Chhattisgarh, DeshGujarat

Economic progress could not take so long time in tribal belt areas if we could develop growth center in each block, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi said today while launching Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission in Chhattisgarh.

Modi said, economic activity has to be centered in rural India through growth centers, as nation can not rely on economic activities limited to some major cities.

“Some people ask why only smart cities and not smart village? I want to say that this Rurban scheme is about smart village,” Modi said.

Explaining the idea of Rurban scheme, Prime Minister said: It is seen that people from five or seven villages visit one village which has market place or other facilities. This particular village witnesses growth in population and geographical limit organically and it just keeps expanding. If we can allow soul of village to remain intact but add city-like facilities to this village, it will emerge as center of economic activities. To connect such villages to nearby group of villages that are depending on it with cluster approach and proper connectivity will create growth centers.

We have started works for 300 Rurban centers across India. This year works are planned for 100 such Rurban clusters . Crores of people will be benefited from this initiative as we are starting the works at many places together.

Union Minister of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Sanitation & Drinking Water Birender Singh in this function said the central government intends to take up 300 – 400 clusters involving five to six thousand villages in 3 years through allocation of Rs 5,000 crore fund.

Starting his speech, Prime Minister Modi said, “This place is far away from Delhi. It’s a small place, but the event is very big. It is for entire India. Earlier government had habit that whatever has to be done, it has to be done from Delhi. 200-400 persons in Vigyan Bhawan, lamp ceremony, and friendship of media used to work for the rest. It was aired for 24 hours on TV that how big task had been done. I have brought the government to people. And therefore this programme is being launched at this small place in presence of lakhs of people.”

Prime Minister who is also a poet when saw people sitting on hills to listen to his address observed, “That hill has become alive. Not stone, but only people are visible there.”

– DeshGujarat