Changing Village

(Changing Village/बदलता गाँव)

It has been long since I appeared in front of public gathering. I am back with my thoughts and opinion but this time it’s not politics. It’s my village, it’s my birth place and how much it has seen transformation in the last decade. So let’s go…

Now if you go back to year 2004, a time when our societies were not equipped with technology, a time when the villagers were considered less literate, a time when we had more problems and less solution. This was the worst scene of a democratic nation. A person with featured mobile was considered rich and much developed. This was a time when we were in dark and our lives ended up in small circle. The problems faced during these years were innumerable and the pain that people sustained was long lasting. We had many restriction likes you can’t come out of your house after 8pm, you can’t move out in rainy season. 

Electricity was something which we could never imagine that one day wires would cross over our roofs and roads would come to our doorsteps. Earlier the roads were not metalled and had less connectivity. Drains used to overflow and in a matter of few minutes everything was submerged in water. This was also a time when female of our society were ignored and didn’t have much say. Naxalite was a big problem which threatened the lives of many, looting and snatching was at all-time high, rule of law was not there, justice was denied. 

The village looked more or less deserted without the electricity, roads and drainage system. The only thing which beautified this village was the love and affection of people and certainly the glimmering hope that one day my village will have all those facilities which it should have. 

The main occupation of this village is Agriculture and it’s not good for me to complete a speech without talking about the farmers which are the building blocks of this village. This village has small and middle class farmers. During those years farmers also suffered a lot. See the problem was not with any one sector; in fact the village itself was crippling and was submerged in darkness. 

Farmers didn’t know the correct method of farming which was used in modern and developed states or countries. Neither they had access to cheap fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, seeds and other agricultural equipment. And for this reason the output product was very less than expected. And in the situation like this the farmers were not given the compensation. Now tell me ladies and gentlemen, in such circumstances if a farmer takes loan and Is not able to repay because crops didn’t grow well. Will the farmer commit suicide or not?

Now if you talk of education system, it was also not up to the mark. Many children used to go in governmental school but the quality of education were not good. Few went to nearby villages like Bhagwan Ganj and Adampur in search of better education. Students used to study in kerosene lamp. They didn’t have the facility of electric lamp when they needed during the exam time. This was time when we were denied the right to have better public facilities. Even after 50 plus years of independence, people were devoid of their basic rights and facilities. If I am not mistaken, these problems are enough to imagine the realistic condition of villagers at that time.

Now post 2005 or in last decade a lot has changed. The present scenario has also has changed the way we think. It has changed the perception and mindset of people living here and its adjoining areas. The above problem was not specific to my village alone in fact you would find almost the same situation of any village of Bihar at that point of time. 

Now the time has changed, the govt. has changed and at the same time the government is much more accountable than earlier it was. We have not just mere availability of electricity for its name sake in fact we have around 20 to 22 hrs. of electricity supply in a day. The roads are better and wider and of course the connectivity is much denser. The drainage system has been improved.

 Now people can move out without any fear. One more thing I can remember is that earlier when people were seriously sick at midnight, they needed to wait for the light of the next day but now whenever problem arises people move out with full freedom without caring about anything. 

Now the people are much more aware and much more educated. Youngsters are more talented and more active in decision making. Many of children have moved to nearby cities for better education. The biggest change that people of this area has seen is he peace and harmony in the society. Naxalism has been uprooted completely. Those who once had hal and bail, now have smartphones in their in hands. They are connected to their friends and their loved ones like never before.

Now talking about the amenities of the village, I would like to inform you that we have good education system, better electricity supply, metalled roads, good governance, newly constructed hospital and temple as well, a large playground, community hall etc.

With the advent of new technologies and smartphones revolution more and more people using it for their benefit. Even from my village more and more people are using the smartphones to connect to their friends and families. And therefore Facebook is known to many of villagers. However, twitter is still unknown but few use it as well. 

As more and more people know about internet they are using it for their benefit and all of them concede one thing that technologies has made their lives more comfortable. Many people still don’t have the knowledge of internet in depth but certainly they have the curiosity to know about it. Many more things have changed and it is still observing transformation rapidly. 

The government of Bihar is praised by all the people and specially by our villagers for the kind of facility they have provided. These are facilities, which once appeared unachievable. Now everything has changed and people are much more hopeful than earlier.