Sixteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

Sustainable holistic economic development depends on the well-being of the population. It is not enough to have money – people must have pride in their occupation. It is not sufficient to merely vote, people must actively participate in decision making. Simply being is not development, people must perform their role in society. Without such pride, participation and performance – sustainable development will not become a reality. The case of Kuthambakkam village, close to Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, provides a long-standing, clearly structured and phase driven development model that helps us to understand what is truly required for sustainable development. The ‘Panchayat’ local government system commenced almost a quarter century ago – Kuthambakkam is a leading example of how effective local governance can lead to prosperity, community and peace which are the essential foundations of true sustainable development. This study includes the findings of onsite research materials gathered in the village of Kuthambakkam and surrounding areas in the summer of 2019. The material is in the form of video and audio files - some of which is compiled into resources to support the increased exposure of the Kuthambakkam model. The key figure in this research project is the long-standing leader of the village – Dr Elango Rangaswamy – who provided extensive interviews related to the establishment and ongoing development of the Kuthambakkam case. Dr Elango also facilitated observation and engagement with local leaders from surrounding areas who have adopted a model similar to that on display in Kuthambakkam.