livelihoods May 2011 · 2020-05-06 · livelihoods May 2011 Indian Handicrafts today and tomorrow...

May 2011 livelihoods

Indian Handicrafts

today and tomorrow

May 2011

Be with Them - 9 Sericulture - 17 Food Security Act -26

May 2011 2 livelihoods

Happy Buddha Purnima! Happy Mothers’ Day! Happy Rabindra Day! Let us thank our gurus, fathers and mothers for what we are.

As we transit summer, elections, examinations and cricket, we await monsoon, T-action, and NRLM official national launch!

Let there be fairness and equity in trade and all our dealings. Let the information and knowledge be open and freely available to all. Let the biological and cultural diversity flourish! Let us get repelled by tobacco in any form!

Let us be ‘child’ again and again. Let us keep this universe for them. Let us keep the environment safe for them. Let us improve it. Let us make it a habit to give blood every two quarters. Let us fight drought. Let us be in service of others once a week (if not once a month). Let there be music all around for our better lives. Let us listen to it. Let us dance to it.

As most of the human beings are in the business of their essential needs from the days of hunting/gathering life style to agriculture age to industrial age to information age, some of them are have moved out of this task. Some got into security/defence/policing; some got into priesthood; some got into providing artefacts, tools and instruments for living; some got into giving clothes; some got into building houses; some got into entertaining – music, dance, writing etc. As we progressed, the role of the father and mother as teachers has been partially taken over by a new tribe ‘teachers’. Artisanal groups, arts groups and crafts groups emerged. Some of them meet the needs of others and some meet their own needs, some times higher order personal needs. All of them have been a single unit with reciprocal dependence within.

As the self-reliant village economies gave way to regional, national and global market economies, the artisan, arts and crafts sector is having mixed luck. Demand decides the price. Artificial market fluctuations are normal. Local patronage, royal patronage, national patronage systems have collapsed. Many of the craftspersons are leaving the craft for alternative livelihoods. The numbers are dwindling. It is no longer a passionate pursuit of a person. Livelihood is at stake. Survival is at stake. Here and there, we see some collectives. We see some design inputs. We see some efficiency measures, tool improvements, and mechanization. We see some raw material tie-ups and subsidies. We see some buy back arrangements. We also see varying prices, often 100-1000 times from the producer to the consumer. We also see the master craftsmen as new businessmen and middlemen-traders. The craftspersons are their virtual slaves. There are Cooperatives and SHGs operate as craftsmen collectives but in reality they are the ‘proprietary’ concerns of the master craftsmen. Other members are their mere workers/piece-rate workers. Professional Collectives like Amul are still a long way away. A spectrum of organisations – community organizations (some based on caste and some on craft), civic groups, trade unions, activist groups, academia, etc., are making some impact. On the whole, a sector that is showing significant decline over a period of time. Of course, there are a large number of insignificant and irrelevant organizations in them.

Unfortunately, for most of these craftsmen, they are not poor with high local/royal patronage. Governments have to recognise this trend and include them quickly in the disadvantaged. State’s interventions like MGNREGA, NRLM etc., have to find ways to include them. E-ways of business, crafts-based tourism, new tax regimes, new acts for collectives, new regulations for foreign contributions, changing donor perceptions etc., have a bearing on the future of artisans, arts and crafts. Further, we see assertion movements. In this context, ‘livelihoods’ explored ‘handicrafts’.

Pupul Jayakar, popularly known as Czarina of Indian Crafts, devoted entire life in popularising and nurturing Indian Crafts iin a variety of ways including India Festivals. Mamidipudi Venkata Rangaiaya Foundation (MVF) and Shanta Sinha are synonymous with elimination of child labour. Next only to vegetables, fruit business centres, with fruits as per the season, are dynamic enterprises requiring tact, linkages and meticulous planning. ‘Indian Textiles’, by Nicholas Barnard and John Gillow, is a classic on Indian Textiles across the country. In ‘Kshetra’, livelihoods of Sundarbans are discussed.

With the appreciation that Indian artisans and arts and craftspersons need responsive self-reliant collectivization, design, value-addition and marketing support, I remain thinking of ways to collectivization of livelihoods/development workers across.

G Muralidhar

the ‘livelihoods’ team


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Inside ...

Indian Handicrafts..

India is known globally for its rich heritage of Arts and Crafts. The handicrafts sector enjoys a special significance in the country's economy in terms of employment generation and earnings of foreign exchange through exports.

10

Viswakavi Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore 21

Response 4

News 5

Legend Pupul Jayakar, the Czarina of Culture & Heritage

7

Kshetra Livelihoods of ‘Sundarbans’ 8

Perspectives Be with Them! 9

Enterprise Fruits Business 15

Interview with Common Person

If You Earn Rs 2, You Must Save Re 1… 16

Subsector Sericulture 17

Development in Action

Mamidipudi Venkatarangaiya Foundation 23

Opinion Food Security Act 26

Context Crafts Marketing and Export Promotion Scheme

28

Case studies

Proper Planning Leads to Prosperous Life Hasty Decision Makes Life Miserable

29

Interview with Grass root Activist

I Like to Help Others... 30

Books Indian Textiles 31

Story The Moon Lake 32

Trends Handicrafts’ Exports 33

The Contrasts Milk Collection Centre Combs and Pins Selling

34

‘Yoga’kshemam 35

‘livelihoods’ team

Editor-in-Chief G Muralidhar

Principal Editor T Nirmala

Senior Editor K Bharathi

Working Editor T Venkateshwarlu

Edit Associates G Bhargava

S Laxman

B Madhusudhan

V Muralidhar

M Nilendu

S Rekha M Siddhartha A Uma

M Vijaybhasker Srinivas

M Lavanya

G Madhu Vamsi


Thanks for sending me the Livelihoods Magazine. I must tell you, with time the content, professional touch and perspectives on issues related with livelihoods have come up well. Let me tell you, it fills a very important gap in information and knowledge related to livelihoods! Congratulations for making it better and better with time.

I hope, in the coming days, livelihoods must also include the dialogue on civil society issues related to its engagement with social transformation, rights based approaches, etc. This issue has begun a beginning and I wish all the best.

With regards,

Rajendran

Response

Happy Mothers’ Day 8 May


News Credit Plan Target Rs.1 Lakh cr. Hyderabad: Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy released the State Credit Plan for a projected target of Rs .1 ,03 ,915 c rore , inc lud ing Rs.73,316 crore for the priority sector, for 2011-12 at the State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC) meeting here The plan projected an amount of Rs.48,000 crore for agricultural sector, Rs. 8,198 crore towards SMEs and Rs.17,118 crore for other priority sector advances. Releasing it, Mr. Reddy said the government was keen to ensure that about 40 lakh tenant farmers were provided loans. He said a scheme of issuing ‘Loan Eligibility Card (LEC) to the eligible would be introduced from this kharif. Referring to SHG bank linkage target of Rs. 9,082 crore set for 2011-12, he called for improving coverage in view of the marginalised role of MFIs in the State. Mr. Reddy lauded the banks for an impress ive per fo rmance and achieving Rs.72,878 crore, which was 118 per cent of the credit plan target of Rs.61,685 crore during 2010-11.

(Paddy crop damaged in recent rains in Andhra Pradesh)

Hindustan Unilever's Initiative to Address Water Scarcity: The HinduNitin Paranjpe (left), CEO and Managing Director, and Executive Director (Home and Personal Care Products), Hindustan Unilever Ltd. The India Water Body will be conducting a nation-wide study to assess the demand-supply gap. Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) announced the launch of India Water

Body, an initiative aimed to address the challenge of water scarcity in India. CEO & Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever, said, “It is estimated that by 2030, supply of water in India would be half of the demand for it. This is a crisis that has the potential to derail the economic and social development of the country and impact the health and livelihoods of millions of people across the country. We at Hindustan Unilever believe that what concerns the nation must concern us too. Therefore, we have launched India Water Body to drive water security for the country by 2030”.

SAARC Meeting on Disaster Response Draft Concludes: The Hindu South Asia according to the global database on disasters, over the past forty years, South Asia faced as many as 1,333 disasters that killed 980 thousand people, affected 2.4 billion lives and damaged assets worth US$ 105 billion. These totals are, by far, the highest among the recorded disasters in various geographic regions of the world. Highlighting this, Fatimah Dhiyana Saied, Secretary-General of SAAR said in her address that every major earthquake in the Himalayas would affect more than one country; every cyclone in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea has the potential to affect two countries at a time; every major flood has its origin and consequence beyond a single country. The idea of establishing a mechanism for rapid response to natural disasters had been voiced at the 15th SAARC summit held in Colombo in 2008. Since then, two expert level meetings were held to discuss various aspects of the agreement, including security and customs and immigration clearances required for setting up such a system in the region. The mechanism is proposed to be created under the already existing SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC). “South Asia supports one-fourth of humanity with less than 5 per cent of global income. This means that poverty and deprivation that we face in South Asia puts us in a situation of acute vulnerability. South Asia has the largest concentration of mega cities which are growing rapidly,” she added.

Delay in Textbooks Supply May hit Students: Puducherry with the Tamil Nadu government deciding to defer the implementation of the uniform syllabus scheme (Samacheer Kalvi Thittam), the School Education Department here is in a bind and fears the move might result in a delay in supply of text books to the two regions - Karaikal and Puducherry - of the Union Territory, which are attached to the board in the neighbouring State. Senior officials said that while the textbooks for all classes usually reached the department by June, there was no information from the Tamil Nadu Text Book Society as to when the books would be supplied for the coming academic year. Though the department had made enquiries with the society, officials there were non-committal about the date of supply. “Despite postponing the reopening of schools to June 15, we are not very hopeful the books would reach us by that time,” said an official. Students and teachers, who spoke to The Hindu on Wednesday, said that the de lay wou ld a f fec t the performance of the students as grasping the lessons without the book in hand is difficult. “We are trying to see if we could get the books from previous batch students and start the classes,” said S. Selvi, Principal of the Thiruvalluvar Government Girls Higher Secondary School.

India Launches UN Biodiversity Decade for Asia and the Pacific: New Delhi (ABC Live): Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Convention on Biological Diversity launched the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity (2011- 2020) for Asia and the Pacific, on 23rd May 2011. A Stakeholders’ consultation on taking biodiversity conservation forward was also held on the same day. At the l aunch , I nd ian M in i s te r f o r Environment and Forests Mr. Jairam Ramesh welcomed the international community to India, and said: ‘as a mega-diverse nation and host of COP-11 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, India stands committed to the implementation of the three objectives of the Convention. Conservation is a national imperative for us as lives and livelihoods of millions of rural and urban people are dependent on its sustainable use.’


This ten year ‘Strategic Plan’ includes 20 headline targets – called the ‘Aichi Targets’, and is organized under five goals. Some key targets include: at least halving the rate of loss of natural ecosystems; preserving at least 17 percent of terrestrial and inland waters and 10 percent of marine coastal areas; restoring at least 15 percent of degraded areas; and making special efforts to reduce pressure on coral reefs. The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2011 to 2020 as the UN Decade on Biodiversity (UNDB) with a view of raising awareness about the importance of biodiversity (or the variety of life on earth), and achieving the Aichi Targets. MGNREGS Gets Mixed Review From World Bank : The Hindu Bangalore, the government’s flagship rural job guarantee scheme is innovative and has achieved quite high coverage but faces challenges like uneven implementation across states and “some evidence” of leakage of funds, a new World Bank report says. The Mahatma Gandhi N a t i o n a l R u r a l E m p l o y m e n t Guarantee Scheme has significantly higher coverage compared to previous public works programmes and “impressive inclusion” of scheduled castes (31 per cent), scheduled tribes (25 per cent) and women (50 per cent), it said, adding that MGNREGA serves as a model for future reforms in other safety net programmes. But the report also pointed to “uneven implementation” of MGNREGA across States. While about 90 per cent rural households reaped benefits of the scheme in Rajasthan and the coverage was between 60 to 80 per cent in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the percentage was less than 20 per cent in States like Punjab, Haryana, Kerala and Gujarat. The report, the first comprehensive review of India’s anti-poverty initiatives which was started in 2004 after a request from the Planning Commission, used data from ministries, national sample surveys and World Bank studies. It said there is “widespread unmet demand” for work and employment generated is still less than the 100-day guarantee. “The Localised studies also point to some evidence of leakage of funds and delay in fund transfers to

panchayats,” World Bank lead economist of social protection, In addition, the capacity of PRIs (Panchayati Raj Institutions) to conduct their intended functions is very weak,” it said. A range of functions - including planning, execution and monitoring - are expected to be performed by them but it is a difficult challenge, the report says. It also pointed out that field studies indicate “poor adherence to transparency safeguards”. “In practice, unavailable and fudged master rolls continue to be a serious issue. Job card entries are rarely made. In fact, job cards are not always in the possession of the household; instead the Sarpanch or other local official may hold it. The problems are exacerbated by low

awareness of processes as well as high levels of illiteracy among MGNREG workers,” the report says.

NAC for Central Law to Protect Livelihood of Street Vendors: The National Advisory Council is expected to make suggestions on the issue of having a central legislation to protect the livelihood of over one crore street vendors across the country. The advisory panel, headed by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, is understood to be examining the Model Street Vendors bill in this regard. The Government had earlier favoured that States take the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r e f f e c t i v e implementation of the National Policy on Urban Street Vendors contending that a central legislation in this regard may not be effect ive. In a communication to the NAC, the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) had

contended that if protection of street vending was left to the states it was unlikely that they would enact legislation. They said the first policy on street vendors was formulated in 2004 and still such persons were being harassed and evicted mercilessly in all urban areas. “The national law can give the policy a logical conclusion which has to be implemented at the ground level,” it said, adding that the model bill proposed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) fell short of the aspirations of the street vendors. The NAC had sought details on the policy from HUPA following communication from NASVI.

