India of My Dreams


India of My Dreams

India of My Dreams


Table of Contents


About This Book


By : Krishna Kripalani
Compiled by : R. K. Prabhu
With a foreword by : Dr. Rajendra Prasad
ISBN : 81-7229-002-0
Printed and Published by : Jitendra T. Desai,
Navajivan Publishing House,
Ahemadabad - 380 014,
India
© Navajivan Trust, 1947


Download


Sources

  • Amrita Bazar Patrika :
    Daily English newspaper published in Calcutta
  • An Autobiography or The Story of My Experiments with Truth : By M. K. Gandhi. Navjivan Publishing House, Ahmedabas-14, 1956
  • Constructive Programme :
    By M. K. Gandhi. Navjivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad-14, 1948
  • Delhi Diary :
    By M. K. Gandhi. Navjivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad-14, 1948
  • From Yeravada Mandir :
    By M. K. Gandhi. Navjivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad-14, 1945
  • Gandhi in Indian Villages :
    By Mahadev Desai. S. Ganesan, Madras, 1927
  • Gram Udyog Patrika :
    Monthly journal of All- India Village Industries Association, Wardha
  • Harijan :
    English weekly journal edited by Gandhiji and others and published at Ahmedabad; is discontinues since 1956
  • Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule :
    By M. K. Gandhi. Navjivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad-14, 1958
  • India's Case for Swaraj :
    By Mahatma Gandhi. Yeshanand and co., Bombay, 1932
  • Key to Health :
    By M. K. Gandhi. Navjivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad-14, 1956
  • Mahatma: Life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi :
    By D. G. Tendulkar, in 8 Vols. Vitthalbhai Jhaveri and D. G. Tendulkar, Bombay, 1951, onwards
  • Mahatma Gandhi, The Last Phase :
    By Pyarelal. Navjivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad-14, Vol. I, 1956; Vol. II, 1958
  • Satyagraha in South Africa :
    By M.K. Gandhi. navjivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad- 14, 1950
  • Speeches and Writings of Mahatma Gandhi :
    G. A. Natesan, Madras, 1933
  • The Bombay Chronicle :
    Daily newspaper published in Bombay
  • The Modern review :
    Monthly journal published in Calcutta
  • To the students :
    M. K. Gandhi. Navjivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad-14, 1958
  • With Gandhiji in Ceylon :
    By Mahadev Desai. S. Ganeshan, Madras, 1928
  • Young India :
    Weekly journal edited by Gandhiji and published at Ahmedabad; is discontinued since 1932

Chapter 27: What The Government Can Do

It is legitimate to ask what Congress Ministers will do for khaddar and other village industries now that they are in office. Whether a Minister is separately appointed or not, a department for the work is surely necessary.
In these times of scarcity times of food and clothing, this department can render the greatest help. The Ministers have experts at their disposal through the A.I.S.A. and the A.I.V.I.A. It is possible today the whole of India in Khadi on the smallest outlay and in the shortest time possible. Each provincial Government has to tell the villagers that they must manufacture their own Khaddar for their own use. This brings in automatic local production and distribution. And there will undoubtedly be a surplus for the cities at least to a certain extent which, in its turn, will reduce the pressure on the local mills. The latter will then be able to take part in supplying the want of cloth in other parts of the world.
How can this result be broth about?
The Government should notify the villagers that they will be expected to manufacture Khaddar for the needs of their villages within a fixed date after which no cloth will be supplied to them. The Government in their turn will supply the villagers with cotton seed or cotton whenever required, at the cost price and the tools of manufacture also at cost, to be recovered in easy installments payable in, say, five years or more. They will supply them with instructors wherever necessary and undertake to by surplus stock of Khaddar, provided that the villagers in question have their cloth requirement supplied from their own manufacture. This should do away with cloth shortage without fuss and with very little overhead charges.
The villages will be surveyed and a list prepared of things that can be manufactured locally with little or no help and which may be required for village use or for sale outside, such for instance, as ghani-pressed oil and cakes, burning oil prepared through ghanis, hand pounded rice, tadgud, honey, toys mats, hand-made paper, village soap, etc. If enough care is thus taken the villages, most of them as good as dead or dying, will hum with life and exhibit the immense possibilities they have of supplying most of their wants themselves and of the cities and towns of India.
Then there is the limitless cattle wealth of India suffering from criminal neglect. Goseva Sangh, as yet not properly experienced, can still supply valuable aid.
Without the basic training the villagers are being starved for education. This desideratum can be supplied by the Hindustani Talimi Sangh.

Harijan, 28-4-'46