RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMS: A TOOL FOR ALLEVIATION OF RURAL POVERTY

This paper examines the progress of India's rural development programmes and reviews the country's rural development programmes. Over the years, India's rural development has undergone several changes in terms of emphasis, approaches, strategies, and programmes. As a result, it has acquired a new dimension and provided new opportunities. India's rural economy is a vital component of the country's overall economy. Poverty eradication remains a significant obstacle to planned economic development. It's difficult to make broad policy recommendations because different states' experiences with economic growth and poverty reduction have been so varied. Rural development programmes (RDP) have significant implications for India in terms of poverty alleviation. PMAY-G housing parameters SECC data specific housing among households. Households that are homeless and live in kutcha and kutcha houses using the List ensures that list of households Select Lists), implementation Government is eligible citizens in rural areas build pucca houses with financial assistance. According to a in the amount sanctioned the scheme, the amount for a house built in the is Rs 1.2 lakh, and the amount for a house built in a hilly region is Rs 1.3 lakh. In addition financial beneficiary of under the Mahatma National Rural Guarantee 18000. 12000 the construction of Beneficiaries on the 2011 data, by the PMAY-G selection criteria. a on the SECC data list, the

This paper examines the progress of India's rural development programmes and reviews the country's rural development programmes. Over the years, India's rural development has undergone several changes in terms of emphasis, approaches, strategies, and programmes. As a result, it has acquired a new dimension and provided new opportunities. India's rural economy is a vital component of the country's overall economy. Poverty eradication remains a significant obstacle to planned economic development. It's difficult to make broad policy recommendations because different states' experiences with economic growth and poverty reduction have been so varied. Rural development programmes (RDP) have significant implications for India in terms of poverty alleviation.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….... Introduction:-
In India, rural development is a fundamental cultural principle, not a new concept. The Ramayana and Mahabharata, for example, teach us about human dignity, benevolence, and justice. Our villages used to be self-sufficient, requiring very little outside assistance. The rural economy was destroyed under British rule, and the rural population became reliant on goods and services provided by strangers. There was no rural development policy to assist people in becoming self-sufficient. The British government in India took on some rural development projects during the Great Bengal Famine. These attempts were made on a very small scale, and there were no legal ramifications. (OSOU, 2017). Poverty eradication remains a significant obstacle to planned economic development. Because different states' experiences with economic growth and poverty reduction have been so varied, it's difficult to make broad policy recommendations. There are states that focused on human resource development and reduced poverty (Punjab and Haryana), as well as states that followed the path of high agricultural growth and reduced poverty (Karnataka and Tamil Nadu) (Kerala). West Bengal was one of the states that implemented aggressive land reforms, empowered panchayats, mobilised the poor, and effectively implemented poverty-alleviation programmes, as well as one of the states that reduced poverty through direct government intervention in the form of public food distribution (Andhra Pradesh).

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ii. The activities were not well-planned and coordinated iii. Initiatives are taken by the government, not by the people iv. Some fundamental issues, such as land tenure and rural credit, were left out of the programmes.
The Planning Commission prioritised agriculture and irrigation development in the First Five-Year Plan based on these lessons learned. The Commission established very high internal production targets and decided that the drive for food production should be integrated into overall agricultural development plans, and that agricultural improvement, in turn, should be an integral part of much broader efforts to improve the standard of living in rural areas. The Commission chose "Community Development" as the method for kicking off the process of social and economic transformation in villages, and "Rural Extension" as the lead agency. In its First Five Year Plan report, the Planning Commission of India proposed a systematic, planned, and country-wide community development programme to address rural community issues, based on experiences, reports from previous rural development programmes, an enquiry committee report, and the success of the Etawah Pilot Project. One of the driving forces behind the launch of the Community Development Programme was Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister. He believed that through community development programmes, the country's underdeveloped human resources could be used to help build a new India. The Community Development Programme (CDP) of India was established on October 2, 1952, with the goal of ensuring the total development of rural areas' material and human resources, as well as the development of local leadership and self-governing institutions.

