Kerala Model of Development

With only two weeks left in term four classes, my academic workload has nearly doubled. Just last week I completed two research papers. And yet, I still have three papers, a group project, and a portfolio to complete before the onset of summer break.

Of my recent projects, my favorite to work on was a paper for my comparative third world government class. In this essay I examined the Kerala Model of Development in India. To elaborate, Kerala is one of the twenty-eight states in India. In Kerala, leftist parties have been in power for a number of years and as a result, the earmarks of human development are comparable to that of the United States. In addition, Kerala has been called a model in sustainable development for third world nations. Here is an excerpt from my paper.

“Sustainable development has been defined as, “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability if future generations to meet their own need.” Govindan Parayil provides examples of just how Keralans participate in environmentally responsible practices.

Electricity in Kerala is produced exclusively from small to medium scale hydroelectric projects. Large-scale deforestation did not take place as a result of these projects. Energy for cooking comes, mostly, in the form of bioenergy, which is derived from household plots and renewable marginal forests and hills. Although the acreage of the rain forests has declined from pre-independence figures, popular campaigns to preserve the existing forests seem to be successful. It appears that the energy use and consumption pattern is stable and sustainable.”

Cait

P.S. Here is a picture of me and my best friend. Her family is from Gujarat, India.