Other Policies

It is really painful to find that even in highly scientific and technical times workers, both at the desk and at machines, are required to work a minimum of 8—12 hours a day. Finding no alternative, people are forced to submit to this inhuman workload. Therefore Prout declares:
Hours of work, among all types of workers, will be reduced to half the present amount, i.e. to 4—6 hrs a day, so that workers are free to engage in higher pursuits such as art, literature or spiritual practice for which they find no time at present despite keen interest.
Physical, mental and spiritual potentialities of both individuals and society will be utilized to the maximum. No person will be forced to sit idle for the want of employment. Boys and girls below 18 yrs. of age will not be employed in service.
Communication policy
At present, both public and private agencies are managing the most powerful means of communication i.e. TV and radio while other effective means of communication, including newspapers and magazines, are managed mainly by private or corporate people. Both wish to propagate their own interests and thus, by and large, communicate and publish twisted, distorted, even false, reports which become quite misleading and confusing to the people.
Therefore Prout proposes to establish a completely autonomous and self regulating media authority, totally free of any outside interference, for disseminating correct information to the people and for providing a high standard of cultural and educational programming in place of the large number of tasteless and degrading foreign programs which are presently spoiling the impressionable minds of our children. The expenses of the media authority will be borne by the government.
Energy Policy
Due to our present dependence on foreign resources for crude oil and nuclear energy we are obliged to make many compromises in our trade relations as well as in foreign policy. Proutists will explore domestic resources in the former while for the latter, uranium and thorium, available in our country, will be converted into high grade material and utilized in full.
At the same time, Proutists will thoroughly explore and utilize abundant renewable sources of energy such as solar energy, wind energy, hydro-electric pan-chakkis (water wheels) and mini-dams.
With the help of election reforms, policies of local employment, and village level management of education and health-care significant energy savings can be achieved. Extravagant consumption of either fuel or electric energy will also be curtailed creating additional constraints on excessive demand.
Export Import Policy
Today we are engaged in import and export primarily for profit. Proutists, however, will support import and export only when there is shortage or excess of commodities. Luxury goods will not be allowed to be imported. All efforts will be made to produce necessary commodities in our own country. As far as possible even defense needs will be met locally in order to be self sufficient. It is well known that those arranging foreign defense contracts receive lucrative commissions. The attraction of these commissions has resulted in the neglect of local research and development in defense. Proutists will end this type of corruption and strengthen the local defense industries.
Development Policy
The main aim of our development policy will be all round progress and prosperity of our people. Construction of roads, educational institutions, bridges, dams, canals, power generation plants and creation of afforrestation projects will be undertaken by means of circulation of money and by using our own indigenous technology and natural resources. No loan will be taken from the World Bank, IMF or other foreign financial agency for our basic development projects.
Presently all public works contracts are given to contractors who, in conspiracy with the departmental staff and engineers, have no qualms about using inferior materials or delaying and prolonging the work and putting the public to great inconvenience. As a result very sub-standard work is being done which requires frequent repairs and thus keeps benefiting all concerned.
Proutists will not encourage the tender/contractor system in public works. Instead, work-brigades of approximately a thousand people, headed by senior, honest, hard working and capable officers of the rank of at least a chief engineer or major–general (chosen meticulously), will be created at the level of each division. These work brigades, in addition to looking after the works in their division, will also be entrusted with central projects whenever needed. They will be given full autonomy and power in their work.
Through these work-brigades it will be ensured that all works are finished speedily, even ahead of time, without putting the general public to any undue inconvenience.
Protection of Biodiversity
In the name of development we have almost destroyed biodiversity. Rivers have become dry due to innumerable dams and diversions, mountains have been denuded and we are facing the specter of alpine snow fields and glaciers melting away completely in the near future. Forests have been indiscriminately felled and air and water are heavily polluted. It appears that we have identified progress with the number of cars running on the streets. Emissions of CFC are damaging the stratosphere and human civilization is threatened by the greenhouse effect. Thousands of species have either vanished or are near to extinction.
All this is due to thoughtless exploitation of natural resources with no regard for the future – especially fossil fuels and coal. Proutists recognize that everything in the universe has been created by Parama Purus’a. As such, all beings, including inanimate objects such as earth and stones, have an equal right to exist. Therefore, a policy which neither halts progress nor endangers any kind of life on this planet will have to be adopted. A rational and balanced outlook to the use of resources is required.
