Participatory Approaches for Rural Poverty Alleviation needs a CDM model for sustainable Rural Development and Management

Abstract

India is more like a continent than a single country. It contains a sixth of the world’s population and ranges from the highest Himalayan peaks through scorching plains, to the tropical cape in the Indian Ocean. Its people are famously diverse, speaking 1600 different dialects and forming a rich blend of cultures, religions and ethnic groups. Many of the 35 states and Union Territories are significantly larger than European countries. Despite this vibrant diversity, democracy and peace have been largely maintained since Independence. The Indian village societies consists of people following different religious paths and traditions. The formation of the Indian village society largely varies from one region to another. Though there is some similarity in the religious practices and cultural activities in most Indian village societies, their education system and the position of women differ from each other. People in most of the villages share various common utilities like ponds, grazing grounds, temples and shrines, cremation grounds, schools, sitting spaces under large shade trees, wells, wastelands, etc. Village systems are like plants and trees, village communities have sustainable livelihoods, there are around 6,38,365 villages in India sheltering 70 percent of Indian population and contributing to 42 percent of national income. The grass root democracy (Panchayati Raj Institutions) in India provides a massive scope and opportunity to develop human resource or human capital through research education and training of the elected representatives on the one hand, and educating more than 400 million adults in rural India as members of the village councils (Gram Sabhas) on the other. It is envisaged that in the next 10 years, India shall be the largest functional grass root democracy. Until, recently the Western scholars were either not informed of this revolutionary measure or were apprehensive. Of late, the scenario is changing with the scholars, institutions, such as the European Commission coming forward to collaborate and also sponsor studies and programmes to strengthen the grass root democracy. Hence there is a need for developing a suitable Clean Development Mechanism(CDM) Model for sustainable rural development