic skills. The availability of health care
and medical centres, would support the individuals in taking care of their health and well-
being. Market places will enable individuals to make purchases of various items. Public
places are referred to the places, which are visited by public. These include, parks,
playground, theatres, religious places and so forth. Apart from the construction of these
places, it needs to be ensured that in rural communities, infrastructural facilities and civic
amenities need to be developed in an appropriate manner. Policies need to be formulated, so
the households should not experience scarcity of water and electricity. Water, electricity and
lighting facilities within households are regarded to be of utmost significance, which would
enable the individuals to implement their tasks and sustain their living conditions in an
efficient manner.
Administrative Capabilities
The administrative capabilities within rural communities need to take into
consideration the aspect that administrative functions and law and order practices need to get
carried out in an appropriate manner. Most of the developing countries are in the process of
decentralization. It is crucial for the local administrative officers to possess skills and
aptitude, particularly in terms of policy making in multi-sectorial local development and on
industrial development, including agriculture and farming practices. Capacity building of the
local administrative officers is regarded to be a prominent area and is implemented through
mutual co-operation with the governments. The administrative functions cannot be carried
out in isolation. When administration and managerial policies need to be formulated, then the
governments, organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and
integration. Furthermore, the dispatches of the policy advisors to the central governments are
also considered important to a major extent. The reason being, sending individuals to the
number of local governments is required to be put into operation by donor agencies. The
administrative capabilities also focus upon maintenance of law and order. Women and girls
should be provided with equal rights and opportunities. There should not be any
discriminatory treatment between individuals on the basis of factors, such as, gender, caste,
creed, race, religion, ethnicity, age and socio-economic background.
Conclusion
The primary objective of acquiring understanding in terms of rural development
approaches and strategies is to recognize the effective contributions that they make towards
leading to effective growth and progression of rural communities. Generating information in
terms of rural development objectives is the first and foremost aspect. These are,
improvement of economic capabilities, improvement of human capabilities, improvement of
protective capabilities and improvement of political capabilities. The components of rural
development policy are, environmental conditions, ecological settings, technology,
infrastructure, self-reliance, law and order, education, training programs, distributive justice
and medical and health care. When the rural development policies are initiated, then they
have the major objective of ensuring that the components are taken into account in an
appropriate manner. The main purpose of approaches is to promote development of various
areas. These include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing.
The five year plans included the implementation of programs and schemes that
focused upon development of rural communities. The strategies for rural development are,
multi-purpose strategy, growth oriented strategy, target group strategy, area development
strategy, spatial planning strategy, integrated or holistic strategy and participatory strategy.
The other strategies promoting rural development are, anti-poverty measures, food
production, conservation of the natural environment, reconstruction support and
administrative capabilities. In rural communities, individuals have recognized the
significance of education. They have also generated information that making use of modern
and scientific methods and technology in the production processes will lead to increase in
productivity and profitability. But the conditions of poverty, malnutrition and scarcity of
resources are proving to be major impediments within the course of achievement of the
desired objectives. Hence, the main purpose of other strategies is to form the overall rural
environmental conditions in such a manner that would lead to effective growth and
development of individuals and communities.
Rural Development Approaches and Strategies
Dr. Radhika Kapur
Abstract
The main objective of this research paper is to understand the approaches and
strategies that are necessary to bring about development of rural communities. In rural
communities, there are number of aspects that need to be developed. These include,
education, employment opportunities, agriculture and farming practices, administration and
management, infrastructure, civic amenities, health care and medical and environmental
conditions. When improvements would take place in these areas, then rural individuals would
be able to secure better livelihoods opportunities. Furthermore, when approaches and
strategies are formulated by the Government, organizations and other agencies, then it is vital
to generate awareness among rural individuals and help them in acquiring benefits of these
measures and approaches in an appropriate manner. The main areas that have been taken into
account in this research paper include, development objectives of rural areas, components of
rural development policy, approaches for rural development, strategies of rural development
and other strategies promoting rural development.
Keywords: Approaches, Capabilities, Policies, Rural Development, Strategies
When one is researching upon the concept of rural development, then it is referred to
the overall development of rural communities. It is a multi-dimensional and a comprehensive
concept, which takes into consideration, number of aspects, these include, agriculture and
allied activities, village and cottage industries, farming practices, system of education,
training centres, health care and medical facilities, environmental conditions, housing
accommodation, infrastructure, technology, skills development opportunities for the
individuals, administration and management practices, employment opportunities and human
resource development. When the individuals are researching upon the aspects, which promote
backwardness of rural communities, then it is vital for them to take into consideration
measures, policies and programs that would promote development of all the above stated
aspects. In rural communities, the individuals are experiencing the problems of poverty,
illiteracy and unemployment to a major extent. Therefore, measures and policies also need to
put emphasis upon alleviation of these problems.
The development of rural communities is the ultimate outcome of the transactions
between physical, technological, economic, socio-cultural and institutional factors. The
approaches and the strategies need to be designed to bring about improvements, primarily in
the living conditions of the individuals, belonging to deprived, marginalized and socio-
economically backward sections of the society. To promote the development of rural areas, it
is necessary to represent an intersection between agricultural, social, managerial, behavioural
and engineering sciences (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in
India, n.d.). When there are implementation of policies, practices, strategies and approaches
aiming at rural development, then the individuals need to generate awareness in terms of
deficient areas and challenges, which the rural individuals are experiencing. The
organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and integration with each
other to achieve the desired goals and objectives. Many developing countries have been
working effectively towards development of rural communities and have received significant
outcomes.
Development Objectives of Rural Areas
When acquiring an understanding of rural development approaches and strategies, it is
essential to acquire an efficient understanding of areas in rural communities, which are in a
backward and underdeveloped state and which need to be improved. When the individuals
are involved in the implementation of strategies and approaches, then they need to be aware
of major objectives of rural individuals. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4.
Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Improvement of Economic Capabilities
In order to bring about improvements in the living conditions and overall quality of
lives, it is necessary to generate a source of income. In rural areas, agriculture and farming
practices are stated as the major occupations of the individuals. Apart from these, they are
engaged in the production and manufacturing of handicrafts, silk weaving, pottery making,
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that involvement in employment opportunities and
occupations are the major objectives of not only individuals residing in urban communities,
but also rural individuals. In the agriculture sector, strategies need to focus upon bringing
about improvements in agricultural productivity and marketing of agricultural products. It is
vital for the farmers and agricultural labourers to put into operation, innovative and scientific
methods to augment production. Agricultural income can be increased through the
implementation of two comprehensive methods. These are, stabilizing the prices of
agricultural products and intermediary exploitation and improving agricultural productivity
and infrastructure.
To bring about improvements in agricultural productivity, one gets involved in the
production of multiple crops, by making use of advanced agricultural techniques.
Introduction of modern irrigation methods is regarded as one of the strategies of improving
agricultural infrastructure. The main aspects that need to be taken into consideration to
improve agricultural productivity are, development of small-irrigation systems, i.e.
construction of irrigation systems and development of water user associations; capacity
building for agricultural extension workers, i.e. improvement of cultivation techniques,
improvements in the production of crops and vegetables and agroforestry; empowerment of
community based activities for farming, i.e. organization of shipping and distributive co-
operatives and rice banks and comprehensive rural and agricultural development, i.e.
integrated projects with the development of small-scale irrigation, capacity building for the
agricultural workers and strengthening of the community-based activities for farming. The
improvements made in these areas, would render an effective contribution in augmenting
productivity and profitability through engagement in agriculture and farming practices.
Improvement of Human Capabilities
When improvement of human capabilities is taken into consideration, then emphasis
is put upon one’s health conditions and educational levels. In rural communities, health
conditions of the individuals are regarded to be in a deprived state. When the individuals are
experiencing health problems or illnesses, then they would certainly experience problems in
getting involved in any tasks or activities. Therefore, improvements need to be initiated in
rural communities, and bringing about developments in the health care and medical facilities
is regarded to be of major significance. In rural communities, health care and medical centres
are not in a well-developed state. The individuals in most cases are required to migrate to
urban areas to obtain medical treatment. When the elderly individuals or other individuals
within the family experience illnesses, then the other family members are required to leave
their work and take care of ailing members. Hence, due to this, they experience a decline in
productivity. Therefore, augmentation of medical and health care centres is crucial for rural
development.
For the purpose of generating income, it is vital to bring about improvements in the
educational standards. Literacy skills enable the individuals to read manuals on agricultural
techniques and equipment, thus leading to an increase in agricultural productivity. When the
individuals possess the basic literacy skills, they can easily acquire information in terms of
policies, measures and programs that have been put into operation, leading to their well-
being. Furthermore, they are able to carry out various tasks and activities in a manageable
manner, including the implementation of household responsibilities, health care, diet and
nutrition, child development and so forth. When they are engaged in the production
processes, then they would be able to acquire satisfactory information in terms of marketing
strategies and approaches and able to enhance productivity and profitability. In rural
communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state and major cause for
this is inadequate financial resources. For bringing about improvements in educational
standards in rural communities, it is necessary to recruit skilled and qualified teachers,
enhance teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies, improve infrastructure and
overall school environmental conditions.
Improvement of Protective Capabilities
The protective capabilities are referred to the capabilities of the individuals to protect
them from various problems and difficulties. These are particularly the ones, which prove to
be impediments within the course of their progression. These problems are poverty,
malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment, natural disasters and crime and violence. In rural
communities, when there are occurrence of natural calamities and disasters, then rural
individuals are required to experience detrimental effects to a major extent. The cultivated
land gets easily damaged from floods, erosion, earthquakes etc. The rural individuals, who
are residing in the conditions of poverty, do not possess adequate resources to sustain their
living conditions sufficiently. Therefore, it is vital for them to be aware of the measures and
strategies that are needed to preserve the natural environmental conditions and their well-
being. The protection of forests is not only effectual in the alleviation of natural disasters,
such as, floods, but also protecting land from top-soil erosion and generating awareness in
terms of financial management, hygiene and sanitation.
The rural individuals need to recognize the significance of education. It is vital for
them to get enrolled in educational institutions and training centres and generate information
in terms of various strategies and concepts. Acquisition of education in terms of various
strategies and concepts, would help the individuals to differentiate between appropriate and
inappropriate, provide solutions to various problems, look for employment and income
generation opportunities and sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner. In order
to eliminate illiteracy, there have been establishment of adult education centres in rural
communities, to provide training to adults. These adults, have either never been to school
before, or have dropped out, before their educational skills are honed. There have been
implementation of programs and measures, which aim at promoting welfare of the rural
individuals. The main areas, upon which these measures are focused upon include, agriculture
and farming practices, education and training opportunities, employment opportunities, skills
development, law and order, management and administration, infrastructure development,
development of civic amenities, environmental preservation methods and so forth.
Improvement of Political Capabilities
Political capabilities are the capabilities that facilitate the participation of the
individuals in policy-making and in the making of decisions, on an independent basis in
situations, where human rights are guaranteed. The rural development approaches have the
main objective to make the development plans corresponding to the various conditions of the
rural communities and to implement the projects through community participation.
Development assistance, which responds rapidly to the local needs and requirements, needs
to work in integration and co-operation with the governments. For this reason,
decentralization is regarded as an important factor in the local community development.
Appropriate decentralization measures are required in the rural development activities. The
major activities include, capacity building of the central governments and improvements in
laws and financial management for decentralization. The rural development projects should
be consistent with the local government development plans. If there are differences, then
impediments would take place in the achievement of the desired objectives.
The improvements in the administrative capabilities of the local governments is
required for policy making and sustainability, based upon local conditions. The formulation
of development plans requires the incorporation of local opinions, community participation
and utilization of existing local resources. The administrative officers, who are involved in
the implementation of management and administrative functions, need to possess the
essential skills and abilities. One of the major aspects is, individuals need to be aware in
terms of areas, which are deficient and are required to get improved. The development of
political capabilities among rural individuals, also focus upon their participation in the
decision making processes and other political activities. The management and leadership
capabilities of the administrators and leaders should be improved. The individuals, who are in
charge of planning and administrative functions need to augment their skills and capabilities
on a continuous basis. For leading to improvements in skills and capabilities, there have been
provision of training opportunities. The location of training centres in terms of administrative,
managerial and leadership skills are mostly in urban communities.
Components of Rural Development Policy
The policies that are formulated to bring about rural development are required to
incorporate the components, which have been stated as follows:
Environmental Conditions - The first component is the individual and his
environment. The individuals need to develop the skills and abilities to make effective use of
resources that the natural environmental conditions are providing. On the other hand, the
individuals are required to generate awareness in terms of various strategies and approaches
that are required for the preservation of the environment. Curbing various forms of pollution
is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals need to be aware of various
strategies and methods for keeping the water bodies and environmental conditions clean.
Furthermore, they should be aware of making effective use of resources to improve the living
conditions.
Ecological Settings - The second component focuses upon ecological setting.
Ecological setting refers to the principle biophysical characteristics at multiple scales that
have a strong influence upon the composition, structure, and function of the particular
ecosystem, over a long period of time and serve to describe and distinguish it ecologically.
The major aspects that need to be taken into account in the case of ecological settings are,
wetness, soil depth, temperature, solar exposure and wind exposure that define the ecological
characteristics (Conservation Assessment and Prioritization System, n.d.). It is vital for the
rural individuals to possess adequate information, in terms of these traits, particularly when
they are engaged in agriculture and farming practices.
Technology - The third component of rural development is making use of technology.
