[WSMDiscuss] Fwd: Vikalp Varta #4: Innovation and Transformation through Panchayats, Elango Rangaswamy, 9th May, Sat, 4 pm IST

[Ashish Kothari]

Friends, pl. see below and attached, the next Vikalp Varta webinar 
(alternatives in India). This one takes us to the village Kuthambakkam, 
near Chennai, Tamil Nadu, whose ex-Sarpanch Elango Rangaswamy will talk 
to us about the innovative transformations in livelihoods, social 
relations, and technologies brought about there. And from this 
experience, ideas on how village communities can empower themselves 
towards more locally self-reliant economies.

to register (not mandatory): bit.ly/REGVV <http://bit.ly/REGVV>

Zoom link: bit.ly/2W6xNfq

Kuthumbakkam village, on Chennai’s outskirts, did not have 
infrastructure, livelihoods were insecure, and there was significant 
casteist discrimination. It was in such a scenario that Elango 
Rangaswamy, after winning panchayat elections in 1996, led a number of 
actions to transform the village. 
<http://www.vikalpsangam.org/static/media/uploads/Resources/kuthumbakkam_1st_july.pdf>The 
result: decent housing, employment for many families that had to earlier 
migrate out for work, basic infrastructure, and reduction in casteism. A 
Panchayat Academy trains panchayat members from across Tamil Nadu. As an 
innovator, Elangohas devised a way to make disinfectant using solar 
power 
<https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/coronavirus-ex-panchayat-chief-from-tiruvallur-designs-low-cost-method-to-produce-disinfectant/article31400466.ece>, 
which can be set up in any settlement to respond to COVID like crises.

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