When you think of a village, images of muddy roads, hand pumps, bullock carts, mud houses without electricity and agricultural labourers toiling in the fields come to mind, but wait a moment.
Villages across India are also on the path to prosperity, thanks to government development plans. The richest village in Asia is not in China, Japan or Korea, but in India. The village of Bhuj in Gujarat will change your perception of Indian villages forever.
Known as the richest village in Asia, Madhapur is located on the outskirts of Bhuj in Gujarat. It has a population of around 32,000 and holds fixed deposits worth Rs 700 billion. The village owes its prosperity to the fact that 65% of its inhabitants are Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), who deposit hundreds of millions of rupees every year in local banks and post offices, and receive them as remittances from their families.
Madhapur, with around 20,000 houses, is a Patel village. Think of any major public or private bank and you will find a branch here. There are 17 banks in this village, including HDFC Bank, SBI, PNB, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, Union Bank, etc. Several other public and private banks are also interested in opening branches in the village.
You will be surprised to know that the huge deposits were from NRI families who are mostly residing in African countries and dominate the construction industry. Many of the residents are also residing in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Despite residing abroad, these people are still connected to their roots and bringing about a holistic change in their villages.
“Though many of our villagers live and work abroad, they remain attached to their village and prefer to save their money in banks in their village rather than where they live,” the Economic Times quoted Parulven Kala, a former district council chairman, as saying.
“Thanks to huge deposits, the village is thriving. It has all the basic amenities like running water, sanitation and roads. It also has bungalows, public and private schools, a lake and a temple,” said the manager of the village's state-run bank.
Madhapur has around 20,000 homes, of which around 1,200 live abroad. A steady influx of remittances has led to the construction of a school, a college, a medical centre, a dam, a temple and a lake in the village. They have also established the Madhapur Village Association in London to strengthen village ties and improve the village's image abroad.
