MadhyaPradeshDARSHANiiiedition

RURALIMMERSION2011

Group35SIDHIDISTRICT

MayurNallaballe
SasikumarParupalli
BalasubrahmanyamA
CNarayanaReddy
DAravindKumar
PatalaJoyDaniel
NarimiAnilSagar
SudhirKumarSeggari
VarunKamarapu
VinodSanganaBabu

(Group35withSidhiDistrictCollector,DrMasoodAkhtar)

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Introduction
Sidhi district,adistrictofMadhya Pradesh,is located on the north eastern boundary of the state between
22 475 and 24.4210North Latitude and 81.1840 and 82.4830 East Longitude. The district hasSingrauli districtto its
northeast,Koriya districtofChhattisgarhon the east, andRewa districton the west. Sidhi District has a total
population of 11,26,515 as per the 2011 census and area of 10,536 Sq. Km. It has a population density of 232
inhabitants per square kilometres,witha population growth rateover the decade 20012011 of 23.66%. Sidhi has
asexratioof952femalesforevery1000males,andaliteracyrateof66.09%
.

Thetown ofSidhiisthe district headquarters.The district is part ofRewaDivision. Sidhi districtcomprises

sixtehsils: Gopad Banas, Churhat, Rampur Naikin, Majhauli, Kusmi and Sihawal. The Erstwhile Chief Minister of
Madhya Pradesh and Central Government Ex Cabinet Minister, Late Sri. Arjun Singh, belonged to a family which
ruledthisdistrict.Nonetheless,thedistrictisoneofthemostbackwarddistrictsofMP.

VISITSBYTHEGROUP
1. GovernmentSchoolVisitMidDayMeal
Structureoftheschoolwasasfollows:
1) Anganwadi12monthsinfantto4yearsoldchild
Activities:Keepingtrackofbirthsofchildreninthevillageandregisteringthem,ensuringtimelyvaccinationstothe
childrenandgivingprenurseryeducationtothem.Thestategovernmentfundsalltheactivities.
Observations:Thevaccinationsystemwasrunninggood,butthenumberofregisteredchildrenwasless.Chartsand
paintingsweretheonlymeansofcreativelearning.
2)PrimarySchool1stto5thclass
Activities:MidDaymealDailylunchtoeverystudent,Distributionofbooks,uniformandotheraidsgrantedbythe
government.TherewereotherinnovativeteachingmethodsRadioprograms,Activitybasedlearningandsoon.
Observations: All innovative teaching methods are being received positively by the students. Parents have good
awarenessabouttheadvantageofeducationandtheyvoluntarilysendtheirchildrentoschool.Theteacherstudent
ratioisveryless,andthereisalackofdeputationofteachers.Only4classroomsforfiveclasseswerethere.The
EDUSATprogramwasnotbeingimplementedduetotheftoftheequipmentandnoreplacements.
Middaymeal:Therewasalackofproperdiningareastudentswereeatingintheplayground.Also,thereisalack
ofadequatesupportfromgovernment(fundsforsoapsanddishwashers).Theplatesarewashedwiththehelpof
sandbythechildrenthemselves.
3)SecondarySchool6thto10thclass
Activities:Therewasdistributionofuniforms&notebooks.Also,bicyclesweredistributedtochildrencomingfrom
faroffplaces,bytheStateGovernment.
Observations: There were a few encouraging activities like scholarships to children based on merit, and financial
incentivesbasedonattendance,butthereisadecreaseinthebatchsize(around50inclassX)whencomparedwith
theprimaryschool(100120inClassI).Thecomputerswerenotbeingutilizedduetolackofpowersupplyneedfor
UPS.

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On the whole we observed that the government has designed good schemes to bring reforms in the
education sector. They would be more effective if government takes further care in their implementation.
Governmentshouldalsoprovideadditionalaidtotheschoolswhennecessary,likereplacingadefectiveequipment,
etc.