The rural individuals have recognized the significance of technology. They are aware that
making use of technical methods would make their tasks and activities manageable. In the
present existence, they are making use of technical methods in the agriculture sector, farming
practices and production and manufacturing of goods. In addition to the use of technology in
the implementation of tasks and activities, individuals are also making use of it, in the form
of mobile phones and computers to augment their knowledge and information. The elderly
individuals and home-makers usually make use of it for leisure and recreational purposes.
Infrastructure - The development of infrastructure is integral to the development of
rural areas. The infrastructural facilities that need to be developed in rural communities are,
roads, transportation, communications, power supplies, water supplies, public services,
broadcasting and telecommunications. In rural households, individuals experience shortage of
power supplies and water supplies. They are required to fetch water from the wells or water
bodies, located nearby. The conditions of roads and modes of transportation are not in a well-
developed state, which are imposing problems for the individuals in transferring from one
place to another. Therefore, developments made in the infrastructural facilities are integral to
rural development.
Self-Reliance – When focusing upon rural development, the development of
individuals is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals are mostly illiterate
and unaware. They are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and possess
traditional viewpoints and perspectives. Their lives are primarily based upon their
perspectives and viewpoints. In order to promote their well-being, it is necessary to promote
self-reliance among individuals. This can be brought about through mobilization of resources,
local initiatives and participation of the individuals in various tasks and activities, which may
be social, political, cultural, economic and religious (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
Law and Order – In rural communities, the establishment of law and order enables the
individuals to organize tasks and activities in accordance to the rules and policies. Law and
order is referred to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity, which the citizens are required
to put into operation for obeying the law of land (Chapter III. Role in Maintenance of Law
and Order of District, n.d.). For instance, there has been prevalence of discriminatory
treatment and criminal and violent acts within rural communities. Through the
implementation of law and order, the individuals, who are doers, get subjected to disciplinary
action. Therefore, the main objective of law and order is to ensure the individuals make
provision of equal rights and opportunities to both males and females. Furthermore, there
should not be any kind of discrimination on the basis of any factors, including, caste, creed,
race, religion, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background. The individuals should
inculcate the traits of morality and ethics among themselves, for leading to progression of
themselves as well as the community as a whole.
Education – The education is regarded as the main instrument that lays the foundation
for the individuals to lead to progress in all areas and enrich their overall quality of lives. In
rural communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state. In schools, the
teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies are not put into practice in an effective
manner, there is lack of infrastructure, facilities and amenities and shortage of qualified and
experienced teachers. Measures need to be formulated to bring about improvements in these
aspects, so there would be an increase in the enrolment of students in schools. Acquisition of
education would enable the individuals to augment their skills and abilities, so they can carry
out tasks and activities to sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner.
Training Programs – The development of training programs among rural communities
is essential for the progression and well-being of the individuals as well as to enable them to
augment productivity and profitability. Agriculture is regarded as the major occupation of the
individuals in rural areas. In order to enhance productivity, it is vital for the individuals to get
enrolled in training programs and acquire knowledge in terms of modern and innovative
methods and strategies. There have been establishment of training centres, which are
providing knowledge and rendering an effective contribution in the up-gradation of skills of
the individuals. The different areas include, health care, diet and nutrition, child development,
handicrafts and artworks, and so forth.
Distributive Justice – The distributive justice involves operationalization of the value
of access entails exercises of power and authority. It follows both the matter of common
sense and empirical observation. The creation, structuring, reinforcement and boundaries of
access opportunities will be related to the main features of distribution of management and
power within society. To the extent, power needs conversion into authority, the value of
access by itself will not be ignored. On the other hand, considerations of power, in the here
and now sense will not be sacrificed in the pursuance of the desired goals and objectives. The
legal systems make provision of access institutions, rather than dispute institutions (Baxi,
1976).
Medical and Health Care – The establishment of health care centres are regarded to
be of utmost significance, as individuals, belonging to all age groups and backgrounds are
required to take care of their health care needs and requirements. When the individuals are in
good health, then they would be able to effectively get involved in the implementation of
various tasks and activities. These include, management of household responsibilities, child
development, agricultural and allied activities, taking care of needs and requirements of
elderly family members, participation in social, political, religious, economic and cultural
programs and carrying out daily routine activities. In old age, individuals are required to pay
adequate attention towards one’s health care and obtain regular medical check-ups.
Approaches for Rural Development
India has acquired vast experience in the implementation of rural development
programs. Within the course of time, there have been changes made in the approaches to rural
development and transformations have also been taking place in area planning. The main
purpose of these approaches is to bring about developments of various areas that would
render an effective contribution in making the lives of the individuals productive. The
important areas include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing. When these approaches are implemented, then it also needs to
ensure that they produce the desired outcomes in a rapid manner and accelerate the growth
and development of rural communities. When the resources available are limited, then the
rural individuals need to make sure that they make adequate use of them and not cause any
wastage (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
India has a long history of experimenting with various approaches of rural
development. It is been believed by the individuals since the past that effective growth and
development of the communities and nation, as a whole will take place, when developments
of vital areas will take place in rural communities. Since the country achieved its
independence, there have been introduction of several programs to initiate development of
rural communities. The planning for rural development has acquired the attention of policy-
makers, along with the national plan for economic development. India adopted both the
centralized and the decentralized planning models in the process of planned economic
development (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches to rural development that have been stated in the five year plans have
been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India,
n.d.).
The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956), adopted the Harrod - Domer model of capital
accumulation and saving mobilization as a methodological approach. The Community
Development Program (CPD) was put into practice to achieve the desired objective.
The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961) was based upon the Feldman - Mahalnobis
model of sectorial growth. This strategy invested in the strategies to achieve industrialization,
which is considered as the main aspect of economic development.
In the Third Five Year Plan (1961-1966), all round agricultural development was
envisaged. The increase in the agricultural production and allied activities received top
priority during this plan period. Agricultural programs such as, Intensive Agricultural Area
Development Program (IAADP) and High Yield Varieties Program (HYVP) were
implemented within the country.
During the annual plans (1966-1969), few more programs were implemented to
achieve all round development. The important programs were, Farmers Training and
Education Programs, Rural Works Program (RWP), Tribal Development Block, Rural
Manpower Program and Composite Program for Women and Child Development.
During the Fourth Five Year Plan (1969-1974), efforts were initiated in the name of
“Growth with Social Justice” towards uplifting the deprived, marginalized and economically
weaker sections of the society. The important rural development programs were, Small
Farmers Development Agency (SFDA), Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers
Development Agency (MFAL), Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP) and Tribal Area
Development Program (TADP).
The Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-1979) was based on the inter-sectorial transactions
model of Leontif, which has put emphasis upon the strengthening of the inter-sectorial
linkages for balanced growth of the sectors. The major programs that were introduced are,
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Programs (HADP),
Minimum Needs Program (MNP), Food for Work Program (FWP) and 20-Point economic
program.
The Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-1985), aimed at the removal of poverty, growth,
modernization, self-reliance and social justice. To attain the all-round development of rural
communities, one single program, which was called the ‘Integrated Rural Development
Program’ (IRDP) was introduced. IRDP is regarded as the multi-sector, multi-level and multi-
section concept of rural development. The other programs that were introduced are, National
Rural Employment Program (NREP), Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Program
(RLEGP), Economic Rehabilitation of Rural Poor (ERRP), Training of Rural Youth for Self-
Employment (TRYSEM), Self-Employment for the Educated Unemployed Youth (SEEVY)
and Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA).
The important objectives of the Seventh Five Year Plan (1985-1990) were to build an
independent self-reliant economy, establishment of social system, based on equity and justice,
reduction of regional imbalance and implementation of advanced technologies. Some of the
rural infrastructural programs that have been introduced during this plan period are, Indira
Awaas Yojana (IAY), Integrated Rural Energy Planning Program (IREP), Jawahar Rozgar
Yojana (JRY) and Million Wells Scheme (MWS).
In the Eighth Five Year Plan (1992-1997), the important objectives were, generation
of employment opportunities, universalization of elementary education, provision of safe
drinking water and primary health care facilities and reinforcement of the infrastructural
facilities. The programs that were introduced were, Intensified Jawahar Rozgar Yojana
(IJRY), Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS), Operation Black Board (OBB) and District
Primary Education Program (DPEP).
The Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) aimed at generating employment opportunities
in the secondary sector, all round development of the agriculture sector, strengthening of the
rural economy through the establishment of agro-based industries, small-scale industries,
cottage industries and alleviation of poverty. The important anti-poverty programs include,
IRDP, TRYSEM, IAY, JRY, IJRY, DPAP, EAS and so forth.
Changes are required to be brought about in the rural development strategies in
accordance to the needs and requirements of the community. In the Tenth Five Year Plan
(2002-2007), the participatory strategy has been introduced by the Government to promote
rural development. Measures have been formulated to augment the social and economic
opportunities for the individuals by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. The Government of India has launched the ‘Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme’. In addition, attention has been paid towards development of rural infrastructure and
rural health. The important programs that were introduced to achieve these objectives are,
Gram Sadak Yojana and National Rural Health Mission (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches for rural development need to focus upon making provision of
remedies to the problems, experienced by rural individuals. These problems mainly include,
poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and homelessness. When improvements need to be made in
rural communities, then it is vital to pay adequate attention to urban communities, as they are
regarded as the main consumers of agricultural produce. In order to bring about effective
solutions to these problems, it is vital to formulate measures, programs and schemes, which
are dedicated towards alleviating these problems and bringing about improvements in the
overall living conditions of the individuals. Therefore, it is clear that improvements need to
be brought about in the traditional rural development approaches (Chapter 4. Effective
Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Development of rural areas is dependent upon assistance from the international
countries. However, there have been restraints upon the external inputs, due to the deprived
financial conditions of the donors. As a result, the augmentation of rural development
requires effective external inputs to generate significant outcomes and is capable of
endangering further improvements. Development issues must therefore be comprehensively
understood, as appropriate understanding would facilitate the achievement of desired
objectives. In rural communities, it is vital to make maximum use of human and material
resources (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.). The approaches to
effective rural development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for
Rural Development, n.d.).
Endogenous Development
Endogenous development is the development that puts emphasis upon the
comprehensive local development for human rights advocacy, human development and
qualitative progress of the living standards, based on environmental conservation and
sustainable social development. To implement a developmental approach that promotes inter-
industrial relationships, it is necessary to take into consideration, comprehensive utilization of
human resources, techniques, industries, methods, financial resources, materials, equipment,
cultures and networks that have the main objective of leading to progress. In addition,
necessary regulations and instructions are also required to promote co-operation between
cities and local economy. Furthermore, the participation of the community is also regarded as
indispensable in the formulation of measures and policies. The establishment of local
autonomy is required through community participation, decentralization and self-governance.
Another aspect to promote endogenous development is carried out through the project
implementation bodies.
Participatory Development
The development of human and physical resources in rural communities requires
recognition of the fact that local individuals themselves are the main implementers of
development projects. The rural individuals are in a backward state, therefore, when they
would make provision of ideas and perspectives, then they would be able to generate
awareness and acquire information in terms of various aspects and would improve their
overall quality of lives. When the rural individuals are participating actively, then their
participation would be productive. On the other hand, when they would participate passively,
then they would be more dependent upon the external inputs. Projects that rural individuals
plan and implement on their own is given priority as local materials and human resources are
required to get organized in more operative manner. Local independence and sustainable
development of the project outcomes are improved by the effective use of local resources.
Strategies of Rural Development
The strategies for rural development are based upon rural development approaches.
Improvements have been brought about in these strategies, after the country achieved it
independence. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The Multi-purpose Strategy
The rural development approach within the country began with the multi-purpose
approach. The Community Development Program (CPD) began in 1952. It had the main
objective of promoting development of material and human resources through the co-
operative efforts of the individuals and assistance available from the state. It was regarded as
an educational and an organizational process. Since, it also aimed at bringing about changes
in the practices and procedures, which proved to be barriers within the course of
implementation of desired objectives. The major objective was social and economic
improvement. The rationale of the approach was, all aspects were linked with each other. The
activities of CPD included, agriculture, animal husbandry, irrigation, water resources, co-
operation, village and small scale industries, health and sanitation, communication, housing
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that development of welfare and livelihoods
opportunities was one of the primary objectives of multi-purpose strategy.
Growth Oriented Strategy
The growth oriented strategy was based on rural individuals. Though rural individuals
are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness, but they also possess sharp mind-
sets and can make wise decisions. In order to participate in effective decision making
processes, they should be provided with rights and opportunities. The main objective of rural
individuals is to enhance their living conditions and to achieve this purpose, they are looking
for employment and income generating opportunities. Therefore, it can be stated that the
implementation of opportunities that would promote growth of the individuals in an
efficacious manner are referred to as growth oriented strategies. Agricultural sector is the
major area of employment and livelihood opportunities for the rural individuals, therefore,
the implementation of programs, such as, Intensive Agriculture District Program (IADP),
Intensive Cattle Development Program (ICDP) and High Yielding Varieties Program (HYVP)
was launched. This gave rise to Green Revolution. But this strategy provided assistance to
wealthier farmers. On the other hand, the deprived farmers remained in a backward state.
Target Group Strategy
In the target group strategy, a particular group is undertaken and researched upon.
Normally, as in this case, strategies for rural development are being researched upon.
Therefore, conditions may be analysed of small and marginal farmers, as well as wealthier
farmers. The conditions of small and marginal farmers are not in an improved state. They are
residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and therefore are unaware of modern
and innovative strategies and methods that are considered essential to augment production.
They are instead making use of traditional farming practices and methods in the production
processes. On the other hand, wealthy farmers are making use of technical and scientific
methods to enhance production. It has been studied upon that farmers are getting enrolled in
training centres and educational institutions to develop their knowledge and generate
awareness in terms of scientific, modern and innovative methods and practices. The
Antyodaya Schemes is the target approach. This approach produced the client-oriented design
and the ultimate goal is to transfer the responsibilities of planning and development to the
clientele themselves.
