Swami Vivekananda's Vision of Rural Development

Development at this moment is the most talked-of subject in the world. Whether it is a so-called developed country or a so-called developing one-development is the primary concern of all. But what do we actually mean by development? Most economists and politicians see development as the growth of the gross national product, leading to the gradual increase in the rate of per capita consumption. But in spite of maximum development in the GNP in certain countries in the East and in the West, people are found to be hungering for something which cannot be meted out by the GNP. To make good the deficiency, social scientists have now come forward to define development as participation and relation, meaning that the willing participation of those for whom development is meant is an essential factor, without which nothing can be achieved. In India, where over 70% of the people live in villages, rural development should be the greatest concern of all. If the villages do not thrive in all respects, no amount of development effort in urban areas will yield any sustained impact on life. So attention has to be paid to rural development with the right approach and attitude. Rural development as a whole must ensure a process of change which will lead to continuous improvement in the qualitative and quantitative aspects of life in rural India. It must therefore lead to the enhancement of self-reliance and to the fulfilment of higher values of life.