Proceedings of the 31st International Academic Conference, London

BEST PRACTICE OF LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT: A STUDY OF PUNSARI VILLAGE

JYOTI SINGH

Abstract:

This is 8 years back when district administration stitched up funds from various heads of the district development fund – and started focusing on development of village (lowest administrative unit) named Punsari, Gujarat State (province) India. generally when we listen to the word village the first impression which strikes our images is, mud houses, narrow potholed roads , no drainage and drinking water facilities with socially backward and unconnected people, but Punsari is different story altogether . Punsari has been constructed as a “model village" by the intervention of state government and its young headman, Himanshu Patel. He proudly states that his village offers "the amenities of a city but the spirit of a village”. Narendra Modi, Present Prime Minister of India and former chief minister of Gujarat has sent officials to study Punsari and its development model and prepare a project for creating model villages all over the country. The village has also been visited by "more than 300 officials" from all over India who want "to learn how they can replicate our model in their states", Mr Patel proudly claims that the village has public announcement systems, CCTV cameras to provide 24/7 security for villagers, free WiFi connectivity at public gathering places, portable drinking water at affordable price, mobile library, two primary schools with WI Fi connection and projector facilities, gaming zones and internet café for students and children and other basic facilities like health , education drainage, are on par with urban standards Punsari makes a perfect case study as the local self-governance model and this can be a role model for rural India with respective changes accordingly to the local demands. I would discuss the transformative challenges in convincing the villagers and bringing the best practice out of it and its impact on rural development.

Keywords: Punsari, Local Self Governance, Model Village, transformative, Wi Fi connectivity.

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2017.031.048

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