Review of Rural Infrastructure under Bharat Nirman: Current Scenario and Future Perspective

Good quality infrastructure is critical to sustainable growth, especially for rural areas. As over 70 percent of Indian population lives in rural areas, with low levels of per capital income, there is need to impart greater attention in improving rural infrastructure. The Infrastructure sector has both backward and forward linkages with the agricultural and the Industrial sectors and therefore the development of this sector is a prerequisite for the overall development of the economy. Infrastructure in general and rural infrastructure in particular contributes to economic development both by increasing productivity and by providing amenities which enhance the quality of life. To address the issue of rural infrastructure the government launched a time-bound plan under Bharat Nirman programme (2005) and there are independent schemes to boost Roads, irrigation, Housing, water Supply, Electrification, and Telecommunication connectivity. This paper mainly focuses on progress of rural infrastructure under Bharat Nirman and provides suggestions for improvement. Keywords: Bharat Nirman; Development; Infrastructure; Rural; Poverty; Governmen