Karnataka witnessing decline in rural-urban gap, News - ConstructionBiz360,ConstructionBiz360

Despite a decline in rural-urban disparity in terms of education attainment, gender discrimination is very much prevalent in the rural areas

With the declining rural-urban gap in Karnataka, it’s time for state administrators and policy makers to start emphasising on the poor in both urban and rural areas.

According to a recent study on ‘Rural-Urban Disparity in Karnataka’, the village households situated close to town are better placed with respect to access to drinking water, electricity services and education attainment, thereby minimising the perennial rural-urban gap.

Supported by the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), the study is authored by Dr D Rajasekhar, who is a professor at Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru.

Dr Gagan Bihari Sahu, assistant professor at Centre for Social Studies, Surat and Dr K H Anantha, a scholar at ISEC were the two other prominent researchers who supported Prof. Rajasekhar in the aforementioned study.

More on study

The data required to frame the study have been taken from a hefty sample of 900 households, which are situated in three districts of Dakshina Kannada, Mysoreand Gulbarga. The selection of districts was primarily based on the rate of development.

Some notable findings of the 263-page study are as follows:

Rural areas with a strong agricultural base registered higher population growth
Compared with urban unskilled workers, incomes of those who are at an advantageous position in rural areas are higher
Despite a decline in rural-urban disparity in terms of education attainment, gender discrimination is very much prevalent in the rural areas. This prompted the researchers to call for special incentives for girl students
Farm income formed a majority of the total income in rural areas, yet the distribution of income was concentrated among medium and affluent farmers.

Speaking on shrinking rural-urban disparity, Prof Rajasekhar stressed on the development of income-generating activities in the rural areas, non-farm employment opportunities in particular.

Karnataka govt initiates infra projects

In another impetus to urban development, the Karnataka government recently unveiled infrastructure development projects in Mangalore.

The state government further intends to generate additional 5,000 MW of power over the coming 3 years, confirmed Chief minister B S Yeddyyurappa while inaugurating the 33-kilo volt electricity sub-station of Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (MESCOM).

Valued at Rs 54 crore, the infrastructure projects include construction of a ropeway between Sultan Battery and Tannirbavi and a new building for the police commissionerate in the chief port city of the state.

Mr Yeddyyurappa laid the foundation stones for the two projects on the occasion of inauguration.

Jeeta Bandopadhyay