India 2018

Rural and Urban Development 475
rural population of the country. The NRDWP is a component of Bharat Nirman
which focuses on the creation of the infrastructure. This has resulted in the
provision of significant additional resources to the sector and for creating an
environment for the development of infrastructure and capacities for the
successful operation of drinking water supply schemes in rural areas. Rural
drinking water supply is a state subject and is also included in the Eleventh
Schedule of the Constitution amongst the subjects that may be entrusted to
panchayats by the states. Thus the participation of the Panchayati Raj Institutions
in the rural drinking water supply sector is an important area of focus.
Government of India's major intervention in water sector started in 1972-
73 through the Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme (ARWSP) for
assisting states/UTs to accelerate the coverage of drinking water supply in
'problem villages'. A Technology Mission with stress on water quality,
appropriate technology intervention, human resource development support and
other related activities was introduced in 1986 which was subsequently renamed
as the Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission (RGNDWM) in 1991. In
1999-2000, Sector Reform Projects were started to involve the community in
planning, implementation and management of drinking water schemes which
was in 2002 scaled up as the Swajaldhara programme. The programme was
revised in 2009 and named as National Rural Drinking Water Programme
(NRDWP).
Urban Development
The Ministry of Urban Development has the responsibility of broad policy
formulation and monitoring of programmes in the area of urban development.
Urban development is a state subject but the Government of India plays a coordinating
and monitoring role and also supports urban development through
centrally sponsored schemes. The Ministry addresses various issues of urban
sector through policy guidelines, legislative guidance and sectoral programmes.
Urbanization in India has become an important and irreversible process, and
an important determinant of national economic growth and poverty reduction.
The process of urbanization is characterized by a dramatic increase in the number
of large cities, although India may be said to be in the midst of transition from
a predominantly rural to a quasi urban society. At current rate of growth, urban
population in India will reach a staggering total of 575 million by 2030 A.D.
According to census 2011, as many as 52 cities in India had population of a
million plus.
National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana
The National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)
was launched in 2015 with an initial coverage of 12 cities. The scheme is aimed
at preserving and revitalizing the soul and unique character of the heritage
cities in the country. The Mission is being operated as a central sector scheme
and is initially being implemented in 12 identified cities namely, Ajmer,
Amaravati, Amritsar, Badami, Dwarka, Gaya, Kanchipuram, Mathura, Puri,
Varanasi, Velankanni and Warangal.