Fostering Growth in Rural India

The goal of equitabin and inclusive rowth, prosperity and access to equal opportunities has been aptly captured in "Sabia Saath Sabka Vikas, a cornerstone tenet of the Government of India. The focus on the village economy attests to the shitting centres of economic activity in india, as tier and Ter lil oties and towns take the lead in innevation and business excellence. At the same time, bringing rural india into this changing mile will create self sustaining and inclusive models of growth To that end, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given steam to numerous central goverment schemes that prioritize the developmental needs of the Indian vilage.

Improving infrastructure is and expanding india's essential in bridging gaps between urban and rural India. It allows better access to education, healthcare and economic success. The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMOSY) that seeks to provide all weather access ta eligible unconnected habitations, is a physical embodiment of this bridge. At present, 162,640 roadworks totalling 663,972 kilometres have been completed under the PMGSY scheme. Enhanced rural connectivity increases agricultural incomes through better access to markets and ensures sustained access to productive employment opportunities and social services. PMGSY is fundamental to building robust and independent village economies-a Village Swaraj-Gandhi described them over a century ago, in nurturing national pride, patriotism, community spirit self-confidence and infrastructure development the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY), too ebudes the government's commitment to the Mahatma's vision. It extends the basic amenities and opportunities to rural India and seeks to create model villages (Adarsh Gram) across the country.

Combatting homelessness is a crucial element of building a robust village infrastructure Under the public housing system scheme Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana Gramin (PMAY G), the government aims to provide housing to all by 2022. The PMAY-G provides a pucca house with basic amenities to all eligible houseless persons and those households living in kutcha and tapitated bouse The scheme provides unit assistance of s.1.20 lakh in the plans (increased from Rs 70,000) and between ft 75.000 to Rs 1.30 lakh in hilly states, difficult areas and Integrated Action Man (AP) nistricts. The housing scheme is an element of the concerted effort at poverty alleviation in rural india that can gavethe roadmap to greater economic productivity, better education and more suitable employment opportunities. So too is the goal of Digital India to democratise the sweeping benefits of digitisation. Not only does it allow millions of Indians to access the infinite world of the internet for learning and entertainment, but it who extends government services to heretofore excluded communities and brings rural India into the folds of digital banking As of January 2011, there are over 530 million Tural telephone subscribers in India while the share of rural subscribers is nearly 45 percent of the total subscribers in the country The digital revolution in rural india has opened the floodgates of a social and economic revolution Un rural India where users have faster and better access to business opportunities, employment, services and new ideas.

Digital india gives strength to the Pradhan Mantri zan Dhan Yojana (PMIDV), the National Mission for Financial Inclusion. Launched in 2014, PMIDY envisages universal access to banking facilities with at least one basic banking account for every household financial literacy, access to credit, insurance and pension in 2018, the goal of reaching every household was revised to every adult PMJON has become the vessel of india's rapidly changing financial canvas. So far, it has 42 31 crore beneficiaries with a total of Hs 143,297.84 crore balance in beneficiary. accounts. Among these, 7.59 crore have accounts regional rural banks with deposits totalling 27332.77 crom The PMIDY has also been an integral platform for disbursing the benefits of social security schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Iyat Bima Yojana (PMUBY) Pradhan Mantry Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY) and Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took another step towards making rural inda financially able by launching the Samita Scheme in April 2020 on Panchayat Day This central government scheme aims to provide an integrated property validation solution for rural india wherein village household owners can be granted the "record of rights that will enable them to use their property as a financial asset for undertalong loans and other financial benefits from banks. The initial allocation of Rs. 79.65 crore was also increased to Rs. 200 crore in this fiscal budget.

The Union Budget 2021-22 also allocated s 913.43 crore to the Panchayati Raj Ministry, an increase of 32 percent over the previous year The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is responsible for empowering, enabling and ensuring accountability of Panchayati Raj institutions that foster inclusive development with social justice, and efficient delivery of services to rural india, to 2018, the central government launched the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) that aims to strengthen Panchayati Raj or achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with ma thrust on convergence with Mission Antyodaya and emphasis on strengthening Pts in the 117. Aspirational districts. This is testimony to the recognition of Self-governance as an inalienable component to ensuring sustained growth in nural India Furthermore, facilitating rural India's self-governance and self-determination has motivated their creation of robust centre-to-rutal infrastructure. The most recent example of the efficacy of this system has been the utination of the Matutma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) scheme to extend government benefits to rural households during the COVID-19 pandemic that helped them overt harsh consequences of country wide lockdown Through the channels of the the centre disbursed Rs 77,849.11 crore in wages in 2520 21. The MNREGA scheme covers 740 districts and 2.68,983 Gram Panchayats, emuring that indians in every part of the country have access to means of mployment. in coming months, as the economy opens up gradually, the MNREGA scheme will once again be a crucial ay in ensuring aqintable access to opportunity.

The Deen Dayal Upadhways Grameen Kaushalya Yara DDU-GKY) is similarly dedicated on creating employment opportunities in nursi India albeit with a focus on the youth population aged between 15 and 35, 69 percent (180 million) live in rural areas. The objective of the DOU GRY scheme is to bring incaise diversity to rural families and cater to youth aspirations from these households, in conjunction with Sel and Make in India, this employment scheme i preparing a new generation of indians to take the reins in leading economic and social development in india's rural hinterland

The expansive central government schemes all targeted towards extending the benefits of Indu's changing landscape to rural areas promise to usher sustained growth across India's rural areas. The numerous schemes are the vessel through which the potential and aspirations of rural india get the stage they have for so long awaited.