Area Development Strategy
Under the area development strategy, emphasis has been put upon the development of
backward regions. This strategy presumes that the growth centres have a geographical spread
effect that the regions, which are deficient in terms of resources or infrastructure etc. needs to
be adequately developed. The major programs that have been formulated under this strategy
are, Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP), Tribal Area Development Program (TADP),
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Program and so
forth. The tribal population is scattered throughout the country. They are mostly residing in
hilly and mountainous regions. They are dependent upon the natural environmental
conditions for their survival. Therefore, it is vital to implement measures and formulate
strategies that are focused upon the development of tribal areas. In order to generate the
desired outcomes, it is necessary to allocate the resources in an appropriate manner, so
development of backward regions can promote well-being of the individuals.
Spatial Planning Strategy
The spatial planning strategy is the strategy that demands for implementation of
special programs in their respective locations, induction of the production plans, employment
programs and supply of basic needs of rural population. In order to achieve these objectives,
the programs and the strategies need to be rural oriented. In the fifth five year plan, multi-
level planning is the planning that was focused upon to a large extent. In addition to multi-
level planning, it was vital for the individuals to generate awareness in terms of techno-
economic, socio-political and administrative functions. As it is apparent, when improvements
need to be made or when transformations need to be brought about, then emphasis need to be
put upon the implementation of modern and innovative methods. In some of the areas, when
there is lack of materials and resources, then it would lead to hindrances within the course of
achievement of desired objectives. On the other hand, shortage of techniques need to be
analysed and plans should be efficiently put into operation to promote welfare and goodwill
of rural population.
Integrated or Holistic Strategy
Integrated or holistic strategy has been formulated, taking into consideration the
perspective that development should be an integrated one. There is an integration in the
development of areas, regions, infrastructure, education, employment opportunities, human
resources, training, skills development programs and the overall quality of lives of rural
individuals. There are connections established between all the programs, provided they are
infrastructural development programs, human resources development programs, sectorial
development programs, and social welfare programs. The different programs influence the
functioning of others through connections. The integrated strategy combines all the features
of the previous strategies and is structured to achieve the goals and objectives of growth,
welfare, equity and community participation. This paradigm takes an integrated but
comprehensive perspective of major problems that occur within rural communities, including,
poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy. The goals of this strategy are expected to get
accomplished by building the capacity of the community to participate in the development
processes in partnership with the Government. The anti-poverty programs that have been
initiated, i.e. IRD program, National Rural Employment Program, and Training of Rural
Youth for Self-Employment were intended to follow this standard.
Participatory Strategy
During the past two decades, various new approaches like the top-down planning,
planning from below, bottom up planning, micro-level planning and multi-level planning,
have been put into operation within the framework of involving the individuals in the phase
of development. As the name implies, participatory strategy is concerned with the
involvement of individuals in the formulation of strategies and approaches. In the tenth five
year plan, the government has devised participatory strategy to promote the development of
rural communities. Provision has been made to augment social and economic opportunities
for the individuals and groups, by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. In the decision making processes, the individuals are required to conduct an
analysis of the alternatives and put into operation the one, which is most meaningful and
beneficial. When the individuals are participating in the decision making processes, then they
are required to implement rational and logical thinking. The rural individuals are well-aware
in terms of opportunities, which would lead to improvements in their living conditions.
Other Strategies Promoting Rural Development
The other important strategies that have the main purpose of promoting rural
development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural
Development, n.d.).
Anti-poverty Measures
Poverty is regarded as one of the major problems experienced by rural individuals.
The conditions of poverty are characterised by scarcity of resources, due to which,
individuals experience problems even in fulfilling their basic needs of food, clothing and
shelter. The alleviation of conditions of poverty is given utmost consideration for the purpose
of promoting effective living. The increase in rural poverty has been observed with the
increase in national poverty (Rural Development Strategy, n.d.). In the development and
progression of rural development activities, primarily for the purpose of alleviation of
poverty, it is essential for the individuals to adequately conduct an analysis of the poverty
levels. Furthermore, it also needs to be taken into consideration, how the levels of poverty are
causing unfavourable effects upon the lives of individuals. The government, agencies and
other organizations are paying attention to the problem of poverty and are implementing
programs and measures to alleviate it. The commitment of these organizations and agencies,
accumulation of the know-how applicable to other areas and training of human resources are
some of the crucial measures that need to be taken into consideration. The training of human
resources is regarded as an indispensable approach to achieve the desired objectives.
Food Production
There are cases of project implementation in terms of development of food areas. For
alleviating the problem of malnutrition and for improving food supply, it is necessary to put
into operation, a comprehensive approach. The formation of the system, which transmits the
lessons to other rural communities and development of agricultural practices need to be
implemented. To augment food production, it is apparent that measures should be put into
practice to improve agricultural productivity. One of the vital measures to augment
agricultural productivity is by making use of modern and innovative methods, scientific
approaches and technologies. The farmers and agricultural labourers get enrolled in training
centres and also pursue educational programs, which may generate awareness among them in
terms of these areas. In addition, there should also be formation of a system to transmit
lessons to other areas that have been learned from model projects. There should be co-
operation between the production plans and agricultural development plans to achieve the
desired goals. The important role of agriculture has been acknowledged in leading to growth
and causing a reduction in rural poverty and malnutrition has been highlighted in the World
Development Report of 2008 (Sector Approaches in Agriculture and Rural Development,
2008).
Conservation of the Natural Environment
The rural individuals are dependent upon the natural environmental conditions for
meeting their daily needs and requirements to a major extent. They normally experience
shortage of water within their homes. Water is considered as the basic necessity and hence,
they obtain it from the wells and water bodies located nearby. Rural individuals, in some
cases are also dependent upon natural environmental conditions for treating their wounds and
illnesses. They obtain herbs and medicinal plants from the forests. Another important benefit
of the forests is, individuals obtain fruits and vegetables for satisfying their nutritional
requirements. In addition, the promotion of effective forest-resource use and the combination
of alternative techniques, such as the use of biogas and cow manure are also required. As in
rural households, individuals usually make use of mud stoves and require wood, which they
obtain from forests. Hence, after acquiring information in terms of these aspects, it is vital for
the rural individuals to formulate measures in terms of preservation of the natural
environment. The efforts to promote local or indigenous agricultural systems, increasing
awareness regarding biodiversity conservation, food security and contribution to natural
landscape and cultural heritage are significant factors in promoting livelihoods security and
sustainable development of rural individuals (Participatory and Negotiated Territorial
Development, 2005).
Reconstruction Support
The term ‘reconstruction’ is primarily related to the construction of houses, shelters,
schools, training centres, hospitals, medical centres, market places and other public places.
These areas are vital in not only leading to effective growth and development of the
individuals, but also community as a whole. When there would be establishment of schools,
educational institutions and training centres, then individuals would recognize the
significance of education and augment their academic skills. The availability of health care
and medical centres, would support the individuals in taking care of their health and well-
being. Market places will enable individuals to make purchases of various items. Public
places are referred to the places, which are visited by public. These include, parks,
playground, theatres, religious places and so forth. Apart from the construction of these
places, it needs to be ensured that in rural communities, infrastructural facilities and civic
amenities need to be developed in an appropriate manner. Policies need to be formulated, so
the households should not experience scarcity of water and electricity. Water, electricity and
lighting facilities within households are regarded to be of utmost significance, which would
enable the individuals to implement their tasks and sustain their living conditions in an
efficient manner.
Administrative Capabilities
The administrative capabilities within rural communities need to take into
consideration the aspect that administrative functions and law and order practices need to get
carried out in an appropriate manner. Most of the developing countries are in the process of
decentralization. It is crucial for the local administrative officers to possess skills and
aptitude, particularly in terms of policy making in multi-sectorial local development and on
industrial development, including agriculture and farming practices. Capacity building of the
local administrative officers is regarded to be a prominent area and is implemented through
mutual co-operation with the governments. The administrative functions cannot be carried
out in isolation. When administration and managerial policies need to be formulated, then the
governments, organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and
integration. Furthermore, the dispatches of the policy advisors to the central governments are
also considered important to a major extent. The reason being, sending individuals to the
number of local governments is required to be put into operation by donor agencies. The
administrative capabilities also focus upon maintenance of law and order. Women and girls
should be provided with equal rights and opportunities. There should not be any
discriminatory treatment between individuals on the basis of factors, such as, gender, caste,
creed, race, religion, ethnicity, age and socio-economic background.
Conclusion
The primary objective of acquiring understanding in terms of rural development
approaches and strategies is to recognize the effective contributions that they make towards
leading to effective growth and progression of rural communities. Generating information in
terms of rural development objectives is the first and foremost aspect. These are,
improvement of economic capabilities, improvement of human capabilities, improvement of
protective capabilities and improvement of political capabilities. The components of rural
development policy are, environmental conditions, ecological settings, technology,
infrastructure, self-reliance, law and order, education, training programs, distributive justice
and medical and health care. When the rural development policies are initiated, then they
have the major objective of ensuring that the components are taken into account in an
appropriate manner. The main purpose of approaches is to promote development of various
areas. These include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing.
The five year plans included the implementation of programs and schemes that
focused upon development of rural communities. The strategies for rural development are,
multi-purpose strategy, growth oriented strategy, target group strategy, area development
strategy, spatial planning strategy, integrated or holistic strategy and participatory strategy.
The other strategies promoting rural development are, anti-poverty measures, food
production, conservation of the natural environment, reconstruction support and
administrative capabilities. In rural communities, individuals have recognized the
significance of education. They have also generated information that making use of modern
and scientific methods and technology in the production processes will lead to increase in
productivity and profitability. But the conditions of poverty, malnutrition and scarcity of
resources are proving to be major impediments within the course of achievement of the
desired objectives. Hence, the main purpose of other strategies is to form the overall rural
environmental conditions in such a manner that would lead to effective growth and
development of individuals and communities.
Rural Development Approaches and Strategies
Dr. Radhika Kapur
Abstract
The main objective of this research paper is to understand the approaches and
strategies that are necessary to bring about development of rural communities. In rural
communities, there are number of aspects that need to be developed. These include,
education, employment opportunities, agriculture and farming practices, administration and
management, infrastructure, civic amenities, health care and medical and environmental
conditions. When improvements would take place in these areas, then rural individuals would
be able to secure better livelihoods opportunities. Furthermore, when approaches and
strategies are formulated by the Government, organizations and other agencies, then it is vital
to generate awareness among rural individuals and help them in acquiring benefits of these
measures and approaches in an appropriate manner. The main areas that have been taken into
account in this research paper include, development objectives of rural areas, components of
rural development policy, approaches for rural development, strategies of rural development
and other strategies promoting rural development.
Keywords: Approaches, Capabilities, Policies, Rural Development, Strategies
When one is researching upon the concept of rural development, then it is referred to
the overall development of rural communities. It is a multi-dimensional and a comprehensive
concept, which takes into consideration, number of aspects, these include, agriculture and
allied activities, village and cottage industries, farming practices, system of education,
training centres, health care and medical facilities, environmental conditions, housing
accommodation, infrastructure, technology, skills development opportunities for the
individuals, administration and management practices, employment opportunities and human
resource development. When the individuals are researching upon the aspects, which promote
backwardness of rural communities, then it is vital for them to take into consideration
measures, policies and programs that would promote development of all the above stated
aspects. In rural communities, the individuals are experiencing the problems of poverty,
illiteracy and unemployment to a major extent. Therefore, measures and policies also need to
put emphasis upon alleviation of these problems.
The development of rural communities is the ultimate outcome of the transactions
between physical, technological, economic, socio-cultural and institutional factors. The
approaches and the strategies need to be designed to bring about improvements, primarily in
the living conditions of the individuals, belonging to deprived, marginalized and socio-
economically backward sections of the society. To promote the development of rural areas, it
is necessary to represent an intersection between agricultural, social, managerial, behavioural
and engineering sciences (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in
India, n.d.). When there are implementation of policies, practices, strategies and approaches
aiming at rural development, then the individuals need to generate awareness in terms of
deficient areas and challenges, which the rural individuals are experiencing. The
organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and integration with each
other to achieve the desired goals and objectives. Many developing countries have been
working effectively towards development of rural communities and have received significant
outcomes.
Development Objectives of Rural Areas
When acquiring an understanding of rural development approaches and strategies, it is
essential to acquire an efficient understanding of areas in rural communities, which are in a
backward and underdeveloped state and which need to be improved. When the individuals
are involved in the implementation of strategies and approaches, then they need to be aware
of major objectives of rural individuals. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4.
Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Improvement of Economic Capabilities
In order to bring about improvements in the living conditions and overall quality of
lives, it is necessary to generate a source of income. In rural areas, agriculture and farming
practices are stated as the major occupations of the individuals. Apart from these, they are
engaged in the production and manufacturing of handicrafts, silk weaving, pottery making,
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that involvement in employment opportunities and
occupations are the major objectives of not only individuals residing in urban communities,
but also rural individuals. In the agriculture sector, strategies need to focus upon bringing
about improvements in agricultural productivity and marketing of agricultural products. It is
vital for the farmers and agricultural labourers to put into operation, innovative and scientific
methods to augment production. Agricultural income can be increased through the
implementation of two comprehensive methods. These are, stabilizing the prices of
agricultural products and intermediary exploitation and improving agricultural productivity
and infrastructure.
To bring about improvements in agricultural productivity, one gets involved in the
production of multiple crops, by making use of advanced agricultural techniques.
