UDYAMITA VIDYAPEETH

Human being is a unique creation of nature. He is endowed with two special characteristics. One is empathy and the other is creativity. While consumption remains his primary need, it is not his destiny. His innate feeling of empathy makes him unhappy if he finds anyone in misery. Similarly, he feels automatically happy when he finds others relived and content. Because of these two special traits, he is capable of being a source of happiness for everyone around him.
To be able to develop these inborn qualities, he needs two things: proper upbringing and education with compassion. Without these two inputs, he becomes just as other animals, confined to eating, drinking and act of reproduction. So, to become humane, he must learn the art of maintaining balance between his bodily needs and spiritual aspirations. This is possible only through above mentioned two inputs.
Existence of human beings primarily depends on agriculture and industry. While agriculture provides food for it’s sustenance, industry meets its other needs. Both these vital requirements of people are wholly dependent on natural resources. Therefore, maintenance of continuous supply of natural resources is the primary need of mankind.
Industrialisation
There are four natural resources for obtaining raw materials for industrial growth
(1) Agricultural Products
(2) Forest Products
(3) Minerals and
(4) Animal Products.
Industry and technology came into existence basically to ensure fulfillment of human beings and not for only profit making.
Supply of Natural Resources
Human existence is continuous for all times to come. It means that man needs an uninterrupted supply of natural resources forever. This inevitably means that the natural resources should be used with utmost care.
These natural resources are of two kinds. One is renewable and the other is non-renewable. The raw materials, which are non-renewable, are essentially minerals. While planning development and extension of industries and technology, one has to keep in mind this reality.
The present mechanism of industrialisation and technology are creating disparities. The whole world is divided into three broad categories. Some of them are highly developed, others are developing and the rest are un-developed. Thus the present trend of industrialisation has become a disintegrating process, creating disparities amongst the nations of the world.
This macro-level situation in the world is equally visible in the micro-level scene within every country. In our own country, such regional disparities, as mentioned above, are quite on the rise.
One cannot account for these disparities on the basis that natural resources are lacking. In fact, one cannot conceive of a region, which does not have any worthwhile natural resources. Still, if it is happening it is because of inhuman attitude of the persons at the helm of affairs.
It is this inhuman attitude of leadership of all kinds, which is at the root of all imbalances growing everywhere. In spite of the 'so-called' planned development of last fifty years, disparities, unemployment and poverty are growing unabated. But, if ever the humane outlook comes to prevail, the situation will change automatically.
Even among the countries which today are at the peak of industrial and technological development, all these problems have taken deep roots due to their rapacious and demoniac tendencies. For example, the problem of pollution has already assumed dangerous proportions.
Whereas the developed countries should have tried to find out suitable alternatives to the prevailing problematic industrial patterns, they somehow are continuing to compete with one another for achieving more and more wealth, adding fuel to the fire.
Our Responsibility
To imitate or adopt the same pattern recklessly will prove suicidal for the newly independent countries. We shall have to find out our own alternative models of industrialisation and technological development suitable to our own needs and genius. The cardinal principle of industrialisation is to serve the people through its quality production and not to earn more and more profits only.
Humaneness
An inborn special quality of all human beings is to practice compassion and empathy. This very speciality alone shall lead us to achieving co-existence, which is essential for every human being. In nature-animals, birds, rivers, mountains, forests etc. which means countless animate and inanimate creations of nature have been living in harmony from time immemorial. Man is just one of them. All that exists in the universe stands basically in complementary relationship with one another. To imbibe the spirit of complementarity is the cardinal need of mankind. Therefore, even for his own existence and comfort he should not become harmful for others. On the contrary, he should bring into practice both compassion and creativity for the good of all. That alone will encourage him to find out alternative pattern of industrial and technological advancement.
Social Obligation
Togetherness is basic need of human beings. He lives as a part of the family just as the family finds its secured life being a part of the society. Hence, he is an inseparable part of the society. Villages, towns, cities and the countries are the manifestations of this togetherness of human beings. However, villages alone abound in and are surround natural phenomenon. But the cities are prone to be artificial. They lack natural environment. Even the trees and plants in the cities have to be pruned to be able to suit the artificial life style of cities.
Rural Development
Villagers are fed and maintained mostly on agricultural produce. Even the population of the cities depends on the villagers for the basic need of their food. So, the development of rural India must get the top priority.
Large-scale industrialisation has become the order of the day. So wherever modern and capital intensive industries come up, they take the shape of a city. However, their production and prosperity depends on supply of raw materials coming only from rural areas. Consequently, the development industries depends upon natural resources available in and around villages only. Therefore, to ignore the development of villages goes against the growth of industrialisation ultimately.
Humanistic Pattern
This reality should make it clear that it is far from desirable to concentrate industries in some particular areas of the country. It is essential to spread the production of finished goods on an extensive basis where the raw materials are available. The objective of industrialisation is two-fold. One is to provide required finished goods to meet the needs of the people in general and two, to provide employment to all able-bodied men and women. Our population lives mostly in villages. The above two objectives can be realised only if we decentralise the industrialisation. It becomes cheaper and more convenient if the production centres are nearer the place where the raw material is available. The smaller the production units, the more are the persons employed. In addition, the production of raw materials itself gets due incentive and this leads to prosperity of the region. This will in turn reduce regional disparities. This will also discourage migration of youths to cities, automatically stopping the spread of slums. Not just that. This will definitely make the villages and cities more complementary to one another. Besides, this will reduce the prevailing socio-economic tensions and create harmony, essential for growth.
