Mahatma Gandhi once said that “real progress of India did not mean simply the growth and expansion of industrial urban centres but mainly the development of the villages.” In his idea of village development being at the centre of the overall development of the nation is relevant even today. Why should we attach such significance to rural development when we see around us fast growing cities with large industries and modern technology hubs?

Significance of rural development : The statement given by Mahatma Gandhi is relevant even today. We must attach significance to rural development due to following reasons :

1. Agriculture — the mainstay of Indian economy : Agriculture is the mainstay of Indian economy. More than two-third of India's population depends on agriculture. It has high share in employment. It provides employment to 52 percent of the work force.

2. Providing raw materials to manufacturing industries : Agriculture plays an important role in the development of the industrial sector. It provides raw materials like cotton, wood, sugarcane, jute, oil seeds etc. to the manufacturing industries.

3. Providing food-grains : Agriculture provides food-grains.

4. People living in object poverty : One third of rural India still lives in object poverty.