16

Transcript

Hello friends. I am sure you must be enjoying the discussions on the conceptual issues and the historic developments of extension education. By now we have completed three weeks of our discussion. And Iam sure, I requested you all to be part of the forum activities. And I am sure you will be taking active part and be an active individual to discuss the issues associated with the extension. In this week we will be discussing about a group of programs, that were planned and implemented after independence. And I request you all to observe the paradigm shift that we could have among the set of programs that were planned and implemented before independence and the group of programs that were implemented after independence. So by observing the programs and its modus-operandi and its outcomes. So you can very well understand the concepts that what we discussed in first couple of weeks, so that, that makes your assumptions more stronger, and that helps you to understand the concept of extension in a more competent way. I hope you will be vigilant on these observations.

With this now let us come to the first program, that we are going to discuss after independence program is the Nilokheri experiment. Popularly it is also known as ‘Mazdoor Manzil’. Friends, 1947 was very critical period for the Indian context. Even though the entire country was in the joyous mood of getting freedom from the British rule and moving towards the self-governance. But there was one incident that happened. The division of the nation. And because of that good number of displaced Indians from the divided country that is Pakistan. So they moved from Pakistan to India leaving all their assets and lands and everything. So settlement of those displaced Indians was the priorities of the then established government. And the work was taken up on priority basis. So there were good number of such efforts that were taken up in different parts of the country to reestablish those displaced Indians who came from Pakistan.

We are going to discuss about one such experiment, that was taken up in the place known as Nilokheri and under the leadership of Dr S.K. Dey, who later became the minister for rural development in the Union Government also. So as I said rehabilitation of about 7000 displaced Indians from Pakistan was the major goal of this particular program of Nilokheri experiment. Nilokheri is a place in the State of Haryana about 15 kilometers from Kurukshetra. And there the resettlement camp was established. So now you must be wondering why we are going to discuss about this resettlement camp. So the basic issue is, this is going to give you an input that when an individual loses everything and he is not having any option for his survival. Given an opportunity how that individual can be developed into a complete human being, and that society can be reestablished moving from one place to another. So that was the major learning that we can have from this program because of that situation.

So the emphasis was given on vocational education through vocational training center. So that was the vision of the Government of India. So how these communities can be reestablished, resettled was by providing them the vocational education. Even though they were having good amount of properties, landed properties, establishments, everything, jobs and everything. That was, they lost and now they have to establish on their own with the only support of the government. For which government provided them the land resources, educational resources, and generous help to establish the cottage industries or any type of industry based on their skill and based on their training program. Then so because of that the more emphasis was given on the skill development. So that they can establish themselves. In turn they motivated them to engage in livelihood generation activities based on the skills that was imparted as a part of training programas well as the skills they are going to possess.

All ventures run on cooperative basis. Again we are coming to the group approach. Whether we are going to call it as the cooperative society or a self-help group or a farmer interest group. Any nomenclature what we are giving but it is ultimately the group approach, bringing people together for achieving the changes. The efforts that were done at Nilokheri are also called as ‘Mazdoor Manzil’ because they started with labor activities. They started working as a labor in their own organizations, in their own firms, in their own production units. Or whatever the efforts that they were doing, so they started working like a mazdoor and that is why it was known as ‘mazdoor manzil’. And now after lapse of around 60-70 years of independence, so how the changes that have come across in that village, so it is marvelous in nature. So in principle we can say that ‘he who would not work, neither shall he eat’. It means you are forced to work. Earn your livelihood. So then go ahead with. So that was the major emphasis under Nilokheri project. And when individual loses everything, and when he makes up his mind to resettle himself with the support of the government. He can change the life of an individual. That is what we have seen in case of Nilokheri experiment.