DEAUVILLE, France (Reuters) - Japan will continue to work on social security reform and strengthening public finances, a senior government official said , reacting to a downgrade of the country's outlook by Fitch Ratings."On the one hand, Japan is working hard to rebuild. On the other hand, it is a given that it works hard on fiscal soundness," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary told reporters at a Group of Eight summit in the northern French seaside town of Deauville. "Japan will continue to bravely face the challenges of social security reform and making its economy a stronger one, which were being debated prior to the quake," he said. Fitch cut its outlook on Japan to negative from stable citing a considerable downside risk for its public finances from still unknown costs of containing a crisis at the crippled nuclear power plant in Fukushima.

Selective Abortion Prevented Birth of Millions of Girls Lancet : Selective abortion of girls in India prevented about 4.2 million to 12.1 million girls from being born between 1980 and 2010, with the largest number of girls being aborted in the 1990s, a latest survey has shown. Selective abortion of girls, especially for pregnancies after a firstborn girl, has increased substantially in India. Most of India's population now lives in States where selective abortion is common, says the study “Trends in selective abortions of girls in India: analysis of nationally representative birth histories from 1990 to 2005 and Census data from 1991 to 2011,”. �

News

News Highlights:

∗ Corruption, Bribes have Be-come a Way of Life

∗ Rail concession for differently abled extended.

∗ Japan to continue reform ef-forts

∗ Selective abortion prevented birth of millions of girls

∗ India, World Bank sign 162.7 m dollar Rajasthan rural liveli-hoods project pact


Legend

Pupul Jayakar, the Czarina of Culture & Heritage Pupul Jayakar was an Indian cultural activist

and writer, most known for her work

towards the revival of traditional and village

arts, handlooms and handicrafts in post-

independence India. She was a close friend

and biographer to both the Nehru-Gandhi

family and spiritual teacher J Krishnamurti.

She was born in 11th September 1915 at Etawah, in Uttar Pradesh. Her father was liberal intellectual and senior officer in the Indian Civil Service driven by the passion of that generation to participate and determine change and growth. Her mother came from a Gujarati Brahmin family routed in their strong cultural traditions. She had a brother and four sisters. Her father’s work took the family to any parts of India, where she got the opportunity to absorb local crafts and traditions early on in life.

She had schooling in Banaras (Varanasi) which was started by Annie Besant, theosophist who was also active in Indian freedom movement. Subsequently her father got posted to Allahabad, where she first came in contact Nehru family at age fifteen, as her father was a friend of Motilal Nehru. Subsequently she became friends with Indira Gandhi. When she was eighteen, she left for England to train as a journalist in Bedford College in London, before graduating in Economics from the London School of Economics in 1936.

She married Manmohan Jayakar, a barrister in 1937 and settled down in Bombay. She launched one Toy Cart, an english language children’s magazine illustrated by Jamini Roy and M. F Hussain, two of India’s best-known painters. In 1940, she was appointed to the National Planning Committee headed by Prime Minister Nehru. In the course of those year, she met Gandhiji twice, went to Sevagram was exposed to Gandhian atitude. She admired him for the ‘precision of his mind, his understanding of the nuts and bolts of development’.

In 1942, the Quit India movement took her to the forefront of the agitation for freedom but a sudden attack of appendicitis followed by surgery, kept her away from any active participation. Though she got chance to contest in the elections in 1947, she declined. During this time she met philosopher and theosophist Jiddu Krishnamurti and became a good disciple of him. Then she became involved in the handloom industry. She established the Weavers Service Centre in Chennai under the Ministry of Textiles.

From 1959 on, Pupul worked towards moulding her ideas and beliefs into reality. Jawaharlal Nehru invited her to study the handloom sector and workout plans for its revival, eventually she served as the Chairman of All Indian Handloom Board and Handicrafts and Handlooms

Export Corporation and played an important role in revival. With her involvement in India’s second largest economic sector after agriculture, she brought a radical change in the dress and style of the urban woman in India. By inviting French designer Pierre Cardin to India, she put Indian textiles on to the international map. Thereafter, many leading fashion designers from Europe and America delved into the trove of Indian textiles using them for creations of high fashion. Fabrics from India made an impact on the world market.

Pupul appointed as Indira Gandhi’s cultural adviser. She became the executive director and later chairman, of the Handicrafts and Handloom Corporation of India. From 1974 for three years she chaired the All India Handicrafts Board (HHEC). She initiated the Festivals of India organized in London, Paris and America lasting several months and Apna Utsav (“our festivals”) in early 1980s.

She encouraged several painters and artists who are today household name in India. She was good organizer, tirelessly promoting local hand-loom and handicraft products and established Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH 1984) which was basically working on Art and Cultural Heritage. It was struggled to find a space for itself in the first decade. It identified architects, researchers, volunteers who believed in restoration and conservation of this multi-layered heritage, and over the years, INTACH took on conservation studies and projects and gradually established itself across India.

She also opened several design workshops, devised marketing strategies to develop traditional crafts and started the National Crafts Museum in the late Eighties and, in 1990, the National Institute of Fashion Technology in New Delhi. She traveled extensively to remote places in India, seeking out local handicrafts and traditional skills and was a cultural chameleon, at home in contrasting setting.

Pupul Jayakar was one of the enduring supporters of the Hungry Generation literary movement in Bengal, India and had helped the Hungryalists during their trial during 1961. She was active with the Krishnamurti Foundation in India until her death. She helped in the establishment of the Krishnamurti Foundation in India, U. S. A., England and some Latin American countries. She also played a great part in running the Rishi Valley School at Madanapalle, Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh. �


Kshetram

West Bengal in India is home to the world’s largest delta and mangrove forests, the Sundarbans. The 20000 sq km forest delta stretches across the lower reaches of the Bengal basin. While 60 per cent of Sundarbans is in Bangladesh the rest is in West Bengal in India. Between India and Bangladesh, Sundarbans cover about one million hectares of land and water. Sundarbans act as South Asia’s largest ‘carbon sinks’. The Indian Sundarbans occupy about 9630 square kilometer in the North and South 24 Paraganas of West Bengal and are bounded by River Muriganga in the West, River Raimangal in the East, Bay of Bengal in the South and Dampier Hodges line in the North. There are 102 islands of which 54 are inhabited by about 4 million people.

Although gazetted as a reserved forest, the Sundarbans currently provides more employment, more revenue and more income from non-wood forest produces (Golpata, , honey, grass etc.), fisheries resources (shrimp fry, fin fish, crabs, shells) and herbal medicinal plants.

It was observed that the majority of people in Sundarbans are engaged as agricultural labour (66-79%). It was also observed that agriculture, in spite of being the main occupation of the people in Sundarban, is not high yielding (only 10 quintals per hectare for the main crop) due to salinity of the soil, which prevents optimum growth of agricultural crops. Around 50% of agricultural laborers are landless. Therefore, the Reserve Forest area serves as the buffer for their survival and though the percentages of NTFP collectors are less (varying from 6-9%), the contribution of NTFPs is enormous in the total annual household income (79%).

The livelihood of nearly 2 million people is linked with the non-agricultural sources, which mainly include fishing and allied activities from the rivers and creeks as one of the major sources of income. However, Sundarban being a biosphere reserve and is a protected area under the IUCN Category 1A imposes several restriction for the collection of the NTFPs from forest areas. But, certain relaxations have been made for the collection of few specific NTFPs, which are mostly animal based like honey, fishes and crabs. Nearly 19-25% of the households are engaged in fishing activities while 15-20% are engaged in honey collection.

Collecting the leaves and fruits of Golpata is another important livelihood of the people at Sundarbans. Golpata or Nypa palm (Nypa fruticans) is a versatile species of palm tree. Economically it is the most important source of non-wood produce of plant origin. Golpata collection starts from mid November to mid March. Honey and Bee wax are also collected in the Sunderban forests which is mostly done by the poorest sections of the community.

Fishing is yet another important livelihood which is mostly done from mid June to mid August. Large varieties of fish

are available in this region, but the availability of fish has been gradually decreasing during the recent years.

One of the major aquatic destruction activity in Sunderbans region is the collection of Shrimp fry which is done by both men and women. A vast majority of the landless households living in this region are involved in shrimp fry collection. Though this activity is contributing significantly to the incomes of households, the prolonged fishing periods with the nets lead to the long-term negative impact to the aquatic bio-diversity and reduction in fish production.

Beetle leaf cultivation, livestock rearing, shell craft making, small enterprises are some of the other important livelihood activities of Sunderban region. Some people also migrate to other parts of the country to work as labour mainly in the construction industry.

Tourism is also generating livelihoods to a good number of people in this region. The bio diversity of the region with its rich flora and fauna offers scope even for eco-tourism and health tourism.

The livelihoods of Sunderbans are facing high risk due to the increased occurrences of coastal floods and coastal erosion. The proportion of consumer rupee realized by the people of this area for their produces is very low due to isolation, lack of infrastructure and the characteristic behavior of the nature.

A typical household of this area lives in high risk of loss of employment, loss of produce and income and expenditure without incomes, in addition to lower productivity in kharif. Self-supporting collective diversification mechanisms to help one another in times of distress, survival support during the crisis, embankment maintenance funds, ‘shelters’ for people and produce etc., will be useful.

Biodiversity of Sundarbans and Mangroves offer scope for producing a variety of herbs that have local use and market outside. Local value addition of the products, vocational training to women and youth are some of the options that can be considered for improving livelihood opportunities for the people of Sunderbans. �

Livelihoods of ‘Sundarbans’


Happy Buddha Purnima! Vande Jagadgurum! Happy Mothers’ Day! Vande Prathamagurum!

The mini elections in the country brought Jayalaithaa and Mamata forward. IPL Cricket ended. Monsoon is on its way. T-sentiment back to the fore.

Some stirrings for May Day, Mothers’ Day (8 May) and World No Tobacco Day (31 May)! Many International Days just passed by – for instance - Fair Trade Day (14 May – second Saturday in May), Family Day (15 May), Information Society Day (17 May), and Diversity Days (21 and 22 May). We await Children’s Day, Environment Day, Day Against Child Labour, Music Day, Public Service Day etc. Of course, I also look forward to Fathers’ Day.

Gurudev Vishwakavi Rabindranath Tagore and his Gitanjali were remembered –

“Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure. …At the im-mortal touch of thy hands my little heart loses its limits in joy and gives birth to utterance ineffable …

Life of my life, I shall ever try to keep my body pure, knowing that thy living touch is upon all my limbs …I ask for a moment's indul-gence to sit by thy side …Now it is time to sit quite, face to face with thee, and to sing dedica-tion of live in this silent and overflowing leisure. I have spent my days in stringing and in unstring-ing my instrument …In the night of weariness let me give myself up to sleep without struggle, resting my trust upon thee ….

He came and sat by my side but I woke not … why do I ever miss his sight whose breath touches my sleep? …

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; …Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

All that I am, that I have, that I hope and all my love have ever flowed towards thee in depth of secrecy ….let all my life take its voyage to its eternal home in one salutation to thee. The streams of thought and work that dominated the month include institutions, livelihoods, vulnerable, and workers.

Montek Singh Ahluwalia writes on Twelfth Plan (in Eco-nomic and Political Weekly) – “… We have done well on the growth front, but not so well on inclusion ... Much of what needs to be done to accelerate GDP growth to 9% or so will be done by the private sector, but the central and state governments have a crucial role to play in providing a policy environment that is seen as investor friendly and is supportive of inclusive growth. … The government’s own resources have to be de-ployed with a clear sense of priority - health and edu-cation and critical infrastructure development, espe-cially in water management and rural infrastructure, and infrastructure development in backward areas must have top priority. ….

Four critical challenges facing the economy in the Twelfth Plan - (a) managing the energy situation, (b) managing the water economy, (c) addressing the

problems posed by the urban transformation that is likely to occur, and (d) ensuring protection of the envi-ronment in a manner that can facilitate rapid growth. Finally, the efficiency in implementation of projects on the ground needs to be greatly improved. … Evi-dence-based evaluation is critical for redesign and prioritization…”

It is in this context, we have to see the national launch of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission at Banswara, Ra-jasthan on 3 June 2011. The constitution of the working group on NRLM by the planning commission has to be seen in this light. The framework of NRLM that is made available provides for grounds-up planning. Each state pre-sents its own perspective plan for appraisal and implemen-tation. It needs to take the role of converging all that hap-pens to the poor or for the poor. These include Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in imple-mentation for more than five years now and the National Food Security Act that is in the pipeline. Right to Education and National Rural Health Mission have to be built into the

portfolio.

While doing so, it is important to distin-guish a neighbourhood school from a Gu-rukulam or a Navodaya school. Their ad-missions have to be strictly governed by the merit-based selection criteria.

The poverty-based census has to be seen in this context which automatically excludes certain households, which automatically includes certain households and the last cate-gory based on some ranking. We still need to understand how this process is more fool-proof than the earlier 17 fac-tor BPL enumeration. We still need to see the numbers how they compare with the Tendulkar’s estimates. Can we not think of universal inclusion in the remotest and/or the poor-est locations for all these? Can we not think of universal inclusion of certain communities? Can we not bring in self-selection that is a part and parcel of MGNREGA, into this? Can we not develop standard exclusion criteria like govern-ment job, four-wheeler, pucca house, irrigated land etc.?

We know that disadvantaged benefit being in collectives. We need Acts that allow independent people’s institutions of the poor and disadvantaged flourish. Non-interfering Mu-tually Aided Cooperative Acts or Self-reliant cooperative Acts need to be pre-cndition for NRLM roll-out in a state. Better still, Union Government itself may encourage forma-tion of Producers’ (value-adders, service providers, users, consumers included) Companies under Companies’ Act or come up with an act for SHG Federations to accommodate all their special and peculiar needs.

Let us love. Let us learn and love to work with the poor, their true institutions and the institutions that support them. Let us improve their capitals. Let us better their contexts. Let us earn, learn, love, give and be with them. Let us be with them through their thick and thin. Let us leave behind the legacy of being with them. Let us build the movement of being with them. �

Perspectives

G Muralidhar

Be with Them!


