Indian Village an example in
Community Development for the World
India even after 58 years of Independence and 14
years of liberalisation still have hundreds of backward villages which are still not having proper roads, electricity and drinking water. While this appears to be gloomy there are many villages in India and one such village is Palahi which is so advanced in Information Technology Administration and advancement of women that even the former U.S President Mr. Bill Clinton has made it a point to visit one such village during his last official tour to India and spent almost a day
In Palahi village of Punjab province (India) there is only one person who does not have an e-mail ID that is because he is one month old. and has not been named yet, You may be surprised to note that in this village Cambridge University runs a computer course which has its own $ 0.75 million swimming pool a $ 1 million auditorium and ‘women –only’ gym.
In a little known Punjab village 72 year old Mehnga Singh who just returned from his fields, places his spade in the corner of local
community Polytechnic and removes his shoes. He heads to computer to check the e-mail from his son in Dubai. His grandson is in neighbouring swimming pool and his wife is in all –women gym. This has become the typical life style of the village.
Palahi village gives the other 12500 –plus villages in Punjab a complex.. 3 km of National Highway 1 near Phagwara this 3000 strong population village has a twinning IT arrangement with the Cambridge University and has ensured that everybody has a e-mail address.
Access to e-mail is free and the Polytechnic which has been key to its progress ensures that even computer illiterates have access to IT. E-mail printouts are sent to the recipients homes every evening and the internet traffic is significant as almost every family has Kin abroad.
Only this village runs the computers Diploma course IT is the only a part to make Palahi so different. The community power is seen in the village and also the NRI money and its deft management .There are many villages in which there are NRI, but the money sent from abroad is not managed properly and often ends up in marble splash allover gurudwaras. Very little of it ends up adding value to the community lifestyle.
Elders from Palahi board a flight to collect the money for the village ventures. Say for a 2000 seating capacity auditorium , park and a large for swimming pool and other community development projects.
When the polytechnic new library got only male participation an all-women gym was given the space in the same premises and a crèche was set next to it. Soon there were women readers. Polytechnic became the hub for voluntary activity and leadership . The committee of village elders have learnt to tackle beauracracy to squeeze out funds for welfare measures. . Every time they hear the words “ matching grant “ from government Palahi sons rain pounds and dollars and thus forcing the government to grant funds..
The village got its gym. Swimming pool , library, mosque, stadium and many other community development projects by resorting to 50% government grant and 50% village Palahi contribution through their NRIs. Despite all the development Palahi is very much a ‘village’ and take pride in it..
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