Rural Road Infrastructure in India
Keywords:
Rural Infrastructure, PMGSYAbstract
As per the 2011 census, rural areas account for 69 percent of India's total population. Therefore, improved connectivity and accessibility to rural areas will provide a vital impetus to the country's economic growth. Development of rural infrastructure in general and rural transport infrastructure in particular is very crucial in India. Rural road connectivity ensures access to critical services and opportunities, and fosters sustainable poverty reduction programs as well as employment generation through industrialization in rural areas. It is estimated that 20-30 percent of the agricultural, horticultural and forest produce gets wasted because of either inadequate rural road network or poor condition of roads, which creates an impedance for transporting such commodities for the user needs. Rural road accounts for 60 percent of the total road length in India. While the total rural road length was only 3,54,530 kilometres in 1970-71, it has increased to about 24,50,559 kilometres in recent times. These statistics corroborate the importance given to the development of rural roads as part of the overall development of the country. Furthermore, research suggests that public investment in infrastructure, specifically in the rehabilitation of rural roads, improves local community and market development. Studies on rural road development in several countries reported rise in male agricultural wages and aggregate crop indices (Bangladesh), increase in the availability of food, the completion rates of primary school and the wages of agricultural workers (Vietnam), etc. However, studies on Indian rural roads are almost non-existent. Against this backdrop, the present study analyses some past trends and present practices related to rural transport in India. In addition, the study investigates the impact of rural road infrastructure development on socio-economic conditions of the rural population including the overall contribution to the nation.
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