Gandhiji's vision for villages of India

Gandhiji wanted the villages of India to be a picture of village Swaraj.

To attain this goal, he said:

• Every village’s first concern will be to grow its own food crops and cotton for its cloth. It should have a reserve for its cattle, recreational places and playgrounds for adults and children.
• Then if there is more land available, it will grow useful money crops, thus excluding ganja, tobacco, opium and the like.

• The village will maintain a village theatre, school and public hall. It will have its own waterworks ensuring clean supply.
• Education will be compulsory up to the final basic course.

• As far as possible, every activity will be conducted on a co-operative basis.

• There will be no castes, such as we have today with their notions of untouchability.
• Non-violence with its technique of Satyagraha and non-cooperation will be the sanction of the village community.

• There will be a compulsory service of village guards who will be selected by rotation from the register maintained by the village.
• A Panchayat of five persons, annually elected by adult male and female villagers, will conduct the government of the village. These will have all the authority and jurisdiction required.