I entirely agree with Mr.P.V.Hariharan that Indian state has not done enough for the development of villages. When Mahatma Gandhi said India lives in villages he knew what he was saying. In spite of all economic development, it is only some towns and cities have benefited. Since development has taken place only in these places, villagers flock to towns and cities giving rise to slums and shanties.
Gandhiji had constituted khadi and village industries development programme even during the freedom movement to employment. He used to say that if anybody who can grow two blades of grass where one grew before,he would be a great benefactor of mankind. If Indian government had taken measures to improve agriculture and other village industries, our villages would have been presented a better picture. We would not had to depend on American wheat during the 'fifities and 'sixties I still remember that S.K.Patil had to go to USA to get wheat from USA under PL 480 programme in what is called " ship-to-mouth" existence during those days. The Green Revolution can later after the great Bihar famine.
Our villages were small republics with a village panchayats and almost self-sufficient. They could withstand many invassions without much damage.
Our villages could still be made livable on the model suggested by our former President Dr.Abdul Kalam - Urban faciliites in rural areas with many connectivities - physical ( roads),elctronics(telecom), knowledge (agriculture and agro-based industries) leading to economic connectivity. While keeping a window to the world, a village could be self-dependent with wind power/solar power/bio-gas power, tanks and wells to store water, primary health-care centre and primary school. If our villages could be empowered with these facilties, few would like to go to the cities and towns to live in unhygienic conditions.
The only problem with villages is the orthodoxy and conservatisim inbedded in it which Dr.Ambedkar had pointed out. With modren ideas of equality which is also to be found in our religion - brotherhood of mankind - this could be overcome in the coming decades.
Dr.Kalam's vision of PURA ( providing urban facilities in rural areas) is just a updated version of Mahatma's village panchayats. This has been successfully implemented in few areas. Our NGOs, NRIs and philanthropists can expand it many more villages. Our think-tanks can take it to the political parties to be adopted as a national plan.
( A response to the suggestion of Mr.P.V.Harirahan in karmayog.com)
August 23,2009.
Gandhiji had constituted khadi and village industries development programme even during the freedom movement to employment. He used to say that if anybody who can grow two blades of grass where one grew before,he would be a great benefactor of mankind. If Indian government had taken measures to improve agriculture and other village industries, our villages would have been presented a better picture. We would not had to depend on American wheat during the 'fifities and 'sixties I still remember that S.K.Patil had to go to USA to get wheat from USA under PL 480 programme in what is called " ship-to-mouth" existence during those days. The Green Revolution can later after the great Bihar famine.
Our villages were small republics with a village panchayats and almost self-sufficient. They could withstand many invassions without much damage.
Our villages could still be made livable on the model suggested by our former President Dr.Abdul Kalam - Urban faciliites in rural areas with many connectivities - physical ( roads),elctronics(telecom), knowledge (agriculture and agro-based industries) leading to economic connectivity. While keeping a window to the world, a village could be self-dependent with wind power/solar power/bio-gas power, tanks and wells to store water, primary health-care centre and primary school. If our villages could be empowered with these facilties, few would like to go to the cities and towns to live in unhygienic conditions.
The only problem with villages is the orthodoxy and conservatisim inbedded in it which Dr.Ambedkar had pointed out. With modren ideas of equality which is also to be found in our religion - brotherhood of mankind - this could be overcome in the coming decades.
Dr.Kalam's vision of PURA ( providing urban facilities in rural areas) is just a updated version of Mahatma's village panchayats. This has been successfully implemented in few areas. Our NGOs, NRIs and philanthropists can expand it many more villages. Our think-tanks can take it to the political parties to be adopted as a national plan.
( A response to the suggestion of Mr.P.V.Harirahan in karmayog.com)
August 23,2009.
****
