B.B.A L.L.

B (HONS)
2024

RURAL GOVERNANCE

“ANALYSIS OF GANDHIAN MODEL OF

RURAL DEVELOPMENT”

SUBMITTED BY: Akhil Kuppusamy K

ROLL NUMBER: 21BLB1048
COURSE CODE: LAW5005
SUBMITTED TO: Prof. Firdous Abdullah
Introduction
Gandhi is a world renowned for his contribution to the independence of India. he was born as
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on October 2 of 1869 which is celebrated in India as Gandhi
Jayanti. His father had served as the chief minister of the Porbandar state and was the youngest
child of his father’s fourth wife. His early life was deeply rooted in religion and ahimsa. He
was called to the bar in June 1891 and he moved to South Africa to represent and Indian
merchant in 1893 after 2 unfruitful years of practice in India. These events formed and shaped
Gandhi’s personality as a result of which he engaged in non-violent fight for civil rights against
the system of Apartheid. He moved back to India to build resistance against the British after
realizing the position of privilege that he was in relative to the rest of India suffering from
exploitation not only under the British but also the Zamindari system and Brahminical
supremacist socio-political institutions.1

Gandhi was greatly influenced by the work of Ruskin and his book “Unto this last” in
particular. He learns that the lawyer’s work is like that of a barber and the earnings must be
reflective of the work. He also learnt that life of the tiller of the soil and handicraftsman is a
life which is worth living in the modern day and age and not merely a last resort to earn scraps
2
if any other planned profession does not work out. He was also inspired by the work of
Tolstoy, Kropotkin and Thoreau. The core value which he learnt from literature is
egalitarianism which is the notion of simplicity being supreme and the collective sharing of
resources being the best societal structure. He was also well versed in Indian scriptures like
Upanishads and The Bhagvat Gita because of his orthodox upbringing. He also learnt the
teachings of Sikhism such as the preachings of Guru Nanak. From Indian literature, the core
values he learnt were; family stability, perfect mobility of labour, non-satiation as an inherent
human trait, the dangers of seeking wealth and power as well as ways to improve quality of life
rather than standards of living. Gandhi also understood the 4 spheres of life that human beings
seek as per Hindu scriptures, namely; Artha which is wealth, Kama which is desire, Dharma
which is righteousness and Moksha being the ultimate salvation or liberation breaking the
chains of reincarnation. By studying these 4 principles, he developed his own principles of the
ideal characteristics of society.

1
B. Nanda, Mahatma Gandhi, in Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahatma-
Gandhi. (last visited Apr. 6, 2024).
2
MAHATMA GANDHI, THE MAGIC SPELL OF A BOOK Part IV, Chapter XVII, (Rajmohan Gandhi ed.,
2008).
Humanism is functioning with understanding of humanity. It can be compared to empathy and
sociology in modern day terms. Simple living is the lack of interest in materialistic possessions
but rather living a fulfilling life as a good person. Social justice is bridging the gap between
two extremes of the society, i.e. rich and poor, privileged and underprivileged etc… Non-
violence is about reaching the end through peaceful means as the path is just as important as
the destination. Love and cooperation build unity and strength within a community and there
is no ego or greed. Harmony is the incidental end goal if everything aforementioned is present
in a society. These are Gandhi’s ideals of a perfect society. He used these ideals to develop his
notion of the model for rural development in 1942 after he was agitated by seeing the rural
areas being exploited and deteriorating with each passing day.3

Economic Ideology of Gandhi

According to Gandhi, Capital, Labour, Profits, Employment, means of production Technology