Indian Handicrafts

India is known globally for its rich heritage of Arts and Crafts. The handicrafts sector enjoys a special significance in the country's economy in terms of employment generation and earnings of foreign exchange through exports. Many agricultural and pastoral communities depend on their traditional craft skills as a secondary source of income in times of drought, lean harvests, floods or famine. In the era of Globalization and mechanization, protecting and preserving the traditional skills of Indian artisans while ensuring that they provide viable livelihood option for their owners is a great challenge. “livelihoods” attempts to understand the problems, challenges and opportunities that are associated with the Indian Handicrafts sector.

Cover Story


Handicrafts are a unique expression of a country’s culture, tradition and heritage. India has a history of rich and diverse culture and tradition. And among its diversity, the legacy of India’s craft culture always occupies a special place owing to its beauty, dignity, form, style and aesthetics.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defined “Handicrafts” as products which are produced either completely by hand or with the help of tools. Mechanical tools may be used as long as the direct manual contribution of the artisan remains the most substantial component of the finished product. Handicrafts are made from raw materials and can be produced in unlimited numbers. Such products can be utilitarian, aesthetic, artistic, creative, culturally attached, decorative, functional, traditional, religiously and socially symbolic and significant.

The Government of India defined “Handicrafts” as the products which are made by hand; should have some artistic value; they may or may not have functional utility. It is a fact that Indian handicrafts have very ancient origin and of high quality. They have customarily received royal and aristocratic patronage and handicrafts men were honoured by other communities.

Handicrafts play very important role in representing the culture and traditions of any country or region. Handicrafts are a substantial medium to preserve of rich traditional art, heritage and culture, traditional skills and talents which are associated with people’s lifestyle and history. Handicrafts also play important role in terms of economic development as they provide ample opportunities for employment even with low capital investments and become a prominent medium for foreign earnings.

In India, Handicrafts form an important sector of the economy, contributing substantially to manufacturing income, employment, and exports, and the scale of these contributions is increasing. The part-time, rural nature of much crafts activity also complements the lifestyles of many crafts workers, provides supplementary income to seasonal agricultural workers and part-time income to women, and provides craftspeople with the means to remain in their traditional villages, where alternative employment opportunities are limited. In India more than 8 million people including a large number of women are employed in handicrafts industry directly. These crafts persons are provided with inherent skill, technique and traditional craftsmanship. It is estimated that another 15 million people

are engaged in the entire supply chain of handicrafts products. As per the survey of National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER), of the total workforce engaged in Indian handicrafts industry, about 47% are women while 37% of the workforce coming under the backward communities like Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes. Many craftspeople themselves express the strong desire to remain in their traditional profession. And although many are highly talented and extremely skilled in their own craft form, most are poorly educated or illiterate and come from caste groups of low social status.

The Handicraft sector is highly creative sector and produces large variety of crafts products. This industry is localized segment of the domestic and international market. The sector is highly labour intensive, cottage based and decentralized industry. The total worth of India’s handicrafts industry stood at $100 billion per annum and India’s share in the world handicraft’s market is 1.2%.

Handicrafts industry comprises diversified products portfolio and there is large variety available in market. Handicrafts products can be distinguished into Metal ware, Wood ware, Hand printed textiles, Embroidered and crocheted goods, Shawls, Carpets, Bamboo products, Zari goods, Imitation jewellery, Paintings, Earthenware, Jute products, Marble Sculpture, Bronze Sculpture, Leather Products and other miscellaneous handicrafts. These products can be classified into two categories: articles of everyday use and decorative items. Of these diverse range of products textile based handicrafts form an important segment and is concentrated in many pockets across the country. Hand printed textiles including block and screen printing, batik, kalamkari (hand printing by pen) and bandhani (tie and die) are used in products ranging from bed-covers to sheets, dress material to upholstery and tapestry. The famous embroidered articles of silk and cotton, often embellished with mirrors, shells, beads, and metallic pieces are also


found in India. Embroidery is done too on leather, felt and velvet etc. This segment of the industry accounts for almost half a million strong employment in addition to a large number of designers, block makers, weavers and packers involved in the trade.

Brass, copper, bronze, bell metal etc are used for a variety of wares and in a variety of finishes. Scintillating ornaments are available in a wide range of patterns, styles and compositions. Made from precious metals, base metals, precious and semi-precious stones; these ornaments have traditional as well as modern styles.

Wooden articles in India range from the ornately carved to the absolutely simple. One can find toys, furniture, decorative articles, etc. bearing the art and individuality of the craftsman. India is known particularly for its lacquered

wood articles. The intricately carved stoneware made of marble, alabaster or soapstone, etc., inlaid with semiprecious stones carry on the heritage of Indian stone crafts.

Glass and ceramic products are a fast upcoming segment in the handicrafts from India. The age-old production process of mouth-blowing the glass instills a nostalgic feeling. The varied shapes of ceramic and glass in a number of colours, would appeal to Western aesthetics while retaining the Indian touch.

The craftsmen and craftswomen who create these different handicrafts often have learned their art as a hereditary profession and are taught from infancy. Some skills are so intricate and so specialized (such as the famous thewa gold filigree-on-glass jewelry or the grinding of local stones and minerals into paint pigments) that the manufacturing process is a secret still closely guarded by a small number of families. Others acquire their individual luster through lifelong apprenticeship and practice. Some are regional specialties, whose techniques, motifs, and materials make them instantly identifiable; others are found, with some variation, in communities throughout India. What all the many thousands of beautiful and unique craft expressions in India have in common, though, is that the weavers, potters, carvers, painters, embroiderers, goldsmiths, and others who create such beauty with consummate skill and knowledge enjoy few of the fruits of their labor.

When it comes to the marketing of the handicraft products, there are majorly three channels of distribution. Retailers/ direct sales is the most common distribution channel for selling handicrafts in India. There are large numbers of retailers who provide wide range of products in India. Apart from retail and direct sales channels, wholesalers and

Handicrafts Centers of India: Handicraft industry in India is spread throughout the country with greater concentration in rural and suburban areas of country.

Metal ware and Bronze sculpture:

Major Manufacturing units are located in Moradabad, Sambhal, Aligarh, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Delhi, Thanjavur, Jagadhari etc.

Wooden art ware and sculpture:

Major Manufacturing units are located in Sharanpur, Nagina, Hoshiarpur, Srinagar, Amritsar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bangalore, Mysore, Behrampur etc.

Embroidered item:

Manufacturing Units are located in Kutch, Jaisalmer, Baroda, Lucknow, Jodhpur, Agra, Amritsar, Kullu and Srinagar.

Marble and soft stones crafts:

Agra, Madras, Bastar and Jodhpur are famous for these craft products.

Paper Crafts:

These manufacturing units are located in places of Kashmir and Jaipur.

Terracotta units are located in state of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bastar.

Hand printed textiles and scarves:

Amroha, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Farrukhabad, Bagru and Sanganer consist of manufacturing units.

Zari and zari products are manufactured at units located at Surat, Agra, Varanasi and Amritsar.

Imitation Jewelry:

Parts of Delhi, Moradabad, Sambhal, Jaipur and Kohima consist of manufacturing units for these jewelry products.


distributors also provide large range of handicraft products. Wholesalers can keep product stock in bulk and can sell direct to final consumer or retailer. Internet has emerged as a one of the promising distribution channel for selling the handicrafts products. It is estimated that internet will be one of the major channel for the distribution of handicrafts products through E-Commerce. Easily availability on global basis and cost effective way has made Internet a good marketplace to buy, sell, and promote the products.

Handicraft sector in India has emerged as one of the major contributors for Export and foreign earnings. India's major export markets are USA, Germany, UK, France and Japan, Saudi Arabia, Canada, and Italy etc and wide range of products like Art Metal wares, Wood wares, Hand printed textiles, Embroidered and Crocheted goods, Shawls as art wares, Zari goods, Imitation jewelry, Carpets, Leather products, Jute products, Paintings, Bamboo products, Earthen ware, Marble Sculpture, Bronze Sculpture etc are exported to these countries.

Recognizing its importance in the country’s economy, Government of India has taken many steps to supplement the efforts of concerned states (as handicrafts is a state subject as per the Constitution) for the promotion of handicrafts sector. Many schemes such as Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana, Marketing Support and Service Scheme, Design and Technology Upgradation Scheme, Training and Extension Scheme etc were introduced by the Government to help the crafts persons in achieving better gains from the production and marketing of handicrafts.

Apart from the above schemes, the government is also taking special measures for promotion and development of crafts by encouraging the artists through awards and by popularizing the products through exhibitions and establishing handicraft emporiums. Besides, the All India Handicrafts Board was established in 1952 to study the problems confronting the handicrafts, to improve and develop the production techniques and new designs to suit the changing tastes and to promote marketing in India and abroad.

In a global context, the International Trade Centre (ITC) points out that support to crafts has "become a must on the path towards poverty alleviation and environment protection, two topical and compelling concerns worldwide". The growing interest in the role that crafts can play in the development process has also led to increasing involvement in this area by a great many international organizations and agencies, among them the International Development Bank (IDB), the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNESCO, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and others.

However, all these interventions have not much benefited the rural crafts persons. Though the volume of trade and earnings in the sector has increased multifold, the growth has not helped in improving the status of the poor artisans. Further, they are fallen into much dire situations. They are many problems that led them to this situation. Though some problems are specific to the concerned craft items, some basic problems are common to all and the most important of them are as follows.

As there has been the evolution of the modern market economy, the artisans have lost their holds over the old patron-client business network and jajmani relationship. In the globalization times, though with their products going global and increasing demand for it, there is a rise in the handicraft sector economy, still the artisans have become increasingly dependent on middle men and trader entrepreneurs who pay the artisans wages on piece rate bases. The low bargaining power of the artists in a liberalized and comparatively more competitive market has forced the artisans to depend upon the middle-men. The government’s initiative to create cooperatives has not become much successful. Craft workers who have little formal education and are rarely organized are subject to many exploitative work conditions.

Artisans generally lack knowledge of and access to means of increasing quality and productivity, especially in the areas of skill development, design input (to meet market requirements), and technical innovation (in such areas as laborsaving methodology, standardization, productivity enhancement, and environmental concerns and consumer safety).

Crafts producers suffer greatly from lack of working capital and access to credit and loan facilities. The producer who receives a large order will often not be able to find the funds necessary to purchase raw material in bulk, or to support the family while the work is in process. And the irony is that the amounts that could make a real difference to the crafts producer are often extremely modest. Various credit schemes are available to craftspeople, primarily through government institutions, but it is difficult for the uneducated artisan to understand and access these programs, and it is often impossible for a poor craftsperson to manage the necessary collateral or funds for required bribes.

A major disadvantage of life in the "unorganized sector" is the total lack of civic, professional, and social service


infrastructure. The individual craftsperson suffers from all of these problems. Scarce and irregular electricity, lack of good roads, and absence of transportation facilities are professional problems as well as daily aggravations. Craft-specific professional infrastructure—work sheds, storage space, shipping and packing facilities—is totally lacking for most rural crafts producers. And social services infrastructure—insurance, pension plans, medical care—is something beyond hope.

In addition to these practical problems, the craftsperson in most cases gets little recognition or tangible reward for extraordinary skill or talent. This lack of professional respect is at least partially because crafts production in India is still linked to caste status, and crafts-producing communities, with very few exceptions, are at the lower levels of the social scale.

Further, the crafts producer has little means of protecting individual creative innovations or traditional community knowledge. Copying is a way of life in India, and exploitation is pervasive at every level. Dealers and designers freely appropriate designs of traditional artisans. Crafts producers who specialize in unique, time-consuming processes suffer competition from cheap knockoffs in local markets. And craftspeople themselves often leak unique designs belonging to their clients to the highest bidder. On a larger scale, a recent trend has been for buyers to have samples designed and produced in India, but manufactured in bulk in China or Southeast Asia. The original producer, needless to say, benefits from this not at all.

It has also been observed that many quotidian crafts are replaced by cheap machine made finished items these days. Plastic sandals are replaced by the leather made chappals, clay pottery items are being replaced by plastic plates, jugs etc.

As a consequence of all these problems, most of the artists are now a days choosing to shift to other professions rather than to stick into their hereditary occupation. A UN report suggests that over the past three-four decades in India the number of artisans has declined by at least 30 % with many joining the ranks of casual labourers and the informal economy.

It is high time for providing fuller support, both financial and skill based, from the government to the local yet valuable crafts persons of our great cultural heritage since once lost nothing can replace it. The illiterate poor artists and the vulnerable crafts still need strong support from the

government, not half-heartedly with a withdrawal motivation, rather with sincere and genuine efforts. The government should spend more money in this sector in promoting and marketing the crafts and giving training to the artists.

In addition, various co-operatives, voluntary associations also need to put sincere efforts for the better working condition of the artists. Some NGOs have already started supporting the traditional crafts with various varieties of interventions. For example DWARAKA (Development of Weavers and Rural Artisans in Kalamkari Art), an organization supports hundreds of Kalamkari artists of Andhra Pradesh by providing loans for the education of their children and providing medical and marriage expenses. Similarly ‘Dastakar’, an NGO, facilitates skilled artisans from different states to sell their products through its various exhibitions. These kind of efforts need to be scaled up and replicated across all kinds of handicrafts and craft persons.

The production base in Indian handicrafts sector is much unorganized. The craftsmen use traditional tools and techniques for which the production base is very weak. So, for improvement in the quality of production, it is necessary to upgrade the skill of the artists who should be supplied with quality raw material and adequate financial assistance. At the same time care should be taken for innovation but it should not root out originality. Besides, the marketing and export of the products need special attention. The craftsmen should also be properly exposed to the market leaving a little room for the intrusion of the middlemen.