Illusion of Progress
Now a days, in the name of technological advancement, a race is on, in the direction of automation. Manpower is being increasingly replaced by robotification. The unemployment problem has become wholly unmanageable as a result of the 'so-called' progress of technology. Increasing disparity is the consequence. If this very direction of industrial and technological progress is continued, human existence would be gravely imperilled.
Welfare of All
For the welfare of the entire humanity, we shall have to change the prevailing direction of industrialisation and the role of technology. Welfare of the entire humanity must be the goal of all human efforts. Otherwise, this magnificent edifice of humanity will crumble down.
Consumption is the primary need of every human being. Therefore, able bodies men and women should engage themselves in one or the other productive activity. A minimum number of people should be engaged in the service sector, lest the balance between production and consumption gets disturbed. Above arrangement is a must to accomplish the welfare of each and every individual.
Chitrakoot
To evolve a suitable pattern of industrialisation, Deendayal Research Institute has chosen Chitrakoot as its centre for experimentation. It is a small township in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, bordering Uttar Pradesh. It was this very spot which was sanctified by Lord Rama's noble venture of accepting 'vanavasa'. The entire area around it is extremely backward, poor and neglected. It abounds in mountains and jungles. Tribals form quite a chunk of its population.
This tiny town is situated on the picturesque banks of the Mandakini river. Since this place is hallowed by the sacred memories of Lord Ram, it attracts near about two lakhs of pilgrims every month on the Amavasya (night of no moon) day. On the day of Somwati Amavasya the number of pilgrims exceed one million and on the day of Deepawali (Festival of lamps) more than two and half million pilgrims congregate to offer Deepdan (offering lamps) to Ma Mandakini. So the little township of Chitrakoot is so popular that every month it is visited by thousands of colourful groups of different hues with deep devotion.
Udyamita Vidyapeeth
Making the sacred Chitrakoot as its pivotal point; Deendayal Research Institute has adopted an area falling within 50 kms radius around it to be the laboratory in order to evolve an alternative pattern of industrialisation to ensure prosperity for all.
The Institute has selected one hundred clusters of villages consisting of approximately five thousand population of each cluster. Thus, the whole project will cover around 5 lakhs of population around Chitrakoot. Its objective is to develop every family of the area as a self-reliant and prosperous unit. With the help of agriculture and cottage industries no family shall remain poor. No able-bodied person of any family shall remain without gainful self-employment. Gradually the disparity between the high and low shall diminish. Complementarity amongst the people will be a reality.
This training centre will impart industrial and management training to every young man and woman of the area. No educational qualification is required to receive this training. Training courses are designed for the duration of four, six and twelve months. Only one condition binds a trainee, which is, to select a place in the area where he or she has to start his or her own unit of production. Adequate arrangements are there to provide them necessary know-how before they launch upon their activity. The capital required to start such industrial units shall be made available by Banks. Government departments also provide financial assistance in the form of subsidies. An outfit is also being created to sell the extra finished goods outside the area of production by providing training to another set of local youth. Priority is given to meet the local needs of the people.
Unfortunately, till date no attention has been paid to transfer the extra agricultural produce available locally into saleable forms to meet requirements of city population to improve the economic life of the small farmers. As a result, multinational companies are taking advantage of this lacuna. Many kinds of valuable fruits, herbs and other raw materials are available in the Chitrakoot Jungles. If the backward men and women of this area are trained and guided for the utilization of all these natural resources into finished products, the economic condition of all poor and backward people can be improved considerably.
There are also many useful cattle found in this area. But over the centuries no worthwhile development of the available cattle wealth has been made. The result is that whereas the area abounds in this wealth, it has not been utilized in the direction of prosperity. If the cattle wealth is scientifically developed and properly utilised the prosperity of the people and the area can be ensured. Deendayal Research Institute has already started working in this direction.
This whole region is hilly, beautiful and productive but completely neglected. Hundreds of acres of land is lying barren, but no effort is being made to make it productive. Many people rear goats and sheep. But the wool produced here is being taken away by the traders for nominal price. Based on the population of goats and sheep, it is possible to start carpet-making as sufficient wool is locally available. But nobody has paid any attention to this aspect till date.
Plan of Action
(1) In the area falling within 50 kms radius of Chitrakoot, 100 clusters of villages, as described earlier, have been selected. Out of these, the work is going on in twenty one clusters in a planned manner. Both men and women can be engaged in the industrial activity as their number in the population is almost equal. But there is no equality in opportunity for women. For a prosperous family life, it is imperative that in the present times women are also trained in professional skills leading to the setting up of their own cottage industrial units. Deendayal Research Institute has adopted a novel method to attain this goal. Every cluster of villages has been put under the charge of a newly-married husband and wife team. Accordingly, twenty one such couples were selected on 20.3.96. Both the husband and wife are graduates. By the end of 1999, all the 100 clusters of villages shall have such dedicated husband and wife teams. They have been named as Samaj Swasthya Shilpi Pariwar-which means the architect couples of restructuring the society according to the present times on the basis of our eternal values of life. They are being trained for the job by the Institute.

