Rural Development Policy

Rural Development PolicyByHemant Singh 2013PSM-005Kunal Kumar Jha 2013PSM-007IntroductionPolicy - A set of intended actions.Program - More specific and narrower in scope than a policy.Project - Highly specific and detailed in terms of its objectives, locations, durations, funds, etc. Needs for Rural Development PolicyNations commitment to setup a socialist pattern society.Violent fluctuation in agricultural production, price and income.Small scattered and unorganized rural enterprise.Inadequate and poor rural infrastructure.Rural poverty and income inequality.

Goals of Rural Development PolicyPriority to agriculture and rural development with a view to generate adequate productivity , employment and eradicate poverty.Accelerating the growth rate of economy with sustainable prices.Ensuring food and nutritional security for all.Providing basic minimum services.Controlling the growth rate of population.Strengthening efforts to built self reliance and entrepreneurship. Empowerment of women and socially disadvantaged groups.

Important dimensions of RDPThe quality of life of the citizen.The generation of productive employment.Regional balance.Self reliance.Hierarchy of Rural Development Policy Rural Development Policies in IndiaNational Forest PolicyLand Reform PolicyNational Water PolicyAgriculture Price PolicyRural Credit PolicyPolicy for Fishery PolicyNational Agriculture policyNational Policy on CooperativePolicy for Farmers

National Forest PolicyReview and assess the existing policy and legal framework and their impact in a holistic manner from the ecological, scientific, economic, social and cultural viewpoint.Examine the current status of forest administration and the forestry institutions both on all India and State level to meet the emerging needs of the civil society.Make recommendations indicating policy options for achieving sustainable forest and wildlife management and development, bio-diversity conservation and ecological security.Suggest ways and means to make forest administration more effective with a view to help to achieve the above policy options.Establish meaningful partnership and interface between forestry management and local communities including tribals.

Land Reforms policy

The ultimate aim of land reforms in India is to confer the rights of ownership to tenants to the larger possible extent.National guidelines were issued in 1972, which specified the land ceiling limit as; The best land 10 acresFor second class land 18-27 acres.For the rest, 27-54 acres with a slightly higher limit in the hill and desert areasIn order to bring about uniformity, a new policy was evolved in 1971. The main features were:Lowering of ceiling to 28 acres of wet land and 54 acres of un-irrigated landA change over to family rather than the individual as the unit for determining land holdings lowered ceiling for a family of five. Fewer exemptions from ceilingsRetrospective application of the law for declaring benami transactions null and voidNo scope to move the court on ground of infringement of fundamental rights

National Water PolicyNational Water Policy was adopted in September, 1987.In the planning and operation of systems, water allocation priorities should be broadly as follows:Drinking waterIrrigationHydro-powerEcologyAgro-industries and non-agricultural industriesNavigation and other uses.The State Water Policies may need to be drafted/revised in accordance with this policy keeping in mind the basic concerns and principles as also a unified national perspective.

Agricultural Price Policy To ensure stability in Policy.To ensure constant usage of modern inputs in agriculture, it is necessary that farmers are assured minimum price for their product.Due to specific nature of agriculture produce, there are many difficulties in agriculture marketing, such as perish ability problems of storage etc.Price policy is important for proper crop planning.To prevent exploitation of farmers from zamindars etc; in absence of price policy person may purchase products at very low price.Fixation of Maximum retail prise or procurement price.Maximum price fixation and Buffer stock.

National Policy for farmerTo improve economic viability of farming.To protect and improve land, water, bio-diversity and genetic resources.To develop support services including provision for seeds, irrigation, power, machinery and implements, fertilizers.To provide appropriate price and trade policy mechanisms to enhance farmers income.To pay explicit attention to sustainable rural livelihoods.To make India a global outsourcing hub in the production and supply of the inputs needed for sustainable agriculture, products and processes developed through biotechnology and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

National Agriculture PolicyOver 4 per cent annual growth rate aimed over next two decades.Greater private sector participation through contract farming.Price protection for farmers.National agricultural insurance scheme to be launched.Minimise fluctuations in commodity prices.Continuous monitoring of international prices.Plant varieties to be protected through a legislation.Adequate and timely supply of quality inputs to farmers.High priority to rural electrification.Setting up of agro-processing units and creation of off-farm employment in rural areas.

Referenceshttp://envfor.nic.in/division/introduction-10http://planningcommission.nic.in/reports/articles/venka/index.php?repts=m-land.htmhttp://wrmin.nic.in/forms/list.aspx?lid=1190http://cacp.dacnet.nic.in/https://www.nabard.org/english/home.aspx

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