Various developmental institutions like World Bank, Asian Development Bank and UNESCO etc are considering the handicrafts sector as an important source of employment creation and are viewing the support the extended to this industry as an investment in development rather than expenditure. This shift in understanding, if happened across all the stakeholders of the sector, will go a long way in reviving the sector.

India's rapidly burgeoning middle class, in search of an identity that is both Indian and contemporary, provides a natural and growing market for a utilitarian yet aesthetic handcrafted product at a price that is competitive and cost-effective. We cannot afford to ignore these new markets and needs. Craft products will have to be developed differently, marketed and promoted in innovative and varied ways, if they are to compete and survive. �


Enterprise

Fruits Business In Nallakunta, before Sai Baba Temple, we see a fruit vendor, Md.Mahaboob. He is a Muslim and he is unmarried. His age is about 22 years. In his family, he has mother and father. He told that his father is a government em-ployee. Before this fruit business he was a driver.

He belongs to Bidar district in Karnataka. He studied up to 7th standard in government school. By listening to the ideas of other he came to Hyderabad city 4 years ago. He will sell many types of fruits like Mangoes, Apples, Grapes, Oranges etc. At present he is selling various types of mangoes.

He not only do this fruit business but also sells different types of news papers in the morning. Daily he earns up to Rs.50 to Rs.80 on this papers and he will earn nearly Rs.1500 to Rs.2000 per month. He reduces the price of un-sold mangoes up to 20% of original price. He will pay rent Rs.10,000 per month for his shop.

Md.Mahaboob setup his shop 4 years ago. He will sell all kinds of fruits through out the year. He created a new system for the convenience of his customers, that is card system. In this system customer should pay the amount per month ,so that they can take fruits every day from 1kg to 5kg. These customers will get reduction in price as they pay money every month. He has some competition with other fruit vendors, but the way he receives his cus-tomers makes him a good profits. In his he has got 2 workers one help him in maintenance of his shop and other goes for door deliveries. In this way he has got some name as a good fruit vendor. �

Details Price Details Price

Expenditure: Income:

Purchase of mangoes: Rasalu (Rs.40/kg) (40x45kg) Rs.1800

Rasalu (Rs.30/kg) (30x50kg) Rs.1500 Banginpally (Rs.30/kg) (30x70kg)

Rs.2100

Banginpally (Rs.22/kg) (22x80kg) Rs.1760 Thotthapari (Rs.25/kg) (25x20kg)

Rs.500

Thothapari (Rs.20/kg) (20x30kg) Rs.600 Coconut Mango (Rs.20/fruit) (20x15fruits)

Rs.300

Coconut Mango (Rs.15/fruit) (15x20 fruits) Rs.300 Income per day Rs.4700

Expenditure per day: Rs.4160 Income per month (Rs.4700 x 30 days)

Rs.1,41,000

Expenditure per month: (Rs.4160 x 30 days)

Rs.1,24,800 Low quality:

Rent for shop: Rs.10,000/ Rasalu (Rs.35/kg) (35x5kg) Rs.175

Total expenditure per month: ( Rs.1,24,800 + Rs.10,000)

Rs.1,34,800 Banginpally (Rs.25/kg) (25x15kg)

Rs.375

Loss: Rotten mangoes or damaged mangos Thothapari (Rs.21/kg) Rs.108

Rasalu (Rs.30/kg) (30x5kg) Rs.150 Coconut Mango (Rs.18/fruit) (18x3 fruits)

Rs.54

Banginpally(Rs.22/kg)(22x5kg) Rs.110 Income per day: Rs.712

Thothapari(Rs.20/kg)(20x2kg) Rs.40 Income per month from low quality fruits: (Rs.712x30days)

Rs.21,360

Coconut Mango(15/fruit)(15x2fruit) Rs. 30

Loss per day Rs.330 Total Income : (Rs.1,41,000 + Rs.21,360)

Rs. 1,62,360

Loss per month(330x30days) Rs.9900 Total Expenditure : Rs. 1,44,780

Total Expenditure including loss: (1,34,800+9900)

Rs. 1,44,780 Profit per month Rs. 18,560


Interview with Common Person

Janardhan Reddy lives at Nachineri village, Yerpedu mandal, Chittor district. He is a farmer.' Livelihoods’ interviewed Janardhan Reddy to know about his journey…

Q: What is your name? What is your age?

A: I am Janardhan Reddy. I am 50 years old.

Q: What is the name of your village?

A: My village is Nachinerri Village at Erpedu Mandal in Chittur district.

Q: How many members are there in your family?

A: In my family, my elder brother, sister-in-law and their children, my wife and my children, overall 9 members in my family.

Q: What did you study?

A: I just studied till class 5.

Q: What is the status of your family before 10 years?

A: We have an acre of land that time, we all worked daily wage for family survival. With those earnings we spent on household needs and children education and the rest we saved.

Q: Beyond labor work do you do any other work?

A: We have an acre of land, we cultivated paddy on that. We have also 2 goats and 5 sheep.

Q: Who has been taking care of the family earnings?

A: My elder brother Mr.subba Reddy has been taking care of our family income for long time, for past three years of savings we have purchased 2 acres of land.

Q: Do you have water sources for your land?

A: We have a water source, we cultivated yearly once.

Q: What do you do the entire cultivated paddy?

A: We keep some for the home needs and the remaining is we sell when ever the price is in high.

Q: Where is the paddy sell?

A: The businessmen come to our village, we sell them.

Q: Do you have the agricultural equipments?

A: Yes, we have all kinds of agriculture related equipments, 5 years back we dug a bore well, since then we have started cultivation of ground nut.

Q: Presently how many acres of land do you have?

A: We have 8 acres of land, one tractor and 3 bore wells.

Q: How did you earn these assets?

A: From the beginning we use fewer laborers in agriculture and also we do more outside labour work. Whatever money we earn we spend less money on for family needs remaining we save carefully.

Q: Tell something about your children education?

A: Our children is not being like us, we are studying them as doctor and engineering courses. When they come in holidays they go to NREGS works, they don’t feel bad.

Q: For the agricultural usage did you purchase anything in these days?

A: We purchased sprayer and one tractor. We get some income from that also.

Q: How much income do you get in a year?

A: We get Rs. 3 lakh from agriculture, Rs. 60,000/- from labour work.

Q: How much amount do you save excluding expenditure?

A: We save Rs. 2 lakh per year excluding all expenses.

Q: Do you give any suggestions to others?

A: In life if you earn 2 Rs, you must save 1 Rupee in that saving, that is the smartness of every individual, and they will surely come up in life. In agricultural you don’t depend on labours, and we should store whenever we get high price then only we sell. If every one follow these they are good in life. �

If You Earn Rs 2, You Must Save Re 1...


Subsector

Since ages, silk and silk fabrics have attracted mankind and have found their place among the most valued and elegant human fabrics. Sericulture is both an art and science of raising silkworms for silk production.

Silk as a wearable fiber was first discovered by the Chinese empress Xi Ling Shi during 2,640 B.C. and its culture and weaving was a guarded secret for more than 2,500 years by the Chinese.

Silk was a profitable trade commodity in China. Traders from ancient Persia used to purchase richly coloured and fine textured silks from Chinese merchants. The history of sericulture in India dates back to even pre-Buddhist period. In India sericulture got rich patronage from kings or emperors. The British Raj particularly was interested in sericulture due to the world situation involving China and Japan during the world war periods as also to collect raw material for its own use.

In independent India, initially sericulture was export oriented. The export item was not raw silk, but finished silk fabrics. Today sericulture has gained new importance as agro-economic practice for rural development, generation of self-employment, empowerment of women and export earnings. Moreover, sericulture fits in to the scheme of multi- farming system practices in many of the rural villages in India with farmers having marginal land holding.

India has the distinction of commercially producing all four varieties of silk – mulberry silk and non-mulberry silk including tasar, eri and muga. Mulberry silk is a fine quality silk that is produced from silkworms reared on mulberry tree leaves and has the major share of about 90% in total silk sector. Tasar silk is a coarse quality silk reeled from cocoons of silkworms belonging to saturniidae family, which

are fed on leaves of oak, asan and arjuna trees. Tasar constitutes a minor share of about 2% in total silk. Eri Silk is a fine quality silk spun from cocoons of silkworms belonging to saturniidae family, which are fed on castor leaves. Unlike other kind of silk, this cannot be reeled and hence it is only spun. It has natural copperish colour. Eri has about 8% share in the total silk market. Muga Silk is a coarse variety of silk produced from cocoons of silk worms belonging to saturniidae family, which are fed on Som and Soalu leaves. It has a rich golden colour. Its market share is less than 1%.Mulberry silk is produced mainly in Karnataka, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and Andhra

Pradesh although some other States have made some progress in this direction under their development plans. Tasar silk is mainly produced in Jarhkhand, Bihar, Chattishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal & Andhra Pradesh. Eri yarn is produced in Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and West Bengal. Muga silk is predominantly produced in Assam. The climate in NE India is suitable for growth of non-mulberry silkworms – muga and eri. The number of sericulture villages in NE region is about 38000 to 40000. Geographic Indication Right has been conferred to muga silk yarn.

Indian sericulture is unique in several ways. While it is the only country that commercially produces all the four types of silk, it is the only country that is consuming over 80 percent of the silk fabric production within the country. India is the second

Sericulture


largest producer of silk in the world, next to China, and has 15.52% share in global raw silk production. The World production of raw silk as on 2009 was 1,26,995 M.T. China produces 1,04,000 M.T. being the first in the World. India produced 21,005 M.Ts of silk (during 2010-11) which is the second largest producer in the World. Brazil, Thailand Uzbekistan and Vietnam are also producing silk around 700 to 1000 M.T. in a year. India produced around 4,048 M.T. of Vanya Silks (Tasar, Eri & Muga) in a year, which has very good market. While India produces around 21,005, MTs of raw silk annually (2010-11), total annual consumption of silk in the country, per annum is around 29,000 MTs.The additional requirement of about 8,000 MT of silk (particularly, Bivoltine Mulberry Silk of international quality) is imported mainly from China. Therefore, there is scope for production of additional quantity of silk in the country to

meet the domestic demand.

By the year 2025 domestic demand is expected to increase to 45,000 MT/yr. Therefore, silk production has tremendous growth potential in India, which could provide additional employment opportunities for up to 4 million rural families. At present, approximately 8 million families (of these 80% are rural poor) are involved in silk production as part of their livelihood, engaging in sericulture as an agro-based cottage industry.

The export earnings from the silk are growing steadily because of increasing demand for Indian Silk goods particularly, from the USA and European countries. Exports earnings showed an increase of 45.5% from 2002-03 to 2006-07. India exported silk worth Rs.3,338.35 crores during 2006-07. During the period April to December of the year 2010-11, export earnings provisionally have slightly declined to 1971.19 crores, when compared to `.2,131.23 in the same period of 2009-10. The India Silk Goods have high export potential because of its distinctiveness and low

Activity-wise employment generation in Mulberry sericul-ture (per ha.)

Activity

Employment generation

Man-days Man-years

A. Mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing

a. Mulberry cultivation 585

b. Leaf / shoot harvesting 320

c. Silkworm rearing 350

Sub-total 1255 5.02

B. Reeling of silk cocoons @ 300 mandays per 1000 kgs of reeling cocoons (@ 8.0 renditta; 760 kgs cocon / ha.; 95 kgs raw silk / ha.) 2250 9.12

Total (A + B) 3535 14.14

C. Twisting

@ 220 g of silk per mandays 432 1.727

D. Weaving Handloom @ 0.13 kg per man-day 438 1.752

Powerloom @ 0.3125 kg per

manday 122 0.486

Sub-total (Weaving) 560 2.238

E. Printing and Dyeing @ 40 mandays for 40 kg of raw silk 95 0.38

F. Finishing @ 751 mandays for 40 kf of raw silk 1784 7.135

G. Silk waste processing @ 18.775 mandays per kg of raw silk 26 0.104

Total (C to G) 2896 11.58

Grand Total 6431 26


production cost. The export potentialities of Vanya Silks are yet to be exploited on commercial scale.

Sericulture is a labour-intensive industry in all its phases of the production chain, viz, cultivation of silkworm food plants, silkworm rearing, silk reeling, and other post-cocoon processes such as twisting, dyeing, weaving, printing and finishing. It is estimated that sericulture can generate employment @11 man days per kg of raw silk production

(in on-farm and off-farm activities) throughout the year. It provides employment to approximately 68 lakhs persons, most of whom are small and marginal farmers. Cultivation of sericulture is being practiced regularly in contiguous districts in the traditional States of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and J&K; in all the States of the North Eastern Region; in the tribal areas of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal, Orissa. The cocoons

(Source: Central Silk Board, Mysore.)

and silk processing industry has traditionally existed in clusters. India has the distinction of cultivating all the four commercially known varieties of silk, namely, Mulberry, Tasar, Eri and Muga.

In all activities except silk dyeing, the labour force comprises over 65 percent women. In the silkworm rearing activity, most often women work in their own houses. In handloom weaving women are engaged in pre-weaving as well as other preparatory processes within their own households. In silk reeling operation, family-run Charaka units use the services of all members in the family while others engage wage workers. Cottage basin units and silk twisting units hire

labour, which consists of nearly 80 percent women.

Sericulture integrates very well with the general lifestyle of people in the rural areas. Sericulture activity at every stage does not produce anything that does not have a use or there is no waste/by-product that has no commercial value. Mulberry twigs that are left over after feeding the mulberry leaves to the silkworms are used as fuel. Since mulberry is a deep rooted plant, it allows for inter-cropping with shallow rooted, short term pulses, vegetables and flower plants, as long as there is no spraying of insecticides.

To meet the ever growing demands of silk industry both nationally and internationally, it is pertinent to glance at some of the challenges before India and address them.

