Pune’s record among worst: Special scheme for bridging urban-rural entrepreneurship gap fails to take off in state

Figures show that for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 fiscals, 15 and 19 districts had failed to meet the guidelines of compulsory 50 per cent rural projects. In 2012-13, Amravati, Beed, Kolhapur, Akola, Aurangabad and Satara districts had reported more than 40 per cent of the approved projects in rural areas.

In 2013-14, the districts of Yavatmal, Thane and Jalgaon had managed to have 40 per cent of the approved projects in rural areas. The remaining districts had failed the meet the mark by wide margins. Pune, which is one of the highly industrialised districts, had only 34 per cent and 19 per cent of the approved projects in rural areas in this period. Pune has the worst record in ensuring rural industrialisation under the scheme. Lack of industries in rural areas and over-concentration of industries in urban areas have, over the years, led to various imbalances in Pune. Growth of slums, unauthorised construction are some of the fallouts.

Officials at the Pune DIC said that in many cases, the projects were not approved due to criterion of the district-level banks. “Most of the projects were rejected at the bank level itself,” an official said.

Anant Sardeshmukh, director-general of MCCIA, blamed the failure of the implementing agencies for the growing rural-urban gap in industrialisation profile of the district. “While implementing the schemes all the agencies should work in tandem and not in a piece meal approach. One of the major issues the rural entrepreneurs face is that of proper infrastructure,” he said. Market selection, power supply are also major hurdles faced by the rural industries. Sardeshmukh said for schemes such as this to succeed, it is crucial that all the agencies concerned work together.