Unfurling Rural India

Unfurling Rural India

Last week, a close encounter with the life in village has given me inkling about the current status of the people living there. The changes brought about by globalization or free markets haven’t crept into their lives at all. They are blissfully unaware of the changes, the new trends that the free trade has brought into our country. As politicians prefer to call it as “Bharat”, this Bharat has failed to catch up with the modern India and in fact development has become so sloppy there.

It is astonishing to find that the lives of the villagers have hardly changed.  They have been living under the same roof for years together; often men and cattle cuddle up in the same place. While it is so distressing to watch such encounters, it is the stark reality. The only noticeable change is the ubiquitous presence of mobile phones and dish TV connections which are so rampant in even the remotest corners. There is no change in the standard of their living. The daily routine has hardly changed for the men and women who work hard the whole day. Women seem to be busy engaged in the daily chores day long and could barely manage to employ any new tools at work.

It is really heartening to see the fate of the youth who are caught in quagmire of being unskilled, unemployed and under educated. Their energies are frittered away. Villages form the back bone of the nation. They are also the smallest governing bodies and have the history of being self sufficient. The glorious past of India refers to villages as the abode for the skilled workers and artisans who at the helm of affairs has refined and reshaped the nation. But In contrast present day youth seem to lack the direction, incentive and the motto to do something big. Their lives have become insipid. Programs or initiative to harness their energies in a creative and purposeful way might help in tackling the situation.

Indian villages no longer present the picturesque beauty of nature. They are soon transforming into dumping yards of desolate, destitute and unskilled people. The situation is still worse with complete absence of drainage system and the lack of clean drinking water. Poor sanitation together with poor accessibility to the nutritious food has further worsened the depleting health conditions of the old.  Public health care system has become out reach. Proper pediatric care is conspicuous by its absence. Most of the toddlers and children are just seen hurling mud at each other or ignorantly wallowing in the water pools undermining the necessity for proper educational facilities. My intention is not put a gloomy picture of the country side. But it is out of deep anguish about the future of the younger generation I intended to pen down my observations. Growth has become lopsided. The plush gated communities with exclusive swimming pools a quite common feature in the metros is in sharp contrast to this part of our country.

I don’t intend to convey that Urban India is a paradise. But it is a deep anguish that situation in villages is deteriorating. Villages have been the cradles for the robust growth and economy. They have been the hot seat for craftsmen; artisans who carved a niche for themselves and brought a great recognition through their unique creations.

Too many disparities and inequalities in growth and income generation are going to drain the nation’s economy. Inequalities and frustrations if they continue for a longer time would make a deep dent on the back of the country and finally vanquish the peace and harmony. This irregular distribution of the wealth and widening gap of the income levels might prove disastrous. Further the growing cultural differences as a consequence of the wealth might alienate the rich from the abject poor.

The development or welfare projects must be targeted to the masses at the lowest level. Equitable distribution of resources, wealth will even out existing differences. Empowering the youth should be the way forward and might bring some respite to the rural masses who lie grossly neglected. When progress is attained from the smaller units it will be inclusive, complete and sturdy.

 

 

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