Plan Panel to set up taskforce on rural technology

NEW DELHI: Taking a leaf from China''s success in modernising its rural industries, Planning Commission today said it would soon constitute a taskforce for promotion of rural technology in the country.
This was announced by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission K C Pant after a brain storming session with several agencies involved in rural development including the Khadi and Village Industries Commission and National Institute of Design.
"We have decided to set up a taskforce to go into the various aspects of rural technology in the light of the discussions which brought out very clearly that while a lot of work is being done by the individual agencies in specific locations and sectors there is a need for greater coordination," Pant said after the meeting here.
Pant said the composition of the taskforce and the terms of reference would be decided soon by the commission.
A background note prepared by the Commission highlighted the fact that though the importance of the non-farm employment had been mentioned in the approach paper, non-farm sector was still to recieve its priority in the development strategy.
Referring to China, the paper said that though there had been isolated success stories, "these could not trigger of any ''modernisation'' of ''the rural industries'' of the kind that China achieved through its township and village enterprises which reportedly contribute 28 per cent to the Chinese nationa income as against 14 per cent by agriculture proper"