<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/sudans-bashir-fights-for-survival-as-protests-spread-193195">Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir</a> on Sunday pledged to bolster rural development, as he seeks to face down anti-government demonstrations that have rocked cities and villages.

The veteran leader has been on a charm offensive with rallies across the country in a bid to head off weeks of protests seen as the biggest threat to his 30-year rule.

On Sunday, he travelled across North Kordofan, addressing hundreds of people in three separate televised rallies, including a night-time event in the state capital of Al-Obeid.

In the morning he addressed hundreds of villagers in the day's first rally, promising to bring clean drinking water to rural areas "across Sudan".

The speech came after he inaugurated a new 340-kilometre (210 miles) highway linking North Kordofan to Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum.

"Building such a road in present economic conditions is not an easy thing to achieve," said Bashir, after being escorted to the stage by dozens of men on camels as crowds of villagers clapped and whistled to Sudanese tunes.

"Along this road, we will bring electricity to boost the region's growth."

Hours later Bashir addressed a second rally where he called on the country's young men and women to help develop the country.

"The youth, for whom we have built universities, have to be ready to continue with the mission of building a new Sudan," he said in a village where hundreds had gathered.

The statement came after Prime Minister Moutaz Mousa Abdallah on Saturday called the protest movement a "respectable youth movement" and said its voice should be heeded.

As darkness fell, Bashir, dressed in traditional robe and turban, spoke to hundreds of cheering supporters, including students, at an open-air stadium in Al-Obeid where authorities have renovated an existing hospital.

"Patients often go to England, India or Jordan for surgeries, but now we can do them at Al-Obeid," he said as crowds cheered and loyalists set off fireworks.

Demonstrations erupted in Sudan in December after a government decision to triple the price of bread unleashed frustrations at years of deteriorating living conditions and growing hardship.

Officials say 30 people have died in protest-related violence, while rights group Human Rights Watch says at least 51 have been killed.

Bashir's attempts to rally support have so far failed to halt the wave of discontent, with the group leading the demonstrations calling for fresh protests over the next few days starting Sunday night.

Late on Sunday, a group of protesters chanted "revolution, revolution," in a neighbourhood of Omdurman, witnesses said.

Bashir and other senior Sudanese officials have repeatedly said that the government can be changed only through elections.

The leader, who came to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989, is considering running for a third elected presidential term in polls due next year.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Sunday pledged to bolster rural development, as he seeks to face down anti-government demonstrations that have rocked cities and villages.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Sunday pledged to bolster rural development, as he seeks to face down anti-government demonstrations that have rocked cities and villages. The veteran leader has been on a charm offensive with rallies across the country in a bid to head off weeks of protests seen as the biggest threat to his 30-year rule. On Sunday, he travelled across North Kordofan, addressing hundreds of people in three separate televised rallies, including a night-time event in the state capital of Al-Obeid. In the morning he addressed hundreds of villagers in the day's first rally, promising to bring clean drinking water to rural areas "across Sudan". The speech came after he inaugurated a new 340-kilometre (210 miles) highway linking North Kordofan to Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum. "Building such a road in present economic conditions is not an easy thing to achieve," said Bashir, after being escorted to the stage by dozens of men on camels as crowds of villagers clapped and whistled to Sudanese tunes. "Along this road, we will bring electricity to boost the region's growth." Hours later Bashir addressed a second rally where he called on the country's young men and women to help develop the country. "The youth, for whom we have built universities, have to be ready to continue with the mission of building a new Sudan," he said in a village where hundreds had gathered. The statement came after Prime Minister Moutaz Mousa Abdallah on Saturday called the protest movement a "respectable youth movement" and said its voice should be heeded. As darkness fell, Bashir, dressed in traditional robe and turban, spoke to hundreds of cheering supporters, including students, at an open-air stadium in Al-Obeid where authorities have renovated an existing hospital. "Patients often go to England, India or Jordan for surgeries, but now we can do them at Al-Obeid," he said as crowds cheered and loyalists set off fireworks. Demonstrations erupted in Sudan in December after a government decision to triple the price of bread unleashed frustrations at years of deteriorating living conditions and growing hardship. Officials say 30 people have died in protest-related violence, while rights group Human Rights Watch says at least 51 have been killed. Bashir's attempts to rally support have so far failed to halt the wave of discontent, with the group leading the demonstrations calling for fresh protests over the next few days starting Sunday night. Late on Sunday, a group of protesters chanted "revolution, revolution," in a neighbourhood of Omdurman, witnesses said. Bashir and other senior Sudanese officials have repeatedly said that the government can be changed only through elections. The leader, who came to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989, is considering running for a third elected presidential term in polls due next year.

Sudan's Bashir vows rural development as new protests loom

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/sudan-president-bashir-extends-ceasefire-in-two-war-zones-193707">Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir</a> on Sunday pledged to bolster rural development, as he seeks to face down anti-government demonstrations that have rocked cities and villages.

The veteran leader has been on a charm offensive with rallies across the country in a bid to head off weeks of protests seen as the biggest threat to his 30-year rule.&nbsp;

Addressing hundreds of villagers in North Kordofan state at a televised event he promised to bring clean drinking water to rural areas "across Sudan" and open a new hospital in the region.&nbsp;

The speech came after he inaugurated a new 340-kilometre highway linking North Kordofan to Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum.

"Building such a road in present economic conditions is not an easy thing to achieve," said Bashir, after being escorted to the stage by dozens of men on camels.&nbsp;

"Along this road, we will bring electricity to boost the region's growth."

Demonstrations erupted in Sudan in December after a government decision to triple the price of bread unleashed frustrations at years of deteriorating living conditions and growing hardship.

Officials say 30 people have died in protest-related violence, while rights group Human Rights Watch says at least 51 have been killed.

Bashir's attempts to rally support have so far failed to halt the wave of discontent, with the group leading the demonstrations calling for fresh protests over the next few days starting Sunday night.&nbsp;

Bashir and other senior Sudanese officials have repeatedly said that the government can be changed only through elections.

