Country: Germany

Organization: ýMade in Villageý (proposed)

3) Strategy Summary:
India, world's most diverse country, may need centuries to develop; using Porto Alegre Innovation in Participatory Budgeting, a village can be developed in 5 years! India needs Investment, NRIs/Indians wish better interest rates, banks want deposits, unemployed need work, retirees wish to serve society, and villagers exhausted of defective politics and short of infrastructure are desperately looking for a way. When these stakeholders cooperate on village level, all are benefited and India will develop very fast. The mutually beneficial cooperation of the six stakeholders at grass root level, the scheme's compactness, low and low-risk investment, ease to implement in many villages in any country are unique features of the scheme, and have great potential.

4) How the Strategy Works:
The scheme is to ignite and facilitate villagers active participation in development, through informing and educating people on Porto Alegre innovation in Participatory Budgeting (PB), best practices etc. Example 1: (1) 25 to 60 NRIs/Indians from the same village/town should deposit Rs. 50,000 to 2 lakhs for a total of Rs.50 lakhs (Rs.5 mil.) in nationalised bank(s) for 60+3* months (* to accrue interest). The bank, with central/state govt should arrange 8% interest (govt subsidises 9% interest for senior citizens aged 60 and above). Half of the monthly interest on Rs. 50 lakhs (Rs. 16,666/-), should be used to run a Centre for Sustainable Development (SD) and Participatory Budgeting (PB) in the village of the depositors for 2 years. (From 4th month onwards, the total interest for 63 months, due to each depositor should be given as a lump sum by lot; those paid later will get the added interest. In 60 months, every depositor gets a lump sum payment. The capital should be given back after 63 months, with any other benefits - your money makes YOUR Village, and you make money!) Two unemployed in the age 30 to 40, and 1or 2 retired professionals (Managers, Teachers, Engineers etc), capable of development work, should work as facilitators at the Centre. All should agree to work for the scheme for 3 years, after 3 months probation. The unemployed should be paid Rs. 3500/month and the retiree(s) Rs.1000/month. The rest Rs.7,666 should be used for other expenses. The facilitators, with the moral support of the local government, should inform and educate the villagers on SD, PB, best practices, Total Quality Management (TQM) etc in various fields, promoting self help groups, small enterprises etc in health, education, livelihood etc. The Centre should become self- supporting in 2 years. Only villages/towns with a stable political base should be selected for this project, to assure sustained support for the scheme for 2 years, and to avoid changes in the local govt policies ruin the initiative. The village/town should volunteer to take up the project and provide suitable premises for the Centre, free of cost for 2 years. When this is tried in a few villages/towns, some will become viable and tangible models. More than 200 cities/towns in Brazil, several in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay are practicing PB. Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and other countries are practicing PB or adaptations of it. When one village succeeds in a country, it will start a chain reaction with speed and synergy, improving millions of lives. When each Indian state has one village practicing PB, 10 or more villages/towns will start doing PB in each state within 2-3 years - it will transform India very fast!! India could be a developed country in 20 to 25 years !! Preventive healthcare and moderation in lifestyle are some of the core principles of Ayurveda , world's only science of holistic life. If the procedures therein are incorporated into the village development scheme, it will become a holistic village. (2) Banks should be requested to ask their NRIs/Business customers to participate in the project. News paper advertisements should request villages, retirees, banks and unemployed to review the scheme on a website, and volunteer for the project. One to three villages/towns from a state, with sufficient NRIs/RIs and stable local govt should be selected for the project, from the responses. (3) State and Central govt ministries, NGOs and other organizations will be requested for Rs. 2 lakhs/year/village for two years, for a maximum of three villages in a state at the beginning. More villages could be selected after 1-2 years field experience. A website should be maintained with information on funding, activities, progress etc of the Centre for SD&PB. As govt subsidy is a major funding source, there may be delay and uncertainty. Therefore, alternative (1): The NRIs/Indians should offer half of the readily available interest of Rs. 8,333/- per month (2% on Rs. 50 lakhs), for the project. Two unemployed and a retiree should run the centre for 2 years, at half the salaries above. Alternative (2): A strong NGO should take up this scheme, collect funds from govt/charitable sources etc for Rs. 2 lakhs per year and run it for 2 years. Listing of donors and amounts on a website will give the project transparency, credibility and accountability, and will encourage donors. Example 2: As only Rs. 2 lakhs per village/year are needed for 2 years, organisations and institutions like NGOs, Banks, Universities, Industrial Groups, and personalities like former Prime Ministers and Presidents, wealthy individuals etc, willing to invest/donate can, individually or jointly adopt a village/town and implement the scheme.

