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Development strategies based solely on economic growth are seen to be unsustainable in the long run. Sustainable development requires a holistic approach integrating economic, environmental and socio-cultural issues with human values and human dignity as the base.
This paradigm requires careful selection and application of technologies with an understanding of the conceptual framework of sustainability. Clearly our concern is not only the organized industrial sector, but also the formal and informal production sectors in rural areas where majority of our population lives.
As technology is not beneficiary neutral, special attention is needed to understand their technological requirements and dynamics of the rural situations. Special efforts are needed to reach out to the underprivileged sections of the society. An educational institution like IIT Delhi can work for this through various channels like academic activities, R&D and pilot scale evaluation of rural technologies and technology transfer.
The Centre for Rural Development and Technology (CRDT) was established in 1979-80 as a nodal centre to coordinate and provide S&T support to such activities. Much thought and efforts have gone in evolving the Centres activities. It was an important experiment as not many technical institutions had attempted to establish a formal Rural Development Centre at this time.
Vision To reach benefits of scientific and technological advancements to the rural sector by giving technical back-up for the sustainable rural development and evolve models of holistic development for the nation and world at large. Mission Identify problems of the rural sector requiring science and technology inputs and solve these within the paradigm of sustainable development involving the faculty and students of IIT Delhi. Generate a sustainable technology base by blending appropriately modern S&T with traditional knowledge. Undertake appropriate teaching, research, information dissemination and outreach related activities and network with other technical institutions, voluntary agencies, government organisations, and village industries, for achieving rural industrialization and improve the quality of life in rural areas.
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