The leader, who came to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989, is considering running for a third elected presidential term in polls due next year.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Sunday pledged to bolster rural development, as he seeks to face down anti-government demonstrations that have rocked cities and villages. The veteran leader has been on a charm offensive with rallies across the country in a bid to head off weeks of protests seen as the biggest threat to his 30-year rule. Addressing hundreds of villagers in North Kordofan state at a televised event he promised to bring clean drinking water to rural areas "across Sudan" and open a new hospital in the region. The speech came after he inaugurated a new 340-kilometre highway linking North Kordofan to Omdurman, the twin city of Khartoum. "Building such a road in present economic conditions is not an easy thing to achieve," said Bashir, after being escorted to the stage by dozens of men on camels. "Along this road, we will bring electricity to boost the region's growth." Demonstrations erupted in Sudan in December after a government decision to triple the price of bread unleashed frustrations at years of deteriorating living conditions and growing hardship. Officials say 30 people have died in protest-related violence, while rights group Human Rights Watch says at least 51 have been killed. Bashir's attempts to rally support have so far failed to halt the wave of discontent, with the group leading the demonstrations calling for fresh protests over the next few days starting Sunday night. Bashir and other senior Sudanese officials have repeatedly said that the government can be changed only through elections. The leader, who came to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989, is considering running for a third elected presidential term in polls due next year.

Sudan president Bashir vows rural development as new protests loom

Migration from development-starved villages of Uttarakhand, especially those in the hills, continues to present a grim picture with over 700 of them totally depopulated in seven years.

Of nearly 16,500 villages in Uttarakhand, as many as 734, mostly in the hilly areas, are totally depopulated. Not a soul lives in them, Vice President of Uttarakhand Rural Development and Migration Commission S S Negi told PTI.

Such ghost villages with their houses lying in ruins and fields overgrown with vegetation abound in Pauri district where 186 out of 298 villages are totally depopulated, he said citing a report submitted to the state government recently by the commission.

Pauri is the worst hit by migration followed by Almora district where a study by a commission team is already underway.

The data covers a period of seven years after the 2011 census, he said.

Describing the situation as "grim", the commission's vice president said while migration from development-starved hill areas is a common problem total depopulation of villages is unique to Uttarakhand.

"Wherever there is lack of development in the country or anywhere in the world, migration is a reality but total depopulation of villages is a rare phenomenon which seems Uttarakhand specific," he observed.

One of the reasons behind total depopulation is that while migration from states like Bihar is of a temporary and seasonal nature, outflux from the hill villages of Uttarakhand is of a permanent nature, he said.

"While people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, for instance, migrate often to work as labourers in urban areas temporarily and come back, those who migrate from Uttarakhand hills are often educated people who do so in search of better employment opportunities and prospects for settling down," the commission's vice president said.

There are also a number of villages in the state where the population size is 8-10 or 2-3 people.

&nbsp;Citing an instance, Negi said while touring Nainidanda block of Pauri district they came upon a village where no one lives except a retired postmaster and his wife who said they bolt the doors of their house at 4 pm and keep indoors in the fear of leopards.

&nbsp;"There are also villages in Nainidanda block where there is no male population with all of them working outside and in case of one of the women dying men have to be sent from neighbouring villages to carry the bier on their shoulders and participate in the funeral," he said.

Pegging the rate of migration at 50 per cent, Negi underlined the need for immediate steps to boost the rural economy to stop further migration from Uttarakhand's villages. "The basic factors behind the high rate of migration from Uttarakhand's villages is lack of income avenues, non-accessibility of quality education and quality health care.

The situation can be improved only through creation of better income avenues with fresh impetus to ecotourism," Negi said.&nbsp;

"Five-star tourism is obviously not going to work in villages. A renewed thrust on ecotourism like home stays and adventure tourism activities like trekking, rafting etc may create better income avenues for locals and stop further migration from our villages," he said.

&nbsp;Temple tourism is another area which needs to be paid more attention as villages of Uttarakhand abound with centuries-old temples that can attract people and generate income avenues for locals, he suggested.

&nbsp;Better facilities can be created for devotees around these temples which will create employment opportunities for locals and increase their income, he said.

Migration from development-starved villages of Uttarakhand, especially those in the hills, continues to present a grim picture with over 700 of them totally depopulated in seven years.

Migration from development-starved villages of Uttarakhand, especially those in the hills, continues to present a grim picture with over 700 of them totally depopulated in seven years. Of nearly 16,500 villages in Uttarakhand, as many as 734, mostly in the hilly areas, are totally depopulated. Not a soul lives in them, Vice President of Uttarakhand Rural Development and Migration Commission S S Negi told PTI. Such ghost villages with their houses lying in ruins and fields overgrown with vegetation abound in Pauri district where 186 out of 298 villages are totally depopulated, he said citing a report submitted to the state government recently by the commission. Pauri is the worst hit by migration followed by Almora district where a study by a commission team is already underway. The data covers a period of seven years after the 2011 census, he said. Describing the situation as "grim", the commission's vice president said while migration from development-starved hill areas is a common problem total depopulation of villages is unique to Uttarakhand. "Wherever there is lack of development in the country or anywhere in the world, migration is a reality but total depopulation of villages is a rare phenomenon which seems Uttarakhand specific," he observed. One of the reasons behind total depopulation is that while migration from states like Bihar is of a temporary and seasonal nature, outflux from the hill villages of Uttarakhand is of a permanent nature, he said. "While people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, for instance, migrate often to work as labourers in urban areas temporarily and come back, those who migrate from Uttarakhand hills are often educated people who do so in search of better employment opportunities and prospects for settling down," the commission's vice president said. There are also a number of villages in the state where the population size is 8-10 or 2-3 people. Citing an instance, Negi said while touring Nainidanda block of Pauri district they came upon a village where no one lives except a retired postmaster and his wife who said they bolt the doors of their house at 4 pm and keep indoors in the fear of leopards. "There are also villages in Nainidanda block where there is no male population with all of them working outside and in case of one of the women dying men have to be sent from neighbouring villages to carry the bier on their shoulders and participate in the funeral," he said. Pegging the rate of migration at 50 per cent, Negi underlined the need for immediate steps to boost the rural economy to stop further migration from Uttarakhand's villages. "The basic factors behind the high rate of migration from Uttarakhand's villages is lack of income avenues, non-accessibility of quality education and quality health care. The situation can be improved only through creation of better income avenues with fresh impetus to ecotourism," Negi said. "Five-star tourism is obviously not going to work in villages. A renewed thrust on ecotourism like home stays and adventure tourism activities like trekking, rafting etc may create better income avenues for locals and stop further migration from our villages," he said. Temple tourism is another area which needs to be paid more attention as villages of Uttarakhand abound with centuries-old temples that can attract people and generate income avenues for locals, he suggested. Better facilities can be created for devotees around these temples which will create employment opportunities for locals and increase their income, he said.

