India got her Independence sixty years back and though there are pockets of development happening in urban areas, the rural scenario is far from satisfactory. Many of the rural development schemes of the government have been ineffective and even NGOs, with a few exceptions, have failed. The proposed model, if put into practice together with the fervent and wholehearted support of the government and potential contributors, could achieve the desired results for the rural sector. It aims to develop community centers in order to reach remote areas and to showcase their development globally.  

It may however be observed that several well-intended developmental schemes of the government like the one in Kuppam failed[i] mainly due to

a)      Lack of monitoring at the grass root level which requires a strong community involvement, local participation and ownership; and clear metrics and process definition for continuous and accurate monitoring

b)      Corruption

c)      Poor management

d)      Lack of ownership and responsibility

e)      Ignorance about applicable schemes

f)       Illiteracy of beneficiaries

g)      Lack of accountability

h)      Non-sustainable nature of the schemes  

There is a need for a model which ensures that the five essential elements of a good and viable developmental project are undertaken:

1.       Transparency which clearly records who are the beneficiaries, the quantum of benefit provided, and when and where did they get benefited. This information can be hosted on a portal to give a chronological account of the details of beneficiaries and benefits provided to them.

2.       Accountability

3.       Sustainability

4.       Integration

5.       Ownership  

Recommended Model  

India spans an area of around 3.3 million sq kms and has six hundred thousand villages. The idea is to have 100,000 community centers (CCs), each covering an area of 33 sq kms or serving an average of six villages that are reachable by bullock cart or cycle. The government would provide two acres of land, free of cost, to set up each CC. The implementation of the CCs would follow a uniform model as given below:

a)      To be initially funded and managed by an NRI[ii] (Non-Resident Indian) who is willing to make a contribution of the US$ 5 million needed to set up one CC[iii]. There are an estimated 20 million NRIs in the world and only 0.1 million of these ready to invest the required amount is sufficient for implementing this self-sustainable model.

b)      To construct a self-sufficient community center, which would form the nerve center of development for the villages it is meant to serve. The sponsor of the center would be provided with information like population in the six villages, number of BPL (Below the Poverty Line)[iv] families among them, potential goods / services that can be provided by these people and literacy level.

c)      The community center would be built and managed by the sponsor’s representative or the local panchayat representative (optionally) and local volunteers and would be helped in the initial setup by professionals in consultation with the sponsor.

d)      The CC will have adequate solar/wind-powered energy sources besides a UPS with adequate backup to run the computer equipment, lights etc.

e)      VSAT connection from this center to the Internet will enable the CC and in turn, the people of the six villages, to get connected to the mainstream.

f)       The CC will have a web-based portal which will capture details of all the people covered by the CC, and especially of those who belong to BPL households. This will then enable the sponsor / government agency / non-government organization to remotely monitor the improvements on a time scale.

g)      The CC will have a VSAT terminal for communicating with other CCs or with the sponsor.

h)      In co-ordination with government-sponsored schemes, the CC will be responsible for facilitating:

• Communication through the Internet and community radio, which could be broadcast through VSAT-based Internet radio or FM radio

• Agriculture-related advice and information on seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, crop rotation, irrigation techniques, crop loans through the PACS (Poorest Areas Civil Society) Programme[v], fair prices, food processing techniques

• Development of infrastructure through rural involvement in construction of roads, toilets and even houses and by utilizing cheap techniques

• Availability of clean drinking water: The process would start with installation of a solar-submersible pump with solar panels at a proper location that has an assured supply of ground water. The local people would be employed to build a large water storage facility into which water would be continuously filled using the solar pump. This water storage facility would then be used for irrigating crops and for other purposes. Good water filtering and purification facilities are to be used to provide adequate potable water to the villagers.

• Local knowledge integration and global propagation of services pertaining to alternative medicine, local tourist attractions, ancient arts / customs, heritage sites, etc.

• Global exposure and marketing of rural produce and handicrafts which could form the basis for a sustainable model

• Monitored development of cottage industry

• Development of skills among the rural people to work as midwives / primary health workers, teachers, computer literate professionals, agriculture experts, rural bankers, rural strategists giving thought leadership

• Educational facilities like teaching of R’s[vi] - Reading, (w)riting and (a)rithmetic - to everyone, primary schooling through ICTs / CBTs (computer-based training) and other cheap educational implements like engraved granite slates

• Healthcare and family welfare through establishment of a primary health center, provision of first-aid facilities, and family planning and AIDS education to create awareness. The proposed smart card-based national Identity card[vii] can also capture health details like blood group and medical history. The same card may be used to capture information on conception pattern of rural women that could enable advance forecast and planning for pre and post-natal care of mother and child, thereby reducing infant and mother mortality. Telemedicine, wellness programs and alternative medicine techniques can also be provided on a cost-effective basis.

• Banking facilities through the Internet or rural branches established at the community center

• Recreational facilities like sports, folk arts and dramas which may be showcased globally

• Implementation of government-sponsored schemes for poverty alleviation, rural development, tribal welfare and employment generation. Panchayats can also be covered by these CCs to escalate their working details and highlight achievements or short comings.

All of the above and more would be done in co-ordination with government-sponsored schemes by following the simple ‘mantra’ of Ownership, Integration, Transparency, Accountability, Technology, Globalization and Monitoring for assured and demonstrable progress.