Rural Infrastructure & Development – PMGSY, NRLM
🟠 Topic 89: Rural Infrastructure & Development – PMGSY, NRLM
📌 Introduction
Rural infrastructure development is a cornerstone of India’s development strategy, aiming to enhance connectivity, livelihoods, and access to basic services. Well-developed roads, housing, irrigation systems, and social infrastructure boost agricultural productivity, non-farm employment, and quality of life for rural populations. Programs like Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) play a critical role in ensuring inclusive rural development by improving infrastructure and livelihood diversification.
⚫ Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)
📖 Overview
Launched in 2000, PMGSY aims to provide all-weather road connectivity to unconnected rural habitations with a population of:
- 500+ in plains.
- 250+ in hilly, tribal, and desert areas.
Objectives
✔️ Enhance rural connectivity for economic and social development.
✔️ Improve access to markets, health centres, and schools.
✔️ Facilitate livelihood diversification by integrating villages into regional economies.
✔️ Create employment opportunities through rural road construction.
Key Components
| Component | Focus Area |
|---|---|
| Connectivity Projects | Linking unconnected habitations |
| Upgradation Projects | Upgrading existing rural roads |
| Climate Resilient Roads | Eco-friendly techniques in road construction |
| Maintenance Funding | Ensuring upkeep for 5 years post-completion |
PMGSY Achievements (2023)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Roads Built | ~7 lakh km |
| Villages Connected | ~1.7 lakh habitations |
| Daily Employment Generated | ~35 lakh person-days |
WordPress HTML Code – PMGSY Road Length Graph
Impact of PMGSY
✔️ Improved market access for farmers (lower logistics costs).
✔️ Enhanced school attendance and health outcomes.
✔️ Facilitated non-farm employment in connected villages.
✔️ Promoted rural tourism and agro-processing clusters.
Case Study – PMGSY in Bihar
- PMGSY improved connectivity in flood-prone districts.
- Resulted in: ✔️ Increased agricultural diversification. ✔️ Higher enrolment in secondary schools. ✔️ Rise in micro enterprises along new rural roads.
⚫ National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM)
📖 Overview
Launched in 2011, NRLM aims to promote sustainable rural livelihoods through:
- Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
- Financial inclusion.
- Skill development.
- Livelihood diversification.
It is now known as Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – NRLM (DAY-NRLM).
Objectives
✔️ Mobilise rural poor into SHGs and federations.
✔️ Facilitate credit linkage with banks.
✔️ Build livelihood assets and enterprise clusters.
✔️ Enhance social empowerment through women’s leadership.
Key Components
| Component | Focus Area |
|---|---|
| Institution Building | Formation and strengthening of SHGs |
| Financial Inclusion | Microfinance, bank linkage, insurance |
| Livelihood Promotion | Farm, off-farm, and non-farm activities |
| Skill Development | Training for youth in rural enterprises |
NRLM Achievements (2023)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| SHGs Formed | 1 crore+ |
| Women Mobilised | 9 crore+ |
| Bank Credit Mobilised | ₹5 lakh crore+ |
| Microenterprises Supported | ~70 lakh |
Impact of NRLM
✔️ Boosted household incomes and asset creation.
✔️ Enhanced women’s leadership in local governance.
✔️ Promoted micro-entrepreneurship in rural areas.
✔️ Improved financial literacy and digital inclusion.
Case Study – Kudumbashree (Kerala)
- Flagship NRLM initiative in Kerala.
- Over 4.5 million women members.
- Linked to: ✔️ Tourism cooperatives. ✔️ Farm producer groups. ✔️ Community kitchens.
- Demonstrated social and economic empowerment through SHG federations.
🔹 Challenges in Rural Infrastructure & Development
1️⃣ Quality and Maintenance
✔️ Poor maintenance funding after initial construction. ✔️ Asset durability issues in flood and hilly regions.
2️⃣ Limited Livelihood Diversification
✔️ NRLM focused on traditional livelihoods. ✔️ New-age rural enterprises (solar energy, e-commerce) need better integration.
3️⃣ Access to Institutional Credit
✔️ Despite SHG bank linkage, credit flow to microenterprises remains limited. ✔️ Risk aversion among banks in lending to first-generation entrepreneurs.
4️⃣ Digital Divide
✔️ Lack of internet infrastructure in many rural clusters. ✔️ Limits adoption of digital marketing and e-commerce by SHGs.
5️⃣ Convergence Gaps
✔️ Weak convergence with other rural programs (PMGSY, PM-KUSUM). ✔️ Fragmented approach limits holistic rural development.
🔹 Way Forward
✔️ Integrate PMGSY with rural industrial corridors.
✔️ Develop skill-linked rural enterprise clusters under NRLM.
✔️ Promote green infrastructure (solar roads, rainwater harvesting).
✔️ Leverage digital platforms for SHG product marketing.
✔️ Ensure long-term maintenance funds for rural roads.
📚 Practice MCQs
1️⃣ Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) primarily aims to:
✅ Options:
(a) Build village schools
(b) Provide rural road connectivity
(c) Develop rural industrial hubs
(d) Establish rural skill centres
2️⃣ Which organisation anchors the implementation of NRLM at the national level?
✅ Options:
(a) NITI Aayog
(b) Ministry of Rural Development
(c) Ministry of MSME
(d) Ministry of Panchayati Raj
3️⃣ Under PMGSY, what is the minimum population criterion for providing all-weather connectivity in hilly areas?
✅ Options:
(a) 500
(b) 250
(c) 1000
(d) No criterion