Depopulation empties 734 Uttarakhand villages

Gandhiji had once said, “The soul of India lives in its villages.” Seventy years after Independence, it’s still true that more than half of Indians live in villages. As per Census of 2011, about 31 per cent of the population lives in urban centres. However, this relatively small number masks the rapidly urbanising Indian populace thanks to the stringent Census definition of what constitutes ‘urban’. 
 
According to the Census, an area can be classified as urban if it meets the following three criteria: it has a population of over 5,000, with a density of 400 persons per square kilometre, and at least 75 per cent of its male population is engaged in non-farm activities. As the Economic Survey clearly notes, satellite data and relaxation of any of these criteria can significantly alter the urban population in India. For example, if we restrict the ‘urban’ definition to include places with 5,000 persons or more, at least 47 per cent of the population is urban.

At the same time, Census data and independent surveys reveal the rapidly growing rural-urban migration in the last decade. This migration, which was and continues to be male-dominated, is now witnessing a rise in the share of women. What this implies is that urbanisation is likely to be larger and more permanent than that witnessed previously, as male migrants usually leave their families in the villages and stay temporarily in the city, while female migrants are more likely to bring their families along and settle permanently in the city.

Yet, our current urban infrastructure simply cannot cope with the rapid urbanisation. Our public transport is in shambles, poor sewage systems lead to raw sewage being dumped into water bodies, garbage disposal is inadequate and the open-air landfills are filling up too fast. At the same time, quality and reliable power appear to be a distant dream, while erratic water supply forces urban residents to over-exploit groundwater.

Even urban local governance is far below potential. As the Economic Survey notes, urban local bodies (ULBs) generate less than 10 per cent of their resources on their own. They are overwhelmingly dependent on state and central government funds for the rest. Many of these ULBs also face the problems of low accountability and transparency.

Thus, there is an urgent need to improve our urban infrastructure and revamp urban governance. This is where schemes like AMRUT and Smart Cities come into play. These schemes focus more on outcomes with greater use of technology for better monitoring. At the same time, innovative financing schemes like municipal bonds and value capture financing (VCF) have been touted to improve urban finance. This also needs to be accompanied by an improvement in urban governance — increasing transparency and accountability, reducing para-statal agencies and devolution of more powers under the 12th schedule of the Constitution. Focussing on disaster management is the key to making cities resilient, while steps need to be taken to make cities more inclusive and accessible for women, SC/STs and differently abled.

At the same time, to stem the flow of rural-urban migrants, rural infrastructure needs to be improved. The SP Mukherjee RURBAN Mission aims to provide urban amenities in rural areas (PURA). This mission can help to make rural areas more productive, especially in non-farm activities.

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-the-need-to-revamp-urban-infrastructure-2680024">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Gandhiji had once said, “The soul of India lives in its villages.” Seventy years after Independence, it’s still true that more than half of Indians live in villages.

Gandhiji had once said, “The soul of India lives in its villages.” Seventy years after Independence, it’s still true that more than half of Indians live in villages. As per Census of 2011, about 31 per cent of the population lives in urban centres. However, this relatively small number masks the rapidly urbanising Indian populace thanks to the stringent Census definition of what constitutes ‘urban’. According to the Census, an area can be classified as urban if it meets the following three criteria: it has a population of over 5,000, with a density of 400 persons per square kilometre, and at least 75 per cent of its male population is engaged in non-farm activities. As the Economic Survey clearly notes, satellite data and relaxation of any of these criteria can significantly alter the urban population in India. For example, if we restrict the ‘urban’ definition to include places with 5,000 persons or more, at least 47 per cent of the population is urban. At the same time, Census data and independent surveys reveal the rapidly growing rural-urban migration in the last decade. This migration, which was and continues to be male-dominated, is now witnessing a rise in the share of women. What this implies is that urbanisation is likely to be larger and more permanent than that witnessed previously, as male migrants usually leave their families in the villages and stay temporarily in the city, while female migrants are more likely to bring their families along and settle permanently in the city. Yet, our current urban infrastructure simply cannot cope with the rapid urbanisation. Our public transport is in shambles, poor sewage systems lead to raw sewage being dumped into water bodies, garbage disposal is inadequate and the open-air landfills are filling up too fast. At the same time, quality and reliable power appear to be a distant dream, while erratic water supply forces urban residents to over-exploit groundwater. Even urban local governance is far below potential. As the Economic Survey notes, urban local bodies (ULBs) generate less than 10 per cent of their resources on their own. They are overwhelmingly dependent on state and central government funds for the rest. Many of these ULBs also face the problems of low accountability and transparency. Thus, there is an urgent need to improve our urban infrastructure and revamp urban governance. This is where schemes like AMRUT and Smart Cities come into play. These schemes focus more on outcomes with greater use of technology for better monitoring. At the same time, innovative financing schemes like municipal bonds and value capture financing (VCF) have been touted to improve urban finance. This also needs to be accompanied by an improvement in urban governance — increasing transparency and accountability, reducing para-statal agencies and devolution of more powers under the 12th schedule of the Constitution. Focussing on disaster management is the key to making cities resilient, while steps need to be taken to make cities more inclusive and accessible for women, SC/STs and differently abled. At the same time, to stem the flow of rural-urban migrants, rural infrastructure needs to be improved. The SP Mukherjee RURBAN Mission aims to provide urban amenities in rural areas (PURA). This mission can help to make rural areas more productive, especially in non-farm activities. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The need to revamp urban infrastructure

Rural people often migrate seasonally with their herds, or to join the harvest in other districts. They frequently travel to towns and cities to trade, do temporary jobs, or advance their education.

