Focused interventions needed for accelerated rural growth: Min

Observing that about 70 per cent of the world's poor live in villages, Union minister Pradip Jain 'Aditya' today said focussed interventions are needed in rural development activities to facilitate accelerated, inclusive growth.
The Minister of State for Rural Development said that in these times of global economic stress, the rural development sector is expected to contribute significantly in achieving sustainable food security and poverty alleviation through increase in food production, expanding non-farm employment and enhancing trade and overall capital formation.
"About 70 per cent of the world's poor live in rural areas of which 67 per cent are in Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and Pacific (CIRDAP) member countries. Within this region, about 70 per cent of the work force depends for their livelihoods on income and employment opportunities in the agriculture, fisheries, forestry and livestock sectors," he said here.

Hence the endeavours should focus on natural resource management, strengthening rural livelihoods and achieving higher productivity in agriculture by scientific farming, the Minister said inaugurating the 29th Executive Committee meeting of the CIRDAP.
The CIRDAP is a regional, intergovernmental and autonomous organisation of 15 countries which plays a supplementary and reinforcing role in supporting and furthering the effectiveness of integrated rural development programmes in Asia and the Pacific.
Mohammad Ali Nikbakht, Iranian Deputy Minister, and Rural Development Ministry Secretary S Vijay Kumar were among the key speakers at the function.
The two-day Executive Committee meeting will review and make recommendations to the Governing Council on matters concerning management and operations of the CIRDAP.