“Development should penetrate to the last unit of society- the last person. That should be our goal of planning,” visualised Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, founder of Integral Humanism. This guiding philosophy is the centre of the Government of India’s rural development agenda. Since the country aims to become a developed nation by 2047, the emphasis has invariably been shifting to empowering villages, where Bharat’s most basic units are located.
During the meeting of the Performance Review Committee in New Delhi, Union Minister of State for Rural Development Dr. Pemmasani Chandrasekhar envisioned a clear-cut roadmap for constructing “Viksit Gaon” as the foundation of Viksit Bharat in order to make every citizen, even in the farthest village, a stakeholder in the growth narrative of India.
Villages as pillars of Bharat’s progress
Dr. Chandrasekhar stressed that India’s path to becoming a global superpower cannot be fulfilled unless its foundation, its villages, are strengthened. “A Viksit Gaon, where every family owns a pucca house, every youth is guaranteed employment, and every woman is economically empowered, is not an illusion but a real possibility,” he stated. The Minister emphasised the pivotal role that the Rural Development Ministry has played in writing the next chapter of India’s development under the Prime Ministership of Narendra Modi and the Cabinet Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
MGNREGS: Rural employment as a lifeline
Terming the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) as a powerful tool against rural joblessness and distress migration, the Minister referred to its enormous magnitude and influence. Having an investment of Rs 90,000 to Rs 1,00,000 crore annually, the scheme has generated more than 250 crore person-days of work every year. More than 36 crore job cards have been distributed and over 15 crore active workers are engaged throughout the country.
Urging a move away from simple wage payment to productive asset creation, Dr. Chandrasekhar suggested convergence with other developmental programs, diversification of occupation types, and greater community engagement in order to render rural employment more productive and sustainable.
PMAY-G: 3.22 crore pucca homes and more
Discussing the most important problem of rural housing, the Minister emphasised that more than 3.22 crore pucca houses have already been built under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G). In order to meet the increasing housing demand as a result of population growth, a lofty goal of constructing 2 crore more houses by 2029 has been set.
Dr. Chandrasekhar promoted the adoption of environment-friendly and area-specific construction technologies in order to not just decrease costs but also support environmental sustainability. “Affordable, dignified, and sustainable housing is a basic step towards a self-reliant village,” he added.
Rural Roads: Connecting Bharat’s heartland
The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) has already established a strong rural road network with 7.56 lakh kilometres of roads having been built so far. These roads are the arteries that link remote villages to markets, schools, and hospitals.
For long-term use, the Minister suggested the establishment of state-level road fund bodies, community-based monitoring systems, and innovative financing models to ensure quality and sustainability of road infrastructure.
Empowering Women: The emergence of ‘Lakhpati Didis’
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) is ushering in a silent revolution in Indian villages. More than 10.05 crore women have been included through 91 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Cumulative bank linkage has reached a historic Rs 11 lakh crore, giving rural women access to credit and financial empowerment.
A case in point is the Lakhpati Didi Scheme under which 1.5 crore rural women are currently earning Rs 1 lakh-plus per annum. The goal is to double this number to 3 crore Lakhpati Didis. The Minister emphasised providing the advanced skills training, improved credit facilities, and market connections to further empower these women.
Rural Youth: Villages to workforce
Realising the potential of rural youth, the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) has placed more than 17 lakh rural youth in vocational training, of which 11 lakh have been successfully placed in gainful employment. This not only increases household incomes but also assists in reversing rural-to-urban migration by generating opportunities locally.
Beyond Implementation: A vision of atmanirbhar villages
The Minister pointed out that the Ministry is not merely implementing schemes but shaping a transformation narrative for rural India. The convergence of housing, employment, connectivity, and women empowerment schemes is aimed at making villages self-reliant, connected, clean, and capable, an integral part of Prime Minister Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
He requested the bureaucrats and functionaries in all states to undertake rural development with fresh vigour, innovative minds, and unshakeable commitment. “Only a strong village can make a strong nation. Only a Viksit Gaon can guide us to Viksit Bharat,” Dr. Chandrasekhar concluded.
The Road Ahead: From Gaon to Global
The Performance Review Committee meeting was not only a celebration of success but also had a clear-cut agenda for future steps. With confident leadership and people-oriented thinking, India’s villages are being converted into economic growth hubs and centres of social development.
As the government strengthens its effort to bridge the rural-urban gap, India’s villages are not merely symbols of tradition, but are quickly becoming role models of transformation and inspiration for the world.
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