In some regions of the world, nomadic cultures are commonplace. Migration is one of the most debated topics, and policymakers are fully aware of how much people move around. What is lacking is reliable data — movement is very difficult to capture in official statistical systems.

Internal mobility is commonplace. Yet policy debates tend to focus on international mobility, which is more widely remarked in receiving countries and spurs more news reports. Yet remittances from migrants within countries are often more important to supplementing rural incomes than those from far away - and have a bigger impact on relieving poverty.

As mobile phone masts, tarmac roads, power generators and cables advance into the countryside, mobility is playing a growing part in rural livelihoods. More importantly, the physical distance between towns and rural areas is also shrinking. Opportunities for seasonal and so-called circular migration, where the worker moves regularly between a home and host district, will continue to grow. In some areas commuting becomes commonplace. Small and intermediate towns are breaking down the rural-urban divide.

But why should rural people have to migrate to escape poverty? Migration should not be a necessity, but a choice made to better the situation of the individual or the family. It should not be leading to unemployment, poor working conditions, exploitation and crime, nor upending society and depriving children the chance to grow up with their parents.

To ensure migration remains a choice, rather than a necessity, we need to invest in rural areas. But modern economic history also teaches us that investment in agriculture and rural areas delivers not just productivity and income gains in agriculture, but faster growth elsewhere in the economy.

When farmers earn more, they have more money to buy farm inputs and services, and need access to financial services. As farms become more productive and are integrated into value chains, rural areas need facilities for transport, produce processing and packaging. Profits become available to invest in other sectors of the economy too, kick-starting growth in rural areas. Growth in agriculture and food systems increases consumer spending on non-food consumables and spurs growth in the economy generally. Where agriculture is unproductive, economies often remain poor.

Rural transformation broadens choices for rural people and drives economic development. It can create opportunities for mobility (it is sometimes assumed that rural transformation stops people from deciding to move). From the other side, mobility can also contribute to rural transformation.

Rural transformation contributes to the development of thriving non-farm economies, skills development, technological progress and develops rural-urban links. Mobility both gives people more choices, and helps them become more prosperous.

As farms become more prosperous and complex, entrepreneurs develop businesses to service their needs — often in local villages or towns. So it is important to invest in rural communities along the value chain and to ensure entrepreneurs have the funds they need to grow their businesses.

Besides services such as storage, transport and packaging, smallholders need roads and transport systems, and institutional links to information and services.

People on the move need access to mobile information. Mobile networks and telephones, backed by content on apps and tools, are needed to supply information and services to migrants. Mobile phone apps are already reducing the cost of transferring remittances and payments to people in rural areas.

Against this backdrop, we need policies, institutions and investments that respond to mobility. Rather than making it hard for people to move, we need to remove barriers that make it harder for them to make the most of their time and become more productive.

Mobility is a legitimate, and often a smart, household strategy. If supported by governments, development agencies and civil society, not to mention private business, mobility can contribute to better outcomes for households across both rural and urban areas. 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-rethinking-modern-mobility-2673537">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

Rural people often migrate seasonally with their herds, or to join the harvest in other districts. They frequently travel to towns and cities to trade, do temporary jobs, or advance their education.

Rural people often migrate seasonally with their herds, or to join the harvest in other districts. They frequently travel to towns and cities to trade, do temporary jobs, or advance their education. In some regions of the world, nomadic cultures are commonplace. Migration is one of the most debated topics, and policymakers are fully aware of how much people move around. What is lacking is reliable data — movement is very difficult to capture in official statistical systems. Internal mobility is commonplace. Yet policy debates tend to focus on international mobility, which is more widely remarked in receiving countries and spurs more news reports. Yet remittances from migrants within countries are often more important to supplementing rural incomes than those from far away - and have a bigger impact on relieving poverty. As mobile phone masts, tarmac roads, power generators and cables advance into the countryside, mobility is playing a growing part in rural livelihoods. More importantly, the physical distance between towns and rural areas is also shrinking. Opportunities for seasonal and so-called circular migration, where the worker moves regularly between a home and host district, will continue to grow. In some areas commuting becomes commonplace. Small and intermediate towns are breaking down the rural-urban divide. But why should rural people have to migrate to escape poverty? Migration should not be a necessity, but a choice made to better the situation of the individual or the family. It should not be leading to unemployment, poor working conditions, exploitation and crime, nor upending society and depriving children the chance to grow up with their parents. To ensure migration remains a choice, rather than a necessity, we need to invest in rural areas. But modern economic history also teaches us that investment in agriculture and rural areas delivers not just productivity and income gains in agriculture, but faster growth elsewhere in the economy. When farmers earn more, they have more money to buy farm inputs and services, and need access to financial services. As farms become more productive and are integrated into value chains, rural areas need facilities for transport, produce processing and packaging. Profits become available to invest in other sectors of the economy too, kick-starting growth in rural areas. Growth in agriculture and food systems increases consumer spending on non-food consumables and spurs growth in the economy generally. Where agriculture is unproductive, economies often remain poor. Rural transformation broadens choices for rural people and drives economic development. It can create opportunities for mobility (it is sometimes assumed that rural transformation stops people from deciding to move). From the other side, mobility can also contribute to rural transformation. Rural transformation contributes to the development of thriving non-farm economies, skills development, technological progress and develops rural-urban links. Mobility both gives people more choices, and helps them become more prosperous. As farms become more prosperous and complex, entrepreneurs develop businesses to service their needs — often in local villages or towns. So it is important to invest in rural communities along the value chain and to ensure entrepreneurs have the funds they need to grow their businesses. Besides services such as storage, transport and packaging, smallholders need roads and transport systems, and institutional links to information and services. People on the move need access to mobile information. Mobile networks and telephones, backed by content on apps and tools, are needed to supply information and services to migrants. Mobile phone apps are already reducing the cost of transferring remittances and payments to people in rural areas. Against this backdrop, we need policies, institutions and investments that respond to mobility. Rather than making it hard for people to move, we need to remove barriers that make it harder for them to make the most of their time and become more productive. Mobility is a legitimate, and often a smart, household strategy. If supported by governments, development agencies and civil society, not to mention private business, mobility can contribute to better outcomes for households across both rural and urban areas. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Rethinking modern mobility

