long before the Congress-led UPA Government initiated the move to ensure food security to every citizens of the country through the Food Security Bill, a small village in Assam’s lakhimpur district has been ensuring food security to particularly the economically weaker section of the village.
People of the nondescript village, Charaidoloni, located over 300 kms from Assam’s capital city Guwahati, had taken the responsibility of growing rice for the poor and underprivileged section since 1961.
“The practice started in our village in 1961 when freedom fighter and spiritual teacher Acharya Vinoba Bhave came here as part of the Bhoodan Movement. The villagers were inspired by him and wanted to do something for the poor people of the village and neighbouring areas,” said 64-year-old Khargeswar Bora while talking to The Pioneer on Wednesday.
A total of nine bighas of land had been kept separately for the purpose and members of each and every family of the village help grow rice in the plot of land. After the harvest every year, the grain does not go to anybody’s house but is taken to a designated place and evenly distributed among the poor, he said adding that a portion of the produce is kept to be used in various community programmes in the village.
“Elderly generation of our village who had started the move, have also formed some rules and regulations for smooth conduction of the farming in the plot every year. The set of rules and regulations have been followed since last 52 years without anyone opposing them,” said Arun Kotokey, another villager.
He explained that the objective behind the entire practice is community development and ensuring that no one in our village goes to sleep empty stomach, whatever is the situation. “The tradition of community cultivation has also bounded the villagers in our village,” he said.
“During the cultivation season, we do not have to force anyone to tilt the land or to sow the seeds. At least one member from each family comes voluntarily and work in the plot,” said Kotokey while adding that it’s a unique tradition of the village which makes them proud.