Editorial : Warm Welcome...
It gives me immense pleasure to welcome all the visitors of this website. This website is an attempt to connect GOGVIP to the world network. Main purpose of this website is to bring before you the work of GOGVIP so as to get effective response and feedback for its work.
I have personally been into the field of social work for more than 20 years, and during this period I have experienced the extra-ordinary ability in the power of youth to bring about significant changes at the time of need. This ability however, needs to be realized and motivated and there should be adequate initiative from the people to promote this. This presentation of GOGVIP is also a source of encouragement to the larger masses to bring about a change through public participation.
There is an innate feeling within all of us to contribute towards the purpose of nation and the living world at large. Interactions with people of different sections of society specially the youth have provided me an insight to their view of life. In spite of several problems and hindrances they all have a deep seeded feeling to do their share for the society. India is counted amongst one of the fast developing nations today. Be it technology or science India has its say in the global advancements. But, there has been several impediments to this advancements, several of which are still of concern.
Education
At the time of India's emergence as a nation-state in 1947, India's literacy rate was 12.2%.Since then, it has increased to 64.8% (53.7% for females and 75.3% of males). With an estimated population of 1.1 billion, India is the world's second most populous country. Almost 70% of Indians reside in rural areas, although in recent decades migration to larger cities has led to the exponential rise in the urban population.
This has led to the fact that quality education has become important over the period of time, this leading to problems of migration of rural youth to cities and urbanization. The major concern thereby, leading to providing better standards of sanitation, health and education to all. Also, adding to the problem of equitable distribution of facilities in cities and rural areas. Free and subsidized education is an adopted measure, but the quantum of application needs to be increased to get the desired results.
Rural development and poverty alleviation
Poverty alleviation has become a major goal of government in India. Though Government is taking substantial measures to help curb this problem, social involvement is the need of the hour. Public participation can help to make this dream come true and thereby reduce the difference between the haves’ and have nots’ Increase in the number of Self Help Groups, empowering Panchayats and such things are necessary. Electricity, Education, adult education, water management programs, vetnary care allocation, river cleaning programs and use of advanced agricultural techniques are the few needs of concern. Efforts need to be made to make available necessary loans at easy interest rates to overcome the problems of money lenders. Specialists from Agricultural institutions and NGO’s should come forward to help in this common goal, thereby providing better guidance to the people in the villages on using the available resources skillfully and market their products.
Women empowerment
It is often said ‘the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world’. However, with the Indian scenario the statement is put to question. With the second largest population in the world and alarming sex ratios in many states, there is an indication that measures need to be taken to help women empowerment in our society. The condition of women in rural areas is still worse as compared to the metropolis and other big cities. Though government has made schemes to provide them representation in Panchayati Raj and other such bodies, a lot remains to be done. SHG’s and other small group schemes promoted by the NGO’s is a good way to help this problem of inequality. In addition to this if some creative measures can be taken to involve them in small scale business, it would help to bring independence and stability in their role in society. Empowerment of women successfully achieved, shall be a milestone covered in path of national progress.
The population control can be effectively achieved only when women are educated in a right sense and have a say in the family planning. Linking to the same, this in turn should be able to curb the unemployment and migration of youth to cites, as smaller families shall ensure availability of better living standards.
Health and hygiene
Population and related issues also includes the huge task of providing better health and hygiene conditions for all. Small groups that can manage the sanitary conditions in villages and such efforts of public participation can enable and support the cause of health in the rural areas. Education on the dos’ and don’ts’ of health and hygiene is a must. More people should come forward to give their share to help provide medical facilities at the places where it is required and promote awareness on health issues.
One such major subject of awareness at this date is about HIV/AIDS. Since, ther is no cure to this problem, awareness is the only way, and who can best do it than the people themselves.
Environment
We live in an association to Mother Nature. Not realizing the fact that we are closely bonded with the surroundings we live in, a lot of harm has been done to the existing environment leading to a lot of crisis situations today, of which the major one is Global warming. A lot many natural disasters and calamities are a result of human interference with nature. To counter measure these things we have to plant more trees, control deforestation, conserve wild life, and conserve the water resources to create a balance in ecology. Only then can we ensure a better standard of survival for future generations.
In general I would say that, it is required to get the feeling of self esteem when we talk of ourselves as Indians. This comes by appreciating the work of national development and contributing towards the common goal. The list of problems is endless, including brain drain, cultural developments, infrastructural deficiencies and many more. The solution is just one, and that is, urge to solve. This comes only through public participation and initiatives to ensure a better nation, strong nation and healthy nation, one that we feel proud to speak of as Indians.
