Unnat Bhārat Abhiyān (UBA)
Transformational rural development initiative partnering with higher educational institutions to uplift rural communities across adopted villages.
About Unnat Bhārat Abhiyān
As foreseen by Gandhi Ji in his seminal work, ‘Hind Swaraj’, the western developmental paradigm, based on centralised technologies and urbanisation, has given rise to serious problems like increasing inequity (leading to crime and violence), and climate change due to rapid ecological degradation. To ameliorate these problems, it is necessary to promote the development of rural areas in tune with the Gandhian vision of self-sufficient ‘village republics’, based on local resources and using decentralised, eco-friendly technologies so that the basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, sanitation, health care, energy, livelihood, transportation, and education are locally met. This should be the vision of the holistic development of villages.
Presently, 70% of the population in India lives in rural areas engaged in an agrarian economy with agriculture and allied sector employing 51% of the total workforce but accounting for only 17% of the country’s GDP. There are huge developmental disconnects between the rural and urban sectors, such as inequity in health, education, incomes and basic amenities, as well as employment opportunities - all causing great discontent and large-scale migration to urban areas. The imperatives of sustainable development, which are being felt more and more acutely all over the world, also demand eco-friendly development of the villages and creation of appropriate employment opportunities locally. Increasing urbanisation is neither sustainable nor desirable. So far, our professional higher education institutions have largely been oriented to cater to the mainstream industrial sector and, barring a few exceptions, have hardly contributed directly to the development of the rural sector. Unnat Bhārat Abhiyān (UBA) is a much-needed and highly challenging initiative in this direction.
History
The conceptualisation of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan started with the initiative of a group of dedicated faculty members of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi working for a long time in the area of rural development and appropriate technology. The concept was nurtured through wide consultation with the representatives of a number of technical institutions, Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) coordinators, voluntary organisations and government agencies, actively involved in rural development work, during a National workshop held at IIT Delhi in September 2014.
The workshop was sponsored by the Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India. The program was formally launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) in the presence of the President of India on 11th November 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.”
Mission
The Mission of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is to enable higher educational institutions to work with the people of rural India in identifying development challenges and evolving appropriate solutions for accelerating sustainable growth. It also aims to create a virtuous cycle between society and an inclusive academic system by providing knowledge and practices for emerging professions and to upgrade the capabilities of both the public and the private sectors in responding to the development needs of rural India.
Goals
- To build an understanding of the development agenda within institutes of Higher Education and an institutional capacity and training relevant to national needs, especially those of rural India.
- To re-emphasise the need for field work, stakeholder interactions and design for societal objectives as the basis of higher education.
- To stress rigorous reporting and useful outputs as central to developing new professions.
- To provide rural India and regional agencies with access to the professional resources of the institutes of higher education, especially those that have acquired academic excellence in the field of science, engineering and technology, and management.
- To improve development outcomes as a consequence of this research. To develop new professions and new processes to sustain and absorb the outcomes of research.
- To foster a new dialogue within the larger community on science, society and the environment and to develop a sense of dignity and collective destiny.
Themes of UBA
Core thematic intervention areas designed to transform rural communities through knowledge transfer, technology adoption, and grassroots empowerment:
Organic Farming
Promoting sustainable agricultural practices, natural soil enrichment, organic certification, and bio-fertilizer usage across rural farming communities.
Water Management
Enabling rainwater harvesting, watershed management, rejuvenation of local water bodies, and sustainable water conservation methods.
Energy Sources
Fostering decentralised renewable energy solutions such as solar power, bio-gas, and energy-efficient technologies for rural self-reliance.
Artisans, Industries & Livelihood
Empowering rural craftspeople, micro-enterprises, and cottage industries with modern technological inputs, skill training, and market linkages.
Basic Amenities
Assisting in improving rural infrastructure, sanitation facilities, drinking water access, rural housing, and healthcare accessibility.
Convergence
Aligning grassroots initiatives with Central and State Government development schemes, PRIs, and institutional expertise for integrated rural development.
Contact Details
For Research Collaborations, Consultancy Services and Trainings on UBA, please get in touch with us:
Mr. Chandrashekar N — Coordinator, Unnat Bhārat Abhiyān (UBA)