Govt will strive to end rural-urban divide: Pranab

Kolkata: FILE PICTURE: Life is hard at Bastar villages. People on their way to market a day after the brutal killing of 76 jawans by Maoist in Dantewada district of Chattishgarh on April 06, 2009. Within a month the Maoist again killed at least 40 people at Dantewada on Monday. Photo: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury. May 17, 2010.

In his address to the > joint session of Parliament, President Pranab Mukherjee said the Narendra Modi government would work towards improving the quality of life in villages.

“Despite more than two-thirds of our people living in rural areas; we have not been able to provide adequate public amenities and livelihood opportunities to them. My government is committed to improving the quality of life in our villages, through empowered Panchayati Raj institutions,” Mr Mukherjee said.

A substantial part of investment will be spent for creating community assets and improving basic infrastructure such as roads, shelter, power and drinking water in villages.

“My government will strive to end the rural-urban divide guided by the idea of Rurban; providing urban amenities to rural areas while preserving the ethos of the villages,” the President said

Farmers lives which are under stress would also be taken care of by the Modi government, Mr Mukherjee said.