Self Sufficient Villages in Today's Global Village :4.

By Dr. Moushumi Datta
Nagindas Khandwala College, Mumbai.


Thoughts of Gandhi Reinforced into the Current Economic Scenario:

 Reverse Migration :


Gandhi believed that villages need to be developed so that there is less pressure of people moving into cities in, search of jobs and thus putting enormous pressure on the cities infrastructure. 

He believed not only that it led to overpopulated cities but that it also destroyed the balance and the social fabric of, both, the villages and the cities. 

He believed that development of villages through creation of infrastructure will create demand for jobs in villages and thereby movements reverse of population from cities back to villages. 

If this is taken on a global scale, it is relevant.

Countries like India and Brazil in their quest for development are actually experiencing reverse migration of their own people from the developed countries and also people from developed countries into these countries in search of jobs and opportunities. 


Localisation and Indigenisation :


Gandhi believed that every region has its own specialisation and its own resources. 

While he believed that every village needs to be self sufficient, dependence on neighbouring villages was a must as it enabled sharing of certain scarce resources so as to avail of economies of scale. 

He believed that technology which is local based will create enough job opportunities to support the entire village. 

Linked to the current global village countries and more so underdeveloped countries need to look inwards and see where their expertise and resource strength exist. 

For example a country like Switzerland with not much resource to boost has emerged as a tourist destination and a strong financial institution.

 Even countries like UAE have found a niche so as to sustain and augment the interests of their citizens.


Mahatma Gandhi.

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