Introduction

Envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi in his seminal work, 'Hind Swaraj,' the Western developmental paradigm, grounded in centralized technologies and urbanization, has engendered pressing challenges such as burgeoning inequality (resulting in crime and violence) and climate change due to rapid ecological degradation. Addressing these issues requires the fostering of rural development in harmony with Gandhi's vision of self-sufficient 'village republics,' utilizing local resources and deploying decentralized, eco-friendly technologies. This approach aims to locally meet essential needs like food, clothing, shelter, sanitation, healthcare, energy, livelihood, transportation, and education.
 
This comprehensive vision for village development is paramount. Currently, 70% of India's population resides in rural areas, predominantly engaged in an agrarian economy. Despite agriculture and allied sectors employing 51% of the total workforce, their contribution to the country's GDP is a mere 17%. Profound developmental disparities persist between rural and urban sectors, spanning health, education, incomes, basic amenities, and employment opportunities, precipitating widespread discontent and substantial migration to urban centers. The imperative of sustainable development, increasingly acknowledged on a global scale, necessitates eco-friendly rural development and the creation of local employment opportunities. The escalating trend of urbanization is neither sustainable nor desirable. Historically, professional higher education institutions have predominantly catered to the mainstream industrial sector, offering limited direct contributions to rural development. The Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) emerges as a vital and challenging initiative in steering towards comprehensive rural development.

History

The conceptualization of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan originated from the endeavours of a dedicated group of faculty members at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, possessing expertise in rural development and appropriate technology. The concept evolved through extensive consultations with representatives from various technical institutions, Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) coordinators, voluntary organizations, and government agencies actively engaged in rural development. These deliberations took place during a national workshop hosted at IIT Delhi in September 2014, sponsored by the Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. The program received formal inauguration by the Ministry of Education (MoE) (formerly Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)), with the President of India presiding, on November 11, 2014.

Vision

Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is inspired by the vision of transformational change in rural development processes by leveraging knowledge institutions to help build the architecture of an Inclusive India and to have a paradigm shift in academic and research programs of the country.

Mission

1. Develop the necessary mechanism and proper coordination among educational institutions, implementation agencies (District administration / Panchayati Raj Institutions) and the grassroots level stakeholders to enable effective intervention at the field level.
2. Select suitable rural clusters and effectively participate in the holistic development of these clusters using eco-friendly sustainable technologies and local resources creating sufficient employment opportunities in the process, harnessing multifarious government schemes, customised use of existing technologies and use of knowledge as per the local needs.
3. Reorienting the academic curricula and research programs in higher educational institutions to make them more responsive to the needs of the time and to bring in holistic development and enrich knowledge of students about issues of villages/society.
    

OBJECTIVES OF UNNAT BHARAT ABHIYAN 2.0

• To engage the faculty and students of Higher Educational Institutions in understanding rural realities.

• To identify & select existing innovative technologies, enable customisation of technologies, or devise implementation methods for innovative solutions, as per the local needs.

• To leverage the knowledge base of the educational institutions for effective implementation of various government programmes.

STRATEGY OF UNNAT BHARAT ABHIYAN 2.0

1. Capacity enhancement of Higher Education Institutions in research and training activities relevant to national needs, especially those of rural India.
2. Village Adhyan with Situation Analysis, Need Assessment of the adopted village with objective to study, assess and identify area of intervention / initiatives on different subjects broadly categorized.
3. To create a virtuous cycle benefitting the society, government, and higher education system.
    

For more information in this regard, you may please visit the UBA website and contact National Coordinator or Regional Coordinators (Mentoring Institutions).

Participation in UBA

We invite you to engage in Unnat Bharat Abhiyan in accordance with your current status, competence, and interests. You can contribute in any of the following capacities:

• As a prospective Mentoring Institute
• As a Participating Institute
• As a Subject Expert
• As a Voluntary Organization
• As a Developmental Agency
• As a Philanthropist or CSR Promoter
• As an NSS Member
• As an Enthusiastic Volunteer.

Feel free to choose a role that aligns with your skills and passion.

