Rural development in general denotes economic development and community development actions and initiatives taken to improve the standard of living in non-urban neighbourhoods, remote villages and the countryside. Economic activities typically relate to the primary sector production and processing of food stuffs and raw materials.
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Rural development actions are mainly and mostly to development mostly aim the social and economic development of the areas. In Europe, rural development actions also integrate environmental management as a core component. Rural development programs are usually top-down from the local or regional authorities, regional development agencies, NGOs, national governments or international development organizations. But then, local populations can also bring about endogenous initiatives for development. The term is not limited to the issues for developing countries. In fact many of the developed countries have very active rural development programs.The main aim of the rural government policy is to develop the undeveloped villages.
Rural development aims at finding the ways to improve the rural lives with participation of the rural people themselves so as to meet the required need of the rural area. The outsider may not understand the setting, culture, language and other things prevalent in the local area. As such, general people themselves have to participate in their sustainable rural development. In developing countries like Nepal, India, integrated development approaches are being followed up. In the context of many approaches and ideas have been developed and followed up, for instance, Bottom-up approach, PRA- Participatory Rural Appraisal, RRA- Rapid Rural Appraisal etc.
Sitaram Jindal Foundation, India has instituted an award Jindal Prize in which Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation is one of the category out of five categories. Prize will be awarded to those individuals or organisations rendering significant service to rural development and poverty alleviation without any profit motive. Prizes of Rs. one crore in each category will be awarded annually.