Rural India which encompasses three fourths of the Country’s population is Characterized by low income levels, inadequate to ensure a quality of life compatible with physical well being. The Ministry of Rural Development, spearheading the frontal attack on rural poverty, through its various programmes endeavored to reach out to the last and most disadvantaged sections of society, provide them with avenues of employment, be it self-employment or wage-employment, and to improve infrastructure relating to their life support systems.
In State of Goa this task is entrusted to two DRDAs viz District Rural Development Agency-North Goa and District Rural Development Agency-South Goa. The Agency came into existence when the Government established the Small Farmers Development Agency (S.F.D.A.) which has been amalgamated with the then Rural Development Agency on 4.11.1980. District Rural Development Agencies were established by bifurcating the then Rural Development Agency into DRDA, North-Goa and DRDA, South-Goa with the objective to take the administration at the nearest steps to the people. The Agency works at Panaji and Margao. North Goa is having jurisdiction over 6 development blocks of North Goa District namely, Tiswadi, Bardez, Pernem, Bicholim, Ponda and Sattari and District Rural Development Agency, South Goa is having jurisdiction over 5 development blocks namely, Sanguem, Quepem, Canarcona, Salcete & Mormugao. These Agencies are implementing the programmes with the assistance of the Block Development Officers at the block level.
The main functions of the Agency are to suggest various measures to the Government of Goa and the Government of India to uplift the living conditions in rural areas of the State especially that of the rural poor, backward and weaker sections. The Agency implements and executes the various schemes of Government, for the economic upliftment of the rural poor, backward and weaker sections in rural areas.
