Smart Village: An Initiative for sustainable villages

Mayanglambam Ojit Kumar Singh

A
ccording NITI AYOG, a settlement with and emerging problems of environmental pollution
a maximum population of 15,000 is and conflicts.
considered as a “Village”. Much of India’s
rural population lives in nucleated villages, The general imagination of the people in
which most commonly have a settlement form urban areas is that the rural is a static, timeless
described as shapeless agglomerate. India being domain where people are bare-minimalists who
a rural dominated country, the smartness concept lack ambition and entrepreneurship. Given an
is not even thought about in the rural areas. opportunity, a village has all the potential to
According to 2011 census, the population of rural be at par with all sorts of development socially,
areas comprised of 68.84 per cent. Villages are scientifically, economically and environmentally.
the heart of our nation. However, large scale If we know the eco-system of the Indian villages,
migration of the people from rural areas to urban truly there are all the opportunities and avenues
areas, has its own risk parameters on the urban to make our villages - our country a sustainably
areas. If the vision of the founders of this Nation developing nation.
is to be respected and implemented, then we all
A smart village feels that its citizen know
have the responsibility to make our villages smart,
its available resources, applicable services and
which means self-sufficient, efficient, healthy and
schemes. It knows what it needs and when
educated villagers. To make the villages smart
it needs. Focused areas of the Smart village
means to make the country self-reliant, stronger
initiative are improved resource-use efficiency,
and secured. Some of the ways include offering
empowered local self-governance, access to
basic facilities, education, employment generation
activities, technology etc. assured basic amenities and responsible individual
and community behaviour to build a vibrant and
Concept of Smart Village: happy society. The major thrust behind the concept
on “Smart Village” is that the technology should act
The concept of the smart village is not
as a means for development, enabling education
constructed on the image of a city or a very
and local business opportunities, improving health
developed village of some states or nations. It is
not an adopted smartness, but an avenue to show and welfare, enhancing democratic engagement
the inherent smartness of the villages. and overall enhancement of rural village dwellers.
The Information and Communication Technology
One of the most important factors totally has proved its potential in various sectors of
disregarded by the development policies and development in urban and rural areas. And here in
programmes, misinterpreted heavily and ill the smart village concept, the use of the Information
considerate for many years is to make the villagers‘ and telecommunication is surely a major priority
sense of possessiveness and belonging to their area.
own villages more concrete and visible through
public policies or institution. India lives in its The ratio of school dropouts at school or
villages. Close to 70 per cent of India’s population college level is quite high amongst the rural youth
still resides in more than 2.5 lakh villages. This is which is negatively impacting the education policy
the food basket of the nation. Village panchayats and targets of the Government. Added to this is
have become the centres of grass root democracy. the non-availability of vocational avenues in rural
However, the holistic development of rural India environments which is further adversely affecting
is still under tremendous pressure owing to the aspirations of the youth from the rural areas. All
the declining farm output, increasing trend of such youth with little education, no vocational skills
distressed migration, absence of basic amenities and passing through utter poverty, find their way