As the demand for energy is such a big factor in the exploitation of resources, Proutists will make all efforts to develop alternative and green sources of energy. Since vehicles are the biggest source of hazardous emissions, long range electric vehicles will be developed and utilized. The manufacture and use of public as opposed to private transportation will be encouraged. Considering the situation it may be necessary to place restraints on use of private vehicles. Convoys carrying VIPs will have no place in Prout’s Economy
Forests, rivers, mountains and their flora and fauna will be protected vigilantly. Mining will be allowed only after thoroughly assessing its pros and cons and impact on the environment. If mining is permitted rehabilitation of the adivasis or local populations inhabiting such areas will be arranged.
An ombudsman will be appointed to supervise and control all such activities. He/she will be given all powers necessary to discharge such duties. His/her position will be safeguarded by the constitution.
Rural Regeneration
So far only urban development has been emphasized in India. Rural development has either been side-tracked or given nominal importance merely to attract rural votes. Proutists will reverse this situation and their main emphasis will be on developing rural areas. The majority of development funds will be allocated for rural upliftment and regeneration.
Innovative proposals will be invited for rural development. Proutists will create and implement plans for grouping neighboring villages into single blocks or clusters with a population of approximately one lakh people, encouraging them to merge their lands and economic interests to form viable agricultural cooperatives. Small cottage industries based on local raw materials, agricultural produce and small agrico industries (tools, fertilizers, etc.) will be established by the government from their development budget and then handed over to deserving unemployed local youth who will run them and pay back the investment in easy installments to the government.
One boys’ and one girls’ college up to inter level will be opened in each cluster. A modern hospital with mid-level medical and surgical facilities and separate wards for males and females holding 50 beds each will be set up in the central place of each cluster. Doctors and staff employed there will be provided with free furnished accommodation with modern facilities. Hospital staff will be given an extra rural allowance equivalent to their basic salary plus all other remunerations. Two children of each family whose mother or father work in the hospital will be allowed free education and a reasonable boarding and lodging allowance up to intermediate level in a school of their choice and academic standard. This will attract good doctors and nursing staff who, up to the present time, have been reluctant to join rural health-centers.
For security and allied matters, a police station with sufficient staff and infra-structure headed by an officer not below the rank of Dy. SP, will also be established with each such rural cluster.
A stadium of reasonable size with proper infrastructure for catering to the needs and aspirations of growing young men and women in sports and athletic activities will also be established in each cluster. This will go a long way towards bringing out talent athletes in different disciplines and preparing them for national, international and Olympic events.
Efforts will be made to modernize the villages in each cluster but through awareness-raising and education rather than by force.
Price Fixation Policy
The price of commodities is the biggest problem facing today’s consumers. Prices are determined by supply and demand. Consumers cannot be certain of the price of any commodity even within the span of a year. Greedy and the unscrupulous people continually manipulate the market.
Proutists will not permit such volatility. Prices will be fixed on the basis of inputs and costs of materials and labor. Thus price stability for a reasonable time will be assured. Prices of fruits, vegetables and agricultural produce will also be fixed on this basis. This will protect the interests of both farmers and consumers.
Establishing Economic Democracy and Restoring India’s Greatness
Despite India having adopted a democratic system of government, due to wrong economic policies, mostly urban rather than rurally focused, about 77% of our people live in dire poverty. Economic power and wealth has become concentrated in the hands of a select few. As unemployment rises the political vultures lure the poor and helpless with promises of employment through various tantalizing schemes whose only real purpose is to secure votes and keep their kursi intact.
They haven’t hesitated to divide society into sects, classes or communities for their vested interest. Th right to vote has become a mockery carrying no real substance. Once the votes are cast the game is over!
People are deprived of the social, economic and political justice enshrined in the constitution by our founding fathers. This great betrayal of our original ideals has left the majority of the population fragmented, torn, depressed and hungry.
Different political parties, with their manifestos and supporters, have so far failed to fulfill the dreams of the brave sons and daughters of mother India who sacrificed their all for the freedom and prosperity of their beloved country. They have shown neither the vision nor the character required to fulfill the aspirations of the people. In light of this situation, Proutist Bloc, India has taken a vow to fulfill the expectations and aspirations of the people through its well-developed cadre and policies and through extensive and intensive schemes and projects summarized briefly in the foregoing pages, especially in the grossly neglected rural areas where over 70% of the people reside.
PBI will not only direct its energies towards economic, social, political, administrative and judicial rejuvenation. It will also focus on reviving the cultural, moral and spiritual ethos and values which made India the light and leader of the world during a greater part of the history of humanity.


Powered by Blogger.