Utter the word inflation and villagers of Shelkewadi might ask you: “what’s that?”
Self-sufficient Kolhapur village has insulated itself
KOHLAPUR: Utter the word inflation and villagers of Shelkewadi might ask you: “what’s that?” That’s because while the rest of us spend sleepless nights over rising prices, the Kolhapur village which grows its own foodgrains, runs a small dairy, strains its edible oil and operates a biogas plant feels adequately protected from the shocks of inflation.
While inflation figures have spiralled to 11.63%, this small village in Karveer taluka has lived up to Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of achieving self-sufficiency on most fronts. With a population of 367 people in 67 families, Shelkewadi has little to worry about.
“We feel insulated from price hikes as we are self-dependent for almost all our daily food requirements,” sarpanch Kiran Shelke who doubles up as a medical representative told DNA. A BSc-degree holder, Shelke radiates confidence they will ride out the rough times though Maharashtra itself is grappling with the spectre of drought.
Sugarcane planted over 90 acres brings in Rs32 lakh annually while during the Kharif season which starts with the monsoon and runs till October, villagers grow soya, paddy, groundnut and chilli among other crops.
During the Rabi season in the winter months, villagers here grow sunflower and produce 9,900 litres of sunflower oil besides wheat, onion, garlic, corn and pulses.
With Kolhapur being at the forefront of milk production, the dairy operation at Shelkewadi brings in Rs4,000 daily. A total of 275 litres of milk is produced daily.
According to the sarpanch, not only do farm operations meet their basic food requirements, but the average monthly income for every family from agriculture alone works out to nearly Rs6,000.
“We don’t require LPG as every family has a gobar gas plant which is a major saving,” says village elder Dilip Shelke.
Another saving is on edible oil as we have our own double filter sunflower oil. Our daily needs are quite limited, Shelke adds.
Since villagers work in each other’s farm, not much is spent on farm labour.
Located amidst the Sahayadri mountain ranges, this village has been getting adequate rainfall and also has the benefit of water from the Radhanagari dam. Cooperative water distribution through the irrigation society has also brought down the water tariff to Rs2,000 per acre a year as against the Rs9,000 that farmers in other villages pay.
Besides 70% of the work is done by oxen,” says deputy sarpanch Dattatreya Shelke.
The village has won the Nirmal gram award (2007), Yashwant grampanchayat award (2005-06) and secured the second position in the Sant Gadgebaba rural sanitation drive.
Inspired by their spiritual guru Kadsiddheshwar Maharaj from Kaneri, the women here have been empowered with property rights to their homes and the village has banned the sale of liquor, guthka and tobacco.
Animal slaughter too has been banned here since 2005.
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