Question

Enumerate the causes of rural unemployment in india how can more employment opportunities be created in rural areas

Answer 1

 (i) Diversification of agriculture: More than 60 per cent of our workers are employed in agriculture. But ‘our farmers are producing only limited crops. There is need to diversify agriculture. Farmers should be encouraged to adopt pisciculture, horticulture, animal rearing, etc., along with cultivation of crops.
(ii) Cheap credit : Most of the farmers depend on informal sources of credit, i.e., moneylenders, relatives, traders, etc., who charge a very high rate of interest. Government should encourage the commercial banks to provide loans to the farmers at cheaper rates.
(iii) Provision of basic facilities : Our rural areas lack the basic facilities like roads, transportation, banking, warehouses, markets, etc. The government should invest some money in these sectors so that the Indian villages can be linked to other markets. This activity can provide productive . employment to not just farmers, but also to others such as those in services like transport or trade.
(iv) Promotion of local industries and other activities : Another way to tackle this problem is to identify, promote and locate industries, especially the cottage and small- scale industries in semi-rural areas, where a large number of people may be employed. It also includes setting up a flour or rice mill to procure and process these and sell in the cities. In villages, near forest areas, honey collection centres can be started where farmers can come and sell wild honey.