32 Kurukshetra September 2016

 to nearest urban cities or large cities where they which is leading to creation of urban jungles,
migrate to find some source of livelihood. The rural where the population ratio and its related issues
youth finds a great disconnect with the way of life per km of land is way above the desired norms.
in cities which impacts him culturally, professionally A smart village should be interactive and multi-
and mentally only to add to his woes and thrusts functional and provisions must be there for active
him on the path of crime, except in few cases. This participation of people in various activities. A
results in tremendous socio-economic disconnect. smart village is one which will automatically link
local production with local procurement and
The concept of smart village includes a bundle
local distribution. A smart village will also have
of dozens of services delivered effectively to the
the power, knowledge, healthcare, technology,
residents and businesses in an efficient manner.
entrepreneurship and quicker connectivity in terms
These services could be location specific depending
of information acquiring and dissipation besides
on the demography of the village and occupations
being capable to execute the responsibilities to
of the residents.
the best possible manner. A smart village will not
For the development of smart village, a cluster only bring Internet connection to the rural lands,
approach can be followed. Each district may be but will also provide support to sustainable
divided in cluster of 10 to 15 villages (consisting agricultural practices.
of a specific number of population say 50-75,000).
Each district could have seven to 20 such clusters of Simply parroting the much standardised views
villages depending on its size of population and then and ideas of some selected institutions shall not
design the blue print to develop Infrastructure like suffice the needs and requirements of our villages.
roads, buildings, bridges, water, sewage, schools, We need customized solutions and procedures
colleges, hospitals and other facilities as per need specific to the concerned villages. Indian villages
based on local talent available, local vocations are located in different geographies and ecosystems
available, local raw materials/facilities available, with definite and concretely embedded respective
service/vocational avenues available locally or in differences in terms of needs, cultures, values
the district or within the state. and requirements. Emptying villages is no longer
considered a growth imperative. Focus on the
The smart village concept should formulate village economy with sincere efforts to create
Growth Strategies for the village to make it self- economic conditions such that more and more
sufficient taking into account the investment people contribute to the growth of the village
climate and protecting native occupation and economy, farming on their own land, producing
heritage of the village. The residents should be more from their own fields shall lighten the burden
trained in providing these services and the funding of the migrants to the cities looking for menial
agencies, microfinance institutions and NGOs can jobs. The simplest method to push for rural-
be approached for creating a financial eco-system urban migration has been to starve agriculture of
to develop a development chain. adequate financial support and keep the farmers
impoverished by giving them low prices for their
Need for Smart Villages:
produce.
The smart village concept is needed for a
sustainable and a secured [Link] will act Some parameters of a Smart village: Addressing
as a catalyst to appreciate and facilitate the the Challenges
challenges and welcome the outcomes of an Agriculture and Agro-based Services:
empowered village. It is about understanding
the villages towards the growth model which The Indian economy is still highly
is inclusive. It’s about achieving a higher goal dependent on the agricultural sector. A huge
without compromising the roots and the sense population essentially translates into a need to
of belongingness of the masses. The concept of address the growing food demands each year.
smart village is contemporary and very reliable And the Indian villagers and the villages where
today as there is a limit of the growth of cities they are residing are dependent on agricultural

Kurukshetra September 2016 33

activities. Hence, aiming for a smart village in demands of the people. If the system lacks the
India requires us to see the agricultural activities local participation, it will not be long lasting and
happening in the villages. Strengthening village sustainable.
economy should be the priority for a smart village.
pure drinking water supply and sanitation
It is important to turn farming economically
viable not only because a large proportion of the Pure drinking water and good sanitation are
population is engaged in agriculture, directly as essential prerequisites for good health and hygiene.
well as indirectly, but also to provide financial Most of the epidemics and ill health in India is mainly
support for setting up rural infrastructure. The due to communicable diseases caused by oral faecal
former president of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam had routes. Open defecation along with contaminated
a serious belief about the importance of providing water are still the major challenge in our villages to
urban amenities in the rural areas. Facilities like day. A smart village must have this aim to eliminate
educational institutions, colleges, hospitals, along the above mentioned problems. Innovative
with agri-based industries in the villages as well approaches to improve water supply and sanitation
as at the block level will create opportunities must be tested well and introduced in the villages.
within rural areas, thereby drastically reducing the Community-led total sanitation and public-private
migration to urban centres. Making the villages partnerships to improve the supply of pure drinking
self-reliant as far a their food security needs are water and sanitation should be practiced.
concerned and this would require synergy of the
Skill development training for economic activities:
provisions under food security law with farming
systems. Every cluster of village at the block or Considerable evidences are there for the
tehsil level should be encouraged to follow the marginalisation of rural populations and the
principles of ensuring local production, local incidence of poverty within rural areas. In terms of
procurement and local distribution. access to services, including education and training
rural people in general, are the inaugurator.
Electronic delivery of citizen-centric service : Rural people are most likely in many settings, to
Electronic services if managed properly are a be amongst those who are not being reached in
great equaliser. They are transparent, efficient and the drive towards the Millennium Development
cost effective. Various access points for delivery Goals (MDGs). Moreover, such problems are
of various electronic services to villages in India typically starker for rural women and girls, given
must be arranged. This will surely contribute to a their multiple burdens. Skills and knowledge are
digitally, socially and financially inclusive society. essential driving forces of economic growth and
social development of any country. They have
Mobile health unit: become even more important given the increasing
pace of globalization, and technological change
To transform rural areas to economically,
that is taking place in the world. Countries with
socially and physically sustainable spaces, the
higher and better levels of skills adjust more
health condition of the people in the rural areas
need to be taken care of. Health care is now
regarded as the public right and as an important
responsibility of governments to provide this care
to all people irrespective of race, religion, caste,
creed, urban or rural, rich or poor. Villagers in
India even today are so distantly placed as far as
the provisioning of the health care is concerned.
Here, mobile health care shall act as an important
bridge to connect the gaps. In this regard, the
mobile health unit that visit and share the health
care to the rural areas must be guided by relevance
that is, it should be based on the health needs and

