National Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development

National Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development

ISSN: 2455-9040; Impact Factor: RJIF 5.22
www.nationaljournals.com
Volume 1; Issue 3; July 2016; Page No. 38-41

Gandhian approach to rural development

1
Yesu Suresh Raj S, 2 Muthupandi P
1
Research Scholar, Dept. of Gandhian Thought and Peaces Science, Gandhigram Rural Institute-Deemed University, Tamil Nadu, India
2
M.Phil Scholar, Dept. of Rural Development, Gandhigram, Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract
The rural development means maximum production of Agriculture and allied activities in the rural areas, including development of
rural industries and cottage industries. It gives more than employment opportunity in rural areas especially for the weaker section
of the community so as to enable them to improve their socio – economic status. Gandhiji wanted to bring about rural
reconstruction with scientific and spiritual values. He was successfully implemented 18 point programme. This article has
discussed Gandhian perspective of 18 point constructive programme. This programme based on his experience and it was essential
for rural development.

Keywords: Gandhian approach, rural development, economic status

Introduction Sanitation, upliftment of the Backward Classes, the welfare of

Mahatma Gandhi idea to develop the India society was based Women, Education in Health and Hygiene, Prohibition and
on his understanding of the society and hence, based on the propagation of the Mother tongue. He incorporated all these
village system. He further believed that India will have to live activities under his 18-point Constructive Programme and
in villages, not in towns, in huts not in palaces. He was aware considers it as the truthful and non-violent way of winning
of the realities of the village life and knew the plight of half 'pooma swaraj'. Constructive Programme is not a fragmented
starved masses of India. His understanding of the plight of the approach. It is an attempt to develop society at the grassroots
people has been extremely well brought out in his writings, level with the resources that are available locally.The 18-point
identifying his emphasis on removal of poverty over Constructive Programmes included the following Items: l.
aesthetics. He wanted to bring about rural reconstruction with Communal unity, 2. Removal of untouchability, 3.
sound scientific and spiritual values. Through his 18-point Prohibition, 4. Khadhi, 5. Other Village industries, 6. Village
Constructive Programme, Gandhiji successfully implemented sanitation, 7. New or basic education, 8. Adult education, 9.
his rural reconstruction activities in Sevagram Centre near Women, 10 Education in health and hygiene, 1 1 Provincial
Wardha in 1935. languages, 12 National language, 13 Economic equality, 14
Kisans, 15 Labour, 16 Adivasies, 17 Lepers, 18. Students. Let
Concept of Rural Reconstruction us discuss all these items one by one.
His concept of rural reconstruction is a comprehensive one,
emphasizing on the economic, political, social, educational, Communal Unity
ecological and spiritual dimensions. The decentralized village Everybody is agreed about the significance of communal
economy should provide full employment to all on the basis of unity, which means an unbreakable heart unity. Thus it has a
voluntary cooperation and work for achieving self-sufficiency wider significance than political unity. For the attainment of
in it is basic requirement of food, clothing and shelter. “My communal unity, every social worker should aim at
idea of Village Swaraj is that it is a complete republic, developing and encouraging the bond of love and regard
independent of its neighbours for its own vital wants and get among the Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Zoroastrian and Jew
inter-dependent for many others in which dependence is a members and cultivate a unity based on such mutual love and
necessity. Thus every village’s first concern will be to grow its regard. Gandhiji found that social stability of the country
own food crop and cotton for its cloth. It could have a reserve cannot be achieved without the social unity among different
for its cattle, recreation and playground for adults and communities. The leaders of the communities have to play an
children. Then if there is more land available, it will grow important role in bringing about the harmony relationship
useful money crops, thus excluding Ganga, tobacco, opium between the communities. If they are united, the masses will
and the like. The village will maintain a village theatre, school naturally follow them. It is the duty of the leaders to refer the
and public hall. It will have its own water works ensuring unresolved disputes to the Panchayat.
clean water supply”
Removal of Untouchability
Rural reconstruction Untouchability is a social evil. According to Gandhiji, there
In 1935, Gandhiji's started his rural reconstruction activities should be perfect social equality among the people the society.
Sevagram to implement his idea of Constructive Programme No social superiority should be entertained by any individual
which Included Items such as the use of Khadi, promotion of or by a section of the society on the ground of birth or
Village Industries, Basic and Adult Education, Rural knowledge or religion or any other consideration. He has the
38
National Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development

