The Economy of Permanence: A Quest for a Social Order Based on Non-violence (स्थायी अर्थतन्त्र)

Economy of Permanence
and water-logging by means of proper drainage, embankments, contour bunding
etc. In the final analysis the soil is the fountain bead from which springs all
nourishment for men and cattle in the form of corn and fodder. If the quality of
the soil is reduced the food produced upon it will be of poor quality and
consequently the health of the people will suffer. This is why nutrition experts
connect up health with agriculture.
In Bihar and other places former food crops like rice have been made to yield
place to commercial crops-sugarcane, tobacco and long staple cotton-by using
the price mechanism. Similarly, in Malabar large tracts of rich lands have been
converted into coconut groves. These coconuts are sold to oil-mills and the oil
is used in preparing soap. The old occupants of rice fields no longer get their
own rice hand-pounded but depend on polished rice from Brazil and suffer from
malnutrition consequently. It is the duty of the Government to see that proper
use is made of the land to produce primary necessities first. If there be any
surplus land available after providing food and clothing, such lands may be used
for commercial purposes. The above cited instances show criminal dereliction
of duty of Government in that in effect rice lands have been converted into
soap lands while people are facing starvation.
The use of lands should be subject to a license which will be given after
considering the products to be raised according to a well-laid-out plan.
Research: All research in agriculture should be directed towards improving
food crops as well as raw materials for village industries rather than encourage
the growth of money crops, like tobacco, and raw materials for factories like
thick rind sugarcane and long staple cotton.
Freights and Priorities: At present priority and discriminative freight rates are
granted to factory materials. Village industries articles such as hand-made
paper, equipment for village industries, vegetable oil lamps, etc., are not given
a look in on the railways. This causes bottle-necks in the industries concerned.
This policy of the railways had played no small part in checking the progress
and spread of village industries, which promised to flourish under the
conditions prevailing during the war. As in all other matters, the policy in this
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