Reference Text

In free India rural uplift programmes were initiated in the year 1952 under community development programme. These were aimed at changing the face of the countryside and building a new outlook among the village folk. Under the Five Year Plans a high priority is being given to these programmes. Much is yet left to be done as most of the people live in villages. However a new awakening is growing among the people living in villages. The goals of the community development programme are quite ambitious. With the advent of scientific methods of agriculture increased production of wheat rice barley cotton and other crops has been achieved and efforts go unabated in this direction. Cottage industries are the backbone of village wage-carners. Substantial increase in the production of cottage goods based on agro marine and natural products or bio-products has generated employment in the rural sector. Co-operative credit societies have sprung up to cope with the increasing demand of capital by small farmers and workers engaged in cottage industries. Beside this efforts are continuing to execute works of common benefit for the village community ; such as village roads tanks gas plants technical know-how centres and adult education units in the rural sector. Increase in agricultural production rural industrialization and a change in the outlook of the rural people are thus the outstanding features of the village uplift programmes. During the Five Year Plans the community development programme has shown excellent results. Village link roads rural water supply and sanitation electrification and mass education are the areas where much work has already been done. Radio and Television are today as common in rural areas as in towns and cities. Schools colleges and technical institutes are now being opened in the rural and semi-rural areas. There is a spate of tractors harvestors and tubewells in villages. Improved seeds and fertilizers are made available to farmers near their homes. Minor irrigation schemes are coming up and the village industries are booming. Primary health centres and veterinary health care units are roaring with improved life and livestock. A new awakening has now dawned upon village people heading for a bold advance in the new set-up. Village boys and girls are now teeming with latest information on various topics touching science politics and life itself. An important aspect of the community development is the Panchayati Raj which has been introduced in all the provinces. The panchayat system has been thought necessary to decentralize and democratize the administration of community development. The system envisages a far reaching change in the structure of local administration and rural development. Its chief purpose is to involve all the people living in rural areas to work for their own