BCT Parameswara Rao - Great efforts

BCT means Bhagavatula Charitable Trust started by Mr Parameswara Rao. I came to know about Mr Parameswara Rao in 1986 when he got Man of the Year award by The Week weekly magazine. His achievements are amazing. He showed to the world what can be done to change the lives of rural people in India.

Mr Parameswara Rao's own life itself is an inspiring story for young people to emulate his acts and to chose the path of social service. He left his plushy job and job offers because of what he believed in. He went back to his native village near Vizag, AP and started revolutionizing the way rural people live in some villages.

His efforts have been amply rewarded. His work grew into the NGO Bhagvatula Charitable Trust that works in 39 villages directly and influences work in hundreds of villages -- for example at one point in time it was running 700 Non Formal Centers until it trained local NGOs there to run them themselves. Vast acres of wasted badlands on the rocky hill slopes are now prospering into lush green farmlands. A model for holistic development, BCT is well known for work in reclaiming wasted land, setting income generating activities by village initiatives, women's empowerment, and education.

A very modest person, Parameswara Rao is not eager to claim responsibility to things he/BCT initiated -- for example the anti-arrack movement in AP portrayed in the film "When Women Unite" was triggered by a story in the literacy textbooks about a village where women stop their husbands from drinking. What the film does not mention is that the story is a true one from Marripalem, one of the BCT villages.

BCT has come to believe that there is no waste land, it is only wasted land, in other words, man not utilizing the appropriate technologies for bringing the land into production. In order to demonstrate this point, BCT has taken a 50 acre wasted hill slope, in the rain shadow region of Ponchardarla Hill which as about 24 inches of annual rainfall. With proper soil conservation and water management techniques, the area is a blooming greenery with about 100 species of plantations in a matter of 3 years. The fodder is being developed in three tiers as a semi-pastoral system. Even growing of the flowers is demonstrated to be yielding 1000 rupees per acre annually.

Now my question is why can't our political leaders make this happen all over our country? Why can't the government take the expertise and help of BCT in implementing this all over the state or country?

I am providing here some links that could be helpful in learning about Mr Parameswara Rao and his BCT more.


http://www.bctindia.net/

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/08/27/stories/2005082702571900.htm

http://www.thehindu.com/2005/11/15/stories/2005111516040300.htm