Economic Survey 2022-23: Thrust On Rural Development

The thrust of the Government on rural development is discernable from the emphasis it gets in the Economic Survey 2022-23 tabled by the Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament today.

The Survey notes that of the country's population lives in the rural areas and 47 per cent of the population is dependent on agriculture for livelihood. Thus, the focus of the government on rural development is imperative. The Government's emphasis has been on improving the quality of life in rural areas to ensure more equitable and inclusive development. The aim of engagement of the government in the rural economy has been "transforming lives and livelihoods through proactive socio-economic inclusion, integration, and empowerment of rural India."

The Survey refers to the National Family Health Survey data for 2019-21 which illustrates a significant improvement vis-à-vis 2015-16 in an array of indicators concerning the quality of rural lives, including, inter alia, access to electricity, presence of improved drinking water sources, coverage under health insurance schemes, etc. Women empowerment has also gained momentum, with visible progress in female participation in household decision-making, owning bank accounts, and use of mobile phones. Most of the indicators concerning the health of rural women and children have improved. These outcome-oriented statistics establish tangible medium-run progress in rural living standards, aided by the policy focus on basic amenities and efficient programme implementation.