Ministry of Rural Development (India)

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Ministry of Rural Development
Government of India logo.svg
Branch of Government of India
Ministry of Rural Development.png
Ministry of Rural Development
Ministry overview
Formed20 January 1980;45 years ago (1980-01-20)
Jurisdiction Government of India
Headquarters Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi
Annual budget₹159,964 crore (US$19 billion) (2023-24 est.) [1]
Minister responsible
Deputy Ministers responsible
Ministry executive
  • Shailesh Kumar Singh [2] , Secretary of Department of Rural Development
Website rural.nic.in

The Ministry of Rural Development, a branch of the Government of India, is entrusted with the task of accelerating the socio-economic development of rural India. Its focus is on special rural grants for health and education, piped filtered drinking water programs, public and affordable housing programs, public work programs and grants for rural roads and infrastructure. It also provides special grants to rural local bodies. [3]

Contents

The current minister is Shivraj Singh Chouhan who has been in office since 10 June 2024, while the ministers of state are Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani and Kamlesh Paswan.

History

On 31 March 1952, the Community Projects Administration was established under the Planning Commission to manage programs for community development. The community development program, which began on 2 October 1952 marked a significant step in rural development history. Over time, this program went through several changes and was overseen by different government bodies.

In October 1974, the Department of Rural Development was created as part of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Then, on 18 August 1979, it became its own Ministry called the Ministry of Rural Reconstruction. This ministry was later renamed the Ministry of Rural Development on 23 January 1982. In January 1985, it was once again made a department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, which was later renamed the Ministry of Agriculture in September 1985.

On 5 July 1991, the department was upgraded back to a Ministry called the Ministry of Rural Development. A new department, the Department of Wasteland Development was established under this Ministry on 2 July 1992. In March 1995, the Ministry was renamed as Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment, which included three departments namely the Department of Rural Employment and Poverty Alleviation, Rural Development and Wasteland Development.

Again, in 1999 the Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment was once again renamed as Ministry of Rural Development.

Departments

The ministry has two departments: the Department of Rural Development and the Department of Land Resources. Each is headed by a senior civil servant designated as the Secretary of the Department. Anita Choudhry is the secretary of Land Resources and Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, is the secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development.

Department of Rural Development

The department run three national-level schemes: Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for rural roads development, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihood mission (DAY-NRLM) for self employment, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for rural employment and for rural housing, Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin It handles the administration of District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), and has three autonomous organisations under it: [4]

The Minister of Rural Development is the Chairman of these three organisations and the Secretary of the Ministry is the Vice-Chairman. The Minister is currently Mr Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and the Secretary is Shailesh Kumar Singh. [5]

Department of Land Resources

The Department of Land Resources runs three national-level programs: [6]