Introduction of modern irrigation methods is regarded as one of the strategies of improving
agricultural infrastructure. The main aspects that need to be taken into consideration to
improve agricultural productivity are, development of small-irrigation systems, i.e.
construction of irrigation systems and development of water user associations; capacity
building for agricultural extension workers, i.e. improvement of cultivation techniques,
improvements in the production of crops and vegetables and agroforestry; empowerment of
community based activities for farming, i.e. organization of shipping and distributive co-
operatives and rice banks and comprehensive rural and agricultural development, i.e.
integrated projects with the development of small-scale irrigation, capacity building for the
agricultural workers and strengthening of the community-based activities for farming. The
improvements made in these areas, would render an effective contribution in augmenting
productivity and profitability through engagement in agriculture and farming practices.
Improvement of Human Capabilities
When improvement of human capabilities is taken into consideration, then emphasis
is put upon one’s health conditions and educational levels. In rural communities, health
conditions of the individuals are regarded to be in a deprived state. When the individuals are
experiencing health problems or illnesses, then they would certainly experience problems in
getting involved in any tasks or activities. Therefore, improvements need to be initiated in
rural communities, and bringing about developments in the health care and medical facilities
is regarded to be of major significance. In rural communities, health care and medical centres
are not in a well-developed state. The individuals in most cases are required to migrate to
urban areas to obtain medical treatment. When the elderly individuals or other individuals
within the family experience illnesses, then the other family members are required to leave
their work and take care of ailing members. Hence, due to this, they experience a decline in
productivity. Therefore, augmentation of medical and health care centres is crucial for rural
development.
For the purpose of generating income, it is vital to bring about improvements in the
educational standards. Literacy skills enable the individuals to read manuals on agricultural
techniques and equipment, thus leading to an increase in agricultural productivity. When the
individuals possess the basic literacy skills, they can easily acquire information in terms of
policies, measures and programs that have been put into operation, leading to their well-
being. Furthermore, they are able to carry out various tasks and activities in a manageable
manner, including the implementation of household responsibilities, health care, diet and
nutrition, child development and so forth. When they are engaged in the production
processes, then they would be able to acquire satisfactory information in terms of marketing
strategies and approaches and able to enhance productivity and profitability. In rural
communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state and major cause for
this is inadequate financial resources. For bringing about improvements in educational
standards in rural communities, it is necessary to recruit skilled and qualified teachers,
enhance teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies, improve infrastructure and
overall school environmental conditions.
Improvement of Protective Capabilities
The protective capabilities are referred to the capabilities of the individuals to protect
them from various problems and difficulties. These are particularly the ones, which prove to
be impediments within the course of their progression. These problems are poverty,
malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment, natural disasters and crime and violence. In rural
communities, when there are occurrence of natural calamities and disasters, then rural
individuals are required to experience detrimental effects to a major extent. The cultivated
land gets easily damaged from floods, erosion, earthquakes etc. The rural individuals, who
are residing in the conditions of poverty, do not possess adequate resources to sustain their
living conditions sufficiently. Therefore, it is vital for them to be aware of the measures and
strategies that are needed to preserve the natural environmental conditions and their well-
being. The protection of forests is not only effectual in the alleviation of natural disasters,
such as, floods, but also protecting land from top-soil erosion and generating awareness in
terms of financial management, hygiene and sanitation.
The rural individuals need to recognize the significance of education. It is vital for
them to get enrolled in educational institutions and training centres and generate information
in terms of various strategies and concepts. Acquisition of education in terms of various
strategies and concepts, would help the individuals to differentiate between appropriate and
inappropriate, provide solutions to various problems, look for employment and income
generation opportunities and sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner. In order
to eliminate illiteracy, there have been establishment of adult education centres in rural
communities, to provide training to adults. These adults, have either never been to school
before, or have dropped out, before their educational skills are honed. There have been
implementation of programs and measures, which aim at promoting welfare of the rural
individuals. The main areas, upon which these measures are focused upon include, agriculture
and farming practices, education and training opportunities, employment opportunities, skills
development, law and order, management and administration, infrastructure development,
development of civic amenities, environmental preservation methods and so forth.
Improvement of Political Capabilities
Political capabilities are the capabilities that facilitate the participation of the
individuals in policy-making and in the making of decisions, on an independent basis in
situations, where human rights are guaranteed. The rural development approaches have the
main objective to make the development plans corresponding to the various conditions of the
rural communities and to implement the projects through community participation.
Development assistance, which responds rapidly to the local needs and requirements, needs
to work in integration and co-operation with the governments. For this reason,
decentralization is regarded as an important factor in the local community development.
Appropriate decentralization measures are required in the rural development activities. The
major activities include, capacity building of the central governments and improvements in
laws and financial management for decentralization. The rural development projects should
be consistent with the local government development plans. If there are differences, then
impediments would take place in the achievement of the desired objectives.
The improvements in the administrative capabilities of the local governments is
required for policy making and sustainability, based upon local conditions. The formulation
of development plans requires the incorporation of local opinions, community participation
and utilization of existing local resources. The administrative officers, who are involved in
the implementation of management and administrative functions, need to possess the
essential skills and abilities. One of the major aspects is, individuals need to be aware in
terms of areas, which are deficient and are required to get improved. The development of
political capabilities among rural individuals, also focus upon their participation in the
decision making processes and other political activities. The management and leadership
capabilities of the administrators and leaders should be improved. The individuals, who are in
charge of planning and administrative functions need to augment their skills and capabilities
on a continuous basis. For leading to improvements in skills and capabilities, there have been
provision of training opportunities. The location of training centres in terms of administrative,
managerial and leadership skills are mostly in urban communities.
Components of Rural Development Policy
The policies that are formulated to bring about rural development are required to
incorporate the components, which have been stated as follows:
Environmental Conditions - The first component is the individual and his
environment. The individuals need to develop the skills and abilities to make effective use of
resources that the natural environmental conditions are providing. On the other hand, the
individuals are required to generate awareness in terms of various strategies and approaches
that are required for the preservation of the environment. Curbing various forms of pollution
is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals need to be aware of various
strategies and methods for keeping the water bodies and environmental conditions clean.
Furthermore, they should be aware of making effective use of resources to improve the living
conditions.
Ecological Settings - The second component focuses upon ecological setting.
Ecological setting refers to the principle biophysical characteristics at multiple scales that
have a strong influence upon the composition, structure, and function of the particular
ecosystem, over a long period of time and serve to describe and distinguish it ecologically.
The major aspects that need to be taken into account in the case of ecological settings are,
wetness, soil depth, temperature, solar exposure and wind exposure that define the ecological
characteristics (Conservation Assessment and Prioritization System, n.d.). It is vital for the
rural individuals to possess adequate information, in terms of these traits, particularly when
they are engaged in agriculture and farming practices.
Technology - The third component of rural development is making use of technology.
The rural individuals have recognized the significance of technology. They are aware that
making use of technical methods would make their tasks and activities manageable. In the
present existence, they are making use of technical methods in the agriculture sector, farming
practices and production and manufacturing of goods. In addition to the use of technology in
the implementation of tasks and activities, individuals are also making use of it, in the form
of mobile phones and computers to augment their knowledge and information. The elderly
individuals and home-makers usually make use of it for leisure and recreational purposes.
Infrastructure - The development of infrastructure is integral to the development of
rural areas. The infrastructural facilities that need to be developed in rural communities are,
roads, transportation, communications, power supplies, water supplies, public services,
broadcasting and telecommunications. In rural households, individuals experience shortage of
power supplies and water supplies. They are required to fetch water from the wells or water
bodies, located nearby. The conditions of roads and modes of transportation are not in a well-
developed state, which are imposing problems for the individuals in transferring from one
place to another. Therefore, developments made in the infrastructural facilities are integral to
rural development.
Self-Reliance – When focusing upon rural development, the development of
individuals is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals are mostly illiterate
and unaware. They are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and possess
traditional viewpoints and perspectives. Their lives are primarily based upon their
perspectives and viewpoints. In order to promote their well-being, it is necessary to promote
self-reliance among individuals. This can be brought about through mobilization of resources,
local initiatives and participation of the individuals in various tasks and activities, which may
be social, political, cultural, economic and religious (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
Law and Order – In rural communities, the establishment of law and order enables the
individuals to organize tasks and activities in accordance to the rules and policies. Law and
order is referred to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity, which the citizens are required
to put into operation for obeying the law of land (Chapter III. Role in Maintenance of Law
and Order of District, n.d.). For instance, there has been prevalence of discriminatory
treatment and criminal and violent acts within rural communities. Through the
implementation of law and order, the individuals, who are doers, get subjected to disciplinary
action. Therefore, the main objective of law and order is to ensure the individuals make
provision of equal rights and opportunities to both males and females. Furthermore, there
should not be any kind of discrimination on the basis of any factors, including, caste, creed,
race, religion, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background. The individuals should
inculcate the traits of morality and ethics among themselves, for leading to progression of
themselves as well as the community as a whole.
Education – The education is regarded as the main instrument that lays the foundation
for the individuals to lead to progress in all areas and enrich their overall quality of lives. In
rural communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state. In schools, the
teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies are not put into practice in an effective
manner, there is lack of infrastructure, facilities and amenities and shortage of qualified and
experienced teachers. Measures need to be formulated to bring about improvements in these
aspects, so there would be an increase in the enrolment of students in schools. Acquisition of
education would enable the individuals to augment their skills and abilities, so they can carry
out tasks and activities to sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner.
Training Programs – The development of training programs among rural communities
is essential for the progression and well-being of the individuals as well as to enable them to
augment productivity and profitability. Agriculture is regarded as the major occupation of the
individuals in rural areas. In order to enhance productivity, it is vital for the individuals to get
enrolled in training programs and acquire knowledge in terms of modern and innovative
methods and strategies. There have been establishment of training centres, which are
providing knowledge and rendering an effective contribution in the up-gradation of skills of
the individuals. The different areas include, health care, diet and nutrition, child development,
handicrafts and artworks, and so forth.
Distributive Justice – The distributive justice involves operationalization of the value
of access entails exercises of power and authority. It follows both the matter of common
sense and empirical observation. The creation, structuring, reinforcement and boundaries of
access opportunities will be related to the main features of distribution of management and
power within society. To the extent, power needs conversion into authority, the value of
access by itself will not be ignored. On the other hand, considerations of power, in the here
and now sense will not be sacrificed in the pursuance of the desired goals and objectives. The
legal systems make provision of access institutions, rather than dispute institutions (Baxi,
1976).
Medical and Health Care – The establishment of health care centres are regarded to
be of utmost significance, as individuals, belonging to all age groups and backgrounds are
required to take care of their health care needs and requirements. When the individuals are in
good health, then they would be able to effectively get involved in the implementation of
various tasks and activities. These include, management of household responsibilities, child
development, agricultural and allied activities, taking care of needs and requirements of
elderly family members, participation in social, political, religious, economic and cultural
programs and carrying out daily routine activities. In old age, individuals are required to pay
adequate attention towards one’s health care and obtain regular medical check-ups.
Approaches for Rural Development
India has acquired vast experience in the implementation of rural development
programs. Within the course of time, there have been changes made in the approaches to rural
development and transformations have also been taking place in area planning. The main
purpose of these approaches is to bring about developments of various areas that would
render an effective contribution in making the lives of the individuals productive. The
important areas include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing. When these approaches are implemented, then it also needs to
ensure that they produce the desired outcomes in a rapid manner and accelerate the growth
and development of rural communities. When the resources available are limited, then the
rural individuals need to make sure that they make adequate use of them and not cause any
wastage (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
India has a long history of experimenting with various approaches of rural
development. It is been believed by the individuals since the past that effective growth and
development of the communities and nation, as a whole will take place, when developments
of vital areas will take place in rural communities. Since the country achieved its
independence, there have been introduction of several programs to initiate development of
rural communities. The planning for rural development has acquired the attention of policy-
makers, along with the national plan for economic development. India adopted both the
centralized and the decentralized planning models in the process of planned economic
development (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches to rural development that have been stated in the five year plans have
been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India,
n.d.).
The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956), adopted the Harrod - Domer model of capital
accumulation and saving mobilization as a methodological approach. The Community
Development Program (CPD) was put into practice to achieve the desired objective.
The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961) was based upon the Feldman - Mahalnobis
model of sectorial growth. This strategy invested in the strategies to achieve industrialization,
which is considered as the main aspect of economic development.
In the Third Five Year Plan (1961-1966), all round agricultural development was
envisaged. The increase in the agricultural production and allied activities received top
priority during this plan period. Agricultural programs such as, Intensive Agricultural Area
Development Program (IAADP) and High Yield Varieties Program (HYVP) were
implemented within the country.
During the annual plans (1966-1969), few more programs were implemented to
achieve all round development. The important programs were, Farmers Training and
Education Programs, Rural Works Program (RWP), Tribal Development Block, Rural
Manpower Program and Composite Program for Women and Child Development.
During the Fourth Five Year Plan (1969-1974), efforts were initiated in the name of
“Growth with Social Justice” towards uplifting the deprived, marginalized and economically
weaker sections of the society. The important rural development programs were, Small
Farmers Development Agency (SFDA), Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers
Development Agency (MFAL), Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP) and Tribal Area
Development Program (TADP).
The Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-1979) was based on the inter-sectorial transactions
model of Leontif, which has put emphasis upon the strengthening of the inter-sectorial
linkages for balanced growth of the sectors. The major programs that were introduced are,
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Programs (HADP),
Minimum Needs Program (MNP), Food for Work Program (FWP) and 20-Point economic
program.
The Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-1985), aimed at the removal of poverty, growth,
modernization, self-reliance and social justice. To attain the all-round development of rural
communities, one single program, which was called the ‘Integrated Rural Development
Program’ (IRDP) was introduced. IRDP is regarded as the multi-sector, multi-level and multi-
section concept of rural development. The other programs that were introduced are, National
Rural Employment Program (NREP), Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Program
(RLEGP), Economic Rehabilitation of Rural Poor (ERRP), Training of Rural Youth for Self-
Employment (TRYSEM), Self-Employment for the Educated Unemployed Youth (SEEVY)
and Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA).
The important objectives of the Seventh Five Year Plan (1985-1990) were to build an
independent self-reliant economy, establishment of social system, based on equity and justice,
reduction of regional imbalance and implementation of advanced technologies. Some of the
rural infrastructural programs that have been introduced during this plan period are, Indira
Awaas Yojana (IAY), Integrated Rural Energy Planning Program (IREP), Jawahar Rozgar
Yojana (JRY) and Million Wells Scheme (MWS).
In the Eighth Five Year Plan (1992-1997), the important objectives were, generation
of employment opportunities, universalization of elementary education, provision of safe
drinking water and primary health care facilities and reinforcement of the infrastructural
facilities. The programs that were introduced were, Intensified Jawahar Rozgar Yojana
(IJRY), Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS), Operation Black Board (OBB) and District
Primary Education Program (DPEP).
The Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) aimed at generating employment opportunities
in the secondary sector, all round development of the agriculture sector, strengthening of the
rural economy through the establishment of agro-based industries, small-scale industries,
cottage industries and alleviation of poverty. The important anti-poverty programs include,
IRDP, TRYSEM, IAY, JRY, IJRY, DPAP, EAS and so forth.
Changes are required to be brought about in the rural development strategies in
accordance to the needs and requirements of the community. In the Tenth Five Year Plan
(2002-2007), the participatory strategy has been introduced by the Government to promote
rural development. Measures have been formulated to augment the social and economic
opportunities for the individuals by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. The Government of India has launched the ‘Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme’. In addition, attention has been paid towards development of rural infrastructure and
rural health. The important programs that were introduced to achieve these objectives are,
Gram Sadak Yojana and National Rural Health Mission (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches for rural development need to focus upon making provision of
remedies to the problems, experienced by rural individuals. These problems mainly include,
poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and homelessness. When improvements need to be made in
rural communities, then it is vital to pay adequate attention to urban communities, as they are
regarded as the main consumers of agricultural produce. In order to bring about effective
solutions to these problems, it is vital to formulate measures, programs and schemes, which
are dedicated towards alleviating these problems and bringing about improvements in the
overall living conditions of the individuals. Therefore, it is clear that improvements need to
be brought about in the traditional rural development approaches (Chapter 4. Effective
Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Development of rural areas is dependent upon assistance from the international
countries. However, there have been restraints upon the external inputs, due to the deprived
financial conditions of the donors. As a result, the augmentation of rural development
requires effective external inputs to generate significant outcomes and is capable of
endangering further improvements. Development issues must therefore be comprehensively
understood, as appropriate understanding would facilitate the achievement of desired
objectives. In rural communities, it is vital to make maximum use of human and material
resources (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.). The approaches to
effective rural development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for
Rural Development, n.d.).
Endogenous Development
Endogenous development is the development that puts emphasis upon the
comprehensive local development for human rights advocacy, human development and
qualitative progress of the living standards, based on environmental conservation and
sustainable social development. To implement a developmental approach that promotes inter-
industrial relationships, it is necessary to take into consideration, comprehensive utilization of
human resources, techniques, industries, methods, financial resources, materials, equipment,
cultures and networks that have the main objective of leading to progress. In addition,
necessary regulations and instructions are also required to promote co-operation between
cities and local economy. Furthermore, the participation of the community is also regarded as
indispensable in the formulation of measures and policies. The establishment of local
autonomy is required through community participation, decentralization and self-governance.
Another aspect to promote endogenous development is carried out through the project
implementation bodies.
Participatory Development
The development of human and physical resources in rural communities requires
recognition of the fact that local individuals themselves are the main implementers of
development projects. The rural individuals are in a backward state, therefore, when they
would make provision of ideas and perspectives, then they would be able to generate
awareness and acquire information in terms of various aspects and would improve their
overall quality of lives. When the rural individuals are participating actively, then their
participation would be productive. On the other hand, when they would participate passively,
then they would be more dependent upon the external inputs. Projects that rural individuals
plan and implement on their own is given priority as local materials and human resources are
required to get organized in more operative manner. Local independence and sustainable
development of the project outcomes are improved by the effective use of local resources.
Strategies of Rural Development
The strategies for rural development are based upon rural development approaches.
Improvements have been brought about in these strategies, after the country achieved it
independence. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The Multi-purpose Strategy
The rural development approach within the country began with the multi-purpose
approach. The Community Development Program (CPD) began in 1952. It had the main
objective of promoting development of material and human resources through the co-
operative efforts of the individuals and assistance available from the state. It was regarded as
an educational and an organizational process. Since, it also aimed at bringing about changes
in the practices and procedures, which proved to be barriers within the course of
implementation of desired objectives. The major objective was social and economic
improvement. The rationale of the approach was, all aspects were linked with each other. The
activities of CPD included, agriculture, animal husbandry, irrigation, water resources, co-
operation, village and small scale industries, health and sanitation, communication, housing
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that development of welfare and livelihoods
opportunities was one of the primary objectives of multi-purpose strategy.
Growth Oriented Strategy
The growth oriented strategy was based on rural individuals. Though rural individuals
are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness, but they also possess sharp mind-
sets and can make wise decisions. In order to participate in effective decision making
processes, they should be provided with rights and opportunities. The main objective of rural
individuals is to enhance their living conditions and to achieve this purpose, they are looking
for employment and income generating opportunities. Therefore, it can be stated that the
implementation of opportunities that would promote growth of the individuals in an
efficacious manner are referred to as growth oriented strategies. Agricultural sector is the
major area of employment and livelihood opportunities for the rural individuals, therefore,
the implementation of programs, such as, Intensive Agriculture District Program (IADP),
Intensive Cattle Development Program (ICDP) and High Yielding Varieties Program (HYVP)
was launched. This gave rise to Green Revolution. But this strategy provided assistance to
wealthier farmers. On the other hand, the deprived farmers remained in a backward state.
Target Group Strategy
In the target group strategy, a particular group is undertaken and researched upon.
Normally, as in this case, strategies for rural development are being researched upon.
Therefore, conditions may be analysed of small and marginal farmers, as well as wealthier
farmers. The conditions of small and marginal farmers are not in an improved state. They are
residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and therefore are unaware of modern
and innovative strategies and methods that are considered essential to augment production.
They are instead making use of traditional farming practices and methods in the production
processes. On the other hand, wealthy farmers are making use of technical and scientific
methods to enhance production. It has been studied upon that farmers are getting enrolled in
training centres and educational institutions to develop their knowledge and generate
awareness in terms of scientific, modern and innovative methods and practices. The
Antyodaya Schemes is the target approach. This approach produced the client-oriented design
and the ultimate goal is to transfer the responsibilities of planning and development to the
clientele themselves.
Area Development Strategy
Under the area development strategy, emphasis has been put upon the development of
backward regions. This strategy presumes that the growth centres have a geographical spread
effect that the regions, which are deficient in terms of resources or infrastructure etc. needs to
be adequately developed. The major programs that have been formulated under this strategy
are, Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP), Tribal Area Development Program (TADP),
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Program and so
forth. The tribal population is scattered throughout the country. They are mostly residing in
hilly and mountainous regions. They are dependent upon the natural environmental
conditions for their survival. Therefore, it is vital to implement measures and formulate
strategies that are focused upon the development of tribal areas. In order to generate the
desired outcomes, it is necessary to allocate the resources in an appropriate manner, so
development of backward regions can promote well-being of the individuals.
Spatial Planning Strategy
The spatial planning strategy is the strategy that demands for implementation of
special programs in their respective locations, induction of the production plans, employment
programs and supply of basic needs of rural population. In order to achieve these objectives,
the programs and the strategies need to be rural oriented. In the fifth five year plan, multi-
level planning is the planning that was focused upon to a large extent. In addition to multi-
level planning, it was vital for the individuals to generate awareness in terms of techno-
economic, socio-political and administrative functions. As it is apparent, when improvements
need to be made or when transformations need to be brought about, then emphasis need to be
put upon the implementation of modern and innovative methods. In some of the areas, when
there is lack of materials and resources, then it would lead to hindrances within the course of
achievement of desired objectives. On the other hand, shortage of techniques need to be
analysed and plans should be efficiently put into operation to promote welfare and goodwill
of rural population.
Integrated or Holistic Strategy
Integrated or holistic strategy has been formulated, taking into consideration the
perspective that development should be an integrated one. There is an integration in the
development of areas, regions, infrastructure, education, employment opportunities, human
resources, training, skills development programs and the overall quality of lives of rural
individuals. There are connections established between all the programs, provided they are
infrastructural development programs, human resources development programs, sectorial
development programs, and social welfare programs. The different programs influence the
functioning of others through connections. The integrated strategy combines all the features
of the previous strategies and is structured to achieve the goals and objectives of growth,
welfare, equity and community participation. This paradigm takes an integrated but
comprehensive perspective of major problems that occur within rural communities, including,
poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy. The goals of this strategy are expected to get
accomplished by building the capacity of the community to participate in the development
processes in partnership with the Government. The anti-poverty programs that have been
initiated, i.e. IRD program, National Rural Employment Program, and Training of Rural
Youth for Self-Employment were intended to follow this standard.
Participatory Strategy
During the past two decades, various new approaches like the top-down planning,
planning from below, bottom up planning, micro-level planning and multi-level planning,
have been put into operation within the framework of involving the individuals in the phase
of development. As the name implies, participatory strategy is concerned with the
involvement of individuals in the formulation of strategies and approaches. In the tenth five
year plan, the government has devised participatory strategy to promote the development of
rural communities. Provision has been made to augment social and economic opportunities
for the individuals and groups, by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. In the decision making processes, the individuals are required to conduct an
analysis of the alternatives and put into operation the one, which is most meaningful and
beneficial. When the individuals are participating in the decision making processes, then they
are required to implement rational and logical thinking. The rural individuals are well-aware
in terms of opportunities, which would lead to improvements in their living conditions.
Other Strategies Promoting Rural Development
The other important strategies that have the main purpose of promoting rural
development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural
Development, n.d.).
Anti-poverty Measures
Poverty is regarded as one of the major problems experienced by rural individuals.
The conditions of poverty are characterised by scarcity of resources, due to which,
individuals experience problems even in fulfilling their basic needs of food, clothing and
shelter. The alleviation of conditions of poverty is given utmost consideration for the purpose
of promoting effective living. The increase in rural poverty has been observed with the
increase in national poverty (Rural Development Strategy, n.d.). In the development and
progression of rural development activities, primarily for the purpose of alleviation of
poverty, it is essential for the individuals to adequately conduct an analysis of the poverty
levels. Furthermore, it also needs to be taken into consideration, how the levels of poverty are
causing unfavourable effects upon the lives of individuals. The government, agencies and
other organizations are paying attention to the problem of poverty and are implementing
programs and measures to alleviate it. The commitment of these organizations and agencies,
accumulation of the know-how applicable to other areas and training of human resources are
some of the crucial measures that need to be taken into consideration. The training of human
resources is regarded as an indispensable approach to achieve the desired objectives.
Food Production
There are cases of project implementation in terms of development of food areas. For
alleviating the problem of malnutrition and for improving food supply, it is necessary to put
into operation, a comprehensive approach. The formation of the system, which transmits the
lessons to other rural communities and development of agricultural practices need to be
implemented. To augment food production, it is apparent that measures should be put into
practice to improve agricultural productivity. One of the vital measures to augment
agricultural productivity is by making use of modern and innovative methods, scientific
approaches and technologies. The farmers and agricultural labourers get enrolled in training
centres and also pursue educational programs, which may generate awareness among them in
terms of these areas. In addition, there should also be formation of a system to transmit
lessons to other areas that have been learned from model projects. There should be co-
operation between the production plans and agricultural development plans to achieve the
desired goals. The important role of agriculture has been acknowledged in leading to growth
and causing a reduction in rural poverty and malnutrition has been highlighted in the World
Development Report of 2008 (Sector Approaches in Agriculture and Rural Development,
2008).
Conservation of the Natural Environment
The rural individuals are dependent upon the natural environmental conditions for
meeting their daily needs and requirements to a major extent. They normally experience
shortage of water within their homes. Water is considered as the basic necessity and hence,
they obtain it from the wells and water bodies located nearby. Rural individuals, in some
cases are also dependent upon natural environmental conditions for treating their wounds and
illnesses. They obtain herbs and medicinal plants from the forests. Another important benefit
of the forests is, individuals obtain fruits and vegetables for satisfying their nutritional
requirements. In addition, the promotion of effective forest-resource use and the combination
of alternative techniques, such as the use of biogas and cow manure are also required. As in
rural households, individuals usually make use of mud stoves and require wood, which they
obtain from forests. Hence, after acquiring information in terms of these aspects, it is vital for
the rural individuals to formulate measures in terms of preservation of the natural
environment. The efforts to promote local or indigenous agricultural systems, increasing
awareness regarding biodiversity conservation, food security and contribution to natural
landscape and cultural heritage are significant factors in promoting livelihoods security and
sustainable development of rural individuals (Participatory and Negotiated Territorial
Development, 2005).
