New course for Rural Development in NE

Agartala, Mar 17 (UNI) With an aim to creating committed cadres of rural development professionals in the Northeastern states and ensure sustainable rural development, the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), Hyderabad, has launched a new course, beginning next year.

Talking to UNI here today, NIRD Regional Director Prof N Upadhaya said, ''A PG Diploma in Rural Development Management seeking to impart management techniques, would enhance theory and practice of rural development besides laying its theoretical foundation.'' Prof Upadhaya pointed out that the new course would help the research activities on poverty alleviation and rural employment, environment and sustainable development, decentralisation and good governance and transfer of technology in development paradigms.

''We feel NE has immense scope for work in the rural development sector and our course would help people to engage themselves in the field to a great extent,'' Prof Upadhaya maintained and added that institute promises to provide placement for the pass-outs.

NIRD has been actively involved in Action Research in a partnership mode to examine the scope for evolving simple and effective approaches to some of the development issues, he said, adding that it periodically formulates guidelines for processing of action research proposals and monitors the progress of action research projects on rural development.

Prof Upadhaya, however, underlined that the new course of one year would be free for any graduate and the institute has made arrangements for full sponsorship for 16 candidates from Northeastern Council (NEC), as the region was still lagging behind in successful implementation of R&D projects due to lack of skilled professionals in the field.

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