The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) is organising a two-day conference inviting the sharpest minds on rural development to brainstorm and create a roadmap for Rural India during the Amrit Kaal. The two-day Conference titled ‘Evolving India: Re-imagining Rural Development for Shared Prosperity’ was inaugurated by Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Shri Giriraj Singh today in New Delhi.

The Ministry of Rural Development contributes to India’s rural development agenda of building safety nets, enhancing livelihoods opportunities for the vulnerable and improving rural infrastructure.

The World Bank and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have been two long-term strategic partners of the Ministry of Rural Development and have supported the central and state governments in chartering newer directions through investments, partnership development, evidence gathering and knowledge support.

The MoRD believes that the time is now ripe to chalk out a medium-term plan for 2024-2030 and a long-term plan for 2024-2047 to chart out the future of rural development in India. The Ministry recognizes the complexity of the structural transition in rural economy and is committed towards contributing to the growth of emerging sectors; aligning institutional vehicles to connect rural aspirations with these sectors; building an institutional safety net for the vulnerable; customizing strategies to address regional disparities and building an enabling environment for market-led growth.

Aligned with above objectives, the two-day Conference titled ‘Evolving India: Re-imagining Rural Development for Shared Prosperity’ has been organised where experts and professionals are participating with focus on six key themes central to India’s rural transformation. Deliberations on each theme begin with opening remarks from a distinguished policy thinker followed by  panel discussion with diverse representation.

In his keynote address at the conference Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Government of India Shri Giriraj Singh stated that today there are lakhs of success stories emerging of SHG women who have done exemplary work across India reflecting the transformation brought about by the policies and initiatives of DAY-NRLM  under inspiring leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi. Minister emphasised that the Ministry aims to support and enhance livelihoods opportunities and enable Lakhpati women across SHG network. Praising the SHG women’s contribution in testing times like Covid-19  and in India’s GDP growth, he added that India’s as a 5 trillion economy will have a significant contribution of the SHG women. He also highlighted the ministry’s focus on sustainability, carbon neutrality, financial inclusivity and the firm alignment of the MoRD with the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

Speaking at the event Hon’ble MoS Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste asserted that the scope & strength of the SHG network can be greatly enhanced with adequate training in packaging and marketing support to the SHGs.

Secretary, Rural Development, Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh addressing the august gathering laid stress on the community driven approach with socio economic empowerment of rural women at its core. Speaking about the multiple schemes of the Ministry he mentioned that the ministry ensures the delivery of its services by leveraging the social capital. The mission to achieve its objectives of enhanced income must leverage the benefits of various government schemes and build upon the partnerships.

Welcoming the participants, Shri Charanjit Singh, Additional Secretary, Rural Livelihoods highlighted the milestones Deendayal Antyodaya Yojna-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) has created as the largest programme of its kind in the world today and showing the world the way with women led development.

Thanking India, in his address The World Bank Country Director, India Shri Auguste Tano Koume said that the partnership between Government of India and The World Bank has enabled large scale transformation on the ground across several states in India . He added that the challenges that emerging India faces include the requirements of livelihood opportunities in the rural area as well as changing demographics.

In his video message, Country Director BMGF India, Shri Hari Menon highlighted the initiatives that the BMGF partnership with Govt of India is helping enable empowerment of women through the Self Help Groups.

The speakers and attendees at this conference include public sector leaders from the national and state governments, representatives from civil society, academia, voices from the grassroots and those watching rural development from close quarters in the private sector.

The 2-day conference will focus on following six dedicated themes:

1. Leveraging digital opportunities for rural India
2. Strengthening the nexus of agri-food, climate change, nutrition, and gender
3. Entrepreneurship and jobs for rural youth
4. Investing in the rural-urban transition
5. Reimagining the design of collectives
6. Financing for inclusive rural growth

GDi, a social impact consulting start-up, is the knowledge partner of the event that promises to widen the scope development in rural India. The conference is being live streamed on DAY-NRLM and World Bank social media handles.

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