equality and Satyagraha forms the skeleton of the economy. Capital is the source of wealth and
is of two types; money and labour capital. It is hard to organize labour capital since workers
bargaining position has been historically weak especially during his time prior to the enactment
of many labour welfare and social security laws. The solution is to decentralize capital and
concentration of capital. Labour is exploited by capitalism and leads to underpaying wages. It
leads to a vicious cycle of working until a person dies with nothing but debt and it passes down
to that person’s heirs and it repeats over and over again. the wage rate should be stabilized to
prevent this. Profits which are residuary in nature have increased due to technological
advancements. Human labour is directly threatened leading to unemployment and job
insecurity. Profit should not be the goal but sustenance is enough for a business. Employment
is utilization of labour. Employment for everyone will not be possible in industrial
establishments which hire only selective number of workers. Family businesses and trades
however will ensure employment irrespective of competition. Means to production should be
decentralized and the process must not include technical tools, wastes, duplication and costs
for transport and promotion. This means that only Cottage industries are ideal for effective
production. Technology is adversarial to human life as it replaces jobs and enhances profits for
the owner. Technology which helps lives of workers and does not ruin local industries are
inherently better. Poverty and Inequality are interconnected. Morality should be considered as
a factor in influencing the economy. It is not a socialistic view but rather a humanistic view

3
Bora PM. Gandhian Model of Rural Development Khadi Gramodyog, Journal of Rural Economy, Bombay.
1994; 40 - 5 .

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because socialism still advocated for growth and development even in industries and
urbanization but rather humanism.4 Satyagraha is a civil disobedience and resistance movement
initiated by Gandhi against the British colonial power.5 satyagraha cannot be for an unjust
cause, it must be through non-violence, disobedience should be against immoral laws and not
good laws which can be decided by one’s own conscience, it is only applicable to those who
do not hate their opponents and ready to sacrifice for the cause, have humility, constantly
engage in social work and have honesty and discipline.6

Principles of Rural Development

Doctrine Of Trusteeship: everything on Earth is given by god. Trusteeship will bring equality
in distribution of wealth and resources. Since land belongs to god and people are children of
god, there is no question of who owns more or who owns less. The land is for the welfare of
all people and should be utilized for the benefit of everyone as well. Surplus wealth should not
be held by owners but rather redistributed to workers. The owner should act as a trustee and
not hoard wealth but share it among the stakeholders. Successor of the trustee is up to the
freedom of the trustee but the ultimate choice of who becomes a trustee would be up to the
state. Land owners however despised this idea since it would take away their property and they
will be unable to retain their privileges. The also did not like the idea of the government having
a say in who inherits the privileges over their children who have earned trusteeship as a birth
right. Trusteeship is therefore a way to escape capitalism, restrict the scope of private
ownership, impose legislative regulation on wealth. No individual can be in luxury, decent
wage is fixed and character of goods are decided by the production and usage and not whims
or greed of the owners.

Trusteeship and elements of socialism can be observed in Article 39 of The Constitution which
states that : The State shall, in particular, direct its policy towards securing— (b) that the
ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to
subserve the common good; (c) that the operation of the economic system does not result in
the concentration of wealth and means of production to the common detriment;7 The Indian
Trusts Act 1882 also enables the creation of trustees and establishes trustee but it is not solely

4
Narayan, S. Relevance of Gandhian Economics, Navajivan Pub. House. (1970)
5
Pani, N. Inclusive Economics: Gandhian Method and Contemporary Policy, Sage Publication, Delhi. (2002),
6
Satindar Dhiman, Satyāgraha: A Higher Approach to Ethics, in Gandhi and Leadership (published in 2015).
7
INDIA CONST. art. 39, cls. (b)-©.

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meant for the purposes which Gandhi mentions but that for mostly private transactions. The
disadvantage of trusteeship is that land owners will only appoint their heirs as successor
trustees and this will lead to concentration of wealth via inheritance and defeat the purpose of
trusteeship.

Swadeshi: it is decentralisation of villages and making them as separate economic units. It will
lead to efficient use of local resources and crafts. It will also be environmentally beneficial and
encourage harmony between people and their surroundings. There is an element of humanism
between buyers and sellers. Gandhi proclaimed that : “every village of India will almost be a
self-supporting and self-contained unit exchanging only such necessary commodities to other
villages where they are not locally producible”8 The decentralization implemented in India
through the 73rd and 74th constitutional Amendments in the 90s. Article 40 of the constitution
states that “The State shall take steps to organise village panchayats and endow them with such
powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-
government.”9 The problem with his swadeshi concept was that he was an idealist trained in
law and not an expert in administration or other technical fields. He was trying to implement
decentralization at a time in which overpopulation and illiteracy were rampant. His solution
was like giving a heart transplant to someone with common cold. It would be necessary in the
future but it is not appropriate as an immediate solution.

