PURA MODEL OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

PROVIDING URBAN AMENITIES IN RUAL AREA (2005)

Objective of PURA Model:

1. To eradicate poverty from India, PURA model will work as lever of Economic upliftment of the villages. 2. People below poverty (BPL) are about 260 million and present GDP rate is 8.1%. It has to be increased to 10% and to be sustained for several years. Then it is possible for India to get the status of a Developed Nation.

 3. To ensure that people who are living in rural are, must have a standard in their life. 4. To make strong the infrastructure of Rural Area such as Health, Electricity, Education and health issues, so that people can survive with better life. 5. To propel Economic Development without population Transfer.

 6. Take infrastructure to villages where human beings live (said by Late Prof. A.M. Khusro). 7. Pura concept also invite Private Sector for investment for creating Social and Economic infrastructure in Rural Area. Infrastructure includes : ROADS, ELECTRICITY, TRANSPORTATION, HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION.

 For this purpose Rs.3 Crore is not sufficient to dev elop one-cluster (15-25 villages). Development areas are as under: (i) Roads and Ring Road, (ii) Electricity, (iii) Transport facilities, (iv) Telecommunication & IT Services.

 (v) Knowledge Connectivity : Higher Education. (vi) Hospital and Health Centres. (vii) Marketing Facilities:- Where rural people can sell their produce and can purchase all the goods and commodities & services for daily use.

SUGGESTED APPROACH TO GOVT. BY EXPERTS IS AS UNDER:

1. Select 600 blocks in Backward areas. 2. Invest Rs.25 crores per block 3. This amount should be given to Block Development Committee to develop clusters. This amount will be given in three Phases:

 Ist Phaze : under Xth Plan - 25% amount 2ns Phaze: under XIth Plan 35% amount 3rd Phaze : under XIIth Plan- 40% amount Out of the total amount 20% amount should be contributed by the State-Govt., so that 80% can be realeased by the Central Govt. to state govt. concerned.

 As there are 3 categories of Clusters viz., (i) Urban (Type A-Cluster), (ii) Semi-urban (Type-B-Cluster), and (iii) Village oriented (Type-C-Cluster). The Govt. should start work of infrastructure at Bottom level cluster first. Cluster Type C- be taken first by the Govt. with Roads, Electricity and Water connectivity.

 These three essential infrastructure should be made available by the State Govt. funds. Then, for remaining development work i.e. Hospital, Education, and Telecommunication. (But Private Sector have already started connectivity in Telecommunication sector) PPP mode should be used by Govt. for implementing the PURA schemes.

 XIth Plan provision in Budget is for Rs.248 crores for implementing the PURA shceme in compact Rural areas in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. Population between 30,000 to 1 lac in about 10 to 15 villages with adequate land for four-lane circular road without having canals should be taken on priority basis for development in all districts.

PURA-model involves FOUR connectivities:

1. 2. 3. 4. Physical Connectivity Electronic Connectivity Knowledge Connectivity Economic Connectivity. These four connectivity is required to enhance the prosperity of cluster of villages in the Rural Areas.

(1) PHYSICAL CONNECTIVITY:

In this connectivity, the main objectives are as under: (i) A group of 15-20 villages linked by Road. It means- a strong infrastructure should be constructed to connect the rural area. This will make easier to go from one place to other and transfer of goods will be easy (Agricultural produce).

 (ii) There will be a Ring Road to connect the villages each other. (iii) Besides Roads, provision of Electricity and Transport have also been included in Pura- Physical connectivity. (2) Digital or Electronic Connectivity: (i) Under this model every Indian should get electric connection in his house.

 (ii) Telecommunication facilities and Information Technology services should be available : - Public Call Offices, - Cyber Cafes, - Computer Services etc. (3) Knowledge Connectivity: This connectivity means :-

 (i) A School within a distance of 5 to 7 kms. of Circular Ring Road. (ii) Higher Education Centre. (iii) Hospital and Primary Health Centre in villages. (iv) To provide public awareness through various type of Dramas and plays. (v) To train people of rural area through Training Institutions.

 (4) Economy Connectivity: (i) To establish within this group of villages (15-20 villages) good MARKETING FACILITIES, so that all the commodities and services of daily use can be procured. (ii) Rural people can sell their Agricultural and allied activities produce in these markets.

 (iii) Economic connectivity consists of following things: Agricultural Produce through Channels of ROADS, TRANSPORTATION, LOGISTICS, MAN-POWER, TECHNOLOGY to Markets.

 Market through various agencies and their Cooperation- Agencies are: BANKS STATE & CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, COOPERATIVE BANKS, SHG- NGO, AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS.

Through Economic connectivity, the PURA-model can become a Business Enterprise which can be operated in every nook and corner in our country and also at Global level. The PURA enterprize has to have the skills for evolving a business plan with banks and also create infrastructural support as Educational Institutions,

 Health Centers, Small Scale Industries, Transportation services, Tele-educations, Tele-medicine, e-governance services in the region integrating with the governmental rural development schemes like Roads, Transport, Communication etc.

CLASSIFICATION OF PURA IN 3 CATEGORIES:

Category I :Type A Clusters (near urban) Category-II :Type B Clusters (,, semi-urb) Category-III :Type C Clusters (far off-urb) TYPE-A CLUSTER: The classification is made based on region and state of present development: - Closer to an urban area, - Having minimal road connectivity,

 - Limited infrastructure, - Limited support of Schools, - Limited support for Primary Health Centre (PHC). Keeping in minds these things, the development is made and improvement is done.

TYPE B CLUSTER:- It is situated close to urban area but has sparsely spread infrastructure and it may be closer to urban area. - No connectivity of School and PHC. TYPE C CLUSTER:- Located far interior (Remote Areas), - With no infrastructure,

 - No connectivity of School & PHC, and - No basic amenities. IMPLEMENTATION OF PURA-MODEL BY NATION : Government Action on the Pura Model is as under: (1) Govt. planned to develop 4,000 Rural clusters locations of Backward Regions.

 (2) Budget Allocated: Rs.3 crores for each cluster. Total Clusters are 4000, Hence, total value to be issued is Rs.12,000 Crores. (3) To be implemented through CDP : - Irrigation facilities were enlarged and - Green Revolution was possible through CDPs.

 (4) There are a migration of people from rural to urban areas, which has created difference between urban and rural which continues. The urban-rural gap can be removed only if migration stops. Some facts & figures about migration to urban area: In 1951 urban population was :17.3% In 2001 urban population was :27.8% and In 2011 urban population is :32.0%.

OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE:
1. Second Green Revolution:-