Addressing the gram panchayats on the occasion&nbsp;of National Panchayati Raj Day in Madhya Pradesh's&nbsp;Mandela Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday&nbsp;pledged to boost the development of villages.&nbsp;

He launched the&nbsp;"Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan" scheme&nbsp;and initiated plans to divert Rs 2 lakh crore for development of areas under tribal panchayats.

While unveiling&nbsp;a&nbsp;roadmap for development of tribal areas in Madhya Pradesh over the next five years, he said that the Centre will work for panchayats and&nbsp;rural developments.&nbsp;

He also said that the government was committed to the rural development and that education for all is the top priority for the centre.&nbsp;

PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottling plant at Maneri in the district.

He said, "I am delighted to be in Madhya Pradesh on National Panchayati Raj Day. Bapu always highlighted the importance of villages and spoke about 'Gram Swaraj. Think about what you can do for water conservation in the villages. Every drop of water should be conserved.

"When it comes to rural development, Budgets are important. But, there is a shift in the discourse in last few years. People are now talking about the need to ensure that money allocated for a project is utilised and it is done in a transparent manner".

PM Modi also said that the Indian culture motivates the people to live for the nation.&nbsp;

 
 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Modi was in MP to launch the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan scheme

Addressing the gram panchayats on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day in Madhya Pradesh's Mandela Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday pledged to boost the development of villages. He launched the "Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan" scheme and initiated plans to divert Rs 2 lakh crore for development of areas under tribal panchayats. While unveiling a roadmap for development of tribal areas in Madhya Pradesh over the next five years, he said that the Centre will work for panchayats and rural developments. He also said that the government was committed to the rural development and that education for all is the top priority for the centre. PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottling plant at Maneri in the district. He said, "I am delighted to be in Madhya Pradesh on National Panchayati Raj Day. Bapu always highlighted the importance of villages and spoke about 'Gram Swaraj. Think about what you can do for water conservation in the villages. Every drop of water should be conserved. "When it comes to rural development, Budgets are important. But, there is a shift in the discourse in last few years. People are now talking about the need to ensure that money allocated for a project is utilised and it is done in a transparent manner". PM Modi also said that the Indian culture motivates the people to live for the nation.

Government committed to development of villages: PM Modi in Madhya Pradesh

It is predicted that 896 towns and villages across Japan will no longer be viable by 2040 (see map below or an interactive Japanese version <a href="https://www.nikkei.com/edit/interactive/population2014/map.html">here</a>). A former minister for internal affairs, Hiroya Masuda, describes this as &ldquo;local extinction&rdquo;.

Visiting some of these towns and villages today is reminiscent of Alfonso Cuar&oacute;n&rsquo;s brilliantly observant movie Children of Men. The film is set in 2027, two decades after humanity has lost the ability to reproduce. Schools are dilapidated and their playgrounds forever quiet. Houses are empty and in disrepair.

While the situation in Japan is not as bleak (yet), Masuda notes that birthrates have fallen since the 1970s and currently stand at 1.4 children per family. The most recent projections indicate that the population will shrink by 27 million between 2015 and 2053. That&rsquo;s equivalent to the entire population of Australia vanishing.

<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/201448/original/file-20180110-36009-1sq50t2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/201448/original/file-20180110-36009-1sq50t2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" /></a>

<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<figcaption>
In a simplified version of a map published by Hiroya Masuda in 2014, localities shown in red are predicted to become extinct by 2040. <a class="source" href="http://guzome.com/9679/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E5%9C%B0%E5%9B%B3-%E7%99%BD%E5%9C%B0%E5%9B%B3-%E3%83%95%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC-%E3%82%A8%E3%82%AF%E3%82%BB%E3%83%AB.html">guzome.com</a>, Author provided

&nbsp;

Masuda concluded that municipalities experiencing a 50% decline in their young female population (aged 20-39) are most likely to go extinct.

At the same time, Japan is ageing rapidly. The over-65s are estimated to rise from 26.6% of the population in 2015 to 38.4% in 2065. The population age imbalances are particularly acute in rural Japan, compounded by the young migrating to big cities.
</figcaption>
</figure>

What does decline look like?

Japan is viewed around the globe as a cool, vibrant and extraordinary place. It attracts <a href="https://www.tourism.jp/en/tourism-database/stats/">more than 24 million tourists each year</a>, many of whom visit Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto and then travel via bullet train to other major cities. This urban core is the centre of population, economic and cultural activity, and it is all that most tourists see.

Only when you travel to rural Japan do the impacts of population decline become apparent. Last year, I spent time in two rural prefectures.

<figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/201449/original/file-20180110-36040-fwxi4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/201449/original/file-20180110-36040-fwxi4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" /></a>

<figcaption>
An abandoned farm just outside Tsuwano in Shimane Prefecture. Brendan Barrett, Author provided

In July I visited the small town of Tsuwano in Shimane Prefecture. According to Masuda&rsquo;s projections, Tsuwano will experience a 75% drop in the number of young women and its population will more than halve to 3,451 in 2040 (down from 7,500 today). In October, I visited Tokushima Prefecture in Shikoku, where the picture is very similar for most towns and villages.

In both locations, I came across many abandoned farms and houses. Nationally, it is estimated that unclaimed land will reach 7.2 million hectares in 2040 (almost the size of Hokkaido and bigger than Tasmania), with a value of close to &yen;6 trillion (A$7 trillion).

