|
|
|
Rural Institute Project |
|
The
Rural Institute Project which commenced on 25th
January 2001 is being conducted at Shivapur village under the
auspices of the National Council for Rural Higher Education.
Its object is to evolve the concept of Nai Talim (New
Education) and devise a rural education system leading to
sustainable development. |
|
The Rural
Institute Project follows the Institute’s twin objectives
“Education for All” and “ Health for All”. It organizes
action-groups of farmers, out-of-school youth and local
leaders for developmental activities and emphasizes economic
growth through scientific agriculture and farm-based
production. A cluster of 31 |
|
|
villages in
the Shivaganga valley – a rain-fed area – has been adopted for
microplanning of education and development. In the first phase
which began in 2001, 10 villages selected around Shivapur have
been included in this experiment. |
|
The R.I. collaborate with the Institute’s
Centre for Educational Studies, CEDRW, the B.D. Tilak
Community Science Centre at Shivapur, and the Institute’s
Forum for Science and Technology. It has contacts with Jana
Shikshan Sansthan, Pune and the National Chemical Laboratory. So far, R I has helped |
 |
|
farmers increase their agricultural yield by
more than 40 to 70 percent and helped women farmers to
independently cultivate some profitable varieties of Basmati
rice. Cultivation of such staples as Jowar and Bajra (sorghum millets) is being encouraged and
modernized. A polyhouse has been set up at Shivapur for
demonstration of new varieties of pepper, egg-plant, tomato,
broccoli, lettuce, and western spices like celery, parsley
which are in great demand in hotel-industry. Women’s dairy
co-operative is found profitable Health camps are held for
education in health and sanitation problems. A nutrition
survey of children has been undertaken. Preparations are on
for providing rural pathology centers as one of the means of
health education. |
|
 |
