The 4th anniversary of the Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM) was observed on February 21st, 2020. Launched by the Ministry of Rural Development in 2016, this scheme was designed with the purpose to roll out essential infrastructure projects in rural areas and to stimulate economic activity and skill enhancement. Its forerunner was the Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural Areas (PURA), announced in 2003.
Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural Areas (PURA)
PURA aimed at equipping rural areas with urban amenities and developing livelihood opportunities to bridge the rural-urban divide, an attempt to curtail migration from rural to urban territories. Unlike a government scheme, PURA was treated as a “project”. It required private sector partners to devise a detailed business roadmap.
Mission’s Objectives
The primary objectives of SPMRM are addressing the rural-urban divides on various aspects such as economic condition, technological development, and availability of facilities and services.
Rurban Clusters
Rurban clusters fall under two categories: Non-Tribal and Tribal. These clusters are identified within rural areas across the country that display burgeoning signs of urbanization like increased population density, escalated non-farm employment, growing economic activities, and other socio-economic parameters. For SPMRM, Rurban areas are aggregated as a cluster of 15-20 villages housing about 30 to 40 lakh population. The clusters compromise geographically contiguous Gram Panchayats with a populace of approximately 25000 to 50000 in plain and coastal areas and a population of about 5000 to 15000 in desert, hilly or tribal areas.
Role of the States
It is the responsibility of the State Governments to identify the clusters following the Framework for Implementation designed by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD). For identifying clusters, the MoRD adopts a scientific process involving an objective analysis at district, sub-district, and village levels, focusing on demography, economy, tourism, pilgrimage significance, and transportation corridor impact.
Funding Framework
SPMRM relies on two main streams of funding, Convergence through various schemes like Central sector, centrally sponsored schemes, State sector/ sponsored schemes/ programmes, and CSR funds, and Critical Gap Funds (CGF).
Progress and Future Developments
Under the SPMRM mission, there are plans to develop around 300 Rurban clusters in a time-bound manner. Out of these, 296 clusters have been selected and their Integrated Cluster Action Plans (ICAPs) have been approved. The mission is now seeking an extension of two years to complete all identified works. Buoyed by the success of Rurban clusters, NITI Aayog has proposed an extended programme targeting over 1000 clusters in the next three years.
Background and Importance
According to the Census of India, the rural populace in India stands at 833 million, making up almost 68% of the total population. The rural population has grown by 12% during the 2001-2011 period and the number of villages has also increased. Ensuring amenities to this growing rural population is one of the central government’s top priorities. Large parts of rural areas in the country are not stand-alone settlements but part of a cluster of settlements. These clusters have growth potential, economic drivers, and derive locational and competitive advantages. They make a case for focused policy directives. Once developed, these clusters can be classified as ‘Rurban’. This is why the Government of India has launched SPMRM, aiming to develop these rural areas by providing economic, social, and physical infrastructure facilities.