Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu today stressed the need to bridge the urban-rural divide and sought 'reservation' in allocation of funds for improving rural infrastructure.
Successive governments have not focused enough attention on rural areas to address this divide, he observed, adding, as a result, massive migration has taken place to urban areas -- for education, employment and enhanced medical facilities, among others.
He was speaking after inaugurating the second edition of Rural Innovators Startup Conclave at the National Institute for Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR) here.
"We need to increase more allocation (of funds) to rural areas.
That is the reservation I am talking about. You need to allocate and you need to take care of rural people on five issues -- irrigation, infrastructure, interest rates, insurance and innovation," Naidu said.
"If allocation, focus and planning is made in favour of rural areas more then you will be having an integrated development for a united India," he said.
Planners, central and state governments, political parties, parliament and media should focus more on rural areas because more people are living in villages, he said.
He also said several rural innovators and entrepreneurs were making their presence felt by generating employment and adding value to the rural economy.
However, for rural innovators to thrive, constraints, if any, have to be removed on infrastructure, funds, connectivity and certification mechanism.
Besides initiatives taken by the government, the private sector must come forward in a big way to promote innovative rural technologies and transform the rural economy, Naidu added.
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