HRDF Area of Operation

Although HRDF is an all-India body, having conducted its programs in virtually every nook and corner of India, it has mainly concentrated its activities to eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) province. Its first project, Bal Shishu Niketan (BSN), a co-educational child resource institution, was started in 1990 in village Nadwasarai in tehsil Ghosi, district Mau, U.P. The village is very well connected by two pitch roads to all the nearby towns and beyond to district Headquarters of Mau, Azamgarh, Ghazipur, Balia, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Maharaj Ganj, Deoria, Sidhart Nagar, Kushinagar, Ambedkar Nagar, etc, all in eastern U.P. It has a well-developed and flourishing market catering to a large number of adjoining villages. The nearest convenient Railway Stations are Mohamdabad Gohna (8 km) and Mau (35 km). Mau is about 800 km from New Delhi and is reachable by New Delhi-Muzaffarpur Lichchavi Express and Amritsar-Darbhanga Saryu-Yamuna Express.

Socio-economically, the above districts of eastern U.P. are among the most backward districts in the country. The majority of the people are engaged in agricultural activity. The land is fertile but a substantial part of it is subjected to annual floods. There are several large lakes, ponds and rivers in the area along with the presence of a strong fishing community. There is also a strong weaver community in the area. More and more people are going in for various trades and technical occupations. Livelihood opportunities appear to be on the upswing. However, there are many pockets of destitution, especially in the villages inhabited by the lower cast tribal communities like Musahar, Bhar , etc.

Despite some outward progress in the area, there are regular migrations to other more prosperous regions of the country, like Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab and West Bengal. These migrations indicate lack of local opportunities and an urge for development and prosperity.

There is almost complete absence of scientific temper among the people of this area. There is hardly any awareness of scientific and technological developments taking place around the world. Although the literacy rate is growing fast, education continues to be tradition bound, with little interest in science education. Most people are deeply steeped in blind faith and superstition. The main reason for this state of affairs is the almost total absence of any worthwhile scientific activity in the area.

However, the various science-based workshops and other programs conducted by HRDF in this area over the last 25 years do indicate considerable hunger for Science & Technology information, especially among farmers, artisans, teachers, students and the lay public. These workshops have touched upon such topics as scientific basis of miracles, magic and witchcraft; action against blind faith and superstition; low-cost science teaching aids; hands-on science experiments; growing plants in water (hydroponics); turning organic waste into manure through vermi-composting; learning mathematics through origami (the art of paper-folding); and construction of improved bio-gas plant.