The former President said over 700million people in India are living in 600,000 villages and the mission to uplift them will require an integrated plan of rural development.
Former president of India APJ Abdul Kalam said over 700
million people in India are living in 600,000 villages and the
mission to uplift them will require an integrated plan of rural development like providing urban amenities in rural areas (PURA).
Kalam was addressing 50 professionals selected for SBI Youth for India at a programme organised by State Bank of India (SBI) in partnership with BAIF Development Research Foundation on Friday.
The SBI selected these 50 professionals and provided fellowship to them for working in rural areas with an aim to empower rural citizens with managerial skills and knowledge of modern technology.
Kalam said, “Professionals devoting a year to rural development is an important national mission and I am happy that this programme provides a challenging opportunity to urban professionals to associate with rural communities and work towards the integrated development of the rural sector.’’
Sharing his views on providing urban amenities in rural areas, Kalam said, “The work of providing amenities in rural areas essentially requires four levels of connectivity which have to be customised according to local competencies and needs. It means that the villages must be connected within themselves and with main towns and metros by good roads and railway lines.’’
“The rural areas also must have other infrastructure like schools, colleges, hospitals and other amenities for local population and visitors. This is physical connectivity,’’ he said.
“In the emerging knowledge era, the native knowledge has to be preserved and enhanced with latest tools of technology, training and research. The villages have to have access to good education, good medical treatment, latest information on their pursuits like agriculture, fishery, horticulture and food processing which is called electronic connectivity,’’ he said.
Kalam said, “Once the physical and electronic connectivity are enabled, the knowledge connectivity is enabled. That can facilitate the ability to increase the productivity, the utilisation of spare time, awareness of health welfare and ensuring a market for products.
Hence, these three connectivities lead to economic connectivity.’’
“Once the three connectivities are ensured, they facilitate earning capacity leading to economic connectivity. Implementing PURA will lead to progress in rural areas and we can attract investors.’’
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