Mission 2007: Every Village A Knowledge Center

WITH an accent on broadening the benefits of science and technology to rural India, the on-going 93rd Indian Science Congress seeks to focus on issues relating to multitude of problems faced by rural India. The 93 rd Indian Science Congress is focusing on the familiar theme of “integrated rural development". The President, Mr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, will be launching a "Mission 2007: Every Village — A Knowledge Center" at the Congress. Let us watch if and how this new programs reaches rural India and its outcomes? Although the President himself is a well-known scientist and a serious individual concerned with the welfare of rural India without looking for votes, he can do very little without the help of the vast bureaucracy of the Indian national and local governments, which has time and again proved to be ineffective in reaching the local communities. What is important is to prepare communities to take upon themselves the responsibility to take advantage of the new program and benefit form science and technology. The local governments' prevailing extension systems are poorly equipped any way. This blog provides a high priority to the subject of rural development and will watch what shape the new Mission 2007 takes and if it can potentially make Every Village A Knowledge Center?