2. VisittoJogipurGramPanchayat

JogipurSouthTolaandJogipurNorthTolaarethevillagesinSidhiMandal,SidhiDirstrict.Thetotalpopulation
ofJogipurSouthTolais741with389Male&352FemaleandJogipurNorthTolais337with162Male&175Female.
GovernmentschemeslikeNREGS,IndiraAwaazYojana,andotherhousingschemeswerebeingimplementedinthe
district.Undertheschemes,thefollowingactivitiesweretakenupbytheJogipurGramPanchayat.
Under NREGS, a 750 Meter road was constructed between Jogipur South Tola & Jogipur North Tola, which
decreased the travel distance from 3.5kms to 750m. Several other wells and village roads were also
constructedunderthisscheme.
UnderIndiraAwaasYojana,houseswereconstructedforSC&STswhoarebelowthepovertyline.
UnderTSC(TotalSanitationCampaign),toiletswereconstructed.Thesearenotbeingutilizedfullyduetolack
ofawarenessandmotivationamongthevillagers.
For making the farming viable in sloped land, the land was terraced. Terraced fields
decreaseerosionandsurfacerunoff,andareeffectiveforgrowingcropsrequiringmuchwater,suchasrice.
Duetotheseschemes,theeconomyofthevillageisimprovinggradually.Thelocalearningandspendingdue
toschemesincreasedsignificantly.
Under Indira Gandhi Old Age Pension Scheme, Pension scheme is being implemented in the village. The
beneficiary has to get paid on monthly basis. Due to delay in the releasing & processing of funds, the
paymentsaregettingdelayed.Beneficiariesaregettingalumpsumamountatagapof45months.Theaimof
the scheme is getting defeated due to the delay in the process. Hence, a foolproof system is required to
developforstreamliningtheprocess.

3. Meeting&DiscussionwithDistrictCollector,Dr.MasoodAkhtar

The meeting with collector was very enlightening, as it provided us with unique insights about the general
problemsfacedbythepeopleofSidhiandhowbeingtheheadofadministration,thecollectortacklesthesituations.
TheSidhidistrictcollector,Dr.MasoodAkhtar,whoisoriginallyfromIndore, specializedinlaw and ithad
beenonlytendayssincehisappointmenttothispost.Wewereabletointeractwithhimonmanyissuesranging
frommalariadeaths,someofwhichwere:
Problem of Malaria: Being a relatively underdeveloped district within Madhya Pradesh, Sidhi district often
facedtheacuteproblemofmalariaandthedeathscausedbyit.Thecollectorwasoftheopinionthatpeople
oftentendtoignorethemalariafeverintheinitialdaysandbythetimetheybringtheaffectedpatientstothe
hospital, it is too late in many of the cases. Also, the type of malaria which was prevalent in this area,
FalciparumMalaria,causesbraindamageduetoacuteAnemiawhichkillsthepatientin3days.
Stepstaken:Thecollectorinformedusthatmanyawarenessprogrammeshavebeenconductedintheareas
affectedbymalaria,andrapidactionteamsconsistingofmedicalpersonnelweredeployedintheareaswhich
wereabletoassuagethesituationtosomeextent.Governmentwasprovidingthepeoplewithfreemalaria
medicines, but the extent of usage by the people has been less, because of a lack of awareness and
motivation.
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Feudal system: The collector was of the opinion that the Feudal system in Sidhi was the major barrier in
changingthepsycheofthepeopleinthatregion.Hewastakingstrongstepstopromotebasiceducationand
properimplementationofgovernmentschemessoastochangethebasicmindsetofthepeople.
FDIinRetail:ThecollectorsoughttheopinionofthegroupregardingtheimplementationofFDIintheretail
sectorandlistenedtothevariouspointsofviewsthatthegrouppresented.HewasoftheopinionthatFDIwill
notbeabletoaffectthesmalltimebusinessesinnonmetroareas,especiallytownsandruralareaslikeSidhi,
asitiswidelybelieved,citingtheexamplesofRelianceandotherbigplayerswhichwereunabletochangethe
buyingpatternsofIndiansonawhole.

4. VisittosuccessfulFarmerVinaySaranSinghChauhan

ThemeetwithVinaySaranSinghChauhanwasstupendous.VinaySaranSinghChauhan,althoughanL.L.B.
graduate, with his utmost determination and effectiveness was intent on proving that farming is a profitable
business. He employed various modern technologies which made his output much higher than the usual. The
followingweredifferenttechniquesusedbyhim:
DripIrrigation3daysirrigationin10minutes.Dripirrigationnotonlysavesalargeamountofwaterbut
alsokeepsthesoilfineandloosehelpingintransportofnutritioninabettermanner.
GreenhouseWaterSprinklersComposedatmospheresuitableforspecialplants.Healsohadgreenhouse
wherethecropswereconditionedandhadagrowthofmorethan20timesthanintheregularconditions.
HeusedPlasticMulchingwhichhelpsinavoidingweedingandalsoinretainingmoisture.
He also represented Sidhi district in farmers discussion with the Chief Minister on prospects for
developmentforfarmers,procurementofresourcesandimprovementinscopeofirrigation.Hesuggestedremoving
the upper cap in subsidy for farmers to ensure actual development. He encourages use of biogas and also
implementsitforcookingathishome.Thishashelpedhiminmakingmanureforthecropbyusingvermincompost.
HeboughtlandanddidlongterminvestmentofcultivationofTeaktrees.Itwillgivehimareturnofaround
15Crforplanting3000trees.

