Lucknow, 5 July (HS): In a symbolic development, the
UN General Assembly has declared that from this year onwards, July 6 will be
observed as World Rural Development Day, reaffirming its commitment to the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. In India, the past one and a half
decades have witnessed a notable push in this direction, supported by
policymakers, rural development enterprises, including NPOs, and change leaders
working in partnership with local bodies. These joint efforts are now reflected
in the country’s economic indicators, as highlighted in the Economic Survey
2024–25, that the urban-rural divide is narrowing at a steady pace, with rural
consumption gaining momentum - the gap in Monthly Per Capita Consumption
Expenditure (MPCE) has reduced to 70 per cent in 2023–24, down from 84 per cent
in 2011–12.
Observing World Rural Development Day also offers an
opportunity to reflect upon the role of development organisations in India that
are already aligned with the UN’s objectives. Anirban Ghose, Managing Director,
Transform Rural India (TRI) says, “At Transform Rural India, we see this day as
a celebration of the spirit that drives our villages forward. Rural communities
are not passive recipients of change, they are its architects. Strengthening
their agency and creating enabling systems of change around them is key to
building a more equitable, balanced, and future-ready India.”
Collective efforts to strengthen resilience,
inclusivity, and balance in urban-rural dynamics are essential to a country’s
economic and social development. Anju Devi, a farmer and community member from
Boda village of Ranchi, Jharkhand says, “When we finally came together as a
community and took charge of our own future, the growth we experienced was
genuine and lasting. Real change only started to happen when we opened up to
each other, shared our struggles, and joined hands to find solutions together.
It was in those moments of unity that we truly began to move forward, side by
side.”
Transform Rural India will host the fifth edition of
its flagship event, the India Rural Colloquy, from August 1-8 – a gathering
across five states of the thought leaders and changemakers building India’s
rural renaissance, along with the launch of three major reports on youth,
health and CSR impact.
Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi