आत्मा गॉव की, सुविधाएं शहर की..! Celebrating 4th anniversary of Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission

Rural areas are the cell of the national body and the cell-life must be healthy and developed for the national body to be healthy and developed, they say! While the future of India lies in the villages, PM Modi, back in 2016 had launched a Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission with the vision to deliver catalytic interventions to rural areas on the threshold of growth. Celebrating the 4th anniversary of the launch of the said Mission today, here's a small folio as flashed by the Centre, schooling you about the SPMRM in deets.

Undertaken by the Ministry of Rural Development, the SPMRM has its focus on cluster-based integrated development through spatial planning. Rurban clusters are identified across the country’s rural areas showing increasing signs of urbanization i.e. increase in population density, high levels of non-farm employment, presence of growing economic activities and other socioeconomic parameters.

While the mission aims to transform these Rurban clusters by stimulating local economic development, enhancing basic services, and creating well planned Rurban clusters, this is capable of leading to holistic development of the region and encourage integrated and inclusive rural development.

Under the mission 300 Rurban clusters are envisaged to be developed in a timebound manner, of these 296 clusters have been selected and number of Integrated Cluster Action Plans approved are 288. SPMRM is a Core Centrally Sponsored Scheme, where the Mission has two fund streams. Currently, total central share funds released till date is Rs. 1,842.97 crores and the total investment approved in 288 ICAPs is Rs. 28,075 crores.

Infrastructure planned in these clusters include provision of 24/7 water supply to all households, Solid and Liquid Waste Management facilities at the household and cluster level, provision of inter and intra village roads within the cluster, adequate street lights and public transport facilities using green technologies. Economic amenities in a cluster comprise various thematic areas in the sectors of Agri Services and Processing, Tourism, and Skill Development to promote Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.

Going forward, the Ministry of Rural Development is taking steps to expedite mission’s on-ground progress. The mission is seeking extension by 2 years to complete all the identified works. Ministry has received requests on several forums and communications from many States and elected officials to allocate more Rurban clusters. NITI Aayog has recently shared with Ministry that based on learning from the success of the Rurban clusters, a new and extended programme for over a 1,000 clusters in next 3 years may be planned. In words of the Prime Minister, the objective is to develop the clusters with आत्मा गॉव की, सुविधाएं शहर की’ by providing all the basic amenities, infrastructure as well as economic development opportunities in an integrated and timebound manner.