Importance of Rural Development Programs
Rural development is one of the most important factors in India's economic development. India's economy is based on agriculture. Agriculture accounts for almost a fifth of India's gross domestic product (GDP). The Indian government has devised a number of rural development programmes in order to boost agriculture's growth. India's apex body for developing rural development policies, regulations, and laws is the Ministry of Rural Development. The main contributors to rural business and economy are agriculture, handicrafts, fisheries, poultry, and dairy.
In terms of emphasis, approaches, strategies, and programmes, India's rural development has undergone several changes over the years. As a result, it has taken on a new dimension and opened up new possibilities. With the participation of development clients, rural development can only become richer and more meaningful. People's participation is central to rural development, and implementation is the litmus test for planning. From a procedural and philosophical standpoint, people's participation is one of the most important pre-requisites of the development process. Development planners and administrators must enlist the participation of various groups of rural people in order to make plans participatory. (D. Gonopadhyay et al., 2008) Early efforts at rural development took two different approaches. First, some charitable and philanthropic individuals and private organisations attempted to improve rural life in small areas and scales. Second, at the government level, efforts were made to launch some projects to address the pressing agricultural issues. When these experiments were carried out, colonial rule was still in place, and agriculture was the primary source of income for a large portion of the population with limited purchasing power. Agriculture received insufficient attention, with a lack of science and technology application, a lack of understanding of the farming system in different parts of the country, and a lack of viable farmer organisations, among other issues.
India's rural economy is a vital component of the country's overall economy. Because rural residents make up the majority of the poor, rural development aims to improve their quality of life by reducing poverty through selfemployment and wage employment programmes, providing community infrastructure such as drinking water, electricity, road connectivity, health facilities, rural housing, and education, and promoting rural tourism (Sen, 2003). , The study used a quantitative research technique to examine various rural challenges and RDP poverty reduction strategies, with 71 percent of the population living in rural areas, poverty reduction through rural development programmes (RDP) has major implications for Bangladesh, the world's most densely populated country. Given its significance, a total of 192 poor households from four study villages in Chittagong District were chosen at random. The findings show that the RDP, housing and agriculture, health and education, and other programmes significantly improved the economic, human, protective, and political capabilities of sample households, thereby reducing poverty. This finding suggests that improvements in rural areas can act as a 349 safety net for people who are unable to find work in urban areas due to a downturn or recession. As a result, the findings suggest that a well-designed rural development programme can assist the government and policymakers in reducing excessive migrant worker and farmer population influxes from rural to urban areas.

Gustavo Anríquez, (2007),
This study looks at the link between rurality and poverty, as well as the role of agriculture in rural development, poverty reduction, and overall development. The paper begins by presenting historical perspectives on the role of agriculture in development before arguing, using original data, that there was a historical misjudgement against agriculture that served as a foundation for anti-agricultural bias in public policy until the late 1980s. Finally, this paper explains why, while territorial/regional development strategies may be successful in some cases, agriculture remains the foundation for rural development in others, particularly in developing countries.

Kolajo Taiwo and Yusuf Simon Enoch (2011),
In order to alleviate poverty, promote economic and social growth, and bridge the perceived "digital divide," many governments and development agencies in developing countries are focusing on extending information and communication technology (ICT) services to rural areas. However, little is known about how information technology can benefit rural communities and what impact it has on rural development. The purpose of this paper is to highlight several ways that information and communication technology can benefit rural communities.

Methodology:-
For the purpose study secondary data has been employed to review the different rural development programs in alleviation of poverty in India and also collected data related to progress of different programs, here mainly the study consider the budget and actual expenditure of rural development programs are analysed. This is a credit-linked subsidy programme for coir units with a project cost of less than Rs 10 lakh and a working capital requirement of less than 25% of the project cost. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin, the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, and the Skill Upgradation and Mahila Coir Yojana are some of the other rural development schemes. Individuals, businesses, self-help groups, non-profit organisations, institutions registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860, production co-operative societies, joint liability groups, and charitable trusts are all eligible to participate in this programme. The scheme covers 40% of the project cost with a government subsidy, 55% with a bank loan, and 5% with a beneficiary contribution. To apply online, go to the scheme's official website, which is run by the Coir Board under the Ministry of Micro, Medium, and Small Enterprises. You will be redirected to a portal where you can submit a new application by clicking the apply now button on the website.

Skill Upgradation and Mahila Coir Yojana:
The scheme focuses on developing domestic and export markets, skill development and training, women's empowerment, job creation and development, improved raw material utilisation, trade-related services, and the welfare of coir workers, and is one of the most important under the Scheme Coir Vikas Yojana. The Mahila Coir Yojana, in particular, aims to empower women by providing them with low-cost spinning equipment after they have completed appropriate skill training. Women Scientists Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Inspire Program, and National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education are some of the other social and rural development schemes. Rural women artisans work in coir-producing regions. Stipends will be limited to Rs.1000/per month for skill development programmes, with stipends paid on a pro-rata basis for training programmes lasting less than one month. The trainer's monthly honorarium will be capped at Rs. 6,000/-. The training sponsoring agency will receive Rs.400/-per head in monthly financial assistance to cover the training's operational costs, such as raw materials, power charges, and other incidentals. Trainees for in-house training at the National Coir Training (NCT) &Design Centre (DC) will be chosen from advertisements in print and electronic media, as well as recommendations from the coir producing States' authorities.

Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme:
This scheme combines the Prime Minister's Rojgar Yojana and the Rural Employment Generation Program. It is a credit-linked subsidy programme aimed at creating jobs in both rural and urban areas by establishing micro enterprises. The goal is to provide long-term employment to a large number of traditional and future artisans, as well as unemployed rural and urban youth throughout the country. Financial institutions are encouraged to participate in the scheme in order to increase credit flow to micro-enterprises. Another governance and social welfare scheme is the Pradhan Mantri Shram. Pradhan Mantri's Bima Yojana for Handicraft Artisans etc. The following are the program's requirements for participation:Any person over the age of eighteen. 1. A minimum of an VIII standard pass is required for projects costing more than Rs.10 lakh in the manufacturing sector and more than Rs.5 lakh in the business / service sector.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin:
The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) was created in response to the government's pledge to provide "Housing for All" in rural areas by 2022. the scheme aims to provide all houseless householders living in kutcha and dilapidated houses with a pucca house with basic amenities. Skill Upgradation and Mahila Coir Yojana, UJALA, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana -Urban 2019 are some of the other infrastructure and rural development schemes. The PMAY-G selects beneficiaries based on housing deprivation parameters from the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data to ensure that assistance is provided to those who are truly in need and that the selection is objective and verifiable. The SECC data reflects specific housing deprivation among households. Households that are homeless and live in 0,1,2 kutcha wall and kutcha roof houses can be identified and targeted using the data. The Permanent Wait List ensures that states have a ready list of households who will be covered by the scheme in the coming years (via Annual Select Lists), allowing for better implementation planning. The Central Government is helping eligible citizens in rural areas build pucca houses with financial assistance. According to a revision in the amount sanctioned in the scheme, the new sanctioned amount for a house built in the plains is Rs 1.2 lakh, and the amount for a house built in a hilly region is Rs 1.3 lakh. In addition to financial assistance, the beneficiary is offered 90 days of employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which amounts to about Rs 18000. Another Rs 12000 will be made available for the construction of toilets. Beneficiaries will be chosen based on the 2011 data, as specified by the PMAY-G selection criteria. If a person's name appears on the SECC data list, he or she will be eligible for the benefit. The financial assistance will be transferred directly to the beneficiary's bank or post office account. The resources for completing the application can be found on the official website.

Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana:
The scheme aims to improve the lives of urban poor people by providing them with more sustainable livelihood opportunities. The plan combines the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) and the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) into a single programme (NRLM ). The plan entails providing shelter and essential services to homeless people in cities in stages. It also addresses the concerns of urban street vendors about their livelihood by providing suitable space, institutional credit, social security, and skills to enable them to take advantage of emerging market opportunities. PM Ujjwala Yojana, Coir Udyami Yojana, Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin, and other initiatives for holistic rural development include: PM Ujjwala Yojana, Coir Udyami Yojana, Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gram Beneficiaries over the age of 18 who were previously enrolled in the Ajeevika programme are eligible for the scheme, which is aimed at both urban and rural poor people. DAY's rural component aims to train 5-10 lakh young people from India's villages and equip them with skills that will help them find work. The government will cover the cost of training programmes at Rs 15,000 per person in the DAY's urban component, which will train 5 lakh urban poor in government-run City Livelihoods Centers. To begin, each group will receive an initial sum of Rs 10,000/-, with registered federations receiving an area-level sum of Rs 50,000/-. Even though DAY's rural component (NRLM) has been closed, DAY-NULM benefits are still available.

