Human resource re-engineering is necessary for rural development efforts, according to an expert.
Delivering a talk on ‘Rural management’, jointly organised by the Mangalore Institute of Management and the Mangalore chapter of the National Institute of Personnel Management here, L.H. Manjunath, Executive Director of the Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP), said there is paradox between district-to-district and State-to-State in various human resource parameters.
Rapid urbanisation in some areas has created a sort of mental block towards rural development among some people in the rural areas.
Giving the example of Koppal district in Karnataka, he said though considered one of the backward districts in the State, it was difficult to get farm labour there even after paying Rs 200 a day.
He attributed the situation to the multiplicity of Government schemes and their trickle-down effect. In such a situation, there is a need to focus on human resource re-engineering to strengthen rural development, he said.
Stating that the farm sector in the country is growing at a rate of 3 per cent a year, he said the service sector is growing at much faster pace. It is to be remembered here that the entire country’s growth depends on farm sector growth, he said.
Highlighting the SKDRDP model of rural development, Manjunath said it organises rural communities into self-help groups (SHGs). SKDRDP helps these SHGs to formulate a simple business plan, and enables them to realise their plans.
The free labour sharing among the members of SHGs makes them understand the importance of hard work and the benefits of it.