Understanding Diversity
DIVERSITY IN INDIA
India is a country of many diversities,speak different languages,various types of food,celebrate different festivals,practise different religions.
We do many things that are similar except that we do them in different ways
How do we explain Diversity?
Similarly diversity also comes about when people adapt their lives to the geographical area in which they live
Ladakh
desert in the mountains in the eastern part of Jammu and Kashmir
Very little agriculture is possible here
not receive any rain and is covered in snow
drinking water, people depend on the melting snow
People here keep sheep and the sheep in this region are special because they produce pashmina wool
sell this to traders from Kashmir.
The people eat meat and milk products like cheese and butter
good trade route as it had many passes through which caravans travelled to what is today called Tibet
Buddhism reached Tibet via Ladakh
Ladakh is also called Little Tibet
significant Muslim population here
Local versions of the Tibetan national epic the Kesar Saga are performed and sung by both Muslims and Buddhists
Kerala
surrounded by the sea on one side and hills on the other
spices like pepper, cloves and cardamoms are grown
attractive place for traders
Jewish and Arab traders were the first to come here
Apostle of Christ, St. Thomas is believed to have come here nearly
2000 years ago and he is credited with bringing Christianity to India
Arab traders also came
Ibn Battuta, who travelled here a little less than seven hundred years ag
The Portuguese discovered the sea route to India from Europe when Vasco da Gama landed with his ship here
people in Kerala practise different religions such as Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism
fishing nets used here look exactly like the Chinese fishing nets and are called cheena-vala
Even the utensil used for frying is called the cheenachatti
both regions has seen similar cultural influences. Both regions were influenced by Chinese and Arab traders
quite different in terms of their geographical features
Thus history and geography are often tied in the cultural life of a region
UNITY IN DIVERSITY
India's diversity has always been recognised as a source of its strength
India's freedom movement had thousands of people of different backgrounds in it.
decide joint actions, they went to jail together, and they found different ways to oppose the British
Songs and symbols that emerged during the freedom struggle serve as a constant reminder of our country's rich tradition of respect for diversity
Indian unity is not something imposed from the outside
It was something deeper and within its fold, the widest tolerance of belief and custom was practised and every variety acknowledged
It was Nehru, who coined the phrase, "unity in diversity" to describe the country
What is Government?
country needs a government to make decisions and get things done
protecting the boundaries of the country and maintaining peaceful relations with other countries
Levels of Government
The government works at different levels:
at the local level
at the level of the state and
at the national level
Laws and the Government
The government makes laws and everyone who lives in the country has to follow these
Types of Government
In a democracy
it is the people who give the government this power
nother form of government is monarchy
The monarch (king or queen) has the power to make decisions and run the government. The monarch may have a small group of people to discuss matters with, but the final decision-making power remains with the monarch
Democratic Governments
India is a democracy
the main feature of a democracy is that the people have the power to elect their leaders.
So in a sense a democracy is rule by the people
Democratic governments in our times are usually referred to as representative democracies
representative democracies people do not participate directly but, instead, choose their representatives through an election process
These days a government cannot call itself democratic unless it allows what is known as universal adult franchise. This means that all adults in the country are allowed to vote
all adults have the right to vote. This is known as universal adult franchise.
Key Elements of a Democratic Government
South African people were divided into white, black, Indian and coloured races
African National Congress, a group of people who led the struggle against apartheid, and their most well known leader, Nelson Mandela fought the apartheid system for several years.
Finally, they succeeded and in 1994 South Africa became a democratic country in which people of all races were considered equal
PARTICIPATION
Through voting in elections people elect leaders to represent them. These representatives take decisions on behalf of the
people. In doing so it is assumed that they will keep in mind the voices and interests of the people.
In this way the power of the government gets limited by regular elections
Other ways of participating
People participate by taking an interest in the working of the government and by criticising it when required
There are many ways in which people express their views
include dharnas, rallies, strikes, signature campaigns etc
true that not all sections of people are actually able to do so
Members of the minority community, dalits, adivasis, women and others are often able to participate in this manner
by organising themselves into social movements
NEED TO RESOLVE CONFLICT
Conflicts occur when people of different cultures, religions, regions or economic backgrounds do not get along with each other, or when some among them feel they are being discriminated against
The government is responsible for helping to resolve conflicts
The Indian Constitution lays down the basic rules
Conflicts and differences have to be resolved according to these laws.
Religious processions and celebrations can sometimes lead to conflicts. For example, the route a procession takes may lead to a conflict
Rivers too can become a source of conflict between states.
sharing of river water between different states that the river goes through is becoming an issue of conflict
Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
Water stored in Krishnasagar dam in Karnataka is used for irrigating a number of districts and for meeting the needs of the city of Bangalore
The water stored in Mettur dam in Tamil Nadu is used for crops grown in the delta region of that state
A conflict arises because both dams are on the same river
The downstream dam in Tamil Nadu can only be filled up if water is released from the upstream one located in Karnataka.
This leads to conflict
EQUALITY AND JUSTICE
key ideas of a democratic government is its commitment to equality and justice. Equality and justice are inseparable
The earlier practice of untouchability is now banned by law
The government also recognises this and makes special provisions for groups within society that are unequal
This means that society does not value the girl and boy child equally and this is unjust
Panchayati Raj
The Gram Sabha is a meeting of all adults who live in the area covered by a Panchayat.