Indian silk yarn is of poor quality, especially in comparison to that of China. This not only affects our competitiveness in the world market, it also results in a

preference for imported yarn in the domestic sector. Though Indian breeds have the potential to produce the same quality of bivoltine silk as China, there has been lack of sufficient thrust on the adoption of improved technologies, strict disease control measures, lack of quality leaf due to insufficient inputs to mulberry garden, use of young age silkworms, appropriate mountages, lack of grading system for cocoons, and quality-based pricing system.

Bivoltine yarn is sturdier and is used by the powerloom


industry. Yet only 5% of the silk produced in India is bivoltine because its production requires much more attention and resources. It also yields just two crops in a year, as against the yield of four to six crops by multi-voltine. Since the difference in the selling price of bivoltine and multivoltine silk is not much, farmers do not have any incentive to switch to bivoltine silk yarn production. Insufficient adoption and proliferation of technology packages developed through R&D efforts; no effort to increase the area under mulberry; fragmented and ad hoc approach; non-involvement of private partners in a big way in seed production; farming and reeling; non-penetration of the schemes; improper forward and backward linkages; and dumping of cheap Chinese raw silk and fabric are the other factors. The challenge in the Eleventh Plan period is to encourage farmers to move from production of multivoltine silk to bivoltine silk through proper incentives. Yet, care should be taken to ensure that adequate amount of multivoltine is available for the handloom sector to continue production.

There has been a decline in the cultivated area and the raw silk production during 2002–04 due to drought and dumping of Chinese silk at cheap prices. The sericulturists want imports of raw silk to be restricted and the anti-dumping duty on yarn to remain in place. Exporters and weavers, on the other hand, want the anti- dumping duty to be withdrawn so that they get an assured supply of yarn and are able to export more silk products at competitive rates. The challenge is to balance the aspirations of farmers and weavers.

Non-mulberry silk production in the country continues to be unsteady and fluctuates from year to year. With its uniqueness, non-mulberry silk production in India has a great potential for value-added exports.

Reeling sector is an input-dependent activity and its operations are influenced heavily by three factors— cocoon quality, cocoon price, and cocoon supply. However, due to the absence of quality-based price fixation, there has been very little quality control.

Children are employed in almost all processes of the sericulture industry making it almost a child–based economy. They work in mulberry cultivation; cocoon rearing, reeling, winding, doubling, twisting, and re-reeling, all of which adversely affect the health of the child. They are required to work in filature units that are cramped, damp, dark, poorly ventilated, and have loud, deafening music playing in the background. The handling of dead worms with bare hands, and the unbearable stench is also a cause for spreading infection and illness. Standing for 12-16 hours a day with hardly any break, concentrating on reeling the fine threads, leads to other health disorders. Vapours from the boiling cocoons and the diesel fumes from the machines also contribute to the poor condition in the units. These conditions have been found responsible for

retardation of the child’s normal growth and development.

Way forward

The present global scenario clearly indicates the enormous opportunities for the Indian Silk Industry. The need of the hour is to produce more bivoltine silk with reduced cost of production to meet the growing demands of quality silk. Realising this, the Governent of India is taking all out efforts to boost bivoltine production in the country with the technical support from Japan International Co-operation Agency. The government is also encouraging corporate partnerships in sericulture development.

The Central Silk Board has been implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme viz. "Catalytic Development Programme" in collaboration with the respective State Sericulture Departments from IX Plan to motivate States to increase productivity and quality besides providing market support. The scheme is continuing in the XI plan. The packages under CDP cover three major areas – seed sector, cocoon sector and post-cocoon sector.

Important policy initiatives taken recently for the development of silk industry are - Sericulture is included as agriculture allied activity under RKVY. This enable the sericulturists to avail the benefits of the scheme for the entire sericulture activities up to reeling The Govt. of India has taken necessary steps to import 2500 MTs of raw silk through NHDC (duty free) for distribution among small weavers.

The CSB (Amendment) Act, Rules and Regulations have been notified by the Govt. of India to bring quality standards in silkworm seed production.Forest Conservation Act has been amended to treat non mulberry sericulture as forest based activity enabling the farmers to undertake vanya silkworm rearing in the natural host plantation in the forests. With all the initiatives happening in sericulture both in public and private space, the sector holds a definite promise. �


“The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.” Rabindranath Tagore

Nation is celebrating 150 years of Rabindra’s birth. Rabindranath Tagore; the legendary Bengali poet, philosopher, educationist, essayist, musician, novelist and playwright; needs no introduction. He was the first non-European who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. Rabindranath Tagore's inventive production proves a lot about this revitalization man. The diversity, excellence and magnitude are incredible. Even though Tagore is an excellent envoy of his nation - India - the man who wrote its national anthem - his existence and workings go far away from his country.

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was the youngest son of Debendranath Tagore, a leader of the Brahmo Samaj, which was a new religious sect in nineteenth-century Bengal and which attempted a revival of the ultimate monistic basis of Hinduism as laid down in the Upanishads. He was educated at home; and although at seventeen he was sent to England for formal schooling, he did not finish his studies there. In his mature years, in addition to his many-sided literary activities, he managed the family estates, a project which brought him into close touch with common humanity and increased his interest in social reforms. He also started an experimental school at Shantiniketan where he tried his Upanishadic ideals of education. From time to time he participated in the Indian nationalist movement, though in his own non-sentimental and visionary way; and Gandhi, the political father of modern India, was his devoted friend. Tagore was knighted by the ruling British Government in 1915, but within a few years he resigned the honour as a protest against British policies in India.

Tagore had early success as a writer in his native Bengal. With his translations of some of his poems he became rapidly known in the West. In fact his fame attained a luminous height, taking him across continents on lecture tours and tours of friendship. For the world he became the voice of India's spiritual heritage; and for India, especially for Bengal, he became a great living institution.

Although Tagore wrote successfully in all literary genres, he was first of all a poet. Among his fifty and odd volumes of poetry are Manasi (1890) [The Ideal One], Sonar Tari (1894) [The Golden Boat], Gitanjali (1910) [Song Offerings], Gitimalya (1914) [Wreath of Songs], andBalaka (1916) [The Flight of Cranes].

Rabindranath Tagore got Nobel Prize for literature in 1913 for 'Gitanjali'.

Tagore's views of education are not available in any single volume. They are traceable in his various expressions. It may be gleaned from his addresses and may be read in his essays. It may also be obtained from his conversational

Viswa – Bharti. Tagore’s ideas on education were derived mainly from his own experience. Tagore's educational ideals have been shared by other educationists and many of his innovations have now become part of general educational practices, but his special contribution lay in the emphasis on harmony balance and total development of personality. Tagore wrote. “A boy in this country has very little time at his disposal. He must learn a foreign language, pass several examinations and qualify himself for a job in the shortest possible time. So what can he do but cram up a few text books with breathless speed? His parents and his teachers do not let him waste precious time by reading a book of entertainment, and they snatch it away from him the moment they see him with one."

Present system of education does not allow us to cultivate the power of thought and the power of imagination. According to Tagore, "to read without thinking is like accumulating building materials without building anything. We instantly climb to the top of our pile and beat it down incessantly for two years. Until it becomes level and somewhat becomes level and somewhat resembles the flat roof of a house.”

In general, Tagore envisioned an education that was deeply rooted in one’s immediate surroundings but connected to the cultures of the wider world, predicated upon pleasurable learning and individualized to the personality of the child. He felt that a curriculum should revolve organically around nature with classes held in the open air under the trees to provide for a spontaneous appreciation of the fluidity of the plant and animal kingdoms, and seasonal changes. At his Santhiniketan, Children sat on hand-woven mats beneath the trees, which they were allowed to climb and run beneath between classes. Nature walks and excursions were a part of the curriculum and students were encouraged to follow the life cycles of insects, birds and plants. Class schedules were made flexible to allow for shifts in the weather or special attention to natural phenomena, and seasonal festivals were created for the children by Tagore. In an essay entitled “A Poet’s School,” he emphasizes the importance of an empathetic sense of interconnectedness with the surrounding world:

We have come to this world to accept it, not merely to know it. We may become powerful by knowledge, but we attain fullness by sympathy. The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence. But we find that this education of sympathy is not only systematically ignored in schools, but it is severely repressed. From our very childhood habits are formed and knowledge is imparted in such a manner that our life is weaned away from nature and our mind and the world are set in opposition from the beginning of our days. Thus the greatest of educations for which we came prepared is neglected, and we are made to lose our world to find a bagful of information instead. We rob the child of his earth to teach him geography, of

Viswakavi Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore


language to teach him grammar. His hunger is for the Epic, but he is supplied with chronicles of facts and dates...Child-nature protests against such calamity with all its power of suffering, subdued at last into silence by punishment.

In Tagore's philosophy of education, the aesthetic development of the senses was as important as the intellectual--if not more so--and music, literature, art, dance and drama were given great prominence in the daily life of the school. In terms of curriculum, he advocated a different emphasis in teaching. Rather than studying national cultures for the wars won and cultural dominance imposed, he advocated a teaching system that analyzed history and culture for the progress that had been made in breaking down social and religious barriers. Such an approach emphasized the innovations that had been made in integrating individuals of diverse backgrounds into a larger framework, and in devising the economic policies which emphasized social justice and narrowed the gap between rich and poor. Art would be studied for its role in furthering the aesthetic imagination and expressing universal themes.

In Tagore’s opinion, all educational processes should be rooted in our own cultural traditions. As he put it: "Emancipation from the bondage of the soil is not freedom for the tree". He emphasized that the medium of instruction must be through one's own mother tongue. Tagore was highly appreciative of the Guru-Sishya Ashram type of education. In this he echoes Sri Aurobindo's view that the most important method of education is "soul-to-soul

contact" between Guru and Sishya. Tagore believed that the educational process should incorporate the act of playing, and the joy that playing brings. He also pronounced that education should be linked to working, and learning a craft.

As per Tagore, the school should be integral to Society and intellectual education should be linked with the arts and crafts which deal with human emotions. Education should lead towards an understanding of the brotherhood of man.

Tagore saw villages as the real source of our national vitality, just as Mahatma Gandhi did. He also felt the need for Gram Swaraj. Essentially, Gandhiji and Tagore agreed on the following priorities for the nation: Rejection of the caste hierarchy; Constructive work in villages; Education through constructive social work, and through working at a trade or craft; Revival of village crafts; and Self-government at the village level.

Tagore's educational efforts were ground-breaking in many areas. He was one of the first in India to argue for a humane educational system that was in touch with the environment and aimed at overall development of the personality.

The multi-cultural educational efforts carried out by Tagore, the Gurudev, became an inspiration to educators around the world, and schools following his philosophy of human unity were created in many countries. �

A painting by Rabindranath Tagore


Development in Action

Mamidipudi Venkatarangaiya Foundation

The Mamidipudi Venkatarangaiya

Foundation (MVF), a trust which was named

after her grandfather is a registered trust. It

was established in 1981 in memory of

educationist and historian Prof. Mamidipudi

Venkatarangaiya. It was started as a

research institution on issues relating to

social transformation.

Today, the Foundation is building the capacities of the community in rural and urban areas for elimination of child labour by universalizing school education. It also works towards empowering women.

Currently MVF is implementing the program directly in Ranga Reddy, Nalgonda, Kurnool & Adilabad districts of Andhra Pradesh covering over 2500 villages and in the city of Hyderabad. MVF also provides technical support to various Government & Non-Governmental Organizations. The MVF resource persons have worked in Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh & Tamil Nadu. MVF has provided technical support to NGOs and the Governments of Nepal, Central America & Africa. Its presence is among some of the most backward areas in terms of HDI and in all these areas MVF monitors around 5,00,000 children on a daily basis. The Board of Trustees with its Chairperson is the apex body that meets once in a year to approve programmes and frame broad policy outlines. It is assisted by the Secretary-Trustee who is in charge of the overall management of all the projects and the Treasurer who is responsible for the financial management. MVF also has a National Programme Advisory Committee (NPAC) and a Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) that meet at least once in every six months, sometimes more frequently where reports of all the activities and financial needs to be presented.

The MVF Aim and strategy: The MVF program aims at motivating parents and children to utilize the formal school as a medium for the child's advancement. Based on the belief that every child out of school is a working child, the program does not make any distinction between one form of child labour and another. Its single point agenda is to ensure no child goes to work and all go to school.

The strategy adopted is essentially based on age group and gender. Older children in the age group 9-14 years are run through a bridge course which utilizes what they already know to enable them to catch up with regular school children of their own age. For younger children, direct admission to schools is undertaken. In all cases, there is a detailed follow-up programme which ensures minimal drop-out. For the girl children the approach though broadly similar, is more intensive.

MVF Mission: 1.To educate people about this complex issue. 2. To move people emotionally 3.To motivate people to action

Programmes: 1.Child Rights 2. Health 3. Natural Resource Management

MVF has a strong grassroots presence in many parts of the country. However, they believe that the problem of child labour has to be fought at the macro level for a systemic change. It is in this context that MVF’s advocacy is seen as an integral part of their work. MVF has initiated and supported several campaigns as stated below:

MVF’s Intervention on Child Rights: 1.Total Abolition of Child Labour : The Supreme Court on 12.12.2005 issued notice to the Centre on a PIL filed through Advocate Ashok Agarwal seeking enforcement of the right to education of every child in the age group of 6 to 14 by abolishing child labour in all its forms. A three-judge Bench comprising of Justice Ruma Pal, Justice A.R.Laxmanan and Justice Dalveer Bhandari issued the notice on petition filed by Prof. Shantha Sinha of Hyderabad University; HAQ: Centre for Child Rights and Social Jurist. Mr. Ashok Agarwal argued that Article 21-A of the Constitution mandates compulsory education for every child in the age group 6-14 years. On inquiry from the Hon’ble Judges whether any of the States has legislated the law as contemplated under Article 21-A of the Constitution, Mr. Agarwal informed that no State has so far done any thing in this regard despite the fact that Article 21-A was inserted in December 2002. The main objective of right to education is that every individual should be literate and they expect 100% literacy rate may be by 2025.

