Gandhian ideology of Rural Development.pdf

Gandhian ideology of Rural Development.

1. Gandhian Approach of Rural Development

2. Gandhian Approach of Rural Development
An ideal village is free of quarrels
and thefts, harmony among
communities. Untouchability is
absent
MahatamaGandhi
you do not need electric poles to bring
light to village : true enlightenment comes
from shaping values, community spirit,
good education
PM NarendraModiquoting Gandhi

3. GandhianApproach of Rural Development
•Ruraldevelopmentmaybedefinedas;
Maximisingproductioninagricultureandalliedactivities
Developmentofruralindustrieswithemphasisonvillageandcottage
industries.
•Itattachesimportanceto;
Thegenerationofmaximumpossibleemploymentopportunitiesinrural
areas,
•especiallyfortheweakersectionsofthecommunitysoastoenable
themtoimprovetheirstandardofliving.
•Provisionofcertainbasicamenitiesdrinkingwater,
electricity,especiallyfortheproductivepurpose,
linkroadsconnectingvillagestomarketcentresandfacilitiesforhealth
andeducationetc.

4. Gandhian Approach of Rural Development
Gandhianapproachtoruraldevelopmentmaybelabelledas
„idealist‟.
Itattachessupremeimportancetomoralvaluesandgives
primacytomoralvaluesovermaterialconditions.
TheGandhiansbelievethatthesourceofmoralvaluesingeneral
liesinreligionandHinduscripturesliketheUpanishadsand
theGita.
•Theconceptof„RamaRajya‟isthebasisofGandhiji‟sideaof
anidealsocialorder.
•GandhidefinedRamaRajyaas“sovereigntyofthepeople
basedonmoralauthority”.
•HedidnotviewRamaasaking,andpeopleashissubjects.
•theGandhianscheme,„Rama‟stoodforGodorone‟sown
„innervoice‟.
•Gandhibelievedinademocraticsocialorderinwhichpeople
aresupreme.

5. Gandhian Approach of Rural Development
•IdealVillage:
•ThevillageisthebasicunitoftheGandhianidealsocialorder.
“IfthevillageperishesIndiawillperishtoo….Wehavetomake
achoicebetweenIndiaofthevillagesthatisasancientas
herselfandIndiaofthecitieswhichareacreationofforeign
domination”.
Gandhi’sidealvillagesupposedtoconstitutethefederationof
self-governingautonomousrepublics.
•Theworkofthecentralauthoritywillonlybetocoordinate
theworkofdifferentvillagerepublicsandtosuperviseand
managethingsofcommoninterest,aseducation,basic
industries,health,currency,bankingetc.
•Thecentralauthoritywillhavenopowertoenforceits
decisionsonvillagerepublicsexceptthemoralpressureor
powerofpersuasion.

6. GandhianApproach of Rural Development
Decentralisation:
•Gandhifirmlybelievesthatvillagerepublicscanbebuiltonlythrough
decentralisationofsocialandpoliticalpower.
•Insuchasystemdecision-makingpowerwillbevestedintheVillage
PanchayatratherthanintheStateandthenationalcapital.
•ThePanchayatexerciseslegislative,executiveandjudicialfunctions.
•Itwouldlookaftereducation,healthandsanitationofthevillage.
•ItwouldbethePanchayatsresponsibilitytoprotectanduplift
‘untouchables’andotherpoorpeople.
•ResourcesforGandhianApproachtomanagingvillageaffairswouldbe
raisedfromthevillages.
•Alltheconflictsanddisputeswouldberesolvedwithinthevillage
•ThePanchayatwouldplayitsroleinpropagatingtheimportanceofmoral
andspiritualvaluesamongtheruralitesforbringingaboutrural
reconstruction.
•Anon-violentpeacebrigadeofvolunteerswouldbeorganisedtodefend
thevillage.

7. GandhianApproach of Rural Development
Self-sufficiency:
•The village should be self-sufficient as far as its basic needs –
food, clothing, and other necessities –are concerned. The
village has to import certain things which it cannot produce in
the village. “We shall have to produce more of what we can,
in order thereby to obtain in exchange, what we are unable to
produce”.
•Village economy should be planned with a view to providing
full employment of the village to meet his basic needs in the
village itself so that he is not forced to migrate to towns.
•According to Gandhi, each man must do physical labour to
earn his bread. Physical labour is necessary for moral
discipline and for the sound development of the mind
•The needs of the body must be supplied by the body. Gandhi
said, “If all laboured for their bread then there would be
enough food and enough leisure for all.”

8. Gandhian Approach of Rural Development
Industrialization:
•Gandhijimaintainedthatindustrializationwouldhelponlya
fewandwillleadtoconcentrationofeconomicpower.
•Industrializationleadstopassiveoractiveexploitationof
thevillages.
•Itencouragescompetition.
•Largescaleproductionrequiresmarketing.Marketing
meansprofit-seekingthroughanexploitativemechanism.
•Moreover,industrializationreplacesmanpowerandhenceit
addstounemployment.
•Inordertoavoidvillageandcottageindustriesshouldbe
revived.Gandhiansarenotagainstmachineperseifit
meetstwoaims:self-sufficiencyandfullemployment.Only
theyshouldnotbeusedasameansofexploitationof
others.

9. Gandhian Approach of Rural Development
Trusteeship:
•Gandhijiwasnotagainsttheinstitutionofprivateproperty.Buthewanted
torestricttherightofprivatepropertytoyieldanhonourablelivelihood.
Fortheexcessheprescribedtheprincipleoftrusteeship.
•Gandhijiemphasizedthatallsocialpropertyshouldbeheldintrust.
•Thecapitalistswouldtakecarenotonlyofthemselvesbutalsoofothers.
Someoftheirsurpluswealthwouldbeusedfortherestofthesociety.
•Gandhijifeltthatifsuchatrusteeshipwereestablished,thewelfareofthe
workerswouldincreaseandtheclashbetweentheworkersandemployers
wouldbeavoided.
•GandhijifirmlybelievedthatlandbelongstoGod.Hence,individual
ownershipoflandshouldbeshunned.
•Landbelongstothecommunityandmustbeusedforthewelfareofthe
community.
•Ifthelandownersdonotobligeandcontinuetoexploitthepoorworkers,
thelattershouldorganisenon-violent,non-cooperation,civildisobedience
strugglesagainstthem.