I have personally been into the field of social work for more than 20 years, and during this period I have experienced the extra-ordinary ability in the power of youth to bring about significant changes at the time of need. This ability however, needs to be realized and motivated and there should be adequate initiative from the people to promote this. This presentation of GOGVIP is also a source of encouragement to the larger masses to bring about a change through public participation.
There is an innate feeling within all of us to contribute towards the purpose of nation and the living world at large. Interactions with people of different sections of society specially the youth have provided me an insight to their view of life. In spite of several problems and hindrances they all have a deep seeded feeling to do their share for the society. India is counted amongst one of the fast developing nations today. Be it technology or science India has its say in the global advancements. But, there has been several impediments to this advancements, several of which are still of concern.
Education
At the time of India's emergence as a nation-state in 1947, India's literacy rate was 12.2%.Since then, it has increased to 64.8% (53.7% for females and 75.3% of males). With an estimated population of 1.1 billion, India is the world's second most populous country. Almost 70% of Indians reside in rural areas, although in recent decades migration to larger cities has led to the exponential rise in the urban population.
This has led to the fact that quality education has become important over the period of time, this leading to problems of migration of rural youth to cities and urbanization. The major concern thereby, leading to providing better standards of sanitation, health and education to all. Also, adding to the problem of equitable distribution of facilities in cities and rural areas. Free and subsidized education is an adopted measure, but the quantum of application needs to be increased to get the desired results.
Rural development and poverty alleviation
Poverty alleviation has become a major goal of government in India. Though Government is taking substantial measures to help curb this problem, social involvement is the need of the hour. Public participation can help to make this dream come true and thereby reduce the difference between the haves’ and have nots’ Increase in the number of Self Help Groups, empowering Panchayats and such things are necessary. Electricity, Education, adult education, water management programs, vetnary care allocation, river cleaning programs and use of advanced agricultural techniques are the few needs of concern. Efforts need to be made to make available necessary loans at easy interest rates to overcome the problems of money lenders. Specialists from Agricultural institutions and NGO’s should come forward to help in this common goal, thereby providing better guidance to the people in the villages on using the available resources skillfully and market their products.
Women empowerment
It is often said ‘the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world’. However, with the Indian scenario the statement is put to question. With the second largest population in the world and alarming sex ratios in many states, there is an indication that measures need to be taken to help women empowerment in our society. The condition of women in rural areas is still worse as compared to the metropolis and other big cities. Though government has made schemes to provide them representation in Panchayati Raj and other such bodies, a lot remains to be done. SHG’s and other small group schemes promoted by the NGO’s is a good way to help this problem of inequality. In addition to this if some creative measures can be taken to involve them in small scale business, it would help to bring independence and stability in their role in society. Empowerment of women successfully achieved, shall be a milestone covered in path of national progress.
The population control can be effectively achieved only when women are educated in a right sense and have a say in the family planning. Linking to the same, this in turn should be able to curb the unemployment and migration of youth to cites, as smaller families shall ensure availability of better living standards.
Health and hygiene
Population and related issues also includes the huge task of providing better health and hygiene conditions for all. Small groups that can manage the sanitary conditions in villages and such efforts of public participation can enable and support the cause of health in the rural areas. Education on the dos’ and don’ts’ of health and hygiene is a must. More people should come forward to give their share to help provide medical facilities at the places where it is required and promote awareness on health issues.
One such major subject of awareness at this date is about HIV/AIDS. Since, ther is no cure to this problem, awareness is the only way, and who can best do it than the people themselves.
Environment
We live in an association to Mother Nature. Not realizing the fact that we are closely bonded with the surroundings we live in, a lot of harm has been done to the existing environment leading to a lot of crisis situations today, of which the major one is Global warming. A lot many natural disasters and calamities are a result of human interference with nature. To counter measure these things we have to plant more trees, control deforestation, conserve wild life, and conserve the water resources to create a balance in ecology. Only then can we ensure a better standard of survival for future generations.
In general I would say that, it is required to get the feeling of self esteem when we talk of ourselves as Indians. This comes by appreciating the work of national development and contributing towards the common goal. The list of problems is endless, including brain drain, cultural developments, infrastructural deficiencies and many more. The solution is just one, and that is, urge to solve. This comes only through public participation and initiatives to ensure a better nation, strong nation and healthy nation, one that we feel proud to speak of as Indians.
