History

The conceptualization of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan started with the initiative of a group of dedicated faculty members of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi working for long 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 organizations 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 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 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-emphasize the need for field work, stake-holder interactions and design for societal objectives as the basis of higher education.
• To stress on 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

• Organic farming
• Water management
• Renewable energy
• Basic amenities
• Artisans, Industries and livelihood