Self Sufficiency: Villages need not be dependant on the central or provincial governments for
fulfilling their needs. Their dignity can be maintained if they are not subservient to urban areas.
Villages should be capable of satisfying its own basic needs, namely; food, shelter, clothing.
This can be done by organizing cottage industries which deals with production of food, shelter
and clothing. The finished goods can be shared among the villagers and they can also be sold
for maintaining themselves with the residuary income.10 He gave the limit of radius of 5 miles
as a basic unit of self-sufficiency. The factors which influenced him deciding this 5 mile limit
were; geological situation, physiological condition of people, traditions, customs and
occupational pattern and cultural attainments of people. However, Gandhi was also in support
of international trade. It was a mixture of Idealism and Pragmatism. Comparative advantage

8
D. Lalitha Kumari, Gandhi and Rural Economy, 6 J. Emerging Tech. & Innovative Res. 300 (2019), 6 (last
visited Apr. 6, 2024).

9
INDIA CONST. art. 40,

10
Mahatma Gandhi-The Last Phase, Vol. II, p. 548, (1958).

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does influence trade but it is not the sole reason for trade. Reciprocity is a need, international
trade is due to cooperation and not market forces and competition, there is a moral purpose of
cultural dissemination rather than purpose of profit, only trade which follows Ahimsa that is
non-exploitation is acceptable and fair trade will be encouraged. Although Gandhi was a
proponent of self-sufficiency, he also understood that international trade is inevitable and is a
necessity. This shows the divide between his understanding of micro and macroeconomics.

Bread labour: everyone must engage in direct labour to earn their own wages. He talks about
physical labour in particular. Intellectual work should not be rewarded monetarily according to
Gandhi. It is however opposing other fields of law such as IT law and also Intellectual Property
law where ideas are protected.

Gram Swaraj: It is a self-rule of villages which are in turn self-reliant. Self-reliance is not only
being able to fulfil the basic needs within the aforementioned 5 mile radius but it also involves
achieving political and administrative independence through nonviolent methods. Ambedkar
on the other hand did not want a gram swaraj because he believed panchayats to be biased
towards upper castes and prejudicial towards marginalized communities including women.
That is the reason why article 40 became a directive principle and not a fundamental or
constitutional right.

Constructive Programme: In 1935, Gandhi started his rural reconstruction Sevagram which
was a movement which aimed to implement use of khadi products, village industries,
handicrafts, sanitation, education and women welfare. It also aimed to promote the usage of
one’s mother tongue. It is evident that despite happening over 100 years ago, these changes
still cannot be seen. We are still facing loss of rural industries, imposition of languages etc…
the 18 points of the constructive program are as follows ; l. Communal unity 2. Removal of
untouchability 3. Prohibition 4. Khadi 5. Other Village industries 6. Village sanitation 7. New
or basic education 8. Adult education 9. Women 10. Education health and hygiene 11.
Provincial language 12. National language 13. Economic equality 14. Kisans 15. Labour 16.
Adivasis 17. Lepers 18. Students.11

Gandhi was a practical idealist who believed in social justice and moral values. He didn’t use
economic jargon, but instead, he promoted the dignity of humans and labour as a solution to

11
GANDHI SMRITI AND DARSHAN SAMITI, National Informatics Centre( NIC ), Constructive Programme
Constructive Programme: Its Meaning and Place, https://www.gandhismriti.gov.in/programmes/constructive-
programme, (last updated on 14 Sep 2018)

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people’s suffering. He was all about moral growth over material development. He wanted to
replace indifferences with empathy, exploitation with kindness, and profit with welfare. He
believed in human development over materialistic development. He pointed out the flaws of
modern civilization that relies heavily on materialistic measures to solve social problems. He
referred to cities as disease hotspots. He noted that even though the British no longer rule, their
philosophy, technology, and lifestyle still dominate us. Sarvodaya was the solution provided
by him. It means the social order which is established on the basis of non-violence. It promotes
economic equality and communal harmony, full attention to the cultivators and the labourers,
all cultivators organizing their own committees, all labourers forming their own unions,
education for all (technical or basic) and hand-spinning in every family

