Rural development and technology : a status report-cum-bibliography

In the pre-independence period Mahathma Gandhi emphasised the role of youth in rural uplift thus "Go to the villages and busy yourselves not as masters or benefactors, but as their humble servants. Let them know what to do and how to change their modes of living from your daily conduct and way of life". Since then much has been done in this direction but the condition of the rural poor has not changed appreciably. The results have been disastrous. Millions of rural inhabitants are greatly frustrated. Rural natural resources in terms of raw materials have been siphoned in a manner to benefit the urban elite. Today the level of urbanisation in India is only 20% compared to 70% in USA, 72% in Japan, 74% in Germany, 78% in England and 85% in Australia. The lure for higher wages, better amenities and facilities in the urban setting have invariably tempted the rural work force to the cities, thus generating only one way traffic in the socio-economic milieu of our country.

India is the second most populous and seventh largest country in the world. The population is already touching to staggering figure of 680 million which, if allowed to grow at the present rate of population explosion, would touch an alarming figure of 1000 million mark before the turn of the century. It is there fore, imperative that family planning programmes should be taken to the rural areas to check to population growth as well as undesirable pressure on the economy of the country.

Almost 80% of the population lives in the rural sector. To feed, to pro vide clothing, shelter and other essential requirements will require a major effort on the part of all concerned. No doubt agriculture in the form of "Green Revolution" has taken commendable strides but this alone would not be able to provide the minimum basic needs. The strategy for rural development i. e. im proving the economic condition of the individual rural poor has to be given increasing importance in the planning process of the country. The basic obje ctives are to solve the problems of unemployment, underemployment and poverty in order to achieve the goals of overall development and social justice. Therefore, the progress in the agriculture would require effective coupling with development of the rural and cottage industries to provide work to the agri culture labour, small and marginal farmers and artisan communities.