Determining the merits and
demerits of the budget 2015-16 I will like to leave to the experts, individuals, businessmen and the
corporate sector who can do it the best. Presently I will like to focus on the
rural development vis- a- vis budget provisions, the most important and
challenging task before the nation as briefly discussed below;
The
budget makes a hefty provision of over Rs 10 lac cr for the rural front in
terms of micro irrigation, rural infrastructure, farmers and small
entrepreneurs credit funds and MGNERGA etc..
According to me it can be best utilized tackling
perennial floods, droughts and making farming viable. 64% of our farmers are
landless labour and 33% are marginal farmers having land holdings as small as
one hectare and less, rendering farming unviable. It calls for land management
- making larger farm lands through cooperatives (Chapter 8.3 of my book) and
creating infrastructure – by addressing scarcity of water (water management),
power management, making roads and storage systems and very importantly, providing
R&D and guidance to the farmers for better quality, productivity and utility
of resources and suggesting them the kind of crops they should grow, also
establishing markets for them.
The
foremost for the government is to address these issues on an urgent basis towards making the rural poor self sufficient
and self reliant at their native places. I wish the government initiates rural development
on a holistic basis and engages the idle labour in constructive work rather
than in various kinds of relief operations such as MGNREGA. My book provides
ways and means how most of our idle and unemployed people can be engaged for
better productivity and in turn their prosperity. Prudent and meticulous use of
these funds may gradually settle the rural poor on a long term basis in a
graceful manner rather than living on alms and charities.
Similarly
provision for 4 cr houses for rural areas and 2 cr for urban is a noble cause.
It is a huge task and calls for detailed town planning with all possible civic
amenities and infrastructure in one go such as for education, health services
and community services etc. I wish the entire rural front be developed to the level
of modern urban cities. Concept of City Centres is an ideal philosophy to
achieve the same and my book provides all possible road-maps and guidelines to
establish them in a scientific way (Chapter 8.3).
Any short term approach shall jeopardize a
good opportunity.
I
shall be happy to have valuable reactions from the learned audience.
Thanks
and Regards
K
C Agrawal
'It’s Time to Implement the Forgotten
Constitution of India for
'Liberty
and Dignity’
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