opinion that no one is born as untouchable and unequal. The would be no objection to villagers using even the modern
practice of untouchability is a sin against God as the Harijans machines and tools that they could make and could afford to
and non-Harijans are the children of the same God. Even we use. Only they should not be used as a means of exploitation
are also children of God. In 1932, Gandhiji introduced Harijan of others.
Sevak Sangh, a non-political association for their self-
improvement. He suggested their economic self-reliance Village Sanitation
through the adoption of spinning and weaving. He advocated The deal village envisaged by Gandhiji could be constructed
non-violence methods to be adopted by them for their self- on the basis of the principles of public hygiene and sanitation.
employment and for proper realisation of their rights.Gandhiji The houses which are to be built with locally available
wanted the caste Hindus to sacrifice and struggle for the all- material will have sufficient light and ventilation. Each house
round development of the Harijans, 'The awakened Harijans or a cottage shall have a courtyard to grow vegetables for
should make serious attempts for self- improvement in all domestic consumption and to house cattle. The village streets
walks of life. In Gandhian concept of swaraj, none should be and lanes will be kept clean. Each village shall have its own
high or low but all are to be equal citizens and this Swaraj waterworks to ensure clean water supply. The village people
society is free from any social exploitation and domination. to maintain cleanliness in and around the village, including
public wells, tanks and rivers.
Prohibition
Gandhiji considered drinks, intoxicating drugs and gambling New or Basic Education (Nai Talim)
as the social evils. He suggested the various measures to be Gandhiji developed the idea of Nai Talim, for the 'all round
undertaken to implement prohibition by the Government, drawing of the best in child and man, body, mind and spirit".
Social Organizations and Social Workers. He realised the fact According to him literacy in itself 1s no education, it is not the
that the drinks and drugs is the root cause of many a social end of education. His philosophy of education was based on
evil. The moral loss is greater than the financial loss; the his experiments with physical, literary and moral training at
physical disease may harm body but the drinks and drugs sap the Tolstoy Farm in South Africa. The vocational training was
both the body and the soul. given through carpentry, shoe-making, gardening etc. Literacy
classes as well as spiritual training were conducted by him and
Khadi others. He realized that the spirit of the children could not be
Khadi mentality means decentralization of production and trained through books alone. He was convinced that it is the
distribution of the necessaries of life. Gandhiji considered life and character of the teacher which moulds the moral life
Khadi as an inevitable means for the all-round development of of the students. He drew his conclusions and inferences from
the Nation. He said in 1921, "Just as we cannot live without the experiences which he gained at the Tolstoy Farm and
breathing and without eating, so it is impossible for us to followed it in India.Thus the Gandhian scheme of education is
attain economic independence and banish pauperism from this meant to bring about a silent socio-economic and political
ancient land without reviving home-spinning. 1 holds the revolution through the medium of village handicrafts. It
spinning wheel to be as much as a necessity in every removes unemployment through the vocational training and
household as the hearth. No other scheme that can be devised provides economic and social security to the people. It teaches
will ever solve the problem of the deepening poverty of the dignity of labour and achieves class harmony.
people.
In 1934 Gandhiji wrote in Harijan, "Khadi is the sun of the Adult Education
village solar system. The planets are the various industries According to Gandhiji, adult education should not end with
which can support Khadi in return for the heat and substance bare acquaintance with the alphabet. The literary education of
they derive from it. Without it, the other industries cannot illiterate adults should go hand in hand with the spread of the
grow... and also without the revival of the other industries, knowledge which is useful to the villager in their daily life
khadi could not make further progress. For, villagers to be during the transitory stage towards complete literacy; the
able to occupy their spare time profitably, the village life must social workers shall engage themselves in adult education of
be touched at all points. The spinning wheels provides the the illiterate people. Arithmetic, Geography, History and other
people food, cloth and make them self- sufficient. subjects should be taught with a special reference to the
village life and the village needs. If the adult education were
Other Village Industries to be village need-based education, this will lead to the
According to Gandhiji village economy cannot be completed eradication of illiteracy from the country.
without the essential village industries such as hand-grinding,
hand pounding, soap-making, paper-making, match-making, Women
tanning, oil-pressing etc. The village industries give Gandhiji believed that the same soul resides in both man and
employment to millions of people and provide an outlet for the woman and both of them have equal opportunities to develop
creative skill and resourcefulness of the people. Large scale their personality. They are inseparable pair and one cannot
industries will eliminate the spinning wheel and the handloom, live without the other. Though both man and woman posses
and through the large-scale industries, the wealth will be equal mental abilities, they differ in certain respects. Woman
concentrated in the hands of a few. On the contrary, the village posses greater degree of non-violence than man. As a mother,
industries will lead to distribution of national income among she exhibits greater degree of suffering, sacrifice and love. She
the millions of people in thousands of villages. Gandhians are is the mistress of the house, keeper and distributor of the bread
not against machine per se if it meets two aims: self- in the house and takes greater interest in the management of
sufficiency and full employment. According to Gandhi, there the house. After completing her house work, she can take up
39
National Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development