Communal Unity: communal unity between Hindus and Muslims especially was a goal for
Gandhi due to prolonged periods of conflict between both groups. He wanted social workers
to take up this noble task and to encourage resolution of communal disputes, to spread
awareness and to also assists other religious groups such as Parsis and jews from giving up
their prejudices. We can see such ideals in article 14 of the constitution regarding equality,
article 15 regarding discrimination12 and even the preamble in which India is proclaimed as a
secular state.

Untouchability: The concept of Harijan i.e. children of god was coined by Gandhi since Dalit
community and tribal community in particular were dehumanized in that era. He found
Untouchability as the biggest social evil among Hindus and that is was a hinderance towards
achieving independence. He started this movement with temple entry. We have adopted this
under article 17 of the constitution which abolishes untouchability.13

Prohibition: Gandhi opposed the consumption of liquor and its intoxicating effect. He believed
it to be immoral. He also used morality to justify banning gambling. He said that it was the
moral duty of both the government and the people to stop the sale and purchase of liquor. Even
today the negative effects of liquor can be seen especially in the families of wage earning
labourers in the unorganized sector. They use their wages to buy liquor to feed into their
addiction leaving nothing to fend for their families or provide education to their children. It
also adversely affects the health. The role of social workers in this case is to persuade addicts
and families of addicts to foster an environment allowing change and to consider alcohol as a

12
INDIA CONST. art. 14,15.
13
Ibid. art. 19.

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shame to oneself and to society. This has been adopted by the Ministry of social justice and
empowerment through the national action plan for drug demand reduction under which
assistance to voluntary organizations for prevention of alcoholism and substance abuse for the
purpose of social defence has been established. It involves; setting up/running Integrated
Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts (IRCAs), Regional Resource and Training Centres (RRTCs),
for holding Awareness-cum-de-addiction camps (ACDC) and Workplace Prevention
Programmes etc. Financial assistance is given up to 90% of the approved expenditure to the

voluntary and other eligible organizations.14 The other end of the argument is that liquor has
been used recreationally since time immemorial. It can be considered as an issue only when
used without moderation and responsibly. There is also a lack of foresight regarding the future
of villages that produce alcohol and is sustaining itself through the manufacturing and sale of
alcohol.

Khadi Industries: In 1918, Gandhi started the Khadi Movement to help poor people in India
find a way to make their own clothes as well as to support themselves with the income. Khadi
wear is easy to learn and to teach and the end result is useful for both consumption and sale. It
was a way to ensure that the money of villagers circulated among themselves and not to
foreigners and colonizers who supplied imported, mass produced and cheap clothes. Gandhi
believed that in a society where manual labour was undervalued, spinning could unite the rich
and poor. He encouraged everyone, not just those in need, to spin for at least an hour a day as
a sacrifice for their country and a duty towards the poor. From 1934-35, Gandhi expanded upon
the idea of Khadi from simply aiding individual poor people to promoting self-reliance in entire
villages. In 1942-43, he worked with social workers and village organizers to restructure the
program on a larger, country-wide scale.15 His recommendations for improving Khadi
industries are as follows;

• compulsory introduction of spinning in all primary and secondary schools

• the cultivation of cotton in areas where it is not grown
• the organization of weaving by multipurpose cooperative societies

14
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction, Assistance to
Voluntary Organizations for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse and for Social Defence
Services, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, 6 (last visited, March. 2, 2024).
15
M.K. Gandhi, What is Khadi?, M.K. Gandhi, 1 (last visited March, 2, 2024).

6
 • All employees in the education and co-operative departments, municipal, district
boards, and gram panchayats would be required to pass a test in spinning, in order to
qualify;
• control of prices of handloom cloth woven of mill yarn;
• the imposition of a ban on the use of mill cloth in areas where the hand woven cloth
was in abundance;
• the use of hand spun cloth in all government, and textile and weaving departments; the
old cloth mills would not be allowed to expand, and new ones would not be opened;
and
• the import of foreign yarn, or cloth to be banned.