(2) These couples are collecting the following information in respect of different traditional trades and industries:-
(a) Which were the traditional industries in the area?
(b) To run these traditional industries from where was the raw material procured?
(c) Through which agency were the finished products sold?
(d) Whether the industries were run by family units or collectively by the villagers?
(e) What was the proportion of men and women engaged in these units?
(f) When and why did these units become defunct?
(g) What are the present members of these artisan families doing to earn their livelihood?

(3) In the cluster of villages, a detailed inventory of the available raw materials, based on agriculture, forestry, mines and animals, is being prepared. Information is also being collected as to how much and in which season this raw material is available.
(4) A study is undertaken extensively to find out as to what steps should be taken to increase the production of such raw materials. Evidently, the quantity in which the raw materials will be produced in the area will go to determine the level of prosperity to be achieved. The local people are being encouraged in this direction. As a result, there will be an increase in the supply of raw materials. It will also be assessed as to what kind of nontraditional raw materials can be produced in this area. This possibility will also add to local prosperity.
(5) A survey undertaken to determine the number of men and women between the age of 18 to 35 years in the population, living in each cluster of villages. All relevant information relating to their economic status is being collected. How much monthly income is required to make a family live in a reasonably happy situation during the present times, will also be estimated. In cooperation with the local people, a well-deliberated scheme will be prepared to determine as to what steps can be taken for improving the monthly income of the families unable to maintain a reasonable standard of life.
(6) In the present circumstances and on the local basis, it may not be possible to increase the income of all concerned to the desired level. Even otherwise, the goods produced from the local raw materials may not be enough to meet all the requirements of local population. Hence, a detailed inventory will be prepared in respect of the goods and their quantities that are imported during one year from outside into each cluster of villages to meet the needs of local people.
(7) An effort is being made to select such items which can be produced on the local basis by importing raw materials from outside to meet the needs of the local people. Whereas it will provide more employment, it will help to save the money from going out of the area. All possible efforts shall be made to ensure that the locally produced goods compare with the imported goods regarding their quality, aesthetic appeal and cost of production.
(8) To insist that the technology used for transforming local or imported raw material into finished goods should be traditional one, may not be a practical proposition. Which of the technology should, therefore, be adopted will be discussed and decided collectively. There can be no objection to accept even the most modern technology. But due precaution has to be taken that such a technology when applied locally should not throw the people out of employment. In addition, it should not create the problem of pollution.
(9) There are some essential items which have never been and can never be manufactured locally. Hence, these will have to be imported. A thorough survey is being undertaken to determine how many of these items and in what quantity and at what price, are imported on yearly basis in the area for the use of local people. It is most essential for the local population to produce more or at least that much worth of goods which they are spending on importing them to maintain the economic balance. Otherwise, the region and its population will fall a prey to indebtedness and increased poverty and worthwhile life will be impossible. Therefore, a practical scheme will have to be worked out to determine which items can be produced by the local people for export in competition with the outside market.
(10) To accomplish the above tasks, Udyamita Vidyapeeth established at Chitrakoot, has necessary arrangement to provide all type of industrial and technological training to the young men and women from all over the selected one hundred clusters of villages.
(11) Without undertaking effective family planning measures, expected prosperity may not be achieved. But to make family planning purposeful, economic condition of every family must first be improved. Therefore, the tasks of industrial development and extension must be given top priority.
Greed is the Root of Disparity
It is but human to seek and create more and more avenues of happiness. Out of this nature, man's greed to acquire more and more wealth grows. But everybody does not have equal capacity. While men with greater are able to collect more, men with lesser capacity suffer.
To effectively save people from this kind of tendency taking root among them, it will be imperative that in addition to economic development, an effective programme of social and cultural regeneration is implemented skillfully and effectively to encourage the spirit of empathy and compassion amongst the families and society. For this, it will be necessary to develop interesting and effective educational programmes in cooperation with existing schools suited to the needs of the people of the area. The Samaj Swasthya Shilpi couples shall always be alive and active in this direction. The use of audio-visual aids and media can be more result-oriented in this respect. Deendayal Research Institute has made all the necessary arrangements to utilize this medium of instructions.
Newly Independent India's immediate task is to reduce economic disparities and improve the economic condition of the poor and neglected section of the society. Every able-bodied young man and woman should, therefore, get gainful self-employment. Pollution should end and healthy working and living environment be made available to one and all. For so long, it has been only a dream because nobody was interested in doing work at grass roots level. Deendayal Research Institute has experimented with all the above mentioned ideas in actual field conditions through small projects for the last twenty years. On the basis of the experiences gained through the experiments, we are confident that if implemented on a wider scale, this project will not only be a model of alternative industrialisation for rural India but also for many other developing countries.

VANDE MATARAM

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