Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker S. Madhusudhana Chary on Tuesday said that access to education and healthcare facilities despite 70 years of Independence is poor in rural areas and underscored the need to improve the situation.
Mr. Chary was addressing 55 legislators from 17 States at the four-day workshop on ‘New Strategies in Rural Development and Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals’ for MLAs and MLCs at the National Institute for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR).
“Even if we improve it by 1%, we would be a very literate country. We are still very backward in providing basic facilities such as education and health to our rural people,” he said. India, he observed, lives in its villages, and the country's progress depends on the progress of villages.
While on the one hand the country is a land of diverse cultures and people, on the other hand, Mr. Chary said, it is a sad commentary that inequalities exist in the country. He called for collective efforts to rid the country of these.
The Speaker opined that few people are aware of the different tribes in the country, such as the Chenchus. He also said that many from these tribes are unaware of provisions available for them. “How do we reach them with various government schemes. They are completely unaware of government schemes and judicial systems and legislative systems. We need to focus on them,” Mr. Chary said.
Mr. Chary said that in order to have a connect with rural areas, he visits villages once a fortnight and has direct interactions with those living in rural areas. Describing a visit to a house on one such visit, he said that its inhabitants were cramped in a single room. He said that he holds himself responsible if there is no change in the living conditions of his constituents.
Later during the day, NIRDPR's Prof. Gyanmudra conducted a session for the legislators regarding strategies on rural development and sustainable rural development.
NIRD&PR Deputy Director General Radhika Rastogi also spoke.