some constructive activities. As the future of the country is to change. The landless labourers should get sufficient wages to
be shaped by her children, the women should teach her provide their primary requirements such as food, clothing and
children simplicity, faithfulness, non-violence, truth, shelter. To them, their labour is the capital. This capital should
fearlessness, dignity of labour and self-reliance. Such children be given due recognition in the society. According to
will shape the destiny of the country on sound moral lines. Gandhiji, “He who tills the land should own the land. The land
owners should not think that the possession of land gives them
Education in Health and Hygiene any superiority over the tenants and the landless labourers.
Gandhiji considered the fundamental laws of health and They should recognize that the tenants and the landless
hygiene is as follows: Think the purest thoughts and banish all labourers possess the same soul which they possess. The land
idle and impure thoughts. Breathe the freshest air day and owners whose agricultural income is surplus should act as
night. Establish a balance between bodily and mental work. trustees for the benefit of the agricultural labourers and
Stand erect, sit erect and be neat and clean in every one of others.”
your acts, and let these be an expression of your inner
condition. Eat to live for service of fellow men. Do not live for Adivasies
indulging yourselves. Hence your food must be just enough to Under his 18-point Constructive Programme, Gandhiji
keep your mind and body in good order. Man becomes what included the welfare of Adivasies also. He said, “Though they
he eats. Your water, food and air must be clean and you will are the sixteenth number in this programme, they are not the
not be satisfied with mere personal cleanliness, but you will least in point of importance. Our country is so vast and the
infect your surroundings with the same three-fold cleanliness races so varied that, the best of us cannot know all there is to
that you will desire for yourselves. know of men and their condition. As one discovers this for
oneself, one realises how difficult it is to make good our claim
Provincial Languages to be one nation, unless every unit has a living consciousness
According to Gandhiji, mother tongue is a natural means to of being one with every other”
develop the mind of the child. It is a mere superstition to
believe that a particular language is incapable of expression of Lepers
scientific ideas. He explained this point by giving the According to Gandhi, service to the lepers is service to the
examples of Russia and Japan which have achieved all their suffering humanity. He said, "India is perhaps a home of
scientific progress without English as their medium. Hence the lepers next only to Central Africa. Yet they are as much a part
Indian languages are to be properly developed; and the useful of society as the tallest among us. But the tall absorb our
English books should be translated into regional languages for attention though they are least in need of it. The lot of the
the sake of majority of the Nation. lepers who are much in need of attention is studied neglect. 1
am tempted to call it heartless which it certainly is, in terms of
Economic Equality non-violence." He visualised in swaraj state, no suffering man
Economic equality means that everyone shall have sufficient should go uncared. In this regard he said, "If India was
and nutritious food to eat, proper shelter to live in, adequate pulsating with new life, if we were all in earnest about
khadi to wear, timely medical relief and necessary facilities winning independence in the quickest manner possible by
for education. The ultimate aim of Gandhian concept of truthful and non- violent means, there would not be a leper or
economic equality is equal pay for all. The Bhangi, the doctor, beggar in India uncared for and unaccounted for." For this, the
the lawyer, the teachers etc. would get the same wages for an social workers with a missionary zeal should take up the
honest day's work. Projects for their welfare.

