The government today said rural areas of the country have relatively higher poverty ratio and unemployment rate and lower literacy level. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, the Minister of State for Rural Development Ram Kripal Yadav said in terms of health indicators like, Infant Mortality Rate also rural areas are lagging. <br/><br/>Mr Yadav said the Ministry of Rural Development is implementing several schemes including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission, Deen Dayal Upadhyay – Gramin Kaushalya Yojana to bring about overall improvement in the quality of life of the people in the rural areas. He said the condition of rural population has improved with the implementation of these programmes.