India vs Bharat
India Vs Bharat
Ashish Tripathi wrote about his experiences while volunteering in rural Uttar Pradesh, asking why the growing economic development in India is so different from the grim realities of Bharat
"Sone Ki Chidiya Ki udan" is the main heading of today's Dainik Bhaskar. The article puts the question- who says India is no more a golden bird? It further points that it is clearly evident from the economic boom, that India has become the golden bird again. The sensex is going higher and higher and is about to touch the 10000 point mark, GDP is growing at a rate of 7.5% against the estimate of 6.9%, 45 lakh mobiles have been sold in January 2006 which is the highest number of mobiles sold in a month since 1995.
An editorial in The Hindu dated 28 January 2006 says that there are 260 million Indians(193 million in rural areas and 67 million in urban areas) who are still living below the poverty line, according to India's first Social Development Report.
I am in a dilemma after reading these two articles. I do not whether I should rejoice for the development of my country or I should feel sad for the pathetic condition of my countrymen.
It was ten days back that I was staying in a village with two of my friends for our project work with 'Asha'. During my project work I came to know about the real condition of the people living in the rural areas. Most of them are so poor that they are not able to arrange two square meals for themselves and their families. There is an acute shortage of safe drinking water. The Primary Health centres are at such long distances that you cannot expect a serious patient to be alive by the time he reaches the hospital. The villagers prefer not to send their children to schools, because the teachers are mostly absent or even if they are present do not be surprised if you catch them drunk or sleeping on a charpoy. Most of the villagers have very small land holdings and they sustain their lives with great difficulties.
The villages are yet
Ashish Tripathi wrote about his experiences while volunteering in rural Uttar Pradesh, asking why the growing economic development in India is so different from the grim realities of Bharat
"Sone Ki Chidiya Ki udan" is the main heading of today's Dainik Bhaskar. The article puts the question- who says India is no more a golden bird? It further points that it is clearly evident from the economic boom, that India has become the golden bird again. The sensex is going higher and higher and is about to touch the 10000 point mark, GDP is growing at a rate of 7.5% against the estimate of 6.9%, 45 lakh mobiles have been sold in January 2006 which is the highest number of mobiles sold in a month since 1995.
An editorial in The Hindu dated 28 January 2006 says that there are 260 million Indians(193 million in rural areas and 67 million in urban areas) who are still living below the poverty line, according to India's first Social Development Report.
I am in a dilemma after reading these two articles. I do not whether I should rejoice for the development of my country or I should feel sad for the pathetic condition of my countrymen.
It was ten days back that I was staying in a village with two of my friends for our project work with 'Asha'. During my project work I came to know about the real condition of the people living in the rural areas. Most of them are so poor that they are not able to arrange two square meals for themselves and their families. There is an acute shortage of safe drinking water. The Primary Health centres are at such long distances that you cannot expect a serious patient to be alive by the time he reaches the hospital. The villagers prefer not to send their children to schools, because the teachers are mostly absent or even if they are present do not be surprised if you catch them drunk or sleeping on a charpoy. Most of the villagers have very small land holdings and they sustain their lives with great difficulties.
The villages are yet