Three Ways Karnataka Has Delivered On Its Rural Development Promise

*This is a sponsored feature by Karnataka Government.

In 2013, the citizens of Karnataka placed their faith in a new government, entrusting it with the responsibility of delivering equality, progress and development.

The government made a bold pledge to enhance the quality of life in rural areas by boosting incomes through sustainable agricultural practices and related sectors, improving access to public services and raising health and sanitation standards.

Under the leadership of the Honourable Chief Minister Siddaramaiah , the government has not only delivered on these promises, but also introduced innovative and transformative concepts to rural areas.

The Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj has even been recognized by the central government for its accomplishments in sanitation and e-governance.

The Honourable Chief Minister has shown that rural development is not just an empty slogan, it’s a tangible goal on which human lives depend. Under the Grama Vikasa Scheme, announced in 2017, the government will develop 1,000 villages at a cost of Rs 1 crore each.

Modernizing rural health and sanitation standards

The government has a responsibility to ensure the most disadvantaged people are equipped with life’s basic necessities. It has found forward-looking ways to fulfill the promise of providing clean drinking water to all 60,248 rural habitats, with an emphasis on the districts of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, rural Bengaluru, Tumkur and Chitradurga.

More than 9,155 pure water dispensing units were set up in four years, enabling 1 crore citizens to consume water without fear. In addition, more than 10,500 water purification plants have been established in areas with unsafe groundwater, benefitting 1.6 crore rural residents.

In an Indian first, the KC Valley project will treat 8 tmc ft of wastewater and fill 126 tanks at a cost of Rs 1,280 crore. Furthermore, the Yettinahole project to transport 24.01 thousand million cubic feet of water to 70 lakh people is nearing completion.

Water consumption and sanitation go hand in hand. To this end, Karnataka has been a leader in overhauling sanitation standards in rural areas. In four years, 31.12 lakh individual toilets were built at a cost of Rs 2,129 crore.

By August 2017, 76 percent of all rural households had at least one functioning toilet, versus 35.41percent in 2013. Furthermore, 11 districts, 51 taluks and more than 1,900 gram panchayats, comprising about 10,000 villages, have been declared free of open defecation.

Putting the “public” in public services

For too long, rural India has been cut off from the delivery of public services. To bring services to the rural citizen’s doorstep, 4,000 Bapuji Seva Kendras were set up in gram panchayats. These Bapuji Seva Kendras provide more than 100 online services so people don’t have to travel long distances for basic requirements, such as accessing government benefits or changing their address. E-governance has revolutionized rural life.

Understanding the need for humans to earn an income with dignity, the department has carried forward the legacy of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). Since 2013, the government has created 24.8 crore man days’ worth of employment at a cost of Rs 7,056 crore. At least 52 lakh families have registered for an employment card.

In a commitment to job security, 30,465 gram panchayat workers have gone from contract labour to regular employment, formalising their roles.

Ensuring fair and equitable access to education has been a priority for this government. One of the highlights of the 2017-18 budget is a proposal to establish 25 new government polytechnic institutes in rural areas, at a cost of Rs 3.99 crore each.

A lifeline to farmers

Farmers are the lifeblood of the Indian economy, putting food on our plates and harvesting crops and raw materials that are turned into finished products.

Recognizing their immense contribution to society, the government dedicated Rs 5,065.3 crore to the agricultural sector in 2017-18. It also prioritized farmers’ well-being with the Krishi Bhagya scheme, which secures farmers’ incomes by conserving rainwater and using micro-irrigation to beat the unpredictability of the monsoon. Since its launch in 2014, Rs 1,121 crore has been spent on this program, with another Rs 375 crore allotted.

Water conservation and increased productivity through innovation mean greater yields for farmers. Thanks to Krishi Bhagya, crop productivity is up by 30 per cent, and farmers don’t have to take desperate financial measures.

Acknowledging that farmers face a high level of financial distress due to weather patterns and high levels of debt, Karnataka was the first state in India to offer them interest-free loans of up to Rs 2 lakh.