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