Nobody can deny that with the growth of cities the
villages have been considerably neglected. Ever since the light of Western civilization
came into our country we have been developing a craze for city life. Now-a-days
the people are attracted to the cities for the hornworts and luxuries of life
which they cannot enjoy in their village 1omes. Under these circumstances we
must try to improve our villages.
In the Punjab, Mr. F.L. Braying was the first
official to think of village uplift. While acting as the Deputy Commissioner of
Gujarat, he studied villages at first hand, was grieved and shocked by the
deplorable conditions obtaining in them, and set about earnestly to reconstruct
them.
First of all, he emphasizes the value of education.
According to him, ignorance, more than anything else, is responsible for the
backwardness of the Pakistani peasant. Steeped in age-old ignorance, the
peasant does not know his own Interest. If he ignores the laws of health and
sanitation, runs into enormous debts, or follows ancient methods of
agriculture, it is because he lacks enlightenment. The remedy suggested is that
primary education should be made compulsory for both boys and girls.
The second, the villager is content with passing
his days in .unhealthy surroundings. He does not care much if streets of
village ire dirty or if houses have no arrangement for fresh air. He allows dirty
water to collect in pits and ponds situated about the village, with the result
that they attract mosquitoes in and who spread malaria and trouble. Thus the
villager is to, be exhorted to keep his houses and streets clean by throwing the
du.ng hills and rubbish into its.
The third thing that a peasant is required to de is
to improve us agriculture. Agriculture is the main profession of the industry
in his village; and, of late, it has fallen into a rut. The peasants can make
it a paying profession by using scientific implements by importing bulls of
excellent breed, by using better seeds, manures. And ploughs.
Lastly, the peasants are advised to shake off a
number of social evils from which they suffer. It is seen that they spend money
lavishly on marriages and births and are prone to be extravagant when they come
by money. They are over fond of litigation. They commit murders over trifles;
and resort to the court so often that they pay the best part of their income to
the lawyers. The peasant, thus, is advised to get rid of all these evils.
There is no doubt that if the peasant acts upon
these suggestions ht. is bound to prosper He would be able to lead an
infinitely better Lie, if he makes whole-hearted attempts to improve his home
and his farm.