Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked for maximising government schemes in rural India while assuring there will be no shortage of funds to develop villages. He called for an end to the silos among agencies working in rural India and asked officials to work harder to help bring more start-ups to villages.
Modi, who was addressing a webinar on the positive impact of Budget schemes on rural India, underlined the need for adopting new strategies to achieve 100% coverage of the schemes. “In the Budget, we have focused on rural India, the northeast region, the border areas, and the aspirational [underdeveloped] districts.”
He twice referred to time bound completion of development programmes and spoke about the use of newer technologies to maintain land records. “If all states take up time bound works, it would be helpful for the people and rural businesses,” he said. “We have to adopt new technology for faster completion of projects with no compromise with quality.”
He asked for optimum utilisation of every penny while referring to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s remarks decades back that 15 paise of a rupee reaches the poor.
Modi said ₹48,000 crore has been allocated in the Budget for housing under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. “Houses, along with toilets, gas connections, electricity, and roads are instrumental for growth. In six cities, affordable Light House projects are on.”
The projects involve the construction of around 1,000 houses each with allied infrastructure facilities within a year using new-age alternate global technologies, materials, and processes.
Modi called for use of newer technologies to cater to local requirements in rural areas. “We need new technologies in eco-sensitive zones…”
Modi called for completing the target of 40-million water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission by 2022. He underlined the pipeline quality needs to be checked. Modi spoke about the expansion of digital connectivity and added it is not an aspirational issue but a necessity. “It will help create a pool of talents, bring more business in rural areas.”
He asked for maximising financial inclusion scheme Jan Dhan Yojna and expansion of women-led Self-Help Groups. “We must find ways to complete all programmes announced in the Budget in a time bound manner, leaving no citizen behind.”
Modi wondered why government agencies worked in silos. He added agencies involved in rural development should visit villages together on particular days to promote a holistic approach to development. Modi asked if Krishi Vigyan Kendra can set targets of having 50 farmers switch to organic farming in each district. “Focus more on outcomes.”
Modi proposed competition among villages in a block on 8-10 development parameters on the lines of the competitive spirit among aspirational districts. He sought deeper involvement of government officials.