Provision of rural roads brings a variety of socio-economic benefits to the rural areas. The quickly visible of these benefits identified in the Study are increased mobility, increased productivity, saving in cost of transportation of men and material and speedier flow of commodities besides changes in the life style. Some of the significant benefits are presented in this chapter.
Impact on Agriculture
Improved connectivity through all weather roads have generated a lot of benefits on the agricultural economy in terms of providing easy and faster access during all seasons to the markets, availability of quality inputs and increase in diversity to more cash crops.
It was found that the cultivators in the villages of the study areas have been able to produce more agricultural product by way of generated incentives for marketing their produce at low transportation cost and increased use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and improved seeds at cheaper rate. Thus the productivity of agriculture which is a dominant sector of the State's economy is significantly increased.
The traditional cropping techniques and cropping profiles have been replaced with better options. 62% of the respondents have reported to have changed their cropping patterns. The villages are producing ginger and potatoes on a very large scale now. Mualpheng is now one of the highest producing village of ginger in the State. Even Markets up to Silchar are been supplied produces from these villages.
Due to lack of other support infrastructure like veterinary centers, availability of finances and potential consumption markets which are essential to develop such activities, there has been a very minimal improvement in the production levels of Dairy and Poultry sectors in all the villages.
There has been a substantial positive impact on the prices of the agricultural produces of the farmers of the benefited villages. 53% of the farmers reported increase in prices for their produces. It was found that increased availability of public and private transport has also reduced the cost of transportation drastically and has resulted into increased savings and profits to the farmers' community.
Impact on Employment Generation
Increased cultivated land and multiple crops have significantly improved the employment scenario in the villages. Apart from the agriculture sector, the other sectors like rural and agro industries, govt. funded schemes and self employment in terms of setting up of small enterprises also provided for a lot of increase in job opportunities.
Benefited inhabitants of the roads constructed in Aizawl district have been very significantly benefited by the improved access to the employment opportunities outside the villages due to greater mobility.
Impact on Industry
In the study areas of Aizawl and Champhai districts very less industrial activity and a very few number of small units were present and the impact of the roads on industry has been minimal due to a very scanty presence of industries; however some benefit was reported by people involved in jaggery production. Public confidence needs to be built in about the maintenance of the road infrastructure in the longer terms, which will allow the rural people to take such long term investment decisions and will maximize the positive impact of the roads.
Impact on Health
Rural areas of Mizoram have been suffering very seriously in terms of accessibility to the crucial necessities of life, like health care. Emergencies due to accidents, serious illness and complications in pregnancies require immediate medical attention. The general health status and awareness regarding preventive cure has also been very low in the isolated and backward rural areas of Mizoram. Rural roads have helped a lot in mitigating the hardships suffered by the rural folk. The sick were carried on stretchers over the shoulders and in rainy season and Better connectivity has very significantly helped in solving this problem. All the respondents observed that the roads have improved access to the health facilities
Impact on Education Sector
The connectivity of the villages to the road network has resulted in many improvements in education sector of the rural areas. Frequency of the children missing schools during the rainy season has gone down. An increased chance of children going to higher schools in the future was reported.
Impact on Transportation Facilities
The connectivity by all weather roads has come as blessings to the rural areas that have been deprived of benefits of vehicular transport till now. Public and Private investments in the field of transport services become more feasible in the sector and the people stand to benefit a lot.
Impact on Other Social Aspects
The connectivity has improved the access to the Block and District offices for the villagers and an increase in the frequency of their visits to these offices was observed. The areas here-to-fore inaccessible became easy to reach for administrative and welfare agencies after development of roads. There has been a significant change in the security scenario. The accessibility to the police station is faster now and this has also resulted in increase in frequency of police surveillance rounds in most of these villages. PMGSY roads have made the access to the banks and post offices much easier than before. It was also observed in the study areas that the transactions with banking institutions have also increased.
Urbanisation
The study areas have seen some rapid changes and diversities from traditional systems to modern systems and a lot of these changes have brought an urban scenario to the villages. Demand for land for commercial purposes has increased in some villages. The consumption patterns of the villagers have also suitably shifted to the choice of more attractive and better products. The availability of men and material is easy now and a large number of concrete construction houses have taken place after the construction of the roads.