Cabinet Ministers

PortraitMinister
(Birth-Death)
Constituency		Term of officePolitical partyMinistryPrime Minister
FromToPeriod
Minister of Rural Reconstruction
Bhanu Pratap Singh Rajya Sabha photo.jpg Bhanu Pratap Singh
(born 1935)
Rajya Sabha MP for Uttar Pradesh
(Minister of State, I/C)		30 July 197914 January 1980168 days Janata Party (Secular) Charan Charan Singh
Rao Birender Singh stamp (cropped).jpg Rao Birender Singh
(1921–2000)
MP for Mahendragarh 		20 January 198023 January 19822 years, 3 days Indian National Congress Indira IV Indira Gandhi
Minister of Rural Development
Rao Birender Singh stamp (cropped).jpg Rao Birender Singh
(1921–2000)
MP for Mahendragarh 		23 January 198229 January 19831 year, 6 days Indian National Congress Indira IV Indira Gandhi
Harinath Mishra.jpg Harinath Mishra
MP for Darbhanga
(Minister of State, I/C)		29 January 19832 August 19841 year, 186 days
Mohsina Kidwai (cropped).jpg Mohsina Kidwai
(born 1932)
MP for Meerut
(Minister of State, I/C until 31 Oct 1984)		2 August 198431 October 198490 days
4 November 198431 December 198457 days Rajiv I Rajiv Gandhi
Buta Singh at DJ Sheizwoods house (11) (cropped).jpg Buta Singh
(1934–2021)
MP for Jalore 		31 December 198425 September 1985268 days Rajiv II
Ministry merged with the Ministry of Agriculture during this interval
Visit of Narasimha Rao, Indian Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the CEC (cropped)(2).jpg P. V. Narasimha Rao
(1921–2004)
MP for Nandyal
(Prime Minister)		21 June 199111 June 19953 years, 355 days Indian National Congress Rao P. V. Narasimha Rao
Minister of Rural Areas and Employment
Jagannath Mishra.jpg Jagannath Mishra
(1937–2019)
Rajya Sabha MP for Bihar 		11 June 199516 May 1996340 days Indian National Congress Rao P. V. Narasimha Rao
Atal Bihari Vajpayee tribute image (cropped).jpg Atal Bihari Vajpayee
(1924–2018)
MP for Lucknow
(Prime Minister)		16 May 19961 June 199616 days Bharatiya Janata Party Vajpayee I Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Yerram Naidu Kinjarapu.jpg Kinjarapu Yerran Naidu
(1957–2012)
MP for Srikakulam 		1 June 199619 March 19981 year, 291 days Telugu Desam Party Deve Gowda H. D. Deve Gowda
Gujral Inder Kumar Gujral
Babagouda Patil.jpg Babagouda Patil
(1945–2021)
MP for Belgavi
(Minister of State, I/C)		20 March 199813 October 19991 year, 207 days Bharatiya Janata Party Vajpayee II Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Minister of Rural Development
Sundar Lal Patwa.jpg Sundar Lal Patwa
(1924–2016)
MP for Narmadapuram 		13 October 199930 September 2000353 days Bharatiya Janata Party Vajpayee III Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Venkaiah Naidu official portrait.jpg M. Venkaiah Naidu
(born 1948)
Rajya Sabha MP for Karnataka 		30 September 20001 July 20021 year, 274 days
Shanta Kumar.jpg Shanta Kumar
(born 1934)
MP for Kangra 		1 July 20026 April 2003279 days
The Leader of Opposition, BThe Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Ananthkumar, in New Delhi on January 08, 2015 (cropped).jpg Ananth Kumar
(1959–2018)
MP for Bangalore South 		6 April 200324 May 200348 days
Kashiram Rana.jpg Kashiram Rana
(1938–2012)
MP for Surat 		24 May 200322 May 2004364 days
Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (1).jpg Raghuvansh Prasad Singh
(1946–2020)
MP for Vaishali 		23 May 200422 May 20094 years, 364 days Rashtriya Janata Dal Manmohan I Manmohan Singh
C P Joshi UNDP 2010.jpg C. P. Joshi
(born 1950)
MP for Bhilwara 		28 May 200919 January 20111 year, 236 days Indian National Congress Manmohan II
Vilasrao Deshmukh at Innovation Partnerships Event May 8, 2012.jpg Vilasrao Deshmukh
(1945–2012)
Rajya Sabha MP for Maharashtra 		19 January 201112 July 2011174 days
Jairam ramesh.jpg Jairam Ramesh
(born 1954)
Rajya Sabha MP for Andhra Pradesh 		12 July 201126 May 20142 years, 318 days
Gopinath Munde (cropped).jpg Gopinath Munde
(1949–2014)
MP for Beed 		27 May 20143 June 2014 [†] 7 days Bharatiya Janata Party Modi I Narendra Modi
Shri Nitin Gadkari on March 3, 2023 (cropped).jpg Nitin Gadkari
(born 1957)
MP for Nagpur 		4 June 20149 November 2014158 days
Chaudhary Birender Singh with Venkaiah Naidu (cropped).jpg Birender Singh
(born 1946)
Rajya Sabha MP for Haryana 		9 November 20145 July 20161 year, 239 days
Narendra Singh Tomar addressing a press conference after launching the Swachh Sarvekshan (Gramin)- 2017, in New Delhi (cropped).jpg Narendra Singh Tomar
(born 1957)
MP for Gwalior (until 2019)
MP for Morena (from 2019)		5 July 201630 May 20195 years, 2 days
31 May 20197 July 2021 Modi II
Giriraj Singh assuming charge as Minister of State (Independent Charge) in 2017.jpg Giriraj Singh
(born 1957)
MP for Begusarai 		7 July 20219 June 20242 years, 338 days
Shivraj Singh Chouhan 2025.jpg Shivraj Singh Chouhan
(born 1959)
MP for Vidisha 		10 June 2024Incumbent1 year, 99 days Modi III