Other Village Industries: Merely focusing on Khadi alone will not make villages self-
sustainable. Other essential village industries like; hand-grinding, hand pounding, soap-
making, paper-making, matchmaking, tanning, oil-pressing etc. are also necessary for
development. It will employ many people and it will also be a backup in times where khadi
industry declines and vice versa. It also boosts creativity, resource efficiency and boosts culture
and heritage by passing down skills. It is also important that these remain as small scale
industries because large scale industries will lead to concentration of wealth in the hands of
few. Gandhi has also emphasized the need for sustainable development along with the rise of
small scale rural industries. The suggestions given by Gandhi for sustainable development are
as follows;

• Sustainable Agriculture: We need to ditch chemical fertilizers and pesticides and switch
to bio-manures and bio-pesticides. Vermiculture and vermi compost are essential for
soil health.
• Khadi and Village Industries: These are eco-friendly and provide jobs, helping to
reduce poverty. So, we should support khadi and village industry products.
• Appropriate Technologies: We should use simple technologies that villagers can
understand and operate. Electricity consumption should be minimized.
• Renewable Energy Sources: Coal and petroleum are running out at a pace faster than
ever before. We should use renewable energy sources like solar, water, and wind for
heating, lighting, and electricity.

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 • Sylviculture (Tree Plantation): It is impossible for us to avoid cutting trees for fuel and
construction, but we should plant two trees for every one tree cut. If we only cut trees
and don’t replant them, they become a non-renewable energy source.16

Village Sanitation: Gandhi’s vision for an ideal village was rooted in principles of cleanliness
and sustainability. He imagined houses made from local resources, with enough light,
ventilation, and space for a vegetable garden and livestock. Clean streets, lanes, and a dedicated
water supply system were also part of his vision. He believed in converting waste into manure,
which would not only keep the village clean but also provide a resource for farming. This vision
was about more than just cleanliness; it was about creating a sustainable and self-sufficient
community.

Nai Talim: Gandhi’s “Nai Talim” or “New Education” is a holistic approach to education that
focuses on the complete development of an individual which is development physically,
mentally, and spiritually. It’s not just about being literate in a language or learning equations
and dates by heart, but also about acquiring practical skills and moral values. This concept was
developed from Gandhi’s experiences at Tolstoy Farm in South Africa, where he experimented
with different forms of training.17 The aim of this educational approach is to bring about a quiet
revolution in socio-economic and political aspects through village handicrafts. It provides
vocational training to tackle unemployment and offers social and economic security. It aims to
stop the decline of the village economy and breathe new life into village industries. This new
form of education allows for a smooth transformation of the existing village economy without
the need for imported machinery or technical expertise. It puts the economic future of the
country in the hands of the masses who are skilled, rather than in the hands of a few specialized
talents. The goal is mass production by the masses, which leads to a decentralized political
system. This education system promotes dignity of labour, self-reliance, useful literary
knowledge, moral integrity, social awareness, and responsibility. It encourages a healthy
political awakening among students. So, it’s not just about academic learning, but about
preparing individuals for life and responsible citizenship.

Health and Hygiene: Gandhi believed that social workers have a responsibility to educate
villagers about basic health and hygiene rules. He felt that social workers should lead by
example, living in a way that promotes health and hygiene. They should strive to maintain good

16
G. Geethika, Gandhi and the Indian constitution: Realising the Idea of a Village based polity, Gandhi Marg,
Volume 43 Number 4, January-March 2022
17
Gandhi Centenary Committee, The Tolstoy’s Farm, 2008

