The Hindu 23.02.2010
“Urban-rural divide widening fast”
Special Correspondent
CUDDALORE: Despite the virulent propaganda for inclusive growth, the urban-rural divide is widening fast and the haphazard growth is inducing the migration to urban areas, said P.M. Nair, who was the Secretary to former President A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.
Mr. Nair was delivering a speech at the national conference on “Sustainable community construction concepts for evolving slums (SUCCESS)” organised by the Department of Civil Engineering of Annamalai University at Chidambaram.
Lack of facility was one of the reasons that prompted the displacement of people and spawned urban slums, and also, transformed several rural areas into slums.
This was due to misdirected, ill-conceived and ill-implemented programmes for the uplift of the rural people, Mr Nair said.
