Rural Reconstruction in India
“God made the country, man made the town.” – William Cowper
India is a vast country containing more than five lakh villages, Seventy percent of the population of India lives in villages. Therefore, the welfare of our country lies in the welfare of our villages. Our country cannot progress as long as our villages remain backward. It is a matter of shame that even after more than sixty years of independence, our villages continue to be backward and underdeveloped. Our villages do not have even the basic amenities of life. There are no good schools, no hospitals and no good roads. Even drinking water and electricity are not available there. There is no sanitation. Most of our villages have no drains. People continue to live in the most unhygienic conditions. They fall easy prey to various diseases and die unattended in the absence of sufficient medical facilities. They live in dirt, misery, and poverty. They are illiterate and ignorant. They are badly exploited by the money-lenders, the so-called men of religion, and the unscrupulous politicians. All this must change now.
Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, rightly said that villages constituted the soul of India. He felt that the programme of rural uplift must be given primary importance. He called upon the youth of the country to go to the countryside and work for the rural uplift. He said “Hitherto the villagers have died in their thousands so that we might live. Now we might have to die so that they may live. Let us not flinch from the necessary sacrifice if we want to live as an independent, self-respecting nation.”
Our national government launched a number of projects for the development of the villages. Community Development Programme, National Extension Service, Co-operative Banks, Rural Distribution Programme, and many similar projects are only a part of a massive programme aimed at rural development. These are bold and ambitious plans aiming at an all-round development of our villages. These projects cover a wide field. They aim at the development of agriculture, irrigation and drainage, improvement of communications, supply of basic facilities and necessities of life, reclamation of wasteland, and so on. The government is trying to ensure that no village is deprived of the basic facilities like drinking water and the government aims at ensuring the availability of at least one doctor in every village.
The various state governments have also initiated plans for rural uplift. The Antodaya Programme launched by the governments of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh are aimed at raising the standard of the poor villagers. Villages in Punjab, Haryana and many other states have already been linked with cities with the help of metalled roads. Schools, hospitals, cinema houses and banks are being opened in the villages on a large scale. Elected representatives from the villages are being given the responsibility of improving the villages.
What is required more than anything else is a radical change in the outlook and attitudes of the villagers? They must themselves rise to the occasion and co-operate with the government. Increasing literacy and the impact of mass media in the rural areas have already started showing results. People living in villages are aware of their rights and duties, government schemes and the latest development projects going on in the countryside. They should see to it that the government efforts to better their lot do not go waste. Student organization movements should also focus their attention on the development of the villages. Students should go to the villages and educate the people to live better. It is a challenging job but they must take it up as a sacred duty.
Village uplift requires a huge effort. The disease is chronic and the malady is deep-rooted. But there is no need to be discouraged. Patience and perseverance can overcome mountains of difficulties. It is the duty of every Indian citizen to do his best and co-operate with the government in their efforts to bring about development in the villages.
