Planners to lay more stress on rural development in 10th Plan

more emphasis would be laid on rural development in the tenth five-year plan in a bid to reduce regional imbalances and improve the standard of living of the common man, deputy chairman of planning commission k c pant said on wednesday. after inaugurating the two-day seminar on 'rural technology and poverty alleviation' at the national institute of rural development (nird) here, mr pant told reporters the tenth plan would lay more emphasis on rural development and its various dimensions. creating infrastructure and making sincere efforts to arrest migration of rural youth to urban areas by accelerating growth and creating employment opportunities in rural areas would be some of the focal points in rural development, he said. our objective to the desired level would be achieved by creating infrastructure in rural areas which include roads, linkage of farms with research institutes, better marketing and banking facilities, he said. asked about complaint from some developed states seeking incentives for development, mr pant said there are 113 districts across the country which lack development. though some states have attracted world bank loans, every state has backward districts which would be developed to overcome regional imbalances, he added. union minister for rural development m venkaiah naidu, who was also present at the press conference, said the centre has released 31 lakh tones of foodgrains under food-for-work scheme. earlier, in his presidential address at a seminar, mr naidu said the centre plans to provide drinking water to all by 2004, provide roads to all villages and shelter to all by 2007 and by 2010 they would try to achieve 100 per cent literacy besides keeping the poverty line below zero level. mr naidu said though poverty has come down over the year, the level of its decline has not been commensurate with the resources spent. political parties should arrive at a consensus to put an end to populism and shift their focus to infrastructure development, computerisation of land records and infusing technology into farm practises, he said. peoples' participation at all levels, reorientation of priorities, massive investment in rural sector, convergence between various ministries working in rural sectors, bridging the rural and urban divide would be the main thrust of the rural development, he said. mr pant, in his key-note address, urged nird to evolve strategies for rural development with a focus on creating an environment conducive for providing livelihood to the poor. though poverty has declined substantially over the years, the battle against it is far from over as more than 26 per cent of our population fall below the line of poverty, he said.

Planners to lay more stress on rural development in 10th Plan

MORE emphasis would be laid on rural development in the Tenth Five-Year Plan in a bid to reduce regional imbalances and improve the standard of living of the common man, deputy chairman of Planning Commission K C Pant said on Wednesday.

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