In order to give content and effect to the provision of urban amenities to rural areas as articulated by the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, early last year and which found its echo in the Independence Day address of the Prime Minister, the Government recently finalised detailed guidelines to the scheme of Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA). The guidelines devised by the Economic Advisor in the Prime Minister's Office, Dr S. Narayan, and the Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Mr M. Shankar, towards the end of January 2004 would ensure that the PURA kick-starts the economic growth and development in rural areas by providing urban amenities in selected rural clusters around selected towns that would set off further economic activities to generate ripple effect in the surrounding areas.