SUFFiciENcy EcONOMy ANd GRASSROOtS DEvElOPMENt

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The Meaning of Sufficiency Economy
International Conference
According According to the 2001 to the Census 2001 of Census India, of the India, density the of density population of population averaged 158 averaged persons 158 per
km2 persons with per decadal km2 population with decadal growth population rates of growth 24.2% rates and 19.2%, of 24.2% during and 1981–1991, 19.2%, during and
1981–1991, and 1991–2001, respectively (Census of India, 2001). This state poses
1991–2001, respectively (Census of India, 2001). This state poses special problems
special problems associated with limited land available to support the population.
associated The villages with limited in the present land available study to are support located the in population. this area. The While villages the in economy the present is
study predominantly are located in subsistence this area. While agriculture, the economy only about is predominantly 16% of the subsistence land available agriculture, for
cultivation and almost all of this relies on rain as the only source of water (Sreedhar,
only about 16% of the land is available for cultivation and almost all of this relies on rain as
2005; Bisht et al., 2006). Pressure on land has been increasing, to bring new areas
the under only cultivation source of water by cutting (Sreedhar, forest, 2005; and to Bisht search et for al., alternative 2006). Pressure income on opportunities
land has been
increasing, within the to region bring new or by areas migrating under cultivation to new areas. by cutting forest, and to search for alternative
income Since opportunities is known within as the the region hill state or by and migrating its formation to new areas. was also motivated by the
Since hill peoples, it is known four as of the its hill district state and have its most formation of its was region also as motivated plain (Nainital, by the hill Haridwar, peoples,
Dehradun and Udham Singh Nagar). Study by Kar (2007) shows that the higher
four of its district have most of its region as plain (Nainital, Haridwar, Dehradun and Udham
growth rate of the state in the initial years has helped the state to transform itself, but
Singh most Nagar). of the growth Study by has Kar been (2007) restricted shows that to the plains, higher growth while rate the hill of the areas state have in the grown initial
years slowly has due helped to structural the state to problems. transform itself, The difference but most of in the infrastructure growth has been development restricted to the in
plain and hill regions creates many problems. The development has been mainly in
plains, while the hill areas have grown slowly due to structural problems. The difference in
the plain districts of the state and not the hills, which have remained cut off from the
infrastructure rest of the country. development Thus, in there plain is and a need hill regions to modify creates or reschedule many problems. the current The development schemes
has according been mainly to the in hill the districts plain districts of the of state. the state and not the hills, which have remained cut
off from the rest of the country. Fig Thus, 1 Map there of is Uttarakhand
a need to modify or reschedule the current
schemes according to the hill districts of the state.
Source: www.mapofindia.com
Fig 1 Map of Uttarakhand, (Source: www.mapofindia.com)