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health by adhering to health rules and natural remedies, and work to provide clean water for
villagers. Gandhi also emphasized the importance of public sanitation and hygiene in villages.
He suggested that social workers should use brooms, pickaxes, and baskets to clean public
areas, including tanks and wells. He believed that if social workers took up these tasks with as
much pride and dignity as they do with their pens, financial issues wouldn’t hinder the
maintenance of cleanliness and hygiene in the villages. By actively participating in public
cleanliness as self-appointed sweepers, Gandhi believed that social workers could inspire
villagers to join the cleanliness movement voluntarily. This would ultimately lead to villagers
learning important lessons in public hygiene. The introduction of the Swachh Bharat
Programme and Unnat Bharat Programme has raised awareness about sanitation among the
people. Women in villages are now discussing sanitation and clean water. Gandhi was deeply
concerned about the environment. Currently, pollution in India is at an all-time high. However,
Gandhi suggested that by focusing on village industries, we could naturally reduce pollution
levels. This would mitigate the effects of climate change. His vision continues to be relevant
today as we combat environmental challenges.18

Provincial Languages: Gandhi recognized English as the language of international commerce

as it was spoken globally and a solid foundation for education in English had already been laid
down by the colonizers. He advocated for studying English literature as well as diplomacy. He
also believed in equal importance to native or local languages that is one’s mother tongue.
There had been a propaganda-like movement regarding English superiority during which
educators were made to teach natives that their languages were uncivilized, primitive and
incapable of expressing rational and scientific ideas. Gandhi took inspiration from Russia and
Japan which managed to develop despite not implementing English based education.

Kisans: Since 75% of Indians are agriculturalists, Kisan is what belongs to the workers and not
the absent landlords. Peasants are the ones who are burdened with taxes, exactions, debts and
sanctions which cannot be paid back by them due to meagre wages. Every development in a
city comes out of a village. Gandhi’s 10 years of farm life in South Africa gave him a clear
picture of what farming is. He was also traumatized by what had happened during the Bengal
famine. was in favour of farmer's organisations but which are to be directed to redress the

18
UNICEF. 2019. “Assessment of IEC ActivitySwachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) 2014-19.”

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grievances of the peasants. But firmly stood his ground saying that it should not be used for
low-level competitions for political gains of certain individuals19

Students: According to Gandhi, the students must have initiative; they must not be imitators.
They must possess freedom. However, they must exercise freedom with restraint and humility.
They should have purity of heart which ensures the purity in personal life. They must maintain
self-control in thought, word and action and should preserve the vital energy. They should
cultivate the sense of service to the community20

Conclusion

Although Gandhi’s cause was a noble one, the Panchayati raj system is still a regressive and
backward minded institution which is plagued with casteism and discrimination. The leaders
develop god-like complexes especially due to indirect elections and we have seen time and
time again about how panchayats enforce majority opinion for appeasement of the majority
rather than actually focusing on justice. We have also seen how Khap panchayats alienate those
who go against the status quo. In my opinion and contrary to Gandhi’s opinion, the heart of
India lies in its cities and not the villages in the 21st century. They are robbed from comfortable
lives in the name of preserving heritage and culture. There is a failure in understanding that
following one’s culture is a choice and cannot be imposed. Inter-caste marriages are still looked
down upon by such villages and the literacy rates are also quite low compared to towns and
cities. There is also communal and religious conflict as well as vast economic disparity. The
number of individuals in a village who actually lead a comfortable life can be counted with one
hand.

Gandhi’s views about self-sustaining is against human nature of borrowing and sharing. His
socialist principles will never work here since they heavily restrict the freedoms guaranteed by
the constitution. Gandhi was not an economist as previously mentioned. He gave abstract
philosophical ideas and suggestions with absolutely no framework on how they can be
implemented or the feasibility of such plans. The ideas are utopian in nature and are not rooted
in practicality. We must therefore modernize villages and adopt efficiency instead of clinging
onto outdated and inefficient processes in the name of culture. A tractor will be way more
beneficial than a plough. A GMO crop will be way more efficient than a traditionally planted

19
Pathak H, Suresh Pal and Mohapatra T (2020) Mahatma Gandhi’s Vision of Agriculture: Achievements of
ICAR. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. p 228.
20
Shriram Maheshwari . Rural Development in India , A Public Policy Approach Sage Publications, New Delhi,
1995 .

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unmodified seed. A factory will be more productive than making candles in one’s living room.
Villages are still in the shackles of colonial and ancient India. It is our duty to spread awareness,
knowledge and educate those in villages such that they don’t find the need to migrate to cities
but can prosper within their villages.

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