Financial and Political Commitments for Children in 0-6 years age group: A Parallel Workshop on ICDS on Convention on Children’s Right to Food was organised by HAQ: Centre for Child Rights and MVF on 7th April 2005. The workshop on Financial and Political Rights was planned to discuss the commitments and subsequent manifestations in the budget made so far towards improving nutritional status of children below six years of age through ICDS.

Right to Education: MVF has supported the cause of making education a fundamental right for every child. The collective efforts led to the 86th amendment to the Constitution of India in 2002. The bill was passed making education a fundamental right under article 21(A) of the Constitution which stated free and compulsory education for all children in the age group of 6-14yrs. MVF in its various campaign meetings and national consultations has passed the resolutions.

Stop Child Labour Campaign: ‘Stop Child Labour – School is the best place to work’ is a campaign of NGO’s


and unions from 6 European countries who are co-operating closely with a number of organizations from developing countries, including India. ‘Stop Child Labour’ has the firm conviction that eradication of child labour and the realization of the right to education are closely interrelated and that every child has the right to free, full-time education up to at least 15 years of age. MVF as an NGO partner provides technical support in implementing the campaign in various Central American and African countries. MVF also provides training in the various aspects of the campaign to abolish child labour and universalize education.

Child Rights Protection Forum (CRPF) : The Child Rights Protection Forum is a unique forum that is a spin-off effect arising from M.V.Foundation’s mass mobilisation. In the process of mobilizing communities to establish a social norm that no child should work and every child must attend full time formal school, M.V.Foundation enlisted the support of every section of society. When there was a specific case of protecting a girl child from marriage or of withdrawing a child from the clutches of bondage, supporters of child rights in villages formed themselves into Child Rights’ Protection Forum. In the beginning these forums were ad hoc and got organized to sort out specific cases of violation of children’s rights. As they became active they felt the necessity to get institutionalized into formal forums to protect children’s rights. In March 2004, members of the village level Child Rights Protection Forums from different parts of the State of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa and Assam got together and formed into Child Rights’ Protection Forum at the national level.

Membership – Who makes up the CRPF?: Members of the CRPF include gram panchayat members, school committee members, youth, schoolteachers, erstwhile employers, women group members and political leaders. Cutting across caste and class barriers the members of the CRPF are the conscience keepers in the village playing the role of spokespersons for child rights in the community. Currently the membership base of the CRPF is more than 80,000. Life members from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are currently involved in the campaign.

Activities: This unique institution of CRPF has now flourished and owns up the responsibility of child rights. The members monitor all child related institutions at the village level, resolve problems relating to children’s needs, ensure no child rights violations occur and share such experiences at various forums. MVF has conducted various training programs for the CRPF members. This helps in building the capacities of the members to take the movement of child

rights forward .

Over the years, MVF has initiated several programs and received financial as well as institutional help from various government and non-government agencies. MVF received support from the Ministries of Labor and HRD of the Governments of India and Andhra Pradesh (World Bank Project - Velugu), CRY, ILO-IPEC, HIVOS, NCLP, NCRI, UNICEF, UNDP/NORAD, The JRD Tata Trust, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, ActionAid India, AusAid and Catholic Relief

Services among others. Currently our donors are the European Union, CONCERN, DWHH, FNV, SKN and Logica through HIVOS, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, ActionAid India, UNICEF, Catholic Relief Services, AXIS Bank Foundation, Indian Overseas Bank, ICICI Foundation, Broadridge Financials and many individual donors whose support we gratefully acknowledge. MVF's remarkable achievements would not be possible without the unflinching support of local and state government authorities, school teachers, elected representatives, volunteers, education

activists, the children themselves and their parents .

MVF’s Intervention on Health. : The focus of the programme is to improve the health of the community especially pregnant women, adolescent girls and children up to the age of 3 by making health a public issue which people demand as their right. Specifically, the action seeks to decrease maternal and infant mortality, stop child marriages and improve the health and nutrition status of children under-3. It also seeks to prepare local institutions such as the Gram Panchayats, Child Rights Protection Forums, girl youth committees and health committees to take up health issues and strengthen the government health system in order that all women get proper ante-natal care and have institutional and safe deliveries, universal immunization and prevention of malnourishment for children in the 0-3 age group is ensured, child marriages are prevented and the health of adolescent girls is improved, adolescent girls in the age group of 12 to 18 years are empowered. In addition the health delivery system of the Government is strengthened through community participation and ownership in order to improve the community’s access to the health system. Processes for systematic review of health programmes at the Mandal and District level are established in order to improve the

efficiency of the health department .

MVF’s Intervention on Natural Resource Management: M.V.Foundation’s (MVF) Natural Resource Management (NRM) work started in the year 1992 in Hayathnagar & Ghatkesar Mandals, Ranga Reddy District of Andhra Pradesh. It was during M.V. Foundation’s work for child rights that the idea of work in Natural Resource Management arose. It was noticed that the nutrition levels of children in the Non-Formal Education (NFE) centres was very low. Hence eco clubs were set up to spread the message of environment and health. There were large tracts of uncultivated lands leading to land alienation/degradation. Women steeped in debt due to lack of work. There were no support systems and wage labour was irregular. There was loss of assets due to the financial crunch, poor quality of resources, unavailability of fodder & lack of technical knowledge on fodder cultivation and grasses. There was no knowledge of water harvesting, conservation and intercropping combined with a general lack of interest in food crops and organic farming. Families migrated for work and were fragmented leading to many socio-economic problems.

There was also a general lack of financial resources for health expenses. It is in this scenario that MVF stepped in to address these problems. Currently M.V. Foundation’s Natural Resource Management Programme (NRM) is


operational in 105 villages spread over 7 mandals viz. Yacharam, Manchal, Ibrahimpatnam, Hayathnagar, Keesara, Ghatkesar and Shamirpet. The long term goal of M.V. Foundation’s NRM Programme is towards protection and sustainable management of natural resources through empowerment of women to improve quality of lives & secure livelihoods, food, fodder, energy and health care. What distinguishes MVF’s programme from other programmes is the solidarity of the women’s groups which is based on transparency, honesty & self-reliance.

Mission statement: Empower Women and their communities to improve the quality of their lives by providing access to resources for sustainable management of natural resources, sustainable livelihood, mitigate climate change and global warming.

Objectives:1. Empower women and build up their capacities through natural resource management to provide livelihoods. 2. Build capacities of local institutions to support women’s action 3. To create sustainable livelihood environment protection. 4. Increase awareness on renewable energy sources and set up programmes on the ground for enhancing the use of renewable energy 5.Create Environmental Awareness among children and youth Develop, conserve and use forest land and also other lands for productive uses, conservation & mitigation strategy for global warming and climate change. 6. Provide and improve capabilities of women for better wellness & health care preventives.

Gram Panchayat : According to the 73rd amendment to the Constitution of India, there is a statutory requirement that elections to the local bodies must be held. Education is one such item. There is unwillingness on the part of the government at the State level towards greater decentralization. Therefore, it is necessary to build capacities of groups to pressurize for far greater devolution of powers. The Gram Panchayats are important institutions to take up the twin tasks of abolition of child labour and strengthening of schools. The Gram Panchayat must review, monitor and support all child related institutions. This will help them to participate and take up the responsibility in planning and implementing the programme of abolition of child labour through universalisation of elementary education at the village level. By getting involved in the functioning of schools and supporting the school committees, they can prevent school dropouts.

The Gram Panchayat has an added advantage of being able to mobilise local resources for the school and also generate resources by bringing pressure on the higher-level education bureaucracy. The efficiency of the Gram Panchayats can be increased if they are provided with more information on the financial allocation made towards the child related institutions in their area. They are to be trained to utilize all the projects addressing the child rights as implemented by the various departments such as Social Welfare, Women & Child Welfare, for helping education and so on. They also are to be given training to network with other Gram Panchayats and form a Federation at Mandal level to draw up a comprehensive mandal level plan for abolition of child labour and strengthening of the school system.

In almost every village, the youth play an important role in:

a. Mobilizing supporting and motivating communities to join the campaign against child labour . b. Eestablishing contacts with the Gram Panchayat and involving the Sarpanch in the program. C. Bringing pressure on schools for enhanced enrollment. d. taking on employers and even facing their wrath .e. organizing meetings in expression of solidarity .

From a small beginning in 1991 with a Programme for liberating 30 children in five villages of Ranga Reddy district was launched, Shantha Sinha's endeavour has now grown into a massive social mobilisation movement, which has freed 2.4 lakh children in 4,500 villages from child labour and involved in the process - the community, elected representatives and the State Education Department in eight districts. In accomplishing the task, dedicated contribution of 29,175 honorary volunteers, 22,236 child rights protection committee members, 3,618 panchayat members and 2,440 teachers was collated.

The MVF's strategy and goals are clearly spelt out in its "Charter of Non-Negotiables". According to the charter, all children must attend formal full-time day schools, any child out of school is a child labourer, all work is hazardous to the overall growth and development of a child, and there should be a total ban on child labour, and any justification for perpetuating child labour must be condemned .

MVF’s work on Child Labour was designed and developed by Shantha Sinha. She is key contributor behind the success of MVF. Shantha Sinha (53) who is the winner of the 2003 Raman M a g s a y s a y A w a r d f o r c o m m u n i t y leadership, has rescued 2.41 lakh children from child labour and

introduced them t o s c h o o l education. She is an academic and a social worker.

Shanta’s work has been with the premise that child has the right to decent

childhood and bonded chi ld labor is illegal.

Shantha Sinha holds a Ph.D degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University and was a Professor in the Department of Political Science, University of Hyderabad. Currently, she is the chairperson of National Commission for Child Rights, She has received several honours, including the Padma Shri the Albert Shankar International Educational Award, and has been a U.S. International Fellow and a Louis Marches Fellow of Round Table Foundation. �


Food security act should have provision for distribution of millets: MS Swaminathan

CHENNAI: Eminent scientist M S Swaminathan has said the new National Food Security Act should include a provision for distribution of millets through the public distribution system. This measure will be implemented keeping in mind the possible reductions in yield of rice and wheat due to climate change. Speaking at a climate change symposium during the 98th Indian Science Congress 2011 held at SRM University on Wednesday, Swaminathan elaborated on the measures that may be implemented to solve food security problems caused by climate change. "For each one degree Centigrade rise in the mean temperature in India, the wheat yield is likely to reduce by 6 million tones every year," he said. "By current prices, that would be a loss of $1.5 billion per annum." He also added that the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) projects that that in a similar situation, the wheat yields of

the entire South Asia is likely to fall by 44 per cent.

Mending the Food Security Act : JEAN DRÈZE:

The National Advisory Council has proposed a framework for the National Food Security Act. But its potential could be wasted by a flawed approach to the PDS. Two years have passed since the Central government announced that a draft National Food Security Act (NFSA) would be posted on the Food Ministry's website “very soon.” After prolonged deliberations, a detailed framework for this Act has recently been proposed by the National Advisory Council (NAC), and a draft is on the anvil. This is a “compromise draft” of sorts, heavily influenced by the government's own concerns and priorities. The NAC framework includes important provisions relating, for instance, to child nutrition, reform of

the public distribution system (PDS), and redress of grievances. It has the potential to put all food-related schemes on a new footing, in a rights framework. However, this potential is in danger of being wasted by a flawed approach to the PDS.

In this approach, the PDS rests on a three-way division of the population, among “priority,” “general” and “excluded” households. (This article focusses on rural areas.) Priority households, covering at least 46 per cent of the rural population at the all-India level, are to get 35 kg of grain a month at “Antyodaya prices” (Rs. 3 a kg for rice, Rs. 2 for wheat and Re. 1 for millets). General households will get 20 kg at no more than half of the Minimum Support Price. And excluded households, which account for 10 per cent of the rural population, will get nothing.. First, it hinges on a lasting division of the population into three groups, without any clarity as to how the groups are to be identified. In the absence of any obvious alternative, the NAC is effectively falling back on the Below Poverty Line census to identify priority groups. This is a major setback — the NAC's entire work began with a virtually unanimous rejection of BPL-based targeting for the PDS. Exclusion errors in earlier BPL censuses were very large, and the next BPL census is unlikely to fare much better, judging from the pilot survey.

Second, since identification criteria are left to the Central government, with some discretion for State governments, nobody has guaranteed PDS entitlements under the Act, except for a few ultra-marginalised groups which have a right of “automatic inclusion” in the priority list. Other households have no legal entitlement to be included in the priority list or, for that matter, in the general list. Therefore, they have no guaranteed PDS entitlements at all. This undermines the basic purpose of the Act. Third, the transition from the current Above Poverty Line-Below Poverty Line framework to the NAC framework is likely to be disruptive. There are at least three major sources of disruption: the creation of an “excluded” category; the transition to a new BPL list; and the switch from household to per capita entitlements. Each of these changes entails a loss of entitlements for significant numbers of households. Meanwhile, the entitlements of other households will be enhanced. Can we expect this transition to happen without major tensions, or even to be completed at all?

