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people live. Yet, all our socio-economic activities almost totally deny any benefits to these very people who form about 75% of the total population! And, even if any government sponsored schemes are organized for the needy villagers, almost 100% of such schemes would only offer some pittance toward improving the livelihood needs of those purported to be served. For example, the prestigious National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) of the incumbent Government offers job to one person from a family, in the villages (covered), a total of 100 days work and wages @ Rs.60 to Rs.75 per day of work. What does this pittance amount mean to an individual (and to the more pathetic family life)? Would any one of us (forget about those who defined and organized the said scheme!) be able to live decently @ Rs.6, 000 (or at a higher Rs.7, 500) earning per annum? And, if only one person in a family has such an earning job, what would be the condition of that family (usual family size would be at least 6 people)? But then, our Government has other ideas: Indias best scheme in the sixty years after independence is considered to be this NREGS! As a serious and responsible citizen of this great nation, this writer is ashamed, aghast and perturbed. Ashamed because a democratically elected Government (even after sixty years of independence) does not seem to know the realities of villages in India; aghast because, while the political community and the bureaucrats virtually plunder the ex-chequer (wealth) of this
nation with aplomb, both in the name of development and otherwise, the needy 74% of the population are offered a left handed complement; and perturbed because the entire polity seems to have deranged into a state of Neros fiddling level. However, there is some solace that the very democratic arrangement could help, if we apply ourselves with will-power, to bring about the needed change. And we wish to practically implement a Village Development Project, with this singular thought on uplifting the lot of the village poor. The acclaimed NGO, Sumangali Seva Ashram (SSA) would be the Facilitator, who has offered total support by way of providing various inputs such as space, local interaction, logistics and liaison with various Government and other quasi-Government/ Non-Government Institutions/ agencies. This Development Project (which would be explained later, as our presentations mature) would be a project within the organizational objectives of SSA. The dynamic personality who has taken the initiative for the NGO to be fully committed in this venture is their President: Hon. Shrimathy Susheelamma, who has seen through ups and downs of the great institutions that she nurtured and built up, starting 1975. More on SSA could be studied here: (http://ssaindia.in/index.html http://www.ashanet.org/projects/projectview.php?p=191http://www.unesco.org/courier/2001_06/uk/doss2 5.htmhttp://www.auhn.org/?q=node/24)
Without going into the details of the Concept of this Village Development Project, we would note that the main thrust of this project is to empower the lowest qualified workers (unskilled, uneducated and semi-skilled) with a minimum earning power of not less than Rs.48, 000 per annum against the Governments NREGS empowerment benefit of the paltry Rs.6, 000 to Rs.7, 500 per annum. It may also be noted that we plan to have female workers for all operations in this initial Pilot project, creating the foundation for Women Empowerment in villages