Now let us move on to another important experiment, which was conducted in a place known as Etawah in the western Uttar Pradesh. It is popularly known as Etawah pilot project. The person behind this project was Albert Mayor. And it was launched in the year 1948. The objective of this program was to see the extent of improvement possible in agricultural production, social improvement, self reliance and cooperation in an average agricultural district. The idea behind this program was. So with the how can we introduce the changes in the existing situation. So that was the basic thing. So with that so they started with this developmental initiatives. The organization structure that included in this project include. The District Planning Officer, the Block members village level and VLW’s or village level workers. Means the district, block and village were the operational units to introduce the changes. So how did they tackle the problems. By making an effort to broaden the mental horizon of the villagers. This particular statement, we are emphasizing on by providing them the appropriate information and by providing them the appropriate knowledge. Because in one of our earlier discussion that I have already said.

So there are three stages. The raw fact which is identified as data. When it is processed it becomes information. And when it is understood or digested by an individual, that becomes his own knowledge. So when he goes on accumulating the knowledge. So he is going to broaden his mental horizon. And he becomes and he makes up his mind for accepting the innovations which are being provided by the various levels of development agents or the change agents. He may be a village level extension worker, block level officer or the district level, who so ever he is, so for an individual. So he is an extension officer. He is going to accept the idea. So that is what is the idea behind the broadening of the mental horizon. Then dealing with the villager’s land, his tools andhis surroundings. So this is the thing that we are reemphasizing again on the existing resources in the village. Identification of those resources, then management of the resources and development of those resources. The modus-operandi that was adopted was the educative and persuasive rather than coercive. Means the emphasis was given on educating the people, and the end product of education is the changed behavior, and that was the core issue, rather than coercion. Coercion means, so it is not that we are forcing them to accept it, but we are trying to influence them to accept the new technology, that what the project is giving them and how they can adopt these practices.

The achievements of the Etawah pilot project if you look at. So this was the incident that happened in 1948. The entire district of Etawah was under the improved varieties of wheat. If we look at the changes in today’s context. The statistics revealed that the seed replacement ratio is hardly about 10% in Indian context. In cereals and pulses the replacement is very very low but in case of vegetables it is bit higher. Put together we can say that, to getting new technology by the farming community is still not that high level but when we study the issues that happened way back in 1948. They reveal that the entire district accepted new information, the new technology as far as the wheat cultivation is considered, because that is the dominant cropping system there.

Then in relation to animal husbandry there are two important problems that we come across. That is the Rinder pest and Hemorrhagic Septicemia. So these are the two major problems associated with the animal husbandry. So the efforts that were done under this particular project led to overcoming these two problems from the district. For your information around 1913 or 14, the entire country was declared as free from Rinder Pest. But the district of Etawah was free from this particular pest way back in 1948. So that is what is the significant achievement of this project. Then the area under vegetables was extended because the vegetables are going to give them additional income, and they used to cultivate them as a catch crop and in the spare lands what they have so that they increase their income. And this is what the agricultural science has been advocating for the farming community. But those farmers who accepted this model, so they could observe the change and that is what had happened in the Etawah pilot project.

Then coming to the development from the development angle. The construction of the roads and soakpits in the villages. So that is the part of development of infrastructure. Then adoption of improved agricultural practices as well as the implements that were adopted for taking up these practices. And overall improvement in the economic condition of the farmers, because they accepted the innovation with the concerted efforts of the administration. And they could see the change and that is how, so this became a model project with the guided experiences, concerned efforts of the extension professionals we can bring in the changes.

To conclude we can say that Nilokheri experiment is an example of how development can be achieved, when you are not having anything of your own. So you are struggling for everything. May it be land, labor, capital or even human resources. And ultimately with concerted efforts we can bring in the change. Etawah pilot project is an example of how you may, how you have many things at your disposal but management of the resources can bring the prosperity. It is not that the other parts of the country are lacking resources. They have the resources but they are lacking in identification as well as management of that, which was evident from the Etawah pilot project. So put together we can say that. So if you involve yourself in management of the resources what you have at your disposal, you are going to be part of the change process that you want to visualize.

With this we are coming to the end of today’s discussion on the Nilokheri project and Etawah pilot project. In the next class we will be discussing about one of the most modern program and one of the most ambitious program of the then government that is committee development program

Thank You.