Gandhian values declining in villages

However, Stree Shakti programmes are empowering rural women

 
The Stree Shakti programme is working well and playing a major role in empowering women economically, at least in villages, according to a study conducted by the students of Centre for Gandhian Studies, Bangalore University. The students of the two-year diploma course have to present a dissertation on relevance of Gandhian principles in rural India.

Dhananjay, a student who was part of the team, studied women’s empowerment in Kammasandra and Gotakamadenahalli gram panchayats in Kolar districts. He travelled in 14 villages of both the panchayats as part of his field work. He found that the Stree Shakti programme played a major role in empowering women financially. “I found 60 pc of women in those villages actively involved in Stree Shakti programmes. They take up work which helps them earn money by the end of each week. Their income depends on the activity they are into. On an average, they get a few hundreds every week,” he said.

Economic freedom among women has also increased the number of girl children attending schools in the villages, another of Gandhian principles, Dhananjay said.
Mahesh, another student, studied how far rural people in his native place of Kolimallana Hundi in T Narasipura taluk follow the Gandhian principle of Swadesh. He prepared a questionnaire and collected data from a cross-section of the villagers.
The results showed that khadi, which was the common choice of the people earlier had been replaced by readymade garments. “Gandhi saw khadi as a tool for improving rural economy. In my childhood days, I have seen people using khadi prominently. But now it is not so,” Mahesh said.

Abhimanyu opted to study changing rural economy. He chose Gandhinagar, a village in Arasikere taluk of Chikmagalur district, for the study. He observed a shift among the public from the traditional economy to the modern economy. The traditional economy involved barter system, production of khadi and cottage industries, which offered jobs to many. “Now, people are engaged in activities which involve less human resource and bring in huge profit. Barter system is almost extinct,” he said.

They say...
Mahatma Gandhi was not born in a rich family. Nor he was a bright student. He was like any other ordinary youth of the present day. Present day youth can follow the two Gandhian principles of truth and practicing before preaching.
Prasanna, founder, Charaka,
organisation promoting rural industry

Gandhi always said ‘be true’. Truth is not static. It is dynamic. In other words one can be true by involving his whole self into what he or she is doing. Youth can follow this and be true to themselves.
V R Devika, Gandhian,
Founder of Aseema Trust