The process of learning

The process of learning: And it continues…

The four weeks of internship (1-30 June, 2017) in one of the most backward places in Himachal Pradesh facilitated by Peoples’ Action for people in Need was a remarkable one. It was a platform to understand the intensity of caste based discrimination prevailing in this region. I could find that there is a propagation of the ideologies specified in Manu Smriti at the higher degree. It states that “For the furtherance of the (good of the) world, he created Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Shudra from his mouth, arms, thighs, and legs.” The degree of public acceptance for the lower caste people is much lower in the public arena which includes the areas of politics, local self governance systems, access to different Government schemes and its benefits, support to attain the basic needs such as roads, housing, food, water etc. Water is

considered as the elixir of life for which the village people struggle on a daily basis. The financial stability and water accessibility play a tremendous role here. There are no proper irrigation facilities and the agricultural produce does not generate sufficient income. The produce and milk products are not even sufficient to meet the domestic consumption levels. Hence facing hurdles of this sort to lead a descent life have become routine for the village people here. The geographical pattern is another constraint to have a wider outreach. The intensity of ignorance is to be examined first. The ignorance flows from the Government authorities and different members in the community and would ultimately suppress the under privileged. Revamping the social structure where gender insensitivity plays a dominant role has also to be evaluated. Change may not occur positively at a faster pace. But such initiatives can be taken from the part of Government, NGOs, and Corporate systems to stimulate the pace. The disadvantage stage being faced by various NGOs particularly small NGOs related with the provisions of FCRA also have an impact in their active involvement in the development process. A flexible environment is to be created where different stakeholders can work in cooperation with each other and thus the bogus entities to get benefits can be regulated. It is still a long way to go.

RAJESH M, MA in Development Policy and Practice
Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development 
Sriperumbudur (Chennai), Tamil Nadu