SOCIO ECONOMIC PLANNING IN PREPARATION OF RURAL ROAD MASTER PLAN

SOCIO ECONOMIC PLANNING IN PREPARATION OF RURAL ROAD MASTER PLAN

Development of rural roads brings multiple socio-economic benefits to the rural areas which form a strong base of the National economy and it is a powerful instrument for the socio-economic transformation of the villages.

Some of Impact & Benifites of socio economic planning  is described in following paras:

1.  Break of Isolation: Roads play an important role for overcoming the isolation of the villages. It provides a much needed opportunity for the village population to come in contact with other groups of the society, which in turn inculcates in them a sense of being a part of national main stream in its prosperity and progress. The areas here-to-fore inaccessible become easy to reach for administrative and welfare agencies particularly in tunes of natural calamities and for relief operations whenever needed.
2.  Changes in Travel Patterns: With the provisionof all weather road connection bullock cart the traditional mode of rural transport is replaced by the motorised vehicles -the bus, scooter and truck, etc. The mobility level of the persons is increased and the people are lured to make social visits and recreational journeys to more distant places. The provision of rural roads results in the speedier movement of men and material betweel1 producing centre and market-place. The surplus of the village produce can be conveniently transported at a cheaper Cost of transportation. It also ensures the farmer for the remunerative prices for their products and perishable Commodities like milk, vegetables, eggs, etc. The inhabitants also acquire other vehicles like cycle, scooter, tractor, etc. The traffic on the road link increases.
3. Change in Living Patterns: The construction of rural road connections in its wake changes the life patterns also by bringing awareness of the modern means of living like cooking, dressing, recreation, etc. It infuses new ideas regarding the latest technological development in methods of farming, agro-industries, health care, etc.It also results in better understanding of each other ideas and thus brings a change in attitudes. The development of rural road connections creates availability of opportunity for exchange of ideas and brings qualitative change in tl1e pattern of living.
4. Education Level: The connection of the villages to the road network results in selling up more Schools- primary and middle level and increases the educational standard of the inhabitants of rural community. Not only the village students find it easier to go to their place of education, but good and efficient teaching staffs is also attracted to these village schools and thus the literacy level is increased and educational standards are improved. 
5. Health Care: Development of rural roads to connect the villages with the highway and nearby towns provides facilities to establish more health centers and dispensaries where the staff can function more effectively and attend to more number of persons by increasing their area of operation. This better health standard in- creases the production, and creates better appreciation of family planning programme. With the good connection of roads, more efficient and qualified doctors are also lured to work in the rural areas. 
6. Increase in Agriculture: The cultivators in the village will be able to produce more agricultural product by way of generated incentives for marketing their produce at low transportation cost and importing the fertilizer, manures and seeds at cheaper rate due to; the reduced cost of transportation to the village. Thus the productivity of agriculture which is a dominant sector of our economy is increased. All weather road connection also reduces the time of transporting the perishable products like milk, vegetables, poultry products, etc. and ensures a remunerative price for such commodities throughout the year to the producer and a regular supply to the consumers. "
7. Industrial Benefit: The availability of road links provides opportunity to the entrepreneurs for setting up industrial units particularly the agro-industries which are based on the locally available raw materials. It reduces the cost of transportation of raw materials from the outside and marketing of finished products. It reduces the cost of production and an entrepreneur can draw better return on the investment. The production of finished products is increased and the same can be available at a comparatively cheaper rate to the consumer also. Good road connection also helps industries in get- ting other factors of production like labour, capital, etc. at a cheaper rate and in time. 13esides increase in the industrial production, more development opportunity are provided to the local population as well as to the society. 
8. Increase in Access to Administrative Machinery: Impact of rural roads' is also felt in the public life as it helps tile government in providing more effective public security by way of access to administrative, law d lid order machinery and welfare organisations.
9. Employment Potential: Another major impact of rural roads manifests in providing employment. The construction anti maintenance of roads is itself employment oriented. It generates employment within its own sector i.e., road and road transport, It also opens new avenues within tile rural area by setting up more' & new industrial units, and other infrastructural facilities like irrigation. electrification, & other utility services, Another outcome of this impact is reflected in the check of migration of rural folk to towns and cities and thus relieving the population pressure in urban areas.
10. Cultural Change: The development of roads breaks the cultural barriers among the communities by bringing them together more frequently for interaction, understanding and exchange of ideas, Thus the cultural reservations are broken and acculturation takes place.
11. Other Benefits: They are more of intangible nature like feeling of a sense of security I better outlook, change in attitudes, knowledge of new technology, social contacts, etc, 

Publised By: Rakesh Kumar Chhalotre
                   : राकेश  कुमार  छलोत्रे