Rural Infrastructure for Agriculture
Infrastructure plays a critical role in the economic development of any country. Presently 65% of India’s population resides in its rural areas. Therefore, rural infrastructure needs to be developed to provide basic amenities such as civic services and housing to the rural population. This will help boost their quality of life. Growth of rural infrastructure is important from the perspective of agriculture, agro-based industries, poverty alleviation and better access to markets and job opportunities in rural regions.
Keeping all the above factors in mind, the government of India (GoI) has initiated critical schemes for the upliftment of rural infrastructure. Such as:
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY - Gramin): Providing Housing for All by 2022. PMAY-G aims to provide pucca (permanent) houses and other basic civic amenities such as piped drinking water, power supply and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) connection in convergence.
• Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY): Improving rural connectivity, by providing all-weather roads to connect eligible habitations in rural areas. As on December 31, 2019, road length worth Rs. 2.9 lakh crore had been sanctioned and expenditure of Rs. 2.17 lakh crore incurred.