PANCHAYATI SWARAJ
Second Freedom; when my village becomes self-responsible
SixFreedoms...2economic...2.2Employment
2.2 Employment
The village should strive to attain hundred percentage employment for all eligible members of its workforce, and in the process, it must succeed in attaining a high national average for gainful employment. The employment must suffice for all families in the village to rise above the need for food, clothing and shelter and have enough for security, health, hygiene, education and cultural involvement.
Relevance:
A free nation and a free village cannot be based on an economy that keeps people perpetually poor
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and squeezes cheap labor out of them. It is important for the village to target a goal
in which everyone is gainfully employed to a level such that the person and his family
can pursue their highest destinies. This also requires the family to be able to
participate fully in the cultural setting of the village and the modern economy.
Detailed Rationale:
It is similar to how a nation strives to ensure that all its employable citizens have productive jobs.
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The same responsibility also needs to be shouldered by the village team.
Lack of employment opportunities usually sends the villagers to look for employment elsewhere,
especially in the cities. This is usually coupled with a drastic fall in the self-respect and
status of these migrants. Lack of job security in villages also leads to ills like
human trafficking and suicides. These can be stopped through the primary efforts of
the local community alone. The modern means of communication and the existence of a
host of service industries can ensure that jobs are made available at remote locations
in the nation’s hinterland. The need is to raise the skill and knowledge levels of
the village while, at the same time, creating job opportunities through the setting up of industries.
There are many advantages to doing this. Businesses in remote locations can be profitable on account of low-cost labor, accessible raw materials and low-cost overheads. It calls for the presence of the fourfold connectivity of the PURA model. But this cannot be done by merely pushing from above (government). The village communities must realize the importance of these things and ensure that there is a pull for them at the village end. It all begins when the village team steps up and holds itself responsible for employing its employable citizens.
It is important for the villages to focus on their competitive advantages here. Initially, they can focus on industries that are available, but eventually, they must specialize into areas that allow them to compete comfortably in the international market.
There are many advantages to doing this. Businesses in remote locations can be profitable on account of low-cost labor, accessible raw materials and low-cost overheads. It calls for the presence of the fourfold connectivity of the PURA model. But this cannot be done by merely pushing from above (government). The village communities must realize the importance of these things and ensure that there is a pull for them at the village end. It all begins when the village team steps up and holds itself responsible for employing its employable citizens.
It is important for the villages to focus on their competitive advantages here. Initially, they can focus on industries that are available, but eventually, they must specialize into areas that allow them to compete comfortably in the international market.
Success Stories and Action:
(Share examples of villages that have succeeded with this freedom.
Click here for feedback.)
Action would include taking initiative in developing some industries within the village,
providing capital for the same, bringing in government schemes which facilitate economic activity,
arranging for trade and commerce, facilitating commercial partnerships,
providing contractual employment, assisting in developing a client base outside the village,
increasing the number and extent of services provided to its members in the village and
all such things that help the village maximize employment. The barest minimum is that
at least one person in each family should definitely have a steady income all-round the year.
Ample success stories exist in villages that have successfully fought unemployment. There are also stories of unique businesses that were created from scratch. There are also novel examples of creative products that can be manufactured and used in a village setting. Certain government agencies and NGOs also specialize in the facilitation and development of rural industries. The internet is a great source of access to such information. All it perhaps needs is a focused approach and a will to solve the problem. Technologies, financial support, resources, training, etc. are available to various extents and can be tapped into. External agencies can offer support, but the will to improve must come from the village teams. The possibility of P-V and G-V partnerships (Private-Village and Government-Village) must be explored fully.
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Ample success stories exist in villages that have successfully fought unemployment. There are also stories of unique businesses that were created from scratch. There are also novel examples of creative products that can be manufactured and used in a village setting. Certain government agencies and NGOs also specialize in the facilitation and development of rural industries. The internet is a great source of access to such information. All it perhaps needs is a focused approach and a will to solve the problem. Technologies, financial support, resources, training, etc. are available to various extents and can be tapped into. External agencies can offer support, but the will to improve must come from the village teams. The possibility of P-V and G-V partnerships (Private-Village and Government-Village) must be explored fully.