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If we want to change the present environment we shall have to adopt Gandhian Philosophy. He was not
against Industrial Development. Gandhiji had said at that time also that Industries like Khadi should be
encouraged to solve the problem of unemployment. It will provide employment opportunities to the
people. Machines should not be allowed to be encouraged to the extent that it began to dominate man.
Therefore there should be decentralisation so that employment opportunities are provided to all. For
Gandhiji Khadi had a symbolic meaning. It has even more importance in the present scientific age.
Therefore it should be encouraged to provide employment to all people in this regard. The villages have
to be developed and decentralisation has to take place and exodus in taking place from rural areas to
the cities like Delhi etc. The rural areas are being ruined and if this is allowed to continue, these areas
will soon become like hell. If cities are to be developed more attention shoud be paid to the
development of villages. Attention has to be paid to agro-based industries in-order to fulfil the target of
providing employment to at least one member of every family. Government should concentrate on
agriculture instead of large scale industries. In this connection, priority has to be gievn to agro-based
industries. It is stated that India is an agricultural country hence attention has be paid to the condition of
farmers and agricultural labourers. They are at present most exploited sections of the society. In view of
the State of Affairs prevailing in the agriculture sector, it cannot be said that our country is an
agricultural country. Therefore Government should provide facilities to the agricultural sector on a
priority basis. Accordingly I want to submit that although Punjab is deficient in large scale industries, it is
a developed State because irrigation facilities are available all over the State. A part of Chattisgarh is
affected by drought conditions despite the flow of rivers there, the sources of water should be properly
utilised and sufficient water should be supplied so that the development of that area can take place.
Regional imbalance can also be removed by taking action on the basis of the Antodayas programme. I
want to request that inorder to uplift the poorest of the poor, our ecomomy should be tilled in favour of
agriculture and villages. The Hon'ble Prime Minister's intention of strengthening the grass root level
cannot be fulfilled in the prevailing situation.