Japan&rsquo;s inheritance laws are partly to blame for this situation and also explain why 8.2 million homes are vacant across the country. Fixed asset taxes on empty lots are six times higher, so it makes sense not to demolish old houses or farmsteads
</figcaption>
</figure>

<figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/201450/original/file-20180110-36022-152hd4a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/201450/original/file-20180110-36022-152hd4a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" /></a>

<figcaption>A boarded-up house in Tokushima Prefecture. Brendan Barrett, Author provided</figcaption>
</figure>

<h2>&nbsp;</h2>

Dealing with decline

Everyone in Japan is aware of the challenges posed by a rapidly ageing, declining population with low birth rates. The media cover these concerns extensively.

&nbsp;

<figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/201451/original/file-20180110-36043-ycmtnl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/201451/original/file-20180110-36043-ycmtnl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" /></a>

<figcaption>TV presenters discuss the extinction of towns and cities. Brendan Barrett, Author provided</figcaption>
</figure>

&nbsp;

Local governments have been trying to encourage people to move back to rural areas by providing work opportunities and sharing details of vacant houses.

This internal migration is known as &ldquo;U-turn&rdquo; or &ldquo;I-turn&rdquo;. The former describes someone returning to their hometown, while the latter refers to a person who decides to quit big city life.

Relocating to a small rural community, however, can be challenging. Villages and towns are close-knit communities and the returnee is expected to comply with local norms.

The Japanese have an expression, Gō ni ireba gō ni shitagae, which is equivalent to &ldquo;When in Rome do as the Romans do&rdquo;. Failure to do so can result in the returnee being, to use an English idiom, &ldquo;sent to Coventry&rdquo;. The Japanese term is mura hachibu, and it means you will be ignored and excluded.

<figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/201452/original/file-20180110-36037-kq0rvd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/201452/original/file-20180110-36037-kq0rvd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" /></a>

<figcaption>
A morning TV show provides examples of &lsquo;U-turners&rsquo; who have been &lsquo;sent to Coventry&rsquo; by their rural neighbours for not trying harder to fit in. Brendan Barrett, Author provided

&nbsp;
</figcaption>
</figure>

More radical responses needed

There are no simple answers to these challenges. The Japanese government has been very active but past policies have tended to focus on infrastructure development and construction of public facilities (roads, dams, town halls, libraries, museums, sports facilities), rather than on the economic needs and welfare of local people.

In this context, Masuda calls for a radical new approach with three core goals.

<ol>
	<li>Comprehensive measures are needed to help maintain existing populations in rural areas (through marriage, pregnancy, childbirth and childcare).</li>
	<li>Measures should be implemented to promote population redistribution and reduce migration to big cities.</li>
	<li>Policies should be introduced to enhance human resources and local skills. This includes immigration of highly trained individuals from overseas, which is controversial.</li>
</ol>

While lots of ongoing initiatives aim to attract young people back to rural areas, the biggest concern is one of livelihoods as long-term job prospects are limited. Yuusuke Kakei covers this topic in his 2015 book Population Decline x Design, presenting proposals for new local economic activity that puts women, creativity and community at the centre. To this we should add what Joseph Coughlin describes as &ldquo;The Longevity Economy&rdquo; to respond to the economic and technology needs of an aging population.

Interest in the notion of the universal basic income has also surged recently in Japan. Some commentators argue that it could play a significant role in revitalising Japan and in making rural life more attractive to young Japanese by providing them with long-term financial security.

One major challenge for local economies is access to finance, especially to support new businesses. While there are several innovative crowdfunding initiatives, Japanese municipalities should also look at the Transition Town movement for inspiration with its focus on &ldquo;reclaiming the economy, sparking entrepreneurship, reimagining work&rdquo;.

Specifically, it is worth exploring the potential of local entrepreneur forums. These bring together local investors from within the towns or villages with local entrepreneurs to support new, small business ventures.

The result is that communities pool their resources to support young people who have business ideas but lack financial resources. This is in line with both Masuda&rsquo;s and Kakei&rsquo;s recommendations to focus on local needs, rather than physical buildings and infrastructure.

While local communities search for a way forward, it is clear that Japan is leading the world in ageing, population decline and in how to respond. Many other countries are set to follow this path. We can all learn a great deal by closely examining Japan&rsquo;s experience.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-a-countrys-towns-and-villages-face-extinction-88398">original article</a>.

&nbsp;

Japan is facing challenges posed by a rapidly ageing, declining population with low birth rates