Reconstruction Support
The term ‘reconstruction’ is primarily related to the construction of houses, shelters,
schools, training centres, hospitals, medical centres, market places and other public places.
These areas are vital in not only leading to effective growth and development of the
individuals, but also community as a whole. When there would be establishment of schools,
educational institutions and training centres, then individuals would recognize the
significance of education and augment their academic skills. The availability of health care
and medical centres, would support the individuals in taking care of their health and well-
being. Market places will enable individuals to make purchases of various items. Public
places are referred to the places, which are visited by public. These include, parks,
playground, theatres, religious places and so forth. Apart from the construction of these
places, it needs to be ensured that in rural communities, infrastructural facilities and civic
amenities need to be developed in an appropriate manner. Policies need to be formulated, so
the households should not experience scarcity of water and electricity. Water, electricity and
lighting facilities within households are regarded to be of utmost significance, which would
enable the individuals to implement their tasks and sustain their living conditions in an
efficient manner.
Administrative Capabilities
The administrative capabilities within rural communities need to take into
consideration the aspect that administrative functions and law and order practices need to get
carried out in an appropriate manner. Most of the developing countries are in the process of
decentralization. It is crucial for the local administrative officers to possess skills and
aptitude, particularly in terms of policy making in multi-sectorial local development and on
industrial development, including agriculture and farming practices. Capacity building of the
local administrative officers is regarded to be a prominent area and is implemented through
mutual co-operation with the governments. The administrative functions cannot be carried
out in isolation. When administration and managerial policies need to be formulated, then the
governments, organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and
integration. Furthermore, the dispatches of the policy advisors to the central governments are
also considered important to a major extent. The reason being, sending individuals to the
number of local governments is required to be put into operation by donor agencies. The
administrative capabilities also focus upon maintenance of law and order. Women and girls
should be provided with equal rights and opportunities. There should not be any
discriminatory treatment between individuals on the basis of factors, such as, gender, caste,
creed, race, religion, ethnicity, age and socio-economic background.
Conclusion
The primary objective of acquiring understanding in terms of rural development
approaches and strategies is to recognize the effective contributions that they make towards
leading to effective growth and progression of rural communities. Generating information in
terms of rural development objectives is the first and foremost aspect. These are,
improvement of economic capabilities, improvement of human capabilities, improvement of
protective capabilities and improvement of political capabilities. The components of rural
development policy are, environmental conditions, ecological settings, technology,
infrastructure, self-reliance, law and order, education, training programs, distributive justice
and medical and health care. When the rural development policies are initiated, then they
have the major objective of ensuring that the components are taken into account in an
appropriate manner. The main purpose of approaches is to promote development of various
areas. These include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing.
The five year plans included the implementation of programs and schemes that
focused upon development of rural communities. The strategies for rural development are,
multi-purpose strategy, growth oriented strategy, target group strategy, area development
strategy, spatial planning strategy, integrated or holistic strategy and participatory strategy.
The other strategies promoting rural development are, anti-poverty measures, food
production, conservation of the natural environment, reconstruction support and
administrative capabilities. In rural communities, individuals have recognized the
significance of education. They have also generated information that making use of modern
and scientific methods and technology in the production processes will lead to increase in
productivity and profitability. But the conditions of poverty, malnutrition and scarcity of
resources are proving to be major impediments within the course of achievement of the
desired objectives. Hence, the main purpose of other strategies is to form the overall rural
environmental conditions in such a manner that would lead to effective growth and
development of individuals and communities.
Rural Development Approaches and Strategies
Dr. Radhika Kapur
Abstract
The main objective of this research paper is to understand the approaches and
strategies that are necessary to bring about development of rural communities. In rural
communities, there are number of aspects that need to be developed. These include,
education, employment opportunities, agriculture and farming practices, administration and
management, infrastructure, civic amenities, health care and medical and environmental
conditions. When improvements would take place in these areas, then rural individuals would
be able to secure better livelihoods opportunities. Furthermore, when approaches and
strategies are formulated by the Government, organizations and other agencies, then it is vital
to generate awareness among rural individuals and help them in acquiring benefits of these
measures and approaches in an appropriate manner. The main areas that have been taken into
account in this research paper include, development objectives of rural areas, components of
rural development policy, approaches for rural development, strategies of rural development
and other strategies promoting rural development.
Keywords: Approaches, Capabilities, Policies, Rural Development, Strategies
When one is researching upon the concept of rural development, then it is referred to
the overall development of rural communities. It is a multi-dimensional and a comprehensive
concept, which takes into consideration, number of aspects, these include, agriculture and
allied activities, village and cottage industries, farming practices, system of education,
training centres, health care and medical facilities, environmental conditions, housing
accommodation, infrastructure, technology, skills development opportunities for the
individuals, administration and management practices, employment opportunities and human
resource development. When the individuals are researching upon the aspects, which promote
backwardness of rural communities, then it is vital for them to take into consideration
measures, policies and programs that would promote development of all the above stated
aspects. In rural communities, the individuals are experiencing the problems of poverty,
illiteracy and unemployment to a major extent. Therefore, measures and policies also need to
put emphasis upon alleviation of these problems.
The development of rural communities is the ultimate outcome of the transactions
between physical, technological, economic, socio-cultural and institutional factors. The
approaches and the strategies need to be designed to bring about improvements, primarily in
the living conditions of the individuals, belonging to deprived, marginalized and socio-
economically backward sections of the society. To promote the development of rural areas, it
is necessary to represent an intersection between agricultural, social, managerial, behavioural
and engineering sciences (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in
India, n.d.). When there are implementation of policies, practices, strategies and approaches
aiming at rural development, then the individuals need to generate awareness in terms of
deficient areas and challenges, which the rural individuals are experiencing. The
organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and integration with each
other to achieve the desired goals and objectives. Many developing countries have been
working effectively towards development of rural communities and have received significant
outcomes.
Development Objectives of Rural Areas
When acquiring an understanding of rural development approaches and strategies, it is
essential to acquire an efficient understanding of areas in rural communities, which are in a
backward and underdeveloped state and which need to be improved. When the individuals
are involved in the implementation of strategies and approaches, then they need to be aware
of major objectives of rural individuals. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4.
Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Improvement of Economic Capabilities
In order to bring about improvements in the living conditions and overall quality of
lives, it is necessary to generate a source of income. In rural areas, agriculture and farming
practices are stated as the major occupations of the individuals. Apart from these, they are
engaged in the production and manufacturing of handicrafts, silk weaving, pottery making,
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that involvement in employment opportunities and
occupations are the major objectives of not only individuals residing in urban communities,
but also rural individuals. In the agriculture sector, strategies need to focus upon bringing
about improvements in agricultural productivity and marketing of agricultural products. It is
vital for the farmers and agricultural labourers to put into operation, innovative and scientific
methods to augment production. Agricultural income can be increased through the
implementation of two comprehensive methods. These are, stabilizing the prices of
agricultural products and intermediary exploitation and improving agricultural productivity
and infrastructure.
To bring about improvements in agricultural productivity, one gets involved in the
production of multiple crops, by making use of advanced agricultural techniques.
Introduction of modern irrigation methods is regarded as one of the strategies of improving
agricultural infrastructure. The main aspects that need to be taken into consideration to
improve agricultural productivity are, development of small-irrigation systems, i.e.
construction of irrigation systems and development of water user associations; capacity
building for agricultural extension workers, i.e. improvement of cultivation techniques,
improvements in the production of crops and vegetables and agroforestry; empowerment of
community based activities for farming, i.e. organization of shipping and distributive co-
operatives and rice banks and comprehensive rural and agricultural development, i.e.
integrated projects with the development of small-scale irrigation, capacity building for the
agricultural workers and strengthening of the community-based activities for farming. The
improvements made in these areas, would render an effective contribution in augmenting
productivity and profitability through engagement in agriculture and farming practices.
Improvement of Human Capabilities
When improvement of human capabilities is taken into consideration, then emphasis
is put upon one’s health conditions and educational levels. In rural communities, health
conditions of the individuals are regarded to be in a deprived state. When the individuals are
experiencing health problems or illnesses, then they would certainly experience problems in
getting involved in any tasks or activities. Therefore, improvements need to be initiated in
rural communities, and bringing about developments in the health care and medical facilities
is regarded to be of major significance. In rural communities, health care and medical centres
are not in a well-developed state. The individuals in most cases are required to migrate to
urban areas to obtain medical treatment. When the elderly individuals or other individuals
within the family experience illnesses, then the other family members are required to leave
their work and take care of ailing members. Hence, due to this, they experience a decline in
productivity. Therefore, augmentation of medical and health care centres is crucial for rural
development.
For the purpose of generating income, it is vital to bring about improvements in the
educational standards. Literacy skills enable the individuals to read manuals on agricultural
techniques and equipment, thus leading to an increase in agricultural productivity. When the
individuals possess the basic literacy skills, they can easily acquire information in terms of
policies, measures and programs that have been put into operation, leading to their well-
being. Furthermore, they are able to carry out various tasks and activities in a manageable
manner, including the implementation of household responsibilities, health care, diet and
nutrition, child development and so forth. When they are engaged in the production
processes, then they would be able to acquire satisfactory information in terms of marketing
strategies and approaches and able to enhance productivity and profitability. In rural
communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state and major cause for
this is inadequate financial resources. For bringing about improvements in educational
standards in rural communities, it is necessary to recruit skilled and qualified teachers,
enhance teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies, improve infrastructure and
overall school environmental conditions.
Improvement of Protective Capabilities
The protective capabilities are referred to the capabilities of the individuals to protect
them from various problems and difficulties. These are particularly the ones, which prove to
be impediments within the course of their progression. These problems are poverty,
malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment, natural disasters and crime and violence. In rural
communities, when there are occurrence of natural calamities and disasters, then rural
individuals are required to experience detrimental effects to a major extent. The cultivated
land gets easily damaged from floods, erosion, earthquakes etc. The rural individuals, who
are residing in the conditions of poverty, do not possess adequate resources to sustain their
living conditions sufficiently. Therefore, it is vital for them to be aware of the measures and
strategies that are needed to preserve the natural environmental conditions and their well-
being. The protection of forests is not only effectual in the alleviation of natural disasters,
such as, floods, but also protecting land from top-soil erosion and generating awareness in
terms of financial management, hygiene and sanitation.
The rural individuals need to recognize the significance of education. It is vital for
them to get enrolled in educational institutions and training centres and generate information
in terms of various strategies and concepts. Acquisition of education in terms of various
strategies and concepts, would help the individuals to differentiate between appropriate and
inappropriate, provide solutions to various problems, look for employment and income
generation opportunities and sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner. In order
to eliminate illiteracy, there have been establishment of adult education centres in rural
communities, to provide training to adults. These adults, have either never been to school
before, or have dropped out, before their educational skills are honed. There have been
implementation of programs and measures, which aim at promoting welfare of the rural
individuals. The main areas, upon which these measures are focused upon include, agriculture
and farming practices, education and training opportunities, employment opportunities, skills
development, law and order, management and administration, infrastructure development,
development of civic amenities, environmental preservation methods and so forth.
Improvement of Political Capabilities
Political capabilities are the capabilities that facilitate the participation of the
individuals in policy-making and in the making of decisions, on an independent basis in
situations, where human rights are guaranteed. The rural development approaches have the
main objective to make the development plans corresponding to the various conditions of the
rural communities and to implement the projects through community participation.
Development assistance, which responds rapidly to the local needs and requirements, needs
to work in integration and co-operation with the governments. For this reason,
decentralization is regarded as an important factor in the local community development.
Appropriate decentralization measures are required in the rural development activities. The
major activities include, capacity building of the central governments and improvements in
laws and financial management for decentralization. The rural development projects should
be consistent with the local government development plans. If there are differences, then
impediments would take place in the achievement of the desired objectives.
The improvements in the administrative capabilities of the local governments is
required for policy making and sustainability, based upon local conditions. The formulation
of development plans requires the incorporation of local opinions, community participation
and utilization of existing local resources. The administrative officers, who are involved in
the implementation of management and administrative functions, need to possess the
essential skills and abilities. One of the major aspects is, individuals need to be aware in
terms of areas, which are deficient and are required to get improved. The development of
political capabilities among rural individuals, also focus upon their participation in the
decision making processes and other political activities. The management and leadership
capabilities of the administrators and leaders should be improved. The individuals, who are in
charge of planning and administrative functions need to augment their skills and capabilities
on a continuous basis. For leading to improvements in skills and capabilities, there have been
provision of training opportunities. The location of training centres in terms of administrative,
managerial and leadership skills are mostly in urban communities.
Components of Rural Development Policy
The policies that are formulated to bring about rural development are required to
incorporate the components, which have been stated as follows:
Environmental Conditions - The first component is the individual and his
environment. The individuals need to develop the skills and abilities to make effective use of
resources that the natural environmental conditions are providing. On the other hand, the
individuals are required to generate awareness in terms of various strategies and approaches
that are required for the preservation of the environment. Curbing various forms of pollution
is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals need to be aware of various
strategies and methods for keeping the water bodies and environmental conditions clean.
Furthermore, they should be aware of making effective use of resources to improve the living
conditions.
Ecological Settings - The second component focuses upon ecological setting.
Ecological setting refers to the principle biophysical characteristics at multiple scales that
have a strong influence upon the composition, structure, and function of the particular
ecosystem, over a long period of time and serve to describe and distinguish it ecologically.
The major aspects that need to be taken into account in the case of ecological settings are,
wetness, soil depth, temperature, solar exposure and wind exposure that define the ecological
characteristics (Conservation Assessment and Prioritization System, n.d.). It is vital for the
rural individuals to possess adequate information, in terms of these traits, particularly when
they are engaged in agriculture and farming practices.