34 Kurukshetra September 2016

 effectively to the challenges and opportunities
of globalization. Smart villages should take best Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna
opportunities to showcase the area and region Opening a new world of possibilities with
specific skills and wisdom to the world. financial inclusion
Street lights: • For the first time since independence, zero
balance accounts for the poor opened at
Solar powered street lights have all the
great speed & scale
required means today to lighten up the villagers
in terms of the sense of security. Solar LED street • 21.81 crore accounts opened, Rs. 37,616
lighting will provide a high quality, sustainable crore deposited as on 11th May, 2016
lighting solution for people in remote areas who
• Over 1.25 lakh banking correspondents
don’t have access to the conventional electricity
deployed
grid. It will help in increasing the level of safety on
roads and streets and allowing for more economic • RuPay Card issued in 17.78 crore accounts
and social activity.
health and welfare of the villages. Investment
Waste management: towards the conservation of biodiversity without
Everywhere there is a rise of a consumer confronting the rights and welfare of the people
culture. And the villages are being introduced to shall pave a secured way towards attaining a
this invading culture. Unorganised growth model sustainable society and a secured future for all.
has seen in the forms of mammoth heaps of waste Conservation of biodiversity is for the sustainable
in many cities. This form of growth that generates rural livelihoods besides enjoying the fruits of the
more waste than efficient consumption of resources balanced conditions of the surroundings.
must not be replicated in our villages. Sustainable
Smart villages can translate into improved
waste management, conversion of rural waste into
farm productivity, water conservation and
rural wealth will help our villages to because free
economic independence to village youth. It makes
from unwanted waste that is left uncollected. This
will make the working conditions much better and great social, economic and political sense.
will definitely help in improving the life expectancy Conclusion:
of the locals.
Creation of opportunities for youths in villages
Climate and Biodiversity: is the major requirement priority for a smart village
Climate change today is a reality and is programme and policy. Discouraging migration to
no longer a fiction. Climate change directly cities should not be an advice or suggestion, rather
or indirectly affects the culture, productivity, making the village self-sufficient and serviceable
disease outbreak and many other socio-economic shall surely attract the villagers to remain
problems. Practical steps must be taken up today productive in their own homes and villages. Proper
for the rural people to adapt their livelihood guidance and mentoring to small farmers on how to
activities to secure and dependable food supplies. get the best yield for the market at remunerative
Every practical adaptation option to improve prices must be provided. The benefits of schemes
food security and resilience must be properly of the Government must be directed efficiently.
scrutinised and efforts be made to promote the Every villager must be educated to rediscover his
better ones with priority. strengths and opportunities available in his village.
Creating an eco-system that makes youth interested
Biodiversity is the totality of the varieties,
in working from their villages is a challenge that is
variability among the organisms and the habitats
worth taking.
or the environment where they are found. It is
an important natural resource. Conservation of (The Author is an Assistant Professor in
biodiversity and renewable exploitation of the Zoology, Life Sciences, Ramjas College, Delhi
biodiversity shall help in sustaining the economic, University)

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