I was engaged in a discussion with couple of old time college folks about what we can do for Rural India. Just wanted to pen down what I think on my blog:
While the economy has slowed down I don’t buy the fact that “it is showing not hope for the future.” It is an economic cycle. We witnessed unprecedented growth and our stock market hit 18K. No one seems to be complaining. But, after the volatile market correction of about 10000 points the rant started.
It is not about the smarts right now. It is about perseverance. Hold on for a while.
Rural India
I am definitely sold on the concept of creating a rural business plan and create opportunities. Personally, I hate leaving my hometown to pursue a career elsewhere.
What I believe is that quality of education and self confidence is the fundamental difference between the youth of Urban India and that of Rural India. So it has to start with education.
EDUCATION
If I were to evangelize quality if life in rural India it will begin with quality education:
1. Have strong primary schools – Foundation
2. Secondary Education should focus on sports, alternative careers, mechanics, and jobs that can be created in the neighborhood like Retail Stores, Farming, Food Business, Wood Processing, Small Scale Industries.
* Currently, we are very biased on engineering, medical science, commerce and computers.
3. College should further enhance courses based on local opportunities and not create soft cushion loving Indians like me who will ditch India to get a comfortable job abroad and bitch about India (something which I don’t do – thankfully).
HEALTH
Ofcourse health will be an essential component. I am not a subject matter expert so I’ll leave it to the pros to comment on it.
ACCOUNTABILITY from the Government Sector and SECURITY (Police)
Whenever a certain X city starts booming it becomes an attractive destination for tons of people including goons, anti social elements and the likes.
This is something which can be addressed only via government autohrities and they should be made accountable for their actions with a citizen participatory courts.
REGULATE RELIGIOUS FORCES
I don’t want Ram Sene, Shiv Sena, SIMI, or anyone for that matter to tell me what to do and what not to do. Unfortunately, religious organization have a far bigger impact in rural India then in Urban India (where we greet such assholes with pink undies now.) This has to change. I’ve no idea how. But, it has to.
While it is OK to have a belief, it is absolutely NOT OK to enforce the belief on someone else.
HAVE A BENCHMARK AND MEASURE PERFORMANCE year after year
Like at my organization, and I am sure at yours too we measure how effective we were in doing business, how happy are my customers, how much infrastructure did I manage to build, what was my ROI, questions like these should be asked to the local authorities and they should answer it without fail.
Goes back to my point of bringing accountability.
ALL SAID, me and a couple of my friends are trying to adopt a village near Hyderabad and transform it into a model village. We are facing some resistance from the locals and we are trying to resolve these issues.
We hope to:
1. Electrify the village
2. Have sanitation
3. A School
4. Internet Services
5. Roads
6. Water Reservoir
7. and access to FMCGs on a daily basis.
by the end of 2010. I think it is kinda cool to do it, it personally enriches me. However, for people who are more involved then I am in this project. They believe it is all about taking a step.
It is small step, however, if 25 youth of this country can adopt a village and connect it with mainstream. By the end of this decade we would have made a big difference.
Just my 2 cents. You all may have different ways of doing things and are welcome to disagree with my views.
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