"My Understanding of Rural Development Management- A Pep-talk."

India’s population is currently over a billion (1.21 billion), of which majority (72.2 %) are located in the rural area. Like any other country, India’s growth or development depends in terms of both the development in the urban as well as the rural sectors. Keeping this in mind, the government have over the years come up with various flagship programmes specially designed for the development of the rural area and its populace. These programmes implemented through the ministry of rural development as well as in coordination with other ministries have brought about immense change in the lives of the stakeholders. Moreover, other agencies like non-governmental organisations have been working in tandem with the state in implementing various government programmes as well as non-governmental projects designed for the upliftment of the rural people. Rural Development management therefore comes as a necessity, taking into account the vital role that it can play in ensuring delivery of services aimed at rural development. It is the role of professional rural development managers to manage the mentioned services at various levels of the delivery system.

On a Transect Walk..

In working towards fulfilling the objectives of the agencies (both state and non-state) that they work with, rural development managers should see to it that they work towards fulfilling their own objectives of delivering fruitful management services- a step towards achieving their desired level of happiness. They should see the stakeholders i.e., the rural people as their service providers rather than seeing them as people who need their help. Rural people should be respected, as it is because of them that rural development managers get their job and area where they can exercise their expertise for the common goal of development. In working with the people, rural development managers should believe that the people themselves can come out of poverty, their dignity and worth should be respected. Never should one think that the people are helpless and should be given help. Rural development management would involve engaging with the people both directly at the community level as well as indirectly through grassroot level staffs. While engaging with them, one should always keep in mind that it is him/her who is learning from the people, and if there is anything to teach, one should do it by showing it to the people and not by mere lectures.

As a rural development worker, one should be ready to live with the rural community, as one of them, learn from them and work with them based on the people’s understanding of their situations. People’s participation should be given top priority, as it is their participation which will give them a sense of ownership of the services we are facilitating. This ownership will foster in them a sense of responsibility towards sustaining the said programme or services of concern. All of the works should in the end let the people think and believe that they did everything all by themselves and should convince them that they are capable of coming out of their difficult socio-economic situations and poverty.