12-03-2007, 03:43 PM
<b>Gujarat village powered by NRIs</b>
Saturday, December 01, 2007
The Akhaj village in Mehsana has 3,000 voters and their average age is 60-plus.
But the senior citizens of this village are not helpless since they have dollar power. Every third person there is an NRI, but while some are legal, most of them are not but they all send a lot of money back home.
"The government gives us Rs 10 lakh a year. NRIs send us Rs one crore, so we don't care who comes to power at all," said Vishu Bhai Patel, Member, Panchayat.
Akhaj is a picture of prosperity but no thanks to the government.
There's a primary school, a high school, the hospital and this spanking new temple, which cost over a crore.
It's all built with NRI money and donated to the panchayat. Hard currency has ensured even smooth roads.
"Yes, my son sends the money so I gave it to these people to build pucca roads here," said a local.
The people of Akhaj have no demands from the state. They are not too bothered about who comes to power but they have one lament.
"During festivals, we miss some young energy. There are no young people," said the deputy sarpanch.
Ideologically, the village is inclined towards the BJP. After all, Narendra Modi is from this district but when politicians come asking for votes, their attitude is - who cares? They have got visa power.
Saturday, December 01, 2007
The Akhaj village in Mehsana has 3,000 voters and their average age is 60-plus.
But the senior citizens of this village are not helpless since they have dollar power. Every third person there is an NRI, but while some are legal, most of them are not but they all send a lot of money back home.
"The government gives us Rs 10 lakh a year. NRIs send us Rs one crore, so we don't care who comes to power at all," said Vishu Bhai Patel, Member, Panchayat.
Akhaj is a picture of prosperity but no thanks to the government.
There's a primary school, a high school, the hospital and this spanking new temple, which cost over a crore.
It's all built with NRI money and donated to the panchayat. Hard currency has ensured even smooth roads.
"Yes, my son sends the money so I gave it to these people to build pucca roads here," said a local.
The people of Akhaj have no demands from the state. They are not too bothered about who comes to power but they have one lament.
"During festivals, we miss some young energy. There are no young people," said the deputy sarpanch.
Ideologically, the village is inclined towards the BJP. After all, Narendra Modi is from this district but when politicians come asking for votes, their attitude is - who cares? They have got visa power.