Ministers of State

PortraitMinister
(Birth-Death)
Constituency		Term of officePolitical partyMinistryPrime Minister
FromToPeriod
Minister of State for Rural Reconstruction
R. V. Swaminathan
MP for Sivaganga 		24 November 198023 January 19822 years, 3 days Indian National Congress Indira IV Indira Gandhi
Baleshwar Ram
(1928–2015)
MP for Rosera 		16 January 198223 January 19827 days
Minister of State for Rural Development
R. V. Swaminathan
MP for Sivaganga 		23 January 198229 January 19831 year, 6 days Indian National Congress Indira IV Indira Gandhi
Baleshwar Ram
(1928–2015)
MP for Rosera
Gaddam Venkatswamy.jpg Gaddam Venkatswamy
(1929–2014)
MP for Peddapalli 		21 June 19912 July 19921 year, 42 days Indian National Congress Rao P. V. Narasimha Rao
Uttambhai Patel
(1927–2018)
MP for Valsad
Gaddam Venkatswamy.jpg Gaddam Venkatswamy
(1929–2014)
MP for Peddapalli
Minister of State, Rural Development		2 July 199218 January 1993200 days
Uttambhai Patel
(1927–2018)
MP for Valsad
Minister of State, Rural Development		2 July 199211 June 19952 years, 344 days
Colonel
Rao Ram Singh (Retd.)
(1925–2012)
MP for Mahendragarh
Minister of State, Wasteland Development		2 July 199211 June 19952 years, 344 days
The Governor of Karnataka, Shri Rameshwar Thakur in Bangalore on January 13, 2008.jpg Rameshwar Thakur
(1925–2015)
Rajya Sabha MP for Bihar
Minister of State, Rural Development		18 January 199322 December 19941 year, 338 days
Minister of State for Rural Areas and Employment
Uttambhai Patel
(1927–2018)
MP for Valsad
Minister of State, Rural Development		11 June 199516 May 1996340 days Indian National Congress Rao P. V. Narasimha Rao
Colonel
Rao Ram Singh (Retd.)
(1925–2012)
MP for Mahendragarh
Minister of State, Wasteland Development		11 June 199530 March 1996293 days
Vilas Muttemwar.JPG Vilas Muttemwar
(born 1949)
MP for Nagpur
Minister of State, Rural Employment and Poverty Alleviation		15 September 199516 May 1996244 days
Chandradeo Prasad Verma
(1921–2005)
MP for Arrah 		1 June 199619 March 19981 year, 291 days Janata Dal Deve Gowda H. D. Deve Gowda
Gujral Inder Kumar Gujral
Minister of State for Rural Development
A still of the Union Minister for Environment & Forests, Shri A. Raja during a meeting of Chief Wildlife Wardens and Field Directors of Project Tiger Reserves, in New Delhi on May 26, 2005.jpg A. Raja
(born 1963)
MP for Perambalur 		13 October 199930 September 2000353 days Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Vajpayee III Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Subhash Maharia
(born 1957)
MP for Sikar 		13 October 199929 January 20033 years, 108 days Bharatiya Janata Party
Rita Verma Lok Sabha photo.jpg Rita Verma
(born 1953)
MP for Dhanbad 		30 September 20001 September 2001336 days
Annasaheb M. K. Patil
(born 1939)
MP for Erandol 		1 September 200122 May 20042 years, 264 days
Uppalapati Krishnam Raju.jpg Krishnam Raju
(1940–2022)
MP for Narasapuram 		29 January 200322 May 20041 year, 114 days
Suryakanta Patil (cropped).jpg Suryakanta Patil
(born 1948)
MP for Hingoli 		23 May 200422 May 20094 years, 364 days Nationalist Congress Party Manmohan I Manmohan Singh
Aelay Narendra.jpg Ale Narendra
(1946–2014)
MP for Medak 		23 May 200424 August 20062 years, 93 days Telangana Rashtra Samithi
Chandra Sekhar Sahu (cropped).jpg Chandra Sekhar Sahu
(born 1950)
MP for Berhampur 		24 October 200622 May 20092 years, 210 days Indian National Congress
Pradeep Jain Aditya (cropped).jpg Pradeep Jain Aditya
(born 1962)
MP for Jhansi 		28 May 200926 May 20144 years, 363 days Manmohan II
Sisir Adhikari (cropped).jpg Sisir Adhikari
(born 1941)
MP for Kanthi 		28 May 200922 September 20123 years, 117 days Trinamool Congress
Agatha Sangma, 2009 (cropped).jpg Agatha Sangma
(born 1980)
MP for Tura 		28 May 200927 October 20123 years, 152 days Nationalist Congress Party
Lal Chand Kataria taking office in October 2012 (cropped).jpg Lalchand Kataria
(born 1968)
MP for Jaipur Rural 		31 October 201226 May 20141 year, 146 days Indian National Congress Manmohan II
Upendra Kushwaha in 2018 (cropped).jpg Upendra Kushwaha
(born 1960)
MP for Karakat 		27 May 20149 November 2014167 days Rashtriya Lok Samta Party Modi I Narendra Modi
Sudarshan Bhagat giving awards (cropped).jpg Sudarshan Bhagat
(born 1969)
MP for Lohardaga 		9 November 20145 July 20161 year, 239 days Bharatiya Janata Party
Ram Kripal Yadav (cropped).jpg Ram Kripal Yadav
(born 1957)
MP for Pataliputra 		5 July 201630 May 20192 years, 329 days
Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (cropped).jpg Niranjan Jyoti
(born 1967)
MP for Fatehpur 		31 May 20199 June 20245 years, 9 days Modi II
Faggan Singh Kulaste addressing function at 7th Indian Organ Donation Day (cropped).jpg Faggan Singh Kulaste
(born 1959)
MP for Mandla 		7 July 20219 June 20242 years, 338 days
Kamlesh Paswan, Minister of State for Rural Development in 2024.jpg Kamlesh Paswan
(born 1976)
MP for Bansgaon 		10 June 2024Incumbent1 year, 99 days Modi III
The Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani (cropped).jpg Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani
(born 1976)
MP for Guntur 		Telugu Desam Party

References

  1. ↑ "Union Budget 2020-21 Analysis" (PDF). prsindia.org. 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Who's who". Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India .
  3. ↑ "About the Ministry :: Ministry of Rural Development (Govt. Of India)". Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "Overview". Department of Rural Development. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "TERI: Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Development - India". www.teriin.org.
  6. ↑ "Schemes". Department of Land Resources. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
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