Fourth, the NAC framework fails to “de-link” PDS entitlements from official poverty estimates, and to prevent a rapid shrinkage of PDS coverage over time. It is well understood by now that official poverty lines in India are abysmally low, and that under nutrition is not confined to households below the “poverty line.” In the NAC framework, 46 per cent coverage of priority groups in rural areas corresponds to the proportion of the population below the “Tendulkar poverty line,” plus a margin of 10 per cent for targeting errors. This is significantly higher than the current

Opinion

Experts Opinion on Draft Food Security Act


BPL coverage of about 33 per cent. But except for ruling out any reduction of PDS entitlements before the end of the 12th Five Year Plan (which is only a few years from now), nothing in the draft NFSA prevents the government from reducing PDS coverage in tandem with official poverty estimates over the years. Fifth, the idea of a universal PDS in the poorest 200 districts was dropped from the NAC framework (after being agreed and placed on record). This was an important idea, because any targeting process here is likely to lead to massive delays, fraud, and exclusion errors. In many of these districts, the local administration has little credibility. Large numbers of poor households are outside the BPL list, and are likely to remain excluded from the proposed “priority” list. Further, targeting is pointless in areas where an overwhelming majority of the population is vulnerable to food insecurity. Launching a universal PDS in these districts would have addressed a large part of the food insecurity problem in rural India in one go, at a small extra cost. Sixth, the NAC abandoned another important idea as it went along: the automatic inclusion of all Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) households in the priority list — unless they come within the standard exclusion criteria. This will be a major protection against exclusion errors, and a well-justified form of positive discrimination in favour of SC/ST families. But the idea was dropped, on the grounds that it is difficult to reconcile with pre-specified “caps” on the coverage of priority groups at the State level based on poverty estimates. Punjab, for instance, has a low poverty ratio but a high proportion of SC/STs in the population — there is no obvious way to handle this. In short, the NAC framework not only perpetuates the flaws of BPL targeting but also institutionalises artificial social divisions under the law. It is not difficult to imagine the Act being used as a foothold to extend these divisions to other domains.

The obvious alternative, a universal PDS, is a ‘no-no' for the Central government. Is there another way to repair, or at least contain, the damage? I believe there is. Before coming to that, let me mention an interesting finding of recent BPL identification studies (by Reetika Khera, Sabina Alkire, and Himanshu, and others). These analyses, mainly based on the 2004-05 data from the National Sample Survey or the 2005-06 data from the National Family Health Survey, suggest that about 25 to 30 per cent of households in rural India meet simple, transparent and verifiable “exclusion criteria,” such as having a government job, owning a motorised vehicle, or living in a multi-storied puccahouse. This suggests a simple but far-reaching modification of the NAC framework: expand the excluded category, but extend “priority” entitlements (35 kg of grain at Antyodaya prices) to all other households. With an exclusion ratio of, say, 30 per cent, the foodgrain requirements will be the same as in the current NAC framework. The financial cost will be a little higher (because all entitled households will pay Antyodaya prices), but the extra cost will be a small fraction of the total food subsidy. n this “quasi-universal” framework, every rural household willbe entitled, by law, to 35 kg of grain a month at Antyodaya prices, unless it comes within the well-defined

“exclusion criteria.” Everyone will be clear about their legal entitlements. The burden of proof, so to speak, will fall on the government to exclude a household, and poor households will be well protected from exclusion errors. State governments will be free to move even closer to universalisation, if they wish, by waiving some exclusion criteria and contributing additional resources to the PDS (as many States are already doing). Automatic inclusion of SC/STs (unless they come within the exclusion criteria) will be built in. PDS entitlements will be de-linked from the APL-BPL rigmarole, and from poverty estimates. And while some social division will remain, it will be “at the top,” without undermining solidarity among disadvantaged groups.

Two further modifications of the NAC framework will round up this proposal quite nicely. First, the idea of a universal PDS in the poorest 200 districts could easily be reinstated, by waiving exclusion criteria in these districts for an initial period of, say, 20 years. Second, the Act could be gradually extended to the whole country, over a period of, say, three years, starting with the poorest 200 districts. This will make it easier to meet the additional food grain requirements in a phased manner. This approach is not perfect, but it seems much preferable to the confused, impractical and divisive framework that has emerged from the NAC (or rather, from protracted discussions between the NAC and the government). It will be easy to adapt the current NFSA draft to this approach, while retaining the valuable work that has been done by the NAC on other aspects of the draft. This small modification could make a big difference. (The author is a Visiting Professor at the University of Allahabad. The views expressed here are his own.)

The hungry can wait. India to create a National Food Security Commission. To be followed up at the State-level. More cushy jobs in the name of poor and hungry: Devinder Sharma

It is being projected as the Big Mummy of All Welfare Schemes. I am talking of the draft Food Security Bill that the Ministry of Food and Consumer Affairs is trying to bring out. The bill guarantees 35 kg of food grains to every person belonging to the priority household and 15 kg to general households every month at a subsidized price. Dressed up as if is ambitious in size and detail, the fact remains it is as good as any dressed chicken that you get in a restaurant -- only the taste is finger licking, the content is no different and the quality may be worse. According to The Economic Times priority household, the main beneficiaries of the bill, will be selected from the poorest 46 per cent in rural areas and 26 per cent in urban areas. Another 29 per cent and 22 per cent from rural to urban areas, respectively will be treated as general category. Well, before you get lost in the complex mire of figures, let me tell you what it entails. It says nothing new that was not existing in the earlier public distribution system that prevailed except that under the proposed Food Security bill the actual number of beneficiaries have been reduced and also the quantum of grain to be provided has also been curtailed. �


Crafts Marketing and Export Promotion Scheme

Context

As part of the marketing strategy, the office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms has been organizing National Handloom Expos and Special Expos. With the passage of time, these events have gained popularity and sales generated at these events have increased significantly. It has, therefore, been decided to continue this activity in the XI Plan.

OBJECTIVES: National Handloom Expos would have the following objectives: 1. To assist in marketing of handloom products 2. To facilitate the consumer to purchase genuine handloom products from different parts of the country under one umbrella 3. To serve as a window for promoting awareness among the consumers about the latest designs and varieties of fabrics produced in the handloom sector, and 4. To disseminate knowledge about the latest designs developed contemporary trends and forecasts, among weavers and other users.

Guidelines to be followed for the NHE: (i) The NHE will feature at least 50 – 70 stalls, all of equal floor area. (ii) Handloom products of at least 10 States and UTs will be represented.(iii)Normally no State / UT will be allotted more than 5 stalls each in a NHE. However, more than 5 stalls may be allotted only if there are vacant stalls for some reasons. (iv) If stalls are being allotted in the same venue to other related agencies like. Handicrafts, khadi etc. (v) The entrance gate, all publicity material should clearly mention “National Handloom Expo: sponsored by Development Commissioner (Handlooms). (vi) Selection of agencies and allotment of stalls to the selected agencies will be done in a fair and transparent manner by the Implementing agency. In case the Implementing agency is a State Government / State agency, the Implementing Agency will constitute a committee comprising handloom department official(s) and a nominee of office of Development Commissioner for Handlooms for this purpose, which will decide the procedure for allotment and give due publicity. (vii) A customer assistance centre will be set up in each NHE and manned by officials of the implementing agency to see that excessive pricing and unfair practices are restricted. (viii) The implementing agency will ensure that a record is maintained of agency wise, daily sales figures. The daily sales figures will be faxed to the State Secretary/Commissioner for Handlooms by the following morning. (ix) As far as possible, the NHE should also be used as a source for collecting market intelligence in a systematic manner by conducting customer survey and analysis of sales figures. (x) No subletting of stalls should be allowed under any circumstances and there should be strict and regular surprise checking to ensure this. (xi) The allotment of stalls should be done as far as possible by open lottery. (xii) Copy of receipt towards ground rent and electricity charges should be submitted. Participation: (i) All levels of Handloom Cooperative Societies, Corporations and Primary Cooperative Societies. (ii) Non-Government Organizations engaged in Handlooms and fulfilling the norms laid by CAPART. (iii) Self Help Groups engaged in Handloom production. These are eligible.

Implementing Agencies: The National Handloom Expos will be organized by National Handloom Organizations like NHDC, ACASH etc., and State Governments directly or through a State level handloom Agency /Federation and Weavers Service Centers.

Assistance for the participants: It has been decided to substantially boost the financial assistance to give marketing a thrust to participants in the shape of infrastructural support, stall rent, electricity charges, publicity, backup services, administrative expenses etc.

Wsc’s Theme Pavilion In Expos: 1. Theme Pavilion of 500-2500 Sq. Ft. as may be decided by the Development Commissioner for Handlooms would be set up in the Expo. 2. For each expo a Theme Pavilion would be decided well in advance by the Office asking the prospective participants to develop their products covering the theme also. 3. An amount of Rs.25, 000/- would be paid by the Office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms for the expenses related to display in the Pavilion. 4. Infrastructure for the Theme Pavilion. 5. The implementing agency would be responsible for setting up the WSC Theme Pavilion.

The implementing agency will organize a workshop or a seminar or a meeting of Buyers Sellers etc. during the Expo to promote handloom products and their marketing. This will be met out of the administrative expenses. Advance, Balance, Charges from Participating Agencies by the Implementing Agencies: Up to 50 % of the total estimated amount payable, will be released by the Office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms on an ‘on-account basis’.

Role of state government: (a) The State Governments are expected to continue to provide assistance to the implementing agencies and participating agencies. payment of special rebate on sale, adequate publicity support etc.(b) The host States are also expected to render assistance for proper organization .

Role of Participants: Participants are expected to develop market demand oriented products. The participants are free to offer incentive such as discounts to consumers. Final Report: After the conclusion of the expo, a final report indicating the total area, the number of participants, level of sales, area allotted, feedback received suggestions for future expos, inflow-outflow statement of funds, etc. Monitoring: Basic responsibility to organize a ‘National Handloom Expo’ as per the scheme would be of the implementing agency. Directors of Handlooms of the State where it is being held, nominate officers to see proper conduct of export.

In order to provide opportunity to handloom weavers to market their products, and to expose consumers to handloom products from different parts of the country, a number of handloom exhibitions are held at all levels. In addition, this component will provide for marketing and promotion of item-specific, area-specific and fiber-specific handloom products. �


Case Studies

Hasty Decision Makes Life Miserable Doraswamy belongs to kadappa district, Duvvor mandal,

Silapuram village. His age is about 38 years. His father

was farmer. He wants to provide good education to his

son. He joined his son in a good school. But Doraswamy

did not pay attention on education. He studied up to tenth

class and he was not interested for his further studies. He

discontinued his education. He got married. Now in his

family he has his wife and two sons and his father. One

son is studying fifth class and other son is studying in

third class in a mandal private school .

He has three acres of land in which he grow paddy and

sugarcane .The income which he get from his crop is

enough for his livelihood. Doraswamy want to build a new

house in place of his hut. So he sold his 2 acres of land

and built a new house. He used to get good income from

his one acre and his labor work. In his village most of the

people are rearing sheep. They are getting good income

on sheep rearing. He was not interested in doing that

agriculture work and he also want to buy sheep. His friends

also suggested him to buy sheep and start sheep

business. He has only one acre of fertile land. The land is

used to grow several types of crops. He sells his

remaining his one acre of land to purchase sheep. He

thought that growing sheep is very easy but he doesn’t

know how to feed them and how to protect them from any

disease or something else, and when to sell them and how

to get profits on them. And also he doesn’t know about

diseases they get. He did not think about all this things and

started his business with his sheep. Because of poor

maintenance he lost his sheep. Before he bought these

sheep he already lost his property. He got loses in sheep

business. He borrowed amount from money lenders with

high interest to purchase more sheep. But he did not

overcome from the business lose. Now he is doing labor

work. He shifted his children from mandal private school to

government school. Now he is telling to all his colleagues

and other people to first think and do any work. �

Proper Planning Leads to Prosperous Life Raju belongs to Errabelli village at Duvvur Mandal in

Kadapa district. His is a small farmer. He is the owner of 2

acers of land. That land also dry land which is able to give

only one crop in a year. He has no money to set up bore

well in his land. He has a family of wife and two children.

He has two cows and four sheep. He earns 3000/- by

selling milk and he also go for labor work. He earn totally

5000/- per month. His earnings are not enough for

household expenditure and education of his children, so he

wants to do some business. In his village he observed that

there is lot of scope for dairy. He discussed with his friends

and relatives. He wants to buy more four cows for his

livelihood. He already has two acres of land, so he wants

to grow grass in one acre of land. He took some opinions

of others. With those ideas he brought four cows. Now he

has totally six cows. He is selling 36 liters of milk daily and

earning up to 500/-. He cleverly increased his earnings and

also put his children in private school. After one year he

approached government and put request to set up milk

centre in his village. He thinks that it increases his income

and save time and also it is benefit to his villagers. The

government gave permission for him to set up his own milk

centre and after two years he purchases one more acre of

fertile land. He gave that land to lease and from that he

earn up to 40,000/- per year. From those cows dung he

earn up to 7,000 per year. Apart from dairy activity he

wants to do other activity. He observed that in the sheep

rearing has potential. He purchases sheep. He already has

sheep. He knows the sheep rearing and market

knowledge. He started sheep business. In this business

also he is getting good income.

His income gradually increased. He built a new house in

his own village and also put his children in Mandal School.

He changed his old house into new house. He got good

name among his friends and relatives. Now he is living his

life very happily. �

Out of Poverty

Broken Lives


Interview with Grassroots Activist

At Jagannadhapuram in East Godavari

district there lives a woman who handles

many types of works training the ESHS

( Elders Self Help Groups, making leaf

plates and helping the children in their

studies and courageously managing her

family very well, our talk with Mrs.Ganga

Bhavani. ‘Livelihoods’ interviewed Ganga

Bhavani to know about her journey…

Q: What is your name? Age?

A: I am Ganga Bhavani. I am 30 yrs old.

Q: Where is your native village?

A: We live at Jagannadhapuram at Korukonda Mandal in

East Godavari district.

Q: How many members are in your family?

A: We are 5, two sons, one daughter , myself and my

mother also live with us. 4 yrs back my husband died.

Q: What did you study?

A: After my husband’s death I completed my class 10th.

Q: When did you get marry?

A: 12 years back I got marry.

Q: when did you join as a CRP?

A: At first I joined as a health CRP in 2007. Then I worked

as a TFI , Abhaya hastam CRP.

Q: What is your Present livelihood?

A: Now I am working with Helpage India CRP, I am doing

trainings for Elder self help groups, I can do tailoring and

orange baskets making. I can handle the entire three well

now.

Q: How much do you earn for the tailoring and orange

baskets making work?

