NIRD
TO ESTABLISH RURAL TECHNOLOGY PARK – KASHIRAM RANA
National Institute
of Rural Development (NIRD) is establishing a Rural Technology
Park for hastening the development of the remote and backward
areas and people through technology transfer. This was informed
by Shri Kashiram Rana, Union Minister for Rural Development in
the meeting of the General Council of NIRD at Hyderabad today.
The most appropriate and affordable technologies across the country
will be showcased in the Rural Technology Park, which will help
in quick dissemination of rural technologies, Shri Rana said.
Shri Rana highlighted
that in the areas of research, the Institute has come out with
new Action Research Studies particularly multi-disciplinary
studies, which will go a long-way in not only improving the quality
of the programmes of the Ministry, but also in identifying the
problems that hamper speedy development of the rural areas and
the rural people. The models developed through Action Research
are seen to provide answers to some of the major problems being
faced by the Panchayati Raj Institutions with regard to resource
scarcity, social mobilisation, women empowerment and above all
focused community action.
Listing out new initiatives
taken by National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), Shri
Rana informed that the Institute has involved leading institutions
in the country with a view to improving the quality of training
and research. In this regard NIRD has involved Indira Gandhi Institute
of Development Research, Mumbai, Institute of Economic Growth,
IRMA, ISAC, Bangalore etc.
Shri Rana told that
NIRD has been increasing its training and research activities.
As against 160 programmes conducted during the previous years,
the NIRD could organize 177 training programmes during the last
year. The task of training of about 30 lakh of elected members
of Panchayati Raj Institutions is indeed a stupendous one. NIRD
has been able to establish active links with the State Institutes
of Rural Development, Extension Training Centres (ETC) and Panchayati
Raj Training Centres [PRTCs], facilitating larger out-reach of
NIRD’S training activities. The networking and partnership built
up by NIRD has yielded good results as is evident from the fact
that the number of persons trained through the network of NIRD,
SIRDS, and ETCs has increased from a mere fifty thousand till
a few years ago, to nearly one lakh during the last two years.
Shri Rana pointed
out that State Institute of Rural Development, Mysore provides
training through satellite. NIRD being National Training Institute,
should also have such facility. Shri Rana highlighted that the
strength and reputation of any Institute is judged by the recognition
it receives from the outside world. In this respect, NIRD has
been able to emerge as a Centre of Excellence. Apart from rendering
assistance to the Ministry of Rural Development, NIRD is also
being approached by various Ministries such as the Ministry of
Human Resource Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry
of Textiles and a large number of International organizations,
such as DFID, ILO, UNDP, National Commission on Population, Twelfth
Finance Commission.
