Ministers meet to focus on rural development

Many rural development ministers and bureaucrats of Asia Pacific region will be in the Capital from June 24 to 26 to discuss how to create sustainable livelihoods for the rural poor, reports Satyen Mohapatra.

How to create sustainable livelihoods for the rural poor will be the focus for many rural development ministers and bureaucrats of Asia Pacific region who will gather in the capital from June 24 to 26. The Ministers and officials will be in New Delhi to attend a Ministerial Retreat and Governing Council meeting of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP).

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The countries include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.

The countries will share their collective experience on use of Information and Communication Technology for effective implementation of rural development programmes and promoting gender equality through these programmes. Major initiatives launched by India in these fields like Bhoomi in Karnataka for online mutations and land records data, e-Seva of Andhra Pradesh for online transactions will be showcased in the Ministerial Retreat.

The meeting is likely to end with the 14 countries adopting a Declaration which will enable the policy makers, planners and agencies working in the field of rural development in CIRDAP member countries to deliberate on related issues and formulate an action plan.