Issues on Rural Finance, Infrastructure and Rural Development

Contents: Preface. 1. Restructuring rural banking. 2. Credit gap in north eastern region. 3. A step towards poverty alleviation--millennium development goals. 4. Creation of microfinance institutions to serve poor with small non-collateralised loan. 5. Public institutions and development of rural financial markets. 6. Rural microinsurance: a parametric approach in Mexican agricultural sector. 7. How supply chain microcredit works---understanding of Burkinan cotton sector. 8. Poor infrastructure is not a matter of bricks and mortars--it is an attitude to performance. 9. NREGA not a relief programme for unemployed person but a development programme equally.

"Rural finance and infrastructure in rural areas play a very vital role in rural development. As more than two-third of Indian population is living in rural areas, there has emerged serious problems of development of underdevelopment, economic backwardness, poverty, unemployment, hunger deaths, farmers\' suicides, insurgency, poor health facilities, and roper education etc. Schemes like NREGS and below poverty level ration cards have achieved very little for the upliftment of poor masses residing in rural areas.

The importance of the rural banking in the economic development of a country cannot be overlooked. Gandhiji said "Real India resides in its villages", and village economy is the backbone of Indian economy. Without revitalizing the rural economy as well as the rural people of our country, the objectives of economic planning and development cannot be achieved. In fact, the real growth of Indian economy lies in the emancipation of rural masses from acute poverty, unemployment, and socio-economic backwardness. To achieve the goals of health, education and employment to all we have to work harder in fields of rural economy, rural finance and rural institutions to create a healthy rural infrastructure which would enable to achieve the above mentioned goals of rural development.

There are many plans, funds and schemes, which are operating in the field. However, an honest and real appraisal of the achievement of these programmes clearly reveals that such programmes failed to attain the desired objectives due to the backward economic condition, lack of adequate finance and rampant corruption a all levels. Hence the need to involving NGOs and honest selfless workers in the field of rural development arises." (jacket)