Rural India A Monthly Devoted to Rural Problem April 1942

The primary consideration is the decision of the Adarsh Sava Sangha taken at its 22nd Annual Meeting of the Executive Committee on the 3rd of February 1942 to change the basis of the Sangha from a charitable institution to that of a body of self-supporting rural workers drawing its sustenance out of 1/10th of additional income increased through its efforts in village areas. [...] This does not mean development of economic life alone at the neglect of every other phase of village improvement but to stress the necessity of giving preferential treatment to the elementary needs of physical existence of the masses in all our development Schemes of the future. [...] It needs to be mentioned that this Scheme is just an amplified and elaborated idea of the working plan on which the Adarsh Seva Sangha has been conducting the working of its village centres for the last many years and where within the past 5 years the Sangha has been able to raise per capita income of the villagers by 146% and has effected reduction in the aggregate debt to the extent of 40%. [...] The Test of Sincere Interest of the Authorities That the gcverning.head of a province or the ruler of an Indian State accepts this prgramme of dynamic concept of the Rural Reconstruction and agrees to work-up the 164THE `LIVING WAGE' SCHEME OF VILLAGE RECONSTRUCTION Scheme of `Living Wage' as laid down herein in his Province or State. [...] It is difficult to make them believe that the interests of an individual are better served and protected in the preservation and the advacement of the interests of the community.