Geospatial approach to measure rural infrastructure and development: a case study in Coochbehar district, West Bengal

In India most of the people almost 70% of the total population inhabits in rural villages. Rural development depends on rural infrastructural facilities. Poverty can be elevated from society by improving rural basic infrastructural facilities. Despite several Government initiatives, the development in rural villages in terms of rural basic infrastructure facilities shows unsatisfactory results. The article evaluates rural infrastructure facilities in 125 villages of Tufanganj C.D Blocks of Coochbehar District. The village development index has been prepared on the basis of six basic indicators education, health, transport, communication, access to drinking water and electricity. The result suggests that Government should give more priority for the investments in the rural infrastructure development in terms of health, transport, educational institute, communication and drinking water facility.