Rural India and Why it Needs Our Attention
Written by Anjum Shaikh, April 3, 2019
Written by Anjum Shaikh, April 3, 2019
For a nation like India, where the majority of the population lives in rural areas, it is essential for the rural economy to improve and help in the overall development of the country. India is making remarkable progress but we need to strengthen our rural areas in order to make our country globally strong and competitive.
Poverty
The rural economy relies heavily on agriculture. It is difficult to find a job apart from agriculture due to small market sizes in rural regions. Due to this, youth migrate to urban and semi-urban areas in search of employment. Lack of employment opportunities have added to the increasing rate of poverty. Unemployment and underemployment are one of the major factors of increasing poverty. The gap between the rich and the poor is increasing due to income inequality. Even though there are ample government schemes for rural employment, the benefits do not reach the masses due to various reasons. It is time for us to come up with innovative solutions that can cater to the employment needs of the rural masses.
Quality of Education
The enrolment rate of students in schools in the rural areas of India has improved considerably owing to programs that aim to promote education initiatives. However, there are still a lot of challenges in imparting quality education to the rural masses. People cannot afford private schools and local government schools often lack basic amenities and resources. The main reason for the high school dropout rate is lack of basic infrastructure facilities such as classrooms, toilets and drinking water facilities. Teachers in rural areas are underpaid which adds to low-quality teaching methods, negatively impacting the learning of students. Orthodox viewpoints such as girls should be married at an early age are also prevalent and it is necessary to make people aware of the importance of education and women empowerment. We need to create a platform to fill this education gap and support rural areas by creating awareness and coming up with dynamic solutions. Education is the foundation of a strong nation.
Access to Infrastructure
The role of infrastructure is important in the overall development of a nation’s economic growth. Over the years, infrastructure in terms of road transportation, power supplies, drinking water facilities and provision of health and sanitation has improved to a great extent in rural areas. Connectivity of rural areas to urban cities has increased, electricity has reached many rural areas and participation of private companies in the telecom sector has strengthened communication systems. However, remote rural areas still need to be provided with better urban connectivity and there are still many households which have no access to electricity. Due to lack of access to proper health facilities, people are prone to illness which increases the mortality rate of the country. Specialized hospitals for emergencies are often far from the villages. People often reach out to unqualified workers for medical treatments which further endangers their lives. It is important for the government and non-governmental organisations to intervene by providing better healthcare facilities and mobile medical services to benefit the people.
All the above are the major issues faced by rural India which needs our intervention for enabling their growth. With a large labor workforce and natural resources, rural areas have a high potential in contributing to the economic development of our country. Addressing the above issues will open doors for employment opportunities and help alleviate poverty. This will improve the standard of living which would help bridge the urban and rural divide.