Kisans Students
Kisans form the bulk of India's population and are the Gandhiji wished that the students should possess the following
backbone of this rural country. Majority of the India's qualities: The students must have initiative, they must not be
population depend on agriculture and associated occupations imitators, ii) They must possess freedom. However, they must
such as cattle farming, dairying, poultry, piggery etc. In order exercise freedom with restraint and humility. iii) They should
to do this, they must acquire sufficient theoretical as well as have purity of heart which ensures the purity in personal life.
practical knowledge about agriculture. According to him, the v) They are brahmacharis, They must maintain self-control in
agriculture of a village should be planned in such a manner thought, word and action and should preserve the vital energy.
that each village shall be self- sufficient in its food v) They should cultivate the sense of service to the
requirements. If geographical conditions permit, the famers community. vi) They must develop sense of dignity of labour.
should cultivate cotton required for the village. Gandhiji was Gandhljt wished that the students should wear Khadi clothes
in favour of farmer's organisations but which are to be directed and engage themselves in constructive programme. They will
to redress the grievances of the peasants. But it should not be study the literature about spinning with all its economic,
used for low-level competitions for political gains of certain social, moral and political implications. During their vacation,
individuals they must conduct day and night schools for the illiterates.
They could clean the Harijan Quarters, their children and give
Labour simple lessons in hygiene both to the young and the grown up.
The land owners should not take more than their needs and According to Gandhiji students must not take part in party
should lead a simple life they should engage themselves m the politics. The students are to study, they are researchers but not
upliftment of the poorer sections of the village and should politicians. It is not possible for the student to be active
become partners in the peaceful evolution of socio-economic politicians and to be real students simultaneously. They can
40
National Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development

study the programmes and ideologies of the various political

parties and listen to their point of view. They should have &
freedom of opinion and can openly sympathizes with any
party which they like. But they should not support political
strikes and demonstration

Conclusions
Gandhiji concept of rural development is uplift of the common
man. A common man is developing is uplift of the life village
have developed. He realised the need for integrated rural
development and believe that education and health. Education
is knowledge of power and health is stamina of person and
society, his approach of rural development which would be
non - violent. Self - governed, self – sufficient in regard to
food, clothing, and shelter in rural areas through reduce the
rural poverty. He focused his attention of agriculture and Non
– Agriculture aspect of rural economy through all-round
development of rural India. Remove the untouchability, Caste
and social evil and give the rights of people, which are
enhancing social and political status. He was shared different
concept of rural development, if any doubt arise from Gandhi
approach of rural development his clear about everything on
his personal life. Shriman Narayan said: "Gandhiji's sublime
vision gives us a rare insight into the future of mankind!
Gandhiji belongs to the future and not the past. He is not dead;
his message is eternal and shall live as long as sun shines in
the vast open skies"

References
1. Pyarelal, Mahatma Gandhi. Navajavan Publishing House,
Ahmedabad, 1977.
2. Bora PM. Gandhian Model of Rural Development Khadi
Gramodyog, Journal of Rural Economy, Bombay. 1994;
40-5.
3. Gandhi MK. India of My Dreams Navajavan Publishing
House, Ahmedabad, 1959.
4. Panday BP. (Ed.) Gandhi and Economic Development
Radiant Publishers, New Delhi, 1991.
5. Shriram Maheshwari. Rural Development in India, A
Public Policy Approach Sage Publications, New Delhi,
1995.
6. Raghavan Iyer (Ed.). The Moral and Political Writings of
Mahatma Gandhi Oxford University Press, New Delhi,
1987.
7. Gandhi MK. constructive programme Its Meaning and
Place Navajavan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, 1911.
8. Gandhi MK. The Removal of Untouchabilily, Navajivan
Publishing House, Ahmedabad, 1954.
9. Gandhi MK. Towards & New Education Navajivan
Publishing House, Ahmedabad, 1951.
10. Gandhi MK. Socialisation of My Opinion Bharatiya
Vidya Bhavan, Allahabad, 1966.
11. Shusha Deshmukh. Gandhian Vision of Rural
Development International Referred Research Journal,
2012; III-37.

41