VILLAGE ECONOMY MUST BE THE AXIS OF NATIONAL ECONOMY

Gram Swaraj is a slogan of Mahatma Gandhi which is totally forgotten today. Most societies before invention of money were based on barter system, which necessitated every village to be self sufficient and inter-dependent on a cluster of villages in the neighborhood. The numerically highly populated village which is in the center of these cluster of villages had weekly markets known as Santhai in Tamil. Irulan Santhai was a village which had its Sunday market, equivalent to one we witness in Puducherry in this decade. Farmers, artisans, weavers and all craftsmen brought their produce to these Santhais, where barter system prevailed till it was replaced by money. British colonialism ended this self sufficient village economy and village markets. They planned agriculture in India to produce what they required in England.

Agriculture in England faced almost extinction and decline between 1875 and 1900. So they started to export from India. Every year from 3 million tons to 10 million tons the export of Indian agricultural products to England went on increasing year by year. Indian farmer fed the British and his farm produce was exported leaving him to face the music of starvation. This resulted in Great Drought of 1876-1879, 1889-1891 and 1896-1902 and resultant famine in India.

 A historian records : “ People died of hunger at the very gates of the grain store and along newly laid railway tracks to transport grains to Indian ports from where it was shipped to England. Prices were speculative and phenomenally high which was garnered by the middle men and not the farmer. Farmers were not getting remunerative prices. In Independent India our farm lands have become concrete jungles, farming had ceased to be a lucrative profession, and markets captured by middle men. N.Chandrababu Naidu, when he was Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh introduced the Ryathu Bazaar, i.e Farmer’s Market where farmers can directly sell to consumers and avoid middle men. Close on the heels of Andhra experiment Tamilnadu introduced the Uzhavar Santhai, Farmer’s Market, which are aimed at good purposes. But the Corporate Culture which builds big air-conditioned malls and shopping complexes have attracted the people who unmindful of the high prices flock to these markets which enrich multi-nationals.

The farmer with head load selling vegetables in your door step is treated with contempt and our household women find sadistic satisfaction in bargaining with him, but in malls whatever the price they pay. Fisher-folk who brings fresh fish to your door steps by head load is viewed with contempt. Such mind set had affected all Santhais which nurtured the village economy.

Dr.Kiran Bedi, Lt.Governor must order for building UZHAVAR SANDAI in old bus stand complex with seperate rooms with door locks and refrigerators to preserve the perishables for next day sales. Present arrangement of Uzhavar Sandhai results in hurry to Sell within this Day or Vegetables will have to be thrown out. The urinal cum latrine built for Uzhavar Sandai remains inaugurated but locked like Bank Lockers all day and night.

So in the aftermath of electoral defeat in states that are going to polls by next month, it is high time that all states and center which will present their budgets shortly keep village economy as axis of Indian economy. 

Let Land for Tillers slogan and Gram Swaraj find echoes in budgets.