It is predicted that 896 towns and villages across Japan will no longer be viable by 2040 (see map below or an interactive Japanese version here). A former minister for internal affairs, Hiroya Masuda, describes this as “local extinction”. Visiting some of these towns and villages today is reminiscent of Alfonso Cuarón’s brilliantly observant movie Children of Men. The film is set in 2027, two decades after humanity has lost the ability to reproduce. Schools are dilapidated and their playgrounds forever quiet. Houses are empty and in disrepair. While the situation in Japan is not as bleak (yet), Masuda notes that birthrates have fallen since the 1970s and currently stand at 1.4 children per family. The most recent projections indicate that the population will shrink by 27 million between 2015 and 2053. That’s equivalent to the entire population of Australia vanishing. In a simplified version of a map published by Hiroya Masuda in 2014, localities shown in red are predicted to become extinct by 2040. guzome.com, Author provided Masuda concluded that municipalities experiencing a 50% decline in their young female population (aged 20-39) are most likely to go extinct. At the same time, Japan is ageing rapidly. The over-65s are estimated to rise from 26.6% of the population in 2015 to 38.4% in 2065. The population age imbalances are particularly acute in rural Japan, compounded by the young migrating to big cities. What does decline look like? Japan is viewed around the globe as a cool, vibrant and extraordinary place. It attracts more than 24 million tourists each year, many of whom visit Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto and then travel via bullet train to other major cities. This urban core is the centre of population, economic and cultural activity, and it is all that most tourists see. Only when you travel to rural Japan do the impacts of population decline become apparent. Last year, I spent time in two rural prefectures. An abandoned farm just outside Tsuwano in Shimane Prefecture. Brendan Barrett, Author provided In July I visited the small town of Tsuwano in Shimane Prefecture. According to Masuda’s projections, Tsuwano will experience a 75% drop in the number of young women and its population will more than halve to 3,451 in 2040 (down from 7,500 today). In October, I visited Tokushima Prefecture in Shikoku, where the picture is very similar for most towns and villages. In both locations, I came across many abandoned farms and houses. Nationally, it is estimated that unclaimed land will reach 7.2 million hectares in 2040 (almost the size of Hokkaido and bigger than Tasmania), with a value of close to ¥6 trillion (A$7 trillion). Japan’s inheritance laws are partly to blame for this situation and also explain why 8.2 million homes are vacant across the country. Fixed asset taxes on empty lots are six times higher, so it makes sense not to demolish old houses or farmsteads A boarded-up house in Tokushima Prefecture. Brendan Barrett, Author provided Dealing with decline Everyone in Japan is aware of the challenges posed by a rapidly ageing, declining population with low birth rates. The media cover these concerns extensively. TV presenters discuss the extinction of towns and cities. Brendan Barrett, Author provided Local governments have been trying to encourage people to move back to rural areas by providing work opportunities and sharing details of vacant houses. This internal migration is known as “U-turn” or “I-turn”. The former describes someone returning to their hometown, while the latter refers to a person who decides to quit big city life. Relocating to a small rural community, however, can be challenging. Villages and towns are close-knit communities and the returnee is expected to comply with local norms. The Japanese have an expression, Gō ni ireba gō ni shitagae, which is equivalent to “When in Rome do as the Romans do”. Failure to do so can result in the returnee being, to use an English idiom, “sent to Coventry”. The Japanese term is mura hachibu, and it means you will be ignored and excluded. A morning TV show provides examples of ‘U-turners’ who have been ‘sent to Coventry’ by their rural neighbours for not trying harder to fit in. Brendan Barrett, Author provided More radical responses needed There are no simple answers to these challenges. The Japanese government has been very active but past policies have tended to focus on infrastructure development and construction of public facilities (roads, dams, town halls, libraries, museums, sports facilities), rather than on the economic needs and welfare of local people. In this context, Masuda calls for a radical new approach with three core goals. Comprehensive measures are needed to help maintain existing populations in rural areas (through marriage, pregnancy, childbirth and childcare). Measures should be implemented to promote population redistribution and reduce migration to big cities. Policies should be introduced to enhance human resources and local skills. This includes immigration of highly trained individuals from overseas, which is controversial. While lots of ongoing initiatives aim to attract young people back to rural areas, the biggest concern is one of livelihoods as long-term job prospects are limited. Yuusuke Kakei covers this topic in his 2015 book Population Decline x Design, presenting proposals for new local economic activity that puts women, creativity and community at the centre. To this we should add what Joseph Coughlin describes as “The Longevity Economy” to respond to the economic and technology needs of an aging population. Interest in the notion of the universal basic income has also surged recently in Japan. Some commentators argue that it could play a significant role in revitalising Japan and in making rural life more attractive to young Japanese by providing them with long-term financial security. One major challenge for local economies is access to finance, especially to support new businesses. While there are several innovative crowdfunding initiatives, Japanese municipalities should also look at the Transition Town movement for inspiration with its focus on “reclaiming the economy, sparking entrepreneurship, reimagining work”. Specifically, it is worth exploring the potential of local entrepreneur forums. These bring together local investors from within the towns or villages with local entrepreneurs to support new, small business ventures. The result is that communities pool their resources to support young people who have business ideas but lack financial resources. This is in line with both Masuda’s and Kakei’s recommendations to focus on local needs, rather than physical buildings and infrastructure. While local communities search for a way forward, it is clear that Japan is leading the world in ageing, population decline and in how to respond. Many other countries are set to follow this path. We can all learn a great deal by closely examining Japan’s experience. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Opinion: By 2040, 896 towns will disappear in Japan. Here's why.

Last week, a coworker and I spent several days in Digoli, a remote village in Uttarakhand that is home to the Bora community, a small caste native to the Kumaon region. Nestled deep in the foothills of the Himalayas and accessible only via a two-hour trek, Digoli seems to have sprouted organically from the steep mountainside, with narrow, winding stone paths connecting each house and terraced rice fields stretching into the distance.

Renowned for their skills as spinners and weavers, the Bora people have long been known in the area for their prodigious skills in the cultivation and weaving of hemp.

I had travelled to this remote corner of the world to conduct interviews for an exhibit my organisation, Avani, is preparing for the Google Arts and Culture Institute. The exhibit was intended to be centred on traditional hemp weaving, with a focus on the ways in which the legal boundaries around the crop&rsquo;s cultivation have hampered local traditions.

Going in, I thought I knew what the story would be: A small, marginalised community had taken pride in their traditional craft, and felt angry and disempowered when the government robbed them of their ability to practice it. I imagined impassioned interviews with villagers, in which they would describe the deep emotional and cultural value of hemp cultivation and mourn the loss of their traditional heritage and skills. The exhibit, as I envisioned it, would be a fiery polemic against blanket policy prescriptions, and a celebration of the beauty of traditional crafts.

Of course, India always seems to have a way of upending my expectations. For the most part, the community members I met in Digoli weren&rsquo;t mourning the loss of their craft or yearning for a return to their traditional roots. True, some of the village elders expressed anger towards the government for its restrictive hemp laws, telling me that the ban on hemp cultivation in the mid-1980s was misguided. But most, particularly in the younger generations, met the entire subject with a shrug.

