Diary of a Rural Manager!

"Where the poor participate as subjects and not as objects of the development process, it is possible to generate growth, human development, and equity, not as mutually exclusive trade-offs but as complementary elements in the same process." --- Meeting the challenge, Report of the Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation, 1992. The problem with the modern outlook of business education is to view rural/urban citizens as target consumers. Instead, if we enable them as producers, that will surely boost the economy and well-being of our producers. Most of the producers are caught in the vicious circle of poverty and even fully dependent on the monsoon for a good harvest. The government has reworked its strategy of helping marginal and small producers in breaking out of the cycle of poverty by organizing them into producer groups. The concept of Producer Group has been lifted from the cooperative societies. This concept is based on voluntary cooperation as the r...

There are 6 lakh villages across the country. It is essential to know about government schemes and local culture while working in rural India. They will always come handy in certain situations. Great debate on caste system has not been touched by me where majority of Indians follow an unwritten rule of not mingling through marriage of one religion or caste. Hindi Calendar Months: Important Festivals: I am not elaborating on Festivals in India  that consumes a major part of government holidays. Just few minor ones, that may be unheard by most of us. Akshya Tritiya - Day for worshiping traditional seed-before ploughing and sowing of seed. Makar Sankranti / Onam- It is a harvest festival. Vasant Panchami - This dayannounces arrival of spring. Gudi Padwa / Ugadi / Bihu / Vishu - New Year in Hindu Calendar Navarathri - Celebrated five times a year but primarily once during spring. Ramadan - A month of fasting for Muslims. Important Schemes: 1- Poverty Alleviati...

The official stint at Balangir is over after 175 Days. I have been transferred to Ganjam district that will be effective from 18th November 2013. Life will be turbulent, may be good in coming weeks. Since, Ganjam district has been badly affected by the PHAILIN and followed by flood due to incessant rain, it was decided to relocate eleven Young Professionals for the rehabilitation and restoration work. Transfer Order is little puzzlinh while looking at overall context of the decision. Currently, there are 36 Young Professionals employed at Odisha Livelihood Mission. There will be thirteen Young Professionals working at Ganjam district now with this official order. There are districts like Mayurbhanj, Kendrapada, Balasore and Bhadrak affected by cyclone and flash floods. No Young Professional is placed there for rehabilitation work. Hence, this skewed decision appears bias to me. Change is constant but its hard to guess pace of the change. There is an expression that “failing to pla...