India is a land of villages. There are no fewer than six lakh villages in India. About 80 per cent people of India live in villages. So, it is rightly said that real India lives in villages. A typical Indian village lacks several facilities, particularly in backward states.
But in comparatively developed or advanced states, as in the Punjab and Haryana, many of the facilities available in cities are also available in villages. For instance, many of the villages which may be called ideal villages, have electricity, proper drainage system, good arrangement for drinking water, a community hall, a market, a milk collection centre, a dispensary or hospital, a primary or high or senior secondary school, an enlightened panchayat, etc.
This should not, however, be construed that all villages are ideal ones. Nor all such facilities are available in all the villages throughout the country. In certain villages, even modern flush toilets are not there. In many villages, most of the people are still illiterate.
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They have no knowledge of modern systems of family planning, giving attention to quality of life, etc. They are still steeped in tradition and superstition. Many of the villages are still not connected to some principal town with good pucca roads. Hence, they cannot market their produce and earn money.
In many villages, medical aid is scarce and people die of diseases. For lack of knowledge, many villages fall an easy prey to several diseases. Many of the villagers are unemployed or only semi-employed.
Many villages have no proper telecommunication system. Thus, much needs to be done in villages as yet.