The Hindu Business Line : Create urban opportunities for rural India: Mani Shankar Aiyar

New Delhi, Dec. 3 Urbanisation over Metropolitisation — linking rural hinterlands into the urban folds instead of letting opportunities be concentrated in the metros — was the need of the hour according to Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, Minister of Panchayati Raj and Youth Affairs and Sports.

New Delhi alone sees one-lakh migrants every month, the Minister said when addressing a session on ‘Rural and Urban Development: India’s Dual Imperatives’ with Mr Anand G. Mahindra, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, at India Economic Summit 2007.

SEZs that did not include an adequate concentration of local people could lead to a disruption of the system. Millions of Indians living with an earning of under Rs 20 per day should be empowered to a better living through the 2,50,000 locally elected self governing units, the Minister said, calling for participatory development and inclusive governance.

Non-farming income

He was supported by Mr Mahindra who pointed out that mobile networks had brought new business opportunities to the rural population.

According to recent studies, 50 per cent of income in the rural economy now came from non-farming activities, said Mr Mahindra.

He credited roads in rural India with enabling education and affluence to the population.

“The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, looking to upgrade rural roads, could revolutionise development,” he said.

Mr Ben J. Verwaayen, Chief Executive Officer, BT, United Kingdom, who was also a panellist, suggested that technology be used to connect the rural population to urban developments.

When it can be done on a global level, why can’t it be done within the country, he suggested.

Mr Mohamed A. Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties, United Arab Emirates, agreed that people in cities should look at outsourcing jobs to rural areas.

He said that he personally saw more value in the development of new cities or projects that offered better quality of life.

According to Mr Alabbar, cities with less than five million people are nice places to live in, and that most Indian cities were burdened with populations of 7 to 8 million people.

Already ‘India lives in the villages’, he pointed out, rooting for development of rural areas.