In the budget for the Financial Year (FY) 2025–26, the Government has announced launch of a comprehensive multi-sectoral ‘Rural Prosperity and Resilience’ programme. The programme aims to address under- employment in agriculture through skilling, investment, technology and invigorating the rural economy. The focus of the programme will be on rural women, young farmers, rural youth, marginal and small farmers and landless families with goal to generate ample opportunities in rural areas so that migration is the option, but not a necessity. While Department of Rural Development is lead Department, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Department of Financial Services will also be involved in implementation of the programme.

Further, in the Union Budget 2025-26, it has been announced to launch ‘Prime Minister Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojna”. The programme is to be implemented in convergence and will cover 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below average credit parameters. The programme aims to help 1.7 crore farmers through enhanced agriculture productivity, improved irrigation facilities and facilitating long-term and short-term credit.

Under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS), Cluster Facilitation Project (CFP) has been rolled out from 1st April 2020. It aims to ensure effective implementation of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS for accelerated Development in 231 Blocks of 108 Aspirational Districts and 46 Blocks of other backward areas through better planning.

Ministry of Rural Development is implementing Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), which is a one-time special intervention of the Government of India to provide rural connectivity, by way of a single all-weather road, to the eligible unconnected habitations in the core network.

Subsequently, new intervention/verticals namely PMGSY-II, Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Areas (RCPLWEA), and PMGSY-III were added under the ambit of PMGSY for the upgradation of rural roads and construction of strategically important roads in LWE Areas. Since inception till 07.03.2025 a total of 77, 403 km of road has been sanctioned, out which 74,969 Km of road length has been competed under various interventions/verticals of PMGSY.

A new vertical named PMGSY-IV has been launched on 11.09.2024 with a focus on providing all-weather connectivity to unconnected habitations of 500+ population in plain areas and 250 + population in NE and Hill States/UTs, special category areas (Tribal Schedule-V, Aspirational Districts/Blocks, Desert Areas) and 100+ in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts as per Census 2011. The scheme will be implemented from 2024-25 to 2028-29 with a total outlay of Rs. 70,125 crore with a target to provide connectivity to 25,000 unconnected habitations. The Central Government is working in close coordination with the States/UTs to facilitate the submission of proposals under the scheme.

The government is making efforts to create awareness about various welfare schemes through localized campaigns such as community radio stations, and outreach programs. Efforts have also been made to use technology, such as mobile apps and SMS services, to disseminate information about government initiatives. Additionally, community leaders and self-help groups are being engaged to educate people about the benefits of these programmes and encourage active participation.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Rural Development Shri Kamlesh Paswan in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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