PB in brief: Brazil's 1988 constitution provides local govts autonomy over 20% of its budget. 20% of Porto Alegre s budget is used to selectively develop from 8 to 12 specific infrastructures in each of the 489 km city s 16 regions created for PB, and from 5 infrastructures for the whole city. The priorities are determined yearly, in a systematic, cyclic discussion and assessment process in two rounds of 16 regional and 5 thematic assemblies held in March-April and June-July; many mini assemblies in between build opinion. The assemblies elect 2 primary and 2 alternate PB councillors for the 16 regions and 5 themes, for one year; this mandate is revocable in a meeting convened for that purpose. This PB Council (COB) is the main PB institution, and supervises implementation of the priorities. Hundreds of communities in the developing and developed countries practice PB. PB has many viable models, and precise process details are available; but they are far away and unknown to most people.

5) Key Strategy Elements:

i. Mobilizing Citizen Support:
The Centre for SD&PB should organize informative, educational and entertaining programs on Porto Alegre PB system, to show how it transformed the bankrupt city to the best city in Brazil these programmes should be as in Porto Alegre. Films on SD, PB and printed info-material should be used. Names of residents aged 16 and above, interested in the PB and SD, and participate in the meetings should be a recorded accurately for statistics and analysis. Porto Alegre's PB procedure should be followed, with suitable simplifications/ adaptations to match local conditions, smaller size of village etc.

ii. Generating Financial and Nonfinancial Resources:
The scheme is small and limited; NRI&RI investment and Central/State govt financial subsidy is expected; non- financial local support is a prerequisite. Personnel and material resources needed are minimum and easy to acquire. Alternatives in case of uncertainty and delay are alternatives (1) and (2) under 4 above. Additionally, advertisements, flyers, personal contacts etc can be used. A project website should request charitable personalities and institutions to invest and/or donate for their own or favourite village/town. The investments/donations should be listed (names or codes may be used) on the website, providing transparency and accountability, thereby encouraging investors/donors.

iii. Establishing Relationships with Strategic Partnerships:
Mutual benefit of six partners through cooperation is the main motivational force, and the success of Porto Alegre Innovation in PB is the inspiration. Details of the economical and efficient PB system will give additional motivation. When the precise procedures are followed, development is sure. The proposed project is compact, transparent, and will give results quickly. All these will encourage involvement and cooperation. The Porto Alegre Innovation and its fantastic results are so inspiring and motivating, that it will be the major tool.

iv. Engaging and Managing Volunteers:
Only facilitators, and participants as rather spectators are involved initially. The 'facilitators' inform, and explain the precise, economical, efficient, proven, and trustworthy development process. PB is Participatory Democracy (PD); because of the corrupt and inefficient Representative Democracy, PB is a welcome practice all over the world, including developed countries. Thus, PB/PD has lot of experience and various working models. Information and fast communication through multimedia can inform and inspire people of the specific procedures and processes, with examples of channelling human resources. These will encourage participants/volunteers; examples and details will make engaging and managing them easy.

v. Developing Information and Spreading the Message:
Details of Porto Alegre s PB, statistics and info on India, Germany, Singapore the garden city of superlatives etc are collected and summarized on the website: www.karammel.com. A book with these, for citizens hungry for development is in preparation. Outreach campaigns and printed material on and as per Porto Alegre innovation, and other best practices should be adapted. Limited media support of newspaper /radio/TV etc is anticipated. The details of PB as well as activity and achievement reports on the scheme, should be sent to NGOs, Universities, Colleges, Chief Ministers etc, through booklets, News Letters, emails etc. A project website should be established and maintained with relevant information, statistics etc.

6) Increasing Self-sufficiency and Social Impact:
Because of the proven models and process details, many will be convinced. Some NRIs expressed positively on the project; and 'Rasmi', a Malayalam magazine published by Indo German Cultural Association, Germany has offered full support. Any recognition of this scheme by a recognized NGO or authentic institution will boost the enthusiasm of interested friends, and will encourage cooperation and massive involvement. The major emphasis and the secrets of success of PB are decentralisation and local action; correspondingly, a fundamental principle of our undertaking is to be small, localised, and to maintain a facilitator role, without growing large and heavy. These elements will spread the news, effect widespread local action, thereby making wider and greater social impact.

8) Organization Mission and Vision:
Mission: Develop India through developing villages, using Porto Alegre s Participatory Budgeting process. Vision: Keep the development holistic and sustainable. Global Localisation is the motto.

Looking Forward to the Next Three Years:
A wide spread new chain reaction is expected. Initiated by Porto Alegre, encouraged by World Social Forum etc.

Contact Information:
Abraham  Karammel
Primary Organizer
ýMade in Villageý (proposed)
Richard-Wagner-Str. 20, D-55118 Mainz, GERMANY
Germany
Tel: 0049-6131-604942 (R); (Mobil: 0049-176-29879682)
Email: karammela@yahoo.com
Website: www.karammel.com