Technology - The third component of rural development is making use of technology.
The rural individuals have recognized the significance of technology. They are aware that
making use of technical methods would make their tasks and activities manageable. In the
present existence, they are making use of technical methods in the agriculture sector, farming
practices and production and manufacturing of goods. In addition to the use of technology in
the implementation of tasks and activities, individuals are also making use of it, in the form
of mobile phones and computers to augment their knowledge and information. The elderly
individuals and home-makers usually make use of it for leisure and recreational purposes.
Infrastructure - The development of infrastructure is integral to the development of
rural areas. The infrastructural facilities that need to be developed in rural communities are,
roads, transportation, communications, power supplies, water supplies, public services,
broadcasting and telecommunications. In rural households, individuals experience shortage of
power supplies and water supplies. They are required to fetch water from the wells or water
bodies, located nearby. The conditions of roads and modes of transportation are not in a well-
developed state, which are imposing problems for the individuals in transferring from one
place to another. Therefore, developments made in the infrastructural facilities are integral to
rural development.
Self-Reliance – When focusing upon rural development, the development of
individuals is regarded to be of utmost significance. The rural individuals are mostly illiterate
and unaware. They are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and possess
traditional viewpoints and perspectives. Their lives are primarily based upon their
perspectives and viewpoints. In order to promote their well-being, it is necessary to promote
self-reliance among individuals. This can be brought about through mobilization of resources,
local initiatives and participation of the individuals in various tasks and activities, which may
be social, political, cultural, economic and religious (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
Law and Order – In rural communities, the establishment of law and order enables the
individuals to organize tasks and activities in accordance to the rules and policies. Law and
order is referred to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity, which the citizens are required
to put into operation for obeying the law of land (Chapter III. Role in Maintenance of Law
and Order of District, n.d.). For instance, there has been prevalence of discriminatory
treatment and criminal and violent acts within rural communities. Through the
implementation of law and order, the individuals, who are doers, get subjected to disciplinary
action. Therefore, the main objective of law and order is to ensure the individuals make
provision of equal rights and opportunities to both males and females. Furthermore, there
should not be any kind of discrimination on the basis of any factors, including, caste, creed,
race, religion, ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background. The individuals should
inculcate the traits of morality and ethics among themselves, for leading to progression of
themselves as well as the community as a whole.
Education – The education is regarded as the main instrument that lays the foundation
for the individuals to lead to progress in all areas and enrich their overall quality of lives. In
rural communities, the system of education is not in a well-developed state. In schools, the
teaching-learning methods and instructional strategies are not put into practice in an effective
manner, there is lack of infrastructure, facilities and amenities and shortage of qualified and
experienced teachers. Measures need to be formulated to bring about improvements in these
aspects, so there would be an increase in the enrolment of students in schools. Acquisition of
education would enable the individuals to augment their skills and abilities, so they can carry
out tasks and activities to sustain their living conditions in an appropriate manner.
Training Programs – The development of training programs among rural communities
is essential for the progression and well-being of the individuals as well as to enable them to
augment productivity and profitability. Agriculture is regarded as the major occupation of the
individuals in rural areas. In order to enhance productivity, it is vital for the individuals to get
enrolled in training programs and acquire knowledge in terms of modern and innovative
methods and strategies. There have been establishment of training centres, which are
providing knowledge and rendering an effective contribution in the up-gradation of skills of
the individuals. The different areas include, health care, diet and nutrition, child development,
handicrafts and artworks, and so forth.
Distributive Justice – The distributive justice involves operationalization of the value
of access entails exercises of power and authority. It follows both the matter of common
sense and empirical observation. The creation, structuring, reinforcement and boundaries of
access opportunities will be related to the main features of distribution of management and
power within society. To the extent, power needs conversion into authority, the value of
access by itself will not be ignored. On the other hand, considerations of power, in the here
and now sense will not be sacrificed in the pursuance of the desired goals and objectives. The
legal systems make provision of access institutions, rather than dispute institutions (Baxi,
1976).
Medical and Health Care – The establishment of health care centres are regarded to
be of utmost significance, as individuals, belonging to all age groups and backgrounds are
required to take care of their health care needs and requirements. When the individuals are in
good health, then they would be able to effectively get involved in the implementation of
various tasks and activities. These include, management of household responsibilities, child
development, agricultural and allied activities, taking care of needs and requirements of
elderly family members, participation in social, political, religious, economic and cultural
programs and carrying out daily routine activities. In old age, individuals are required to pay
adequate attention towards one’s health care and obtain regular medical check-ups.
Approaches for Rural Development
India has acquired vast experience in the implementation of rural development
programs. Within the course of time, there have been changes made in the approaches to rural
development and transformations have also been taking place in area planning. The main
purpose of these approaches is to bring about developments of various areas that would
render an effective contribution in making the lives of the individuals productive. The
important areas include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing. When these approaches are implemented, then it also needs to
ensure that they produce the desired outcomes in a rapid manner and accelerate the growth
and development of rural communities. When the resources available are limited, then the
rural individuals need to make sure that they make adequate use of them and not cause any
wastage (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
India has a long history of experimenting with various approaches of rural
development. It is been believed by the individuals since the past that effective growth and
development of the communities and nation, as a whole will take place, when developments
of vital areas will take place in rural communities. Since the country achieved its
independence, there have been introduction of several programs to initiate development of
rural communities. The planning for rural development has acquired the attention of policy-
makers, along with the national plan for economic development. India adopted both the
centralized and the decentralized planning models in the process of planned economic
development (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches to rural development that have been stated in the five year plans have
been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development Approaches and Strategies in India,
n.d.).
The First Five Year Plan (1951-1956), adopted the Harrod - Domer model of capital
accumulation and saving mobilization as a methodological approach. The Community
Development Program (CPD) was put into practice to achieve the desired objective.
The Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961) was based upon the Feldman - Mahalnobis
model of sectorial growth. This strategy invested in the strategies to achieve industrialization,
which is considered as the main aspect of economic development.
In the Third Five Year Plan (1961-1966), all round agricultural development was
envisaged. The increase in the agricultural production and allied activities received top
priority during this plan period. Agricultural programs such as, Intensive Agricultural Area
Development Program (IAADP) and High Yield Varieties Program (HYVP) were
implemented within the country.
During the annual plans (1966-1969), few more programs were implemented to
achieve all round development. The important programs were, Farmers Training and
Education Programs, Rural Works Program (RWP), Tribal Development Block, Rural
Manpower Program and Composite Program for Women and Child Development.
During the Fourth Five Year Plan (1969-1974), efforts were initiated in the name of
“Growth with Social Justice” towards uplifting the deprived, marginalized and economically
weaker sections of the society. The important rural development programs were, Small
Farmers Development Agency (SFDA), Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers
Development Agency (MFAL), Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP) and Tribal Area
Development Program (TADP).
The Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-1979) was based on the inter-sectorial transactions
model of Leontif, which has put emphasis upon the strengthening of the inter-sectorial
linkages for balanced growth of the sectors. The major programs that were introduced are,
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Programs (HADP),
Minimum Needs Program (MNP), Food for Work Program (FWP) and 20-Point economic
program.
The Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-1985), aimed at the removal of poverty, growth,
modernization, self-reliance and social justice. To attain the all-round development of rural
communities, one single program, which was called the ‘Integrated Rural Development
Program’ (IRDP) was introduced. IRDP is regarded as the multi-sector, multi-level and multi-
section concept of rural development. The other programs that were introduced are, National
Rural Employment Program (NREP), Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Program
(RLEGP), Economic Rehabilitation of Rural Poor (ERRP), Training of Rural Youth for Self-
Employment (TRYSEM), Self-Employment for the Educated Unemployed Youth (SEEVY)
and Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA).
The important objectives of the Seventh Five Year Plan (1985-1990) were to build an
independent self-reliant economy, establishment of social system, based on equity and justice,
reduction of regional imbalance and implementation of advanced technologies. Some of the
rural infrastructural programs that have been introduced during this plan period are, Indira
Awaas Yojana (IAY), Integrated Rural Energy Planning Program (IREP), Jawahar Rozgar
Yojana (JRY) and Million Wells Scheme (MWS).
In the Eighth Five Year Plan (1992-1997), the important objectives were, generation
of employment opportunities, universalization of elementary education, provision of safe
drinking water and primary health care facilities and reinforcement of the infrastructural
facilities. The programs that were introduced were, Intensified Jawahar Rozgar Yojana
(IJRY), Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS), Operation Black Board (OBB) and District
Primary Education Program (DPEP).
The Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) aimed at generating employment opportunities
in the secondary sector, all round development of the agriculture sector, strengthening of the
rural economy through the establishment of agro-based industries, small-scale industries,
cottage industries and alleviation of poverty. The important anti-poverty programs include,
IRDP, TRYSEM, IAY, JRY, IJRY, DPAP, EAS and so forth.
Changes are required to be brought about in the rural development strategies in
accordance to the needs and requirements of the community. In the Tenth Five Year Plan
(2002-2007), the participatory strategy has been introduced by the Government to promote
rural development. Measures have been formulated to augment the social and economic
opportunities for the individuals by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. The Government of India has launched the ‘Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme’. In addition, attention has been paid towards development of rural infrastructure and
rural health. The important programs that were introduced to achieve these objectives are,
Gram Sadak Yojana and National Rural Health Mission (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The approaches for rural development need to focus upon making provision of
remedies to the problems, experienced by rural individuals. These problems mainly include,
poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and homelessness. When improvements need to be made in
rural communities, then it is vital to pay adequate attention to urban communities, as they are
regarded as the main consumers of agricultural produce. In order to bring about effective
solutions to these problems, it is vital to formulate measures, programs and schemes, which
are dedicated towards alleviating these problems and bringing about improvements in the
overall living conditions of the individuals. Therefore, it is clear that improvements need to
be brought about in the traditional rural development approaches (Chapter 4. Effective
Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.).
Development of rural areas is dependent upon assistance from the international
countries. However, there have been restraints upon the external inputs, due to the deprived
financial conditions of the donors. As a result, the augmentation of rural development
requires effective external inputs to generate significant outcomes and is capable of
endangering further improvements. Development issues must therefore be comprehensively
understood, as appropriate understanding would facilitate the achievement of desired
objectives. In rural communities, it is vital to make maximum use of human and material
resources (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural Development, n.d.). The approaches to
effective rural development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for
Rural Development, n.d.).
Endogenous Development
Endogenous development is the development that puts emphasis upon the
comprehensive local development for human rights advocacy, human development and
qualitative progress of the living standards, based on environmental conservation and
sustainable social development. To implement a developmental approach that promotes inter-
industrial relationships, it is necessary to take into consideration, comprehensive utilization of
human resources, techniques, industries, methods, financial resources, materials, equipment,
cultures and networks that have the main objective of leading to progress. In addition,
necessary regulations and instructions are also required to promote co-operation between
cities and local economy. Furthermore, the participation of the community is also regarded as
indispensable in the formulation of measures and policies. The establishment of local
autonomy is required through community participation, decentralization and self-governance.
Another aspect to promote endogenous development is carried out through the project
implementation bodies.
Participatory Development
The development of human and physical resources in rural communities requires
recognition of the fact that local individuals themselves are the main implementers of
development projects. The rural individuals are in a backward state, therefore, when they
would make provision of ideas and perspectives, then they would be able to generate
awareness and acquire information in terms of various aspects and would improve their
overall quality of lives. When the rural individuals are participating actively, then their
participation would be productive. On the other hand, when they would participate passively,
then they would be more dependent upon the external inputs. Projects that rural individuals
plan and implement on their own is given priority as local materials and human resources are
required to get organized in more operative manner. Local independence and sustainable
development of the project outcomes are improved by the effective use of local resources.
Strategies of Rural Development
The strategies for rural development are based upon rural development approaches.
Improvements have been brought about in these strategies, after the country achieved it
independence. These have been stated as follows: (Chapter III. Rural Development
Approaches and Strategies in India, n.d.).
The Multi-purpose Strategy
The rural development approach within the country began with the multi-purpose
approach. The Community Development Program (CPD) began in 1952. It had the main
objective of promoting development of material and human resources through the co-
operative efforts of the individuals and assistance available from the state. It was regarded as
an educational and an organizational process. Since, it also aimed at bringing about changes
in the practices and procedures, which proved to be barriers within the course of
implementation of desired objectives. The major objective was social and economic
improvement. The rationale of the approach was, all aspects were linked with each other. The
activities of CPD included, agriculture, animal husbandry, irrigation, water resources, co-
operation, village and small scale industries, health and sanitation, communication, housing
and so forth. Therefore, it can be stated that development of welfare and livelihoods
opportunities was one of the primary objectives of multi-purpose strategy.
Growth Oriented Strategy
The growth oriented strategy was based on rural individuals. Though rural individuals
are residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness, but they also possess sharp mind-
sets and can make wise decisions. In order to participate in effective decision making
processes, they should be provided with rights and opportunities. The main objective of rural
individuals is to enhance their living conditions and to achieve this purpose, they are looking
for employment and income generating opportunities. Therefore, it can be stated that the
implementation of opportunities that would promote growth of the individuals in an
efficacious manner are referred to as growth oriented strategies. Agricultural sector is the
major area of employment and livelihood opportunities for the rural individuals, therefore,
the implementation of programs, such as, Intensive Agriculture District Program (IADP),
Intensive Cattle Development Program (ICDP) and High Yielding Varieties Program (HYVP)
was launched. This gave rise to Green Revolution. But this strategy provided assistance to
wealthier farmers. On the other hand, the deprived farmers remained in a backward state.