<div class="ui-state-default"><img alt="" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/boracommunity01-copy-250x202-20171122063353.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Digoli, a remote village in Uttarakhand that is home to the Bora community (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)">&times;</a></div>

&ldquo;Hemp is old&rdquo;, Govinda, one Bora community member, told me matter-of-factly, &ldquo;People don&rsquo;t want to do it anymore. It takes too much time.&rdquo; Indeed, cultivating and weaving hemp is an extremely labour-intensive process. Many elderly women in the village who had woven hemp as young girls were missing their front teeth, as they spent so many hours pulling the fibres with their teeth to prepare them for weaving. Most of the pride village elders derived from their hemp cultivation seemed to centre less on its cultural value, and more on the sheer difficulty of producing it.

Given this, it seems entirely understandable that members of the younger generation would be reluctant to revive the craft. Even though hemp cultivation was legalised by the Uttarakhand government in 2015, few in the community believed that the traditions would be revived. Yet as I continued to hear the stories of the Bora community, I began wondering, &ldquo;Is that such a bad thing?&rdquo; Yes, hemp cultivation had largely disappeared in Digoli. But elders also told me that the girls today were getting married at 22 or 23, rather than at 14 or 15.

Women who had previously been unable to leave home without being accompanied by a male relative were now working independently and attending school. What I imagined seeing in Digoli was a community mourning the loss of its heritage and traditions. What I got instead was a community that was rapidly changing, modernising, and altogether disinclined to look back.

In the West, we have a tendency to fetishise and romanticise the &ldquo;traditional&rdquo; crafts of developing communities. As I continue to work with Avani, this feels increasingly problematic. After all, I don&rsquo;t particularly mourn the loss of traditional handicrafts in the U.S., and I would never wish to take up handicrafts as a profession (although to be fair, I am hopeless with crafts). So why should we impose these values upon developing communities, at the expense of encouraging them to pursue careers in other, less labour-intensive fields?

This is not to say that traditional cultures aren&rsquo;t valuable. Working with Avani&rsquo;s weavers, I am awestruck by the beauty and skill of this traditional craft. Yet after my time in Digoli, I am convinced that we must strike a careful balance between celebrating traditional cultures, while also respecting the desires of some community members to move on. There is beauty in preservation, to be sure. But there is equal beauty, sometimes, in letting go.

This <a href="http://aif.org/holding-on-letting-go-notes-from-the-field/" rel="nofollow">article</a> was originally published on 20/11/2017 on <a href="http://aif.org/" rel="nofollow">American India Foundation</a>

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

The spinners and weavers of Bora community from a village Digoli, Uttarakhand are experiencing rapid change, modernisation and are altogether reluctant to look back.

Last week, a coworker and I spent several days in Digoli, a remote village in Uttarakhand that is home to the Bora community, a small caste native to the Kumaon region. Nestled deep in the foothills of the Himalayas and accessible only via a two-hour trek, Digoli seems to have sprouted organically from the steep mountainside, with narrow, winding stone paths connecting each house and terraced rice fields stretching into the distance. Renowned for their skills as spinners and weavers, the Bora people have long been known in the area for their prodigious skills in the cultivation and weaving of hemp. I had travelled to this remote corner of the world to conduct interviews for an exhibit my organisation, Avani, is preparing for the Google Arts and Culture Institute. The exhibit was intended to be centred on traditional hemp weaving, with a focus on the ways in which the legal boundaries around the crop’s cultivation have hampered local traditions. Going in, I thought I knew what the story would be: A small, marginalised community had taken pride in their traditional craft, and felt angry and disempowered when the government robbed them of their ability to practice it. I imagined impassioned interviews with villagers, in which they would describe the deep emotional and cultural value of hemp cultivation and mourn the loss of their traditional heritage and skills. The exhibit, as I envisioned it, would be a fiery polemic against blanket policy prescriptions, and a celebration of the beauty of traditional crafts. Of course, India always seems to have a way of upending my expectations. For the most part, the community members I met in Digoli weren’t mourning the loss of their craft or yearning for a return to their traditional roots. True, some of the village elders expressed anger towards the government for its restrictive hemp laws, telling me that the ban on hemp cultivation in the mid-1980s was misguided. But most, particularly in the younger generations, met the entire subject with a shrug. Digoli, a remote village in Uttarakhand that is home to the Bora community (Others) × “Hemp is old”, Govinda, one Bora community member, told me matter-of-factly, “People don’t want to do it anymore. It takes too much time.” Indeed, cultivating and weaving hemp is an extremely labour-intensive process. Many elderly women in the village who had woven hemp as young girls were missing their front teeth, as they spent so many hours pulling the fibres with their teeth to prepare them for weaving. Most of the pride village elders derived from their hemp cultivation seemed to centre less on its cultural value, and more on the sheer difficulty of producing it. Given this, it seems entirely understandable that members of the younger generation would be reluctant to revive the craft. Even though hemp cultivation was legalised by the Uttarakhand government in 2015, few in the community believed that the traditions would be revived. Yet as I continued to hear the stories of the Bora community, I began wondering, “Is that such a bad thing?” Yes, hemp cultivation had largely disappeared in Digoli. But elders also told me that the girls today were getting married at 22 or 23, rather than at 14 or 15. Women who had previously been unable to leave home without being accompanied by a male relative were now working independently and attending school. What I imagined seeing in Digoli was a community mourning the loss of its heritage and traditions. What I got instead was a community that was rapidly changing, modernising, and altogether disinclined to look back. In the West, we have a tendency to fetishise and romanticise the “traditional” crafts of developing communities. As I continue to work with Avani, this feels increasingly problematic. After all, I don’t particularly mourn the loss of traditional handicrafts in the U.S., and I would never wish to take up handicrafts as a profession (although to be fair, I am hopeless with crafts). So why should we impose these values upon developing communities, at the expense of encouraging them to pursue careers in other, less labour-intensive fields? This is not to say that traditional cultures aren’t valuable. Working with Avani’s weavers, I am awestruck by the beauty and skill of this traditional craft. Yet after my time in Digoli, I am convinced that we must strike a careful balance between celebrating traditional cultures, while also respecting the desires of some community members to move on. There is beauty in preservation, to be sure. But there is equal beauty, sometimes, in letting go. This article was originally published on 20/11/2017 on American India Foundation (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Is celebrating traditional culture always good?

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