Decentralised Infrastructure and Rural Development Linkages

Infrastructure development plays an indirect but crucial role in the development process through promotion of growth by increasing the productivity of factors employed in the production process. Infrastructural investments generally constitute the core of development planning in most developing countries and large resources are allocated to investment in infrastructure like transport, electrification, irrigation, communication, research and development and social overheads like education and health. In addition to promoting growth, infrastructural investments are quite often assigned numerous other objectives like attainment of equity, appropriate income distribution and augmentation, provision of minimum needs, market extension and improvement of common property resources Isolation contributes to rural poverty. Without a minimum of reliable and efficient access to locations of basic social and economic activities, rural life stagnates and local development prospects remain limited. Overcoming isolation necessitates holistic strategies. Approaches include improved logistics to support trade and communication, the promotion of transport services and intermediate means of transport, improved quality and location of services.