Target Group Strategy
In the target group strategy, a particular group is undertaken and researched upon.
Normally, as in this case, strategies for rural development are being researched upon.
Therefore, conditions may be analysed of small and marginal farmers, as well as wealthier
farmers. The conditions of small and marginal farmers are not in an improved state. They are
residing in the conditions of poverty and backwardness and therefore are unaware of modern
and innovative strategies and methods that are considered essential to augment production.
They are instead making use of traditional farming practices and methods in the production
processes. On the other hand, wealthy farmers are making use of technical and scientific
methods to enhance production. It has been studied upon that farmers are getting enrolled in
training centres and educational institutions to develop their knowledge and generate
awareness in terms of scientific, modern and innovative methods and practices. The
Antyodaya Schemes is the target approach. This approach produced the client-oriented design
and the ultimate goal is to transfer the responsibilities of planning and development to the
clientele themselves.
Area Development Strategy
Under the area development strategy, emphasis has been put upon the development of
backward regions. This strategy presumes that the growth centres have a geographical spread
effect that the regions, which are deficient in terms of resources or infrastructure etc. needs to
be adequately developed. The major programs that have been formulated under this strategy
are, Drought Prone Area Program (DPAP), Tribal Area Development Program (TADP),
Command Area Development Program (CADP), Hill Area Development Program and so
forth. The tribal population is scattered throughout the country. They are mostly residing in
hilly and mountainous regions. They are dependent upon the natural environmental
conditions for their survival. Therefore, it is vital to implement measures and formulate
strategies that are focused upon the development of tribal areas. In order to generate the
desired outcomes, it is necessary to allocate the resources in an appropriate manner, so
development of backward regions can promote well-being of the individuals.
Spatial Planning Strategy
The spatial planning strategy is the strategy that demands for implementation of
special programs in their respective locations, induction of the production plans, employment
programs and supply of basic needs of rural population. In order to achieve these objectives,
the programs and the strategies need to be rural oriented. In the fifth five year plan, multi-
level planning is the planning that was focused upon to a large extent. In addition to multi-
level planning, it was vital for the individuals to generate awareness in terms of techno-
economic, socio-political and administrative functions. As it is apparent, when improvements
need to be made or when transformations need to be brought about, then emphasis need to be
put upon the implementation of modern and innovative methods. In some of the areas, when
there is lack of materials and resources, then it would lead to hindrances within the course of
achievement of desired objectives. On the other hand, shortage of techniques need to be
analysed and plans should be efficiently put into operation to promote welfare and goodwill
of rural population.
Integrated or Holistic Strategy
Integrated or holistic strategy has been formulated, taking into consideration the
perspective that development should be an integrated one. There is an integration in the
development of areas, regions, infrastructure, education, employment opportunities, human
resources, training, skills development programs and the overall quality of lives of rural
individuals. There are connections established between all the programs, provided they are
infrastructural development programs, human resources development programs, sectorial
development programs, and social welfare programs. The different programs influence the
functioning of others through connections. The integrated strategy combines all the features
of the previous strategies and is structured to achieve the goals and objectives of growth,
welfare, equity and community participation. This paradigm takes an integrated but
comprehensive perspective of major problems that occur within rural communities, including,
poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy. The goals of this strategy are expected to get
accomplished by building the capacity of the community to participate in the development
processes in partnership with the Government. The anti-poverty programs that have been
initiated, i.e. IRD program, National Rural Employment Program, and Training of Rural
Youth for Self-Employment were intended to follow this standard.
Participatory Strategy
During the past two decades, various new approaches like the top-down planning,
planning from below, bottom up planning, micro-level planning and multi-level planning,
have been put into operation within the framework of involving the individuals in the phase
of development. As the name implies, participatory strategy is concerned with the
involvement of individuals in the formulation of strategies and approaches. In the tenth five
year plan, the government has devised participatory strategy to promote the development of
rural communities. Provision has been made to augment social and economic opportunities
for the individuals and groups, by encouraging their participation in the decision making
processes. In the decision making processes, the individuals are required to conduct an
analysis of the alternatives and put into operation the one, which is most meaningful and
beneficial. When the individuals are participating in the decision making processes, then they
are required to implement rational and logical thinking. The rural individuals are well-aware
in terms of opportunities, which would lead to improvements in their living conditions.
Other Strategies Promoting Rural Development
The other important strategies that have the main purpose of promoting rural
development have been stated as follows: (Chapter 4. Effective Approaches for Rural
Development, n.d.).
Anti-poverty Measures
Poverty is regarded as one of the major problems experienced by rural individuals.
The conditions of poverty are characterised by scarcity of resources, due to which,
individuals experience problems even in fulfilling their basic needs of food, clothing and
shelter. The alleviation of conditions of poverty is given utmost consideration for the purpose
of promoting effective living. The increase in rural poverty has been observed with the
increase in national poverty (Rural Development Strategy, n.d.). In the development and
progression of rural development activities, primarily for the purpose of alleviation of
poverty, it is essential for the individuals to adequately conduct an analysis of the poverty
levels. Furthermore, it also needs to be taken into consideration, how the levels of poverty are
causing unfavourable effects upon the lives of individuals. The government, agencies and
other organizations are paying attention to the problem of poverty and are implementing
programs and measures to alleviate it. The commitment of these organizations and agencies,
accumulation of the know-how applicable to other areas and training of human resources are
some of the crucial measures that need to be taken into consideration. The training of human
resources is regarded as an indispensable approach to achieve the desired objectives.
Food Production
There are cases of project implementation in terms of development of food areas. For
alleviating the problem of malnutrition and for improving food supply, it is necessary to put
into operation, a comprehensive approach. The formation of the system, which transmits the
lessons to other rural communities and development of agricultural practices need to be
implemented. To augment food production, it is apparent that measures should be put into
practice to improve agricultural productivity. One of the vital measures to augment
agricultural productivity is by making use of modern and innovative methods, scientific
approaches and technologies. The farmers and agricultural labourers get enrolled in training
centres and also pursue educational programs, which may generate awareness among them in
terms of these areas. In addition, there should also be formation of a system to transmit
lessons to other areas that have been learned from model projects. There should be co-
operation between the production plans and agricultural development plans to achieve the
desired goals. The important role of agriculture has been acknowledged in leading to growth
and causing a reduction in rural poverty and malnutrition has been highlighted in the World
Development Report of 2008 (Sector Approaches in Agriculture and Rural Development,
2008).
Conservation of the Natural Environment
The rural individuals are dependent upon the natural environmental conditions for
meeting their daily needs and requirements to a major extent. They normally experience
shortage of water within their homes. Water is considered as the basic necessity and hence,
they obtain it from the wells and water bodies located nearby. Rural individuals, in some
cases are also dependent upon natural environmental conditions for treating their wounds and
illnesses. They obtain herbs and medicinal plants from the forests. Another important benefit
of the forests is, individuals obtain fruits and vegetables for satisfying their nutritional
requirements. In addition, the promotion of effective forest-resource use and the combination
of alternative techniques, such as the use of biogas and cow manure are also required. As in
rural households, individuals usually make use of mud stoves and require wood, which they
obtain from forests. Hence, after acquiring information in terms of these aspects, it is vital for
the rural individuals to formulate measures in terms of preservation of the natural
environment. The efforts to promote local or indigenous agricultural systems, increasing
awareness regarding biodiversity conservation, food security and contribution to natural
landscape and cultural heritage are significant factors in promoting livelihoods security and
sustainable development of rural individuals (Participatory and Negotiated Territorial
Development, 2005).
Reconstruction Support
The term ‘reconstruction’ is primarily related to the construction of houses, shelters,
schools, training centres, hospitals, medical centres, market places and other public places.
These areas are vital in not only leading to effective growth and development of the
individuals, but also community as a whole. When there would be establishment of schools,
educational institutions and training centres, then individuals would recognize the
significance of education and augment their academic skills. The availability of health care
and medical centres, would support the individuals in taking care of their health and well-
being. Market places will enable individuals to make purchases of various items. Public
places are referred to the places, which are visited by public. These include, parks,
playground, theatres, religious places and so forth. Apart from the construction of these
places, it needs to be ensured that in rural communities, infrastructural facilities and civic
amenities need to be developed in an appropriate manner. Policies need to be formulated, so
the households should not experience scarcity of water and electricity. Water, electricity and
lighting facilities within households are regarded to be of utmost significance, which would
enable the individuals to implement their tasks and sustain their living conditions in an
efficient manner.
Administrative Capabilities
The administrative capabilities within rural communities need to take into
consideration the aspect that administrative functions and law and order practices need to get
carried out in an appropriate manner. Most of the developing countries are in the process of
decentralization. It is crucial for the local administrative officers to possess skills and
aptitude, particularly in terms of policy making in multi-sectorial local development and on
industrial development, including agriculture and farming practices. Capacity building of the
local administrative officers is regarded to be a prominent area and is implemented through
mutual co-operation with the governments. The administrative functions cannot be carried
out in isolation. When administration and managerial policies need to be formulated, then the
governments, organizations and agencies are required to work in collaboration and
integration. Furthermore, the dispatches of the policy advisors to the central governments are
also considered important to a major extent. The reason being, sending individuals to the
number of local governments is required to be put into operation by donor agencies. The
administrative capabilities also focus upon maintenance of law and order. Women and girls
should be provided with equal rights and opportunities. There should not be any
discriminatory treatment between individuals on the basis of factors, such as, gender, caste,
creed, race, religion, ethnicity, age and socio-economic background.
Conclusion
The primary objective of acquiring understanding in terms of rural development
approaches and strategies is to recognize the effective contributions that they make towards
leading to effective growth and progression of rural communities. Generating information in
terms of rural development objectives is the first and foremost aspect. These are,
improvement of economic capabilities, improvement of human capabilities, improvement of
protective capabilities and improvement of political capabilities. The components of rural
development policy are, environmental conditions, ecological settings, technology,
infrastructure, self-reliance, law and order, education, training programs, distributive justice
and medical and health care. When the rural development policies are initiated, then they
have the major objective of ensuring that the components are taken into account in an
appropriate manner. The main purpose of approaches is to promote development of various
areas. These include, education, training programs, employment opportunities, skills
development programs, technology, modern and innovative methods, management and
administration and housing.
The five year plans included the implementation of programs and schemes that
focused upon development of rural communities. The strategies for rural development are,
multi-purpose strategy, growth oriented strategy, target group strategy, area development
strategy, spatial planning strategy, integrated or holistic strategy and participatory strategy.
The other strategies promoting rural development are, anti-poverty measures, food
production, conservation of the natural environment, reconstruction support and
administrative capabilities. In rural communities, individuals have recognized the
significance of education. They have also generated information that making use of modern
and scientific methods and technology in the production processes will lead to increase in
productivity and profitability. But the conditions of poverty, malnutrition and scarcity of
resources are proving to be major impediments within the course of achievement of the
desired objectives. Hence, the main purpose of other strategies is to form the overall rural
 environmental conditions in such a manner that would lead to effective growth and
development of individuals and communities.
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series-sector-approaches-agriculture-200810_
WORLD BANK - RURAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
Event Objective

This side-event will provide an opportunity for WFS:fyl delegates to receive a briefing from Mr Kevin Cleaver,
Director, World Bank Rural Development Department, on the World Bank's Rural Development Strategy,
entitled "Reaching the Rural Poor". The revised strategy is intended to spearhead a renewed commitment on the
part of the World Bank to collaborate with developing and transition countries and other stakeholders in the task
of rural poverty reduction; in particular, meeting the commitments of the international community to halve
poverty by 2015, as contained in the Millennium Development Goals.

Background

It has long been accepted that a majority of the world's poor people live in rural areas. The World Bank along
with others has persistently pursued development efforts to address the unacceptable reality of such levels of
rural poverty. The 1974 Nairobi speech of Robert S. McNamara sealed the institution's commitment in this
regard, and the current World Bank President, James Wolfensohn, has strongly reaffirmed that commitment. Yet
in spite of sustained efforts, the rural poverty situation has changed little in most of the developing world. It is
clear that the Bank will not be successful in meeting its overall poverty reduction objective unless it helps reduce
rural poverty quickly. Moreover, given the prevalent deprivations in rural health, education and social services,
approaching the broader Millennium Development Goals will not be possible without significant increases in
rural incomes and opportunities.

The new IBRD/IDA strategy for rural development calls for raising the profile of the rural development effort,
and extending Bank endeavours to reach the rural poor. The new strategy has four distinct features:

· Focusing on the poor. The Bank is moving to holistic pro-poor rural development and the enhancement of
returns to labour and land.

· Fostering broad-based growth. While reaffirming its commitment to agriculture as the main engine of rural
economic growth, the Bank recognises the importance of non-farm economic activities and the private sector.

· Addressing the entire rural space. The Bank is moving to cross-sectoral approaches for the longer term - and
away from short-term sector-by-sector approaches - yet addressing directly the shortcomings of earlier top-down,
non-inclusive approaches.

· Forging alliances of all stakeholders. The Bank is increasing broad-based stakeholder participation in project
and programme design and implementation.

Under this strategy, national and regional diversity will guide implementation. For each country, the priorities
and mix of policy instruments are determined by the progress in policy reform, by the size and state of the rural
economy, and by the access to external markets and finance. For each region, the action plans reflect specific
conditions and the Bank's comparative advantage in delivering support for rural areas. For programmes to
support the provision of global public goods, the strategic priorities are to further the interests of developing
countries in the WTO process and to ensure ready access to new and appropriate technology, particularly that
suited to poor farmers and small rural businesses.