Gram Swaraj_______Myth or reality
Gandhiji has seen a dream for India. That dream was Gram Swaraj. He used to claim that India’s future is in villages. He also insisted to focus on village economy, he was talking about GramSwaraj a community driven villages. But is this kind of Nation possible? Is Gram swaraj having feasibility? Is a community driven models have sustainability? Answers of all questions are not so promising. I am sharing some experience from field which is alarming for development workers who really wants to see the developed villages. I have been working in community banking project since a year in Maharashtra. I haves seen successful community driven models of development in the south India. Especially Kalanjiam Model of SHG in TamilNadu and Kutumbshree Model of Keral Government. They are one of most successful models as community is playing major role in it. When I begun to work in Maharashtra on same models I was continuously thinking about why such models are not having success in Maharashtra. I have visited many women from 9 districts of Marathwada on different occasion like training, workshops , mahasabha etc. These experience with all stakeholders of development I am keep thinking whether GramSwaraj or Community Driven Models are myth or real. I m sharing three Crises for Gram Swaraj or Community Driven Villages system which are harmful for the development process.
Crises of perspective
After listening from women, people (?) staffs, government, panchayat, donors, implementers and other stakeholders. I came to conclusion that all these stakeholders have their own perspective on development. All perspectives are not having any same direction. Everyone has their own understanding about their development. One of the integral requirement of Gram Swaraj is “Common Understanding and Shared Vision”. That’s what the main issue in the Gram Swaraj or community driven models. Somewhere all stakeholders has to arrive at common understanding. Somewhere every stakeholder has to compromise.
I felt that is perspective crises is biggest hurdle in the path of community driven model because without shared vision or common understanding no one can achieve dream of community driven villages.
Unity among the community members
When we speak about shared vision , unity plays an important role. In Gram Swaraj concept unity is not just collective action it is something beyond collective action. There are certain things which are catalyst for gramswaraj.
1. Priority based development
Generally, any group of community (for eg. SHGs) are lacking in priority based development. For eg. When bank provide credit to SHGs and expects to disburse loan as per need of members provided by-laws of SHG. But in reality members take equal share. Two reason for such equal disbursal first to avoid conflicts on sharing and most important to take benefits even at the cost of need of other.
Same one can find in celebration of Birthdays of Great Leaders. In Maharashtra where people spent money in lakhs on celebration of leader’s birthday but not willing to pay a single money for the development of schools. Same condition in Odisha too. In one of village in Odisha where I did micro-research to assess socio-economic conditions of the village. Average income of family is not more that Rs.2000 p.m. But collectively this village has spent Rs. 15,00,000 in festivals.
Instead of celebrating Dr. Ambedkar,s birthday why cannt people develop a good library for students. Instead of celebrating Ch. Shivaji’s birthday why cannt people conduct programme to disseminate work of great leaders.
Unity lies in the rituals, celebrations, social obligations but it has no relation with development.
2. Cast less villages
Society where people are being respected based on Jati and not on Karma how one can expect gram swaraj in such villages. By seeing prevailing conditions India wont be cast free in next 100 years.
Whenever I visited any community groups or any family, their first questions “tumhi konachya samajach” (what is your cast?). Gramswaraj demands development based on maati (soil) not based on Jaati (cast).
In the era of internet where man reaches on moon, people are still restricting to see moon in lunar eclipse.
3. Ownership
Without ownership one cannt expect community involvement in the development process. But how is it possible? People perspective about development is pessimistic.
How many are ready to contribute without any vested interest?
How many are willing to participate in development of village without any expectations?
Ralegansidhi village and Hiware bazaar village are one of the best model villages in the Maharashtra but what happened with those villages which is very near to such ideal villages. These two villages took 25 years to come at this stage. One can imagine how many years will need for 600,000+ villages of this nation.
4. Enabling mode of development
Development should be in the enabling mode. Our system completely fails in it. People are asking subsidies, loan waiving, donations and so on. It may be need of hour when subsidies and all introduced but now we are facing all theses issue because of delivery mode of development.
Crises of willpower
Any Development first happened in the mind then it will come to reality. It need willpower of all stakeholder. Gram Swaraj is the concept which is not revolving around the community only. It involves major roles of other stakeholders. Govt department, Policy making bodies, schools, hospitals etc. can be playing essential role in Gram Swaraj. Are they will to do it?
Lets take an example of one of the major development scheme in the state of Maharashtra i.e. MSRLM. This MSRLM is actually having data crises. Whatever they shown in their portal is having lack of confirmed information. Vision, Mission and Objectives of MSRLM is in the interest of Community Driven Village System but it is on the paper. In reality, picture is disturbing. MSRLM is target based scheme and happy with the numbers. Showing results in quantity but quality I zero. Just to complete the targets of Revolving Fund to each groups, this CRPs and staffs dissolve the old big groups create two new and provided RF for commission of 3000 per groups. Same thing they do for completing targets of Cash Credit Loans by nationalized banks.
One more example of SMC School Management Committees. Are teachers ready to empower SMC? Even latest amendment in the Right of Free and Compulsory Education 2012, Sec. 21 has define SMC as “advisory body” only. How parents are empowered to ensure quality education to their children. Since I five year plan, there is no single year where Indian Government has spent more 5% of GDP on education. After 70 years of independent we don’t have separate Ministry for Education.
Crises of Feminism
Once Swami Vivekananda quote that world’s empowerment is not possible unless woman is empowered. Absolutely true. We have accepted it too. Our government has introduce many schemes. Under all these scheme they failed to define “how woman is empowered”. First step of women empowerment is lies in the psychology of men not a women. But many times there are programmes conducted where only women are invited. Why is it crises? Because in Gram-Swaraj women has major role but in reality gram sabha is always male dominated even though president is female.
These are the three crises which I felt is anti-developments. Gram Swaraj is really ideal concept but it should not be utopian concept which considered as impractical.
I may be incorrect in some views or may not have much experience but I express it. I have all these experience which really disturbing. Our grate leaders has left us with dream of ideal nations, ideal society. But how far we achieved? And how will be going to achieve is the matter of concern.
Pravin
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