Ethos of UBA

1. Knowledge Sharing: Science and Technology Intervention and Reorientation of R&D Design
   • Science and Technology Intervention: UBA is grounded in the application of cutting-edge science and technology to address the unique challenges faced by rural communities. It seeks to integrate innovative solutions and technological advancements into rural development projects, fostering sustainable and impactful outcomes.
   • Reorientation of R&D Design: UBA encourages a paradigm shift in Research and Development (R&D) methodologies. It emphasizes research designs that are contextually relevant to rural settings, ensuring that the outcomes are not only scientifically robust but also directly applicable to the specific needs of the communities.
2. Participatory Approach: Planning, Implementation, and Monitoring
   • Planning: UBA adopts a participatory planning approach, involving the active engagement of local communities in the decision-making process. This ensures that development initiatives are reflective of the aspirations and priorities of the people they aim to benefit.
   • Implementation: The participatory ethos extends to the implementation phase, where collaborative efforts between educational institutions and rural communities play a central role. This approach fosters a sense of ownership and shared responsibility, promoting the successful execution of projects.
   • Monitoring: UBA places significance on continuous monitoring of projects, involving regular feedback loops and assessments. This participatory monitoring approach ensures that the initiatives remain aligned with the evolving needs of the community, leading to adaptive and effective interventions.
3. Convergence: Funds, Knowledge, and Stakeholders
   • Funds: UBA advocates for the convergence of financial resources from various sources, facilitating a pooling of funds to support comprehensive and sustainable rural development projects. This approach ensures that financial support is maximized and allocated judiciously to address multifaceted challenges.
   • Knowledge: The ethos of knowledge convergence emphasizes the sharing and integration of diverse knowledge sources. UBA seeks to bring together academic expertise, traditional wisdom, and local insights, fostering a holistic understanding that can drive impactful solutions.
   • Stakeholders: UBA believes in the convergence of stakeholders, creating partnerships between educational institutions, government bodies, NGOs, and local communities. This collaborative network ensures a collective effort towards the common goal of rural development, harnessing the strengths of each stakeholder group.

In summary, the ethos of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan embodies a commitment to knowledge sharing, participatory approaches, and convergence of resources, reflecting a holistic and inclusive vision for the sustainable development of rural India.

Organizational Structure

Sponsoring Ministry–MoE

The Ministry of Education(MoE), Government of India, has launched the program of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), a national program with the vision to involve the professional and other higher educational institutions of the country for the sustainable development of villages.

National Steering Committee (NSC)

An empowered NSC has been constituted by Ministry of Education for guidance and monitoring of the program at national level and to provide direction and requisite thrust to the programme.

National Executive Committee (NEC)

National Executive Committee to take policy-related decisions for Unnat Bharat Abhiyan.

National Coordinating Institute (NCI)

The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi is the National Coordination Institute (NCI) for the scheme. The NCI is responsible for the effective execution and monitoring of the programme.

National Subject Expert Advisory Committee (NSEAC)

NSEAC was formed for the better and effective interventions of technologies in the villages. The main objective is to make an impact on the ground and deliver the results of the program to the people in rural areas through desired technical, management, social interventions.

Regional Coordinating Institutions (RCIs)

To facilitate, guide and monitor the activities of the participating institutions (PIs), 50 Regional Coordinating Institutions (RCIs) are identified on the basis of their earlier experience and infrastructural competence etc. The responsibilities of RCIs Are:

• RCIs will act as nodal centres for promoting & facilitating UBA network in their region.
• RCIs will groom PIs of the region to design innovative solutions for the challenges in the village.
• RCIs is responsible to facilitate, guide and monitor the activities of Participating Institutions in
• their region.

Participating Institutions(PIs)

Any Higher Educational Institute willing to work with Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, can join the programme by applying online on UBA website. The responsibilities of PIs Are:

• As part of the programme, it is mandatory to identify/select five villages in consultation with
• the district collectors for the activities under the UBA.
• Institutions are expected to do field studies, study the implementation of government
• schemes, and facilitate their better implementation so that they meet their objectives.
• PIs should engage interested faculty members & students, NSS and other bodies of the
• institutes engaged in community development activities.
• The selected PIs will work with state government, district authorities / PRIs / other institutions
• and non-governmental bodies, for arriving at suitable solutions for improving the social and
• economic well-being of the rural communities.

Subject Expert Group Institutions (SEGs)

The Subject Expert Groups provide operational expertise sought by the institutions engaged in the rural work. The responsibilities of SEGs are:

• To act as a think tank and technical expertise resource.
• To provide guidance on the vision, strategies and tentative roadmap in the subject area.
• To provide technology compendium in their Subject Expert area.
• To evaluate and approve new technical solutions submitted by PIs or any other inventors.
• Localization of sustainable development goals and making carbon-neutral gram panchayat.
• The main objective is to make an impact on the ground and deliver the results of the program
• to the people in rural areas through desired technical, management, and social interventions.