A: I earn Rs.150/- for tailoring and Rs.100/- for baskets

making.

Q: Where is your child studying?

A: My Children studying in Govt School in our village, my

daughter is in class 10, my elder son studying 8th class and

younger one is in class 5.

Q: How did your husband die?

A: He died because of his severe health problem.

Q: How much do you earn per month?

A: I earn almost Rs. 8000/- per month.

Q: Do you have any debts?

A: I have a loan in SHG Rs. 70,000/- I took loan for house

construction.

Q: Do you have any savings?

A: Per month I save Rs. 50/- in SHG, I pay per year Rs.

5000/- for Rs. 50,000/- policy for my daughter.

Q: Do you have any plan for your children future?

A: I didn’t save anything for them. Till my last breath I Will

put my effort on my children education. I want to complete

my degree and get permanent job.

Q: Do you have any other livelihood?

A: In my free time I conduct a local SHG meetings, I write

SHG books, and I do leaf plate making. For my family

survival I do any work.

Q: Would you like to share anything with us?

A: I like to help others who are in need, till now I am

working hard and leading a good life, I don’t ask anybodies

help. I want get permanent source of income. That is my

aim. �

I Like to Help Others...


Name of the Book:

Hand Made In India

Editors:

Aditi Ranjan, M.P. Ranjan

Publisher: Abbeville

Press

Gramin Vikas Hastkala (GVM):

(GVM) is an NGO which continuously playing a vital role in the development of Indian handicrafts society. Gramin Vikas Hastakala (NGO)s extensive grass-roots connection and involvement in various handi-crafts manufacturing form various villages from all over the india. This NGO , representing various classes of people and interests, plays a surrogate role by engaging in public policy making.

Chitralakshana.com was started in July 2002. The Site's intention is to provide information on the vari-ous concepts of Indian Art The team working to build Chitralakshana.com is profoundly qualified in Art his-tory, computer design and internet concepts.

Art, Resources and Teaching (A.R.T.):

A.R.T based in Bangalore, India, was founded in 2001 to strengthen and foster relationships within and beyond the perimeters of art and architectural history, archaeology, craft, design and related disci-plines. A.R.T.’s initiative lies in promoting research, gathering resources, and generating creative explo-rations and teaching methodologies. Working in both formal and non-formal educational fora, A.R.T. seeks to democratize art history and research, pro-mote greater literacy about the politics of art and facilitate critical inquiries and practices. [email protected] �

Name of the Book: Indian Textiles

Authors: Nicholas Barnard, John Gillow

Publisher: Thames

‘Indian Textiles’ is a completely redesigned and expanded edition of a classic study, now in a larger format and including new chapters on Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The interaction of peoples—indigenous tribes, invaders, traders, explorers—throughout India's history has built a culture legendary for its variety and color. From the RannS of Kutch to the Coromandel Coast, from city to village, handloom weavers block printers, textile painters, dyers, and embroiderers continue India's flourishing textile traditions.

The authors have traveled thousands of miles in a country they know intimately to gather information and photographs of tribal and folk textiles woven for use within the family, as well as of workshop production in villages and towns.

They first examine the cultural background to the textiles: the history, from the earliest civilizations to Post-Independence; the materials, including silks, cottons, and

wool; and the techniques of weaving, printing, painting, and tie-dye. The second part of the book comprises a detailed region-by-region account of traditional textile production, including western India, famous for its dyed and printed cloth, appliqué, and beadwork, plus other centers in the north, south, and east, and in Sri Lanka. An array of 365 photographs, 335 in color, including over one hundred new images, provides an unrivaled visual presentation of the textiles. The reference section includes information on technical terms, a list of museums and galleries, and an updated bibliography. 365 photographs, 335 in full-color.

The author John Gillow researches and collects traditional textiles from India and Southeast Asia, and lectures and exhibits his collections in Europe. He lives in England and another author Nicholas Barnard has written widely on non-Western textiles in such publications as Living with Decorative Textiles. �

Books Book Summary

Resources

New Book


Story

Once A large herd of elephants lived in a jungle. Their king was a huge, majestic tusker. He looked after them with love and care. A severe drought hit the area. As there was no rain for a few years, all the rivers and tanks had dried up. Birds and animals died of thirst. The wild elephants suffered for want of water. Their king knew that if they did not get water soon, many of them would die of thirst. He had to find water as quickly as possible.

He asked the elephants to go in different directions to look for water. One of them found a large lake full of water in another jungle far away. The king was happy. He ordered all the elephants to make their way to the lake. It was a beautiful lake. Close to it was a colony of rabbits. The elephants had to pass through this colony. Thousands of rabbits were trampled to death and thousands more were injured. The rabbits were in a panic. Their king called a meeting.

"A herd of wild elephants is passing through our colony," he said. "They have already killed or injured thousands of us. We have to take urgent steps to prevent more deaths. I want all of you to think of a way to save our race." The rabbits thought and thought. How could they stop the elephants? One little rabbit stood up.

"Your Majesty," he said, "if you will send me as your messenger to the king of the elephants, I may be able to find a solution." "By all means, go as my messenger and see what you can do." The little rabbit hurried out.

He saw a group of elephants returning from the lake. Right in the middle was the king. To get near him was impossible. "I will be crushed to death,' thought the rabbit. So he climbed up a huge rock.

"O, king of the elephants," he shouted, "hear me, please." The king heard his voice and turned towards him.

"Well, who are you?" he asked. "I am a messenger," replied the rabbit. "A messenger? From whom?" "I am a messenger from the mighty Moon." "What is your business? Is there a message for me from the Moon?" "Yes, yes, your Majesty. But you must not be angry with me. Please remember that a messenger is never punished for what he has to say. He is only doing his duty." "Very well. Say what you have been sent to say. I shall not harm you." "Sir," said the little rabbit, "the Moon has this to say"

" You, the king of the elephants, have brought your herd to my holy lake and soiled its waters. You have killed thousands of rabbits on your way to the lake. You know that rabbits are under my special protection. Everyone knows that the king of the rabbits lives with me. I ask you not to kill any more rabbits. Otherwise something terrible will happen to you and your herd."

The king of the elephants was shocked. He looked at the little rabbit. "You are right," he said. "We may have killed many rabbits on our way to the lake. I shall see that you do not suffer anymore. I shall request the Moon to forgive me for my sins. Please tell me what I should do." "Come with me alone," replied the rabbit. "Come, I shall take you to the Moon." The little rabbit took the huge elephant to the lake. There they saw the Moon reflected in the still waters. "There, your Majesty, meet the Moon," said the little rabbit.

"Let me worship the divine Moon," said the elephant, and dipped his trunk into the water. At once the water was disturbed. The Moon seemed to move to and fro. The rabbit said, "Now the Moon is angrier than ever." "Why?' asked the king. "What have I done?" "You have touched the holy waters of the lake," replied the rabbit. The elephant bowed his head. "Please ask the Moon to forgive me. Never again will we touch the holy waters of this lake. Never again will we harm the rabbits whom the Moon loves so much." And the king and his herd went away. Soon there was rain and the elephants lived happily. It did not occur to them ever that a little rabbit had fooled them. � MORAL: Wit can win over might.

The Moon Lake


Trends and Statistics

Handicrafts’ Exports Indian handmade products have a niche market all over the world creating a distinct impact through exclusive designs, workmanship, finesse, colors and raw material etc. The sector shows a not so significant growth in the 2009-10 fiscal but grows substantially in the first half of the 2010-11 fiscal. Keeping in view the trend, the sector is expected to show phenomenal results by the end of 2011.

The swiftly rising growth in handicraft exports came about after a two-year collapse, from the second half of the last financial year, and the upward trend continues till date. Although there has been an increase in all product categories, however the increase fashion accessories has been commendable. Fashion product section comprise of costume jewellery, hand-printed textiles and scarves, embroidered and crocheted garments, bags and purses, zari supplies, footwear, shawls, belts, chappals, and stoles etc. The average growth of the Fashion accessories section has been around 32% in the first three months of the current fiscal year. While the international market for fashion jewellery and accessories is around $16 billion, India's share in this is zero. Increase has been noticed in nearly all the products categories in exports of handicrafts. In some categories, it showed less and in some it showed more progress.

The major handicraft hubs of world markets are Moradabad, Jaipur, Saharanpur, Jodhpur and Narsapur and they utilize about 1 million people. The Ministry of Commerce, Government of India has set an export target of Rs. 10,000 crore by the end of this year. To achieve the target, there is a need to chalk out a clear-cut export strategy. Some of the points which may provide advantage to it is promotion of lesser known and environment friendly crafts viz. paper and jute-based handicrafts, exploring non-traditional markets in the regions of South America and South Africa, and Israel, up gradation of quality to make India's crafts competitive enough in the international market, organizing training programs for expanding skills of the craftsmen, upgrading technology and introducing contemporary tools for making improved production, organizing workshops, sponsoring buyer-seller meets and trade-fairs, undertaking R & D in areas such as technology, manufacturing process, designing, and product development. �

S.No Units Growth in %

1 Imitation Jewellery 26

2 Wood wares 24.27

3 Shawls and art wares 22.39

4 Zari and Zari Products 19.23

5 Art metal ware 17.07


Milk Collection Centre

Contrasts

Selling Combs and Pins

Shining Livelihoods

Declining Livelihoods


Happy Buddha Purnima!

There was some activity for May Day, Mothers’ Day (8 May) and World No Tobacco Day (31 May). We also remembered Gurudev Vishwakavi Rabindranath Tagore (May 7).

As usual, other International Days passed – Fair Trade Day (14 May – second Saturday in May), Family Day (15 May), Information Society Day (17 May), and Diversity Days (21 and 22 May).

We await International Children’s Day (1 June), World Environment Day (5 June), World Day Against Child Labour (12 June), World Blood Donor Day (14 June), World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought (17 June), Fathers’ Day (third Sunday of June – 19 June), World Music Day (21 June), UN Public Service Day (23 June).

We also await monsoon and mirgam! Summer is taking its toll on all of us!

Fully immersed in institutions of people, women, differenty-abled and elderly, for savings, credit, insurance, health, collective business and solidarity! Partnerships and collaborations for identifying and inducting knowledge workers at various levels, and knowledge and learning channels continued to dominate our working space. Of course, the preparations for writing the report of the working group of planning commission on National Rural Livelihoods Mission is also taking its time.

The national launch of National Rural Livelihoods Mission on 3 June 2011 at Banswara is expected to step-up NRLM processes in the country!

Nara Chandra Babu Naidu admits that he was carried away by the ‘certificates’ of Bill Clinto, Bill Gates, Tony Blair, Wolfenson etc., and now he realizes that wealth needs to be distributed equitably apart from facilitating its creation!

As we take reprieve from Sathya Sai Baba, Cricket, Examinations and Elections, the Telangana is coming back to central stage. Jayalalithaa comes back in Tamil Nadu, Mamata takes charge in West Bengal, Oommen Chand scrapes through in Kerala. Rahul Gandi fights for farmers in UP and MSP (Minimum Support Prices) agitations are not able to impress Union Government.

Flow and pursuit persists because we are designed for being so, despite mounting deficits in rest and sleep. So be it!

During the month, secrets to grow younger and live longer have been gathered (courtesy – Deepak Chopra) – affirm everyday and every way – ‘I am increasing my mental and physical capacity’; get into restful awareness/meditate regularly; sleep restfully after eating early, walking a bit and writing down the thoughts; take balanced food that includes six tastes – sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent – and rainbow colors; walk around and exercise a bit; be in human contact by staying connected/related

and being in love and friendship; laugh freely, be essential yourself, maintain a youthful mind and carry out a childlike activity as often as possible.

I have also gathered a list of values for someone who wants to work with others (be an employee) –

Strong work ethic – loving the work, working hard, working smart

Dependability – on time, responsible, keep others informed

Positive attitude

Adaptability – flexibility as per the changing needs

Integrity – moral fibre, sense of honesty, trust, ethics

Self-motivated – discipline, professionalism

Motivated to Learn

Self-confidence – admit mistakes, recognize strengths and weaknesses, work on the negatives

Professionalism – timely, quality, learning, behavior

Loyalty to the ends and means

I have read a poem/song ‘Waqt Nahin’ [No time] – it roughly translates as – People can access any joy/pleasure; yet, they have no time for a little smile. In the

world of running day and night, there is no time for ‘life’. … there are lots of friends in the mobile, yet there is no time for friendship, … there is no time for even own people… there is no time for

sleeping… there is no time for crying too…in fact, there is no time for getting tired …there is no time for own dreams even … there is no time to live ….. Life is to live and we need to find all the time for it.

Soul’s Journey into Joy, of blissful merger in the Soul of the Universe, is possible with using a trident of love – love as everyone wants/needs to be loved; make each one feel s/he is important; and praise/appreciate each one and her/his contribution as everyone needs appreciation. Use this trident and express it – liberally – verbally and non-verbally – thoughts, words and deeds. Show it. As Sriram says ‘stab’ with trishulam. What you get is not blood but love. And you journey into Joy.

In the confluence of the souls, we are in ‘trishulayaanam’ seeking and relishing saha-amritayogam to be in harmony with universal raas leela and sahathaandavam.

Can we be there? Yes, if we pursue Atma Yoga. Relentless focus on understanding co-existence through expression of love, importance and appreciation, for being in universal usefulness! Krshna confirms - any free soul that practices and pursues relentless devotion achieves knowledge of existence and being useful and sees direction for action, for being one viswaatma.

Join us in the world of yoga – for the joyous co-existence of the innermost and viswaatama - towards saharaasathaandavayogasiddhi. You will not regret it. �

‘Yoga’kshemam

G Muralidhar

livelihoods May 2011 · 2020-05-06 · livelihoods May 2011 Indian Handicrafts today and tomorrow...

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Transcript of livelihoods May 2011 · 2020-05-06 · livelihoods May 2011 Indian Handicrafts today and tomorrow...