This could be only one village or a few villages. In some states, as in the example above, a village meeting is held for each village. Anyone who is 18 years old or more and who has the right to vote is a member of the Gram Sabha
Gram Sabha
meeting begins with the Panchayat President (who is also called the Sarpanch) and the members of the Panchayat (the Panchs) presenting a plan on repairing the road that connects the village to the main highway
Every village Panchayat is divided into wards, i.e. smaller areas.
Each ward elects a representative who is known as the Ward Member (Panch)
Gram Sabha also elect a Sarpanch who is the Panchayat President.
The Ward Panchs and the Sarpanch form the Gram Panchayat.
elected for five years.
Gram Panchayat has a Secretary
person is not an elected person but is appointed by the government
Secretary is responsible for calling the meeting of the Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat and keeping a record of the proceedings.
The Gram Sabha is a key factor in making the Gram Panchayat
The Gram Sabha prevents the Panchayat from doing wrong things like misusing money or favouring certain people.
The Gram Panchayat
Gram Panchayat meets regularly
main tasks is to implement development programmes for all villages that come under it
the work of the Gram Panchayat has to be approved by the Gram Sabha
The work of a Gram Panchayat includes
1. The construction and maintenance of water sources, roads, drainage, school buildings and other common property resources
2. Levying and collecting local taxes.
3. Executing government schemes related to generating employment in the village
Sources of funds for the Panchayat
Collection of taxes on houses, market places etc.
Government scheme funds received through various departments of the government – through the Janpad and Zila Panchayats
Donations for community works etc.
Three Levels of Panchayats
System is a process through which people participate in their own government.
The Panchayati Raj system is the first tier or level of democratic government
The Panchs and the Gram Panchayat are answerable to the Gram Sabha because it is the members of the Gram Sabha who elected them
This idea of people's participation in the Panchayati Raj system extends to two other levels
One is the Block level, which is called the Janpad Panchayat or the Panchayat Samiti.
Panchayat Samiti has many Gram Panchayats under it
Above the Panchayat Samiti is the District Panchayat or the Zila Parishad
Zila Parishad actually makes developmental plans at the district level
With the help of Panchayat Samitis, it also regulates the money distribution among all the Gram Panchayats.
Rural Administration
There are more than six lakh villages in India
Maintenance of Land Records
saw that Mohan and Raghu were arguing heatedly whether the common boundary of their fields
Isn't there a way by which they could have settled this dispute in a peaceful manner?
Measuring land and keeping land records is the main work of the Patwari
The Patwari is known by different names in different states - in some villages such officers are called Lekhpal, in others Kanungo or Karamchari or Village Officer etc.
Karamchari or Village Officer etc.
We will refer to this officer as Patwari
Each Patwari is responsible for a group of villages. The Patwari maintains and updates the records of the village
The Patwari is also responsible for organising the collection of land revenue from the farmers and providing information to the government about the crops grown in this area
important for the Patwari to regularly update these
Senior people in this department supervise the Patwari's work
All states in India are divided into districts.
For managing matters relating to land these districts are further sub-divided.
These subdivisions of a district are known by different names such as tehsil, taluka, etc.
At the head is the District Collector and under her are the revenue officers, also known as tehsildars
The Tehsildar's office is where land disputes are also heard.
A New Law
(Hindu Succession Amendment Act, 2005)
the law was changed. In the new law sons, daughters and their mothers can get an equal share in the land
This law will benefit a large number of women.
Urban Administration
Rural Livelihoods In the first chapter we looked at the many kinds of diversity in our lives. We also explored how living in different regions has an effect on the work people do, the kinds of plants, trees, crops or things that become important to them. In this chapter we will look at the
Nearly two-fifth of all rural families are agricultural labourers in our country.
Not being able to earn money throughout the year forces people in many rural areas to travel long distances in search of work. This travel, or migration, takes place during particular seasons.
On being in Debt ,need to borrow money to purchase basic things like seeds, fertilisers and pesticides
they borrow this money from moneylenders
If the seeds are not of good quality or pests attack their crop there can be a major crop failure
The crops can also be ruined if the monsoon does not bring enough rain
When this happens farmers sometimes are unable to pay back their loans
And, for the family to survive, they may even have to borrow more money.
Soon the loan becomes so large that no matter what they earn, they are unable to repay
This is when we can say they are caught in debt.
has become a major cause of distress among farmers
some areas this has also resulted in many farmers committing suicide
Agricultural Labourers and Farmers in India
In India nearly two out of every five rural families are agricultural labourer families
both farming and collection from the forest are important sources of livelihood
Collecting mahua, tendu leaves, honey, to be sold to traders, is an important source of additional income
In the coastal areas, we find fishing villages
close to the sea and one finds rows of catamarans and nets lying around
Rural Livelihoods
Some work on farms while others earn their living on nonfarm activities
Urban Livelihoods
a large number of people in the city work on the streets
They sometimes sell things or repair them or provide a service
They work on their own. They are not employed by anyone and therefore have to organise their own work.
They have to plan how much to purchase, as well as where and how to set up their shops. Their shops are usually temporary structures
They may also use their own carts or simply a plastic sheet spread on the pavement
They can be asked to dismantle their shops at any time by the police
They have no security
There are almost one crore 'street vendors' in the country working in urban areas.
Street vending was till recently looked upon only as an obstruction to traffic
now recognised as a general benefit and as a right of people to earn their livelihood.
Hawking zones have been suggested for towns and cities
Most workers, like Nirmala, are employed on what is known as casual basis
come as and when the employer needs them
There is no job security or protection if there is ill treatment
expected to work very long hours.
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