UJALA 2019:
The Unnat Jyoti was launched by Affordable LEDs for All in 2015 with the goal of replacing 77 cr incandescent lamps with LED bulbs. Affordable LEDs for All introduced the Unnat Jyoti in 2015 with the goal of replacing 77CR incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs. In order to overcome the high cost of LEDs, which had previously been a barrier to the adoption of energy-saving systems, the scheme was implemented to set up phase-wise LED distribution across the country, providing people with affordable LED bulbs and energy-saving appliances. The goal is to promote energy-efficient lighting and raise awareness about how to save money on energy bills while also protecting the environment by using energy-efficient equipment. Under the Ujala scheme, every grid-connected consumer with a metered connection from their local Electricity Distribution Company can get LED bulbs for about 40% less than the market price. As previously mentioned, there are a number of other rural development initiatives. Under the UJALA Scheme, LED bulbs are available to any domestic household with a metered connection from their local Electricity Distribution Company. The LED can be bought on EMI (monthly/bimonthly instalments in the electricity bill) or in full upfront. In order to obtain a UJALA LED bulb, the customer must have the following documents: 1) For EMI, you'll need a copy of your most recent electric bill as well as a copy of your governmentissued photo ID. 2) A copy of a government-issued photo ID, which is required for the first time.

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Currently, the UJALA is being implemented across the country. Visit the official website to learn more about the cities covered and the status of LED bulb distribution. Under the UJALA Scheme, every grid-connected consumer with a metered connection from their local Electricity Distribution Company can get LED bulbs for roughly 40% less than the market price. UJALA LED bulbs are available for purchase at special counters (kiosks) strategically located throughout a city. These aren't going to be available in stores. The official website, which is geo-tagged for consumer convenience, has information about distribution counter locations.

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana:
The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship's flagship scheme (MSDE). The goal of this Skill Certification Scheme is to give a large number of Indian youth the opportunity to participate in industry-relevant skill training that will help them earn more money. Individuals with prior learning experience or skills will be evaluated and certified as part of the Recognition of Prior Learning programme (RPL). The government pays for all training and assessment costs under this programme. The programme, which will benefit ten million young people, has been extended for another four years (2016-2020). In addition to the above-mentioned programmes, there are others that can assist with skill development. Any candidate of Indian nationality who is unemployed, a college dropout, and has a verifiable bank account/Aadhaar and voter ID can apply, according to the scheme's objectives. In order to prepare students for industry-specific skills, PMKVY will provide short-term training, recognition of prior learning, special projects, kasuhal, and rozgar mela, among other components. To sign up for the programme, go to the PMKVY official website.

PM Ujjwala Yojana:
The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was created to protect women's and families' health by providing clean cooking fuel in the form of LPG. The programme aims to protect women's health by lowering the risks associated with using fossil fuels and other cooking fuels. It also reduces the number of people killed or injured as a result of unclean fuels, as well as respiratory problems caused by the use of unhealthy fuels. This scheme aims to empower women in rural India by providing connections in the names of the women in the household, in addition to improving women's health. There are also other rural development schemes in India. A woman from a BPL household can apply for a new LPG connection at the nearest LPG distributor. In Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, on May 1, 2016, Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. According to the most recent estimates, this scheme has provided over 5 crore LPG connections to BPL families. For each LPG connection, the scheme provides BPL households with a financial assistance of Rs 1600. The government will pay Rs. 1600 per connection for administrative costs, which include a cylinder, pressure regulator, booklet, safety hose, and other items. To ensure women's empowerment, the connections will be issued in the names of the women of the households, particularly in rural India. A budget of Rs. 8000 crore will be used to implement the scheme. To apply for the scheme, you must meet the following requirements: 1. The woman must provide a detailed address, a Jan Dhan Bank Account, and the Aadhar numbers of all household members when filling out the application form. 2. After processing the application, the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) will issue the connection to the eligible beneficiaries. 3. If the customer chooses to pay by EMI, the EMI amount will be deducted from the subsidy amount due at each refill.

Conclusion:-
Although the Indian government has made concerted efforts to alleviate poverty in rural India through a variety of plans and measures, there is still much more that can be done to improve rural Indians' lives. Technology is currently being disseminated unevenly and slowly in rural areas. Rural-focused organisations have had mixed results in developing technologies, devices, and products. The experiences of many countries indicate that demand-driven technological development has a faster rate of diffusion. Rather than creating demand, however, technology developers for rural areas in India have been catering to needs (with minor improvements). There is no industry linkage machinery available for rural communities to create a demand-based technology market. Furthermore, strategies and effective management programmes are not aligned. Rural development technology and schemes are slow to spread, and there is a lack of widespread participation from various stakeholders. The government, panchayats, village people, researchers, industries, NGOs, and private companies could all help to reduce the imbalance and have a multiplier effect on the overall economy.