LessonsfromtheProgram
1) HowNREGShasdevelopedtheeconomyatalocallevel
In the past, due to lack of opportunities, the locals would go to other states, especially the industries at Surat
(Gujarat),foremploymentopportunities.ButnowduetoNREGS,notonlydothepeoplewhoareabletoworkfind
employment,buttheyearnandspendtheirmoneylocally.Thishasledtothedevelopmentofthelocaleconomy
higher the people earn, the higher they spend, and higher is the revenue generated. This in turn gives ample
opportunities for local businesses to grow, which eventually results in an overall higher standard of living in the
region.
2) TheSocialfabricofSidhi
As mentioned before, the region was under a Feudal system in the past. Unfortunately, the mindset still prevails
amongthemasses,whichresultsinalackofawarenessandmotivation(toprogress)amongpeople.Thisisagreat
barriertothenumerouswelfareschemesthatthegovernmentofferstothepeople.Also,althoughitsnotexplicit,the
generalfeelingthatwegotwasthatthelowerclassesarestillpersecutedbytheupperclasses,indirectorindirect
mannerisms. One person told us that lower classes are not allowed to set up businesses, and they prefer not to
ventureortraveltonearbyvillagesafter8pminfearofencounteringdrunkenupperclasspeople,whotendtocause
harmtothem.
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3) PanchayatiRajAsintended?
Gandhiji intended villages to be selfdependent, which is echoed in his words, I have pictured to myself an India
continuallyprogressingalongthelinesbestsuitedtohergenius.Idonot,however,pictureitasathirdclassorevena
firstclasscopyofthedyingcivilizationoftheWest.Ifmydreamisfulfilled,andeveryoneofthesevenlakhsofvillages
becomes a wellliving republic in which there are no illiterates, in which no one is idle for want of work, in which
everyoneisusefullyoccupiedandhasnourishingfood,wellventilateddwellings,andsufficientKhadiforcoveringthe
body, and in which all the villagers know and observe the laws of hygiene and sanitation such a State must have
variedandincreasingneeds,whichitmustsupplyunlessitwouldstagnate.
But this is not the reality. Villages, even if they show a semblance of development, are heavily dependent on the
governmentschemes.Morethan64yearsafterIndependence,Gandhijisdreamisfarfrombeingrealised.Andare
wetacklingthesituationwithanultimateobjectiveofvillagesbeingselfdependent?

Reflectionsontheentiretrip

We felt that whatever major decisions we take in the future at the corporate level, we should try and
understandthefutureimplicationsontheruralpartofIndiaaswell.WerealizedthattherealIndialiesinruralIndia,
andthatIndiaandBharatare stillquitedifferent.Untilwegiveattentionto,andbring socialchangesintherural
partsofourcountry,alloureffortswilljustbesuperficial.Wewilljustbereducedtoagroupofpeoplediscussingin
InternetpostsandGroupdiscussions,astowhychangedoesntoccurinourcountryandIndiastilllacksbehindin
theholisticdevelopmentscenario.
Asforthegovernment,themyriadschemesithasdesignedforpeoplehaveahighpotentialtoeliminatemostofthe
backwardness. But implementation is the key. Unlike in the private sector, accountability remains low in the
governmentsector,whichleadstoalowerproductivitylevel.Coupledwithinferiorworkconditionsandpolicies,this
leadstoademotivatingscenario,whichonlypromotesachaltahaiattitudeamongemployees.Afterunderstanding
thetribalwaysoflife,wheretheyoriginallyhadaverycloseknitandsymbioticrelationshipwithnature,onealso
questions the path of development we are in. Rapid industrialization, unplanned growth and unsustainable
developmentamongotherfactorsareresultinginagradualdestructionofnature.Soareweactuallybetterthanthe
tribalpeoplewholeadapeacefulexistencewithnature?
Weconcludeourreportwiththefollowingsuggestions:

SUGGESTIONS

Increase in accountability of government employees it will decrease the complacent approach in

implementationofschemes
Specificcampaignstoincreaseawarenessandmotivatevillagerstoavailtheschemes
ScopeforintegrationsofdifferentschemesWellconstructedunderNREGS,canbeintegratedwithTribal
welfareschemestogetpumpinstalled
Incentive based compensation for health workers to bring ailing villagers to hospital Rs.50/ for each
personbroughtselecttheworkerfromthatvillage/communityitself
Give training and demo sessions to midsized farmers on successful Agriculture practices mentoring by
successfulfarmers
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