Hiware Bazar: This little-known, small Indian village has 80 millionaires!
Before 1989, Hiware Bazar in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district was just like any other Indian village. In 1972, it suffered from poverty and drought. But in the 1990s, the village's fate began to change, thanks to the village head, Popatrao Baguji Pawar. Now, the village has around 80 millionaires, and they're all farmers!
We've all heard of Indian millionaires and billionaires like Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, and Falguni Nayar. They've made not just their hometowns but the entire nation proud. But have you ever heard of an inspirational place? Yes, you read that right. There's a small village in India with not one or two, but 80 millionaires! Let's dive into this real-life inspirational story.
Before 1989, Hiware Bazar in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district was just like any other Indian village. In 1972, it suffered from poverty and drought. But in the 1990s, the village's fate began to change, thanks to the village head, Popatrao Baguji Pawar. Now, the village has around 80 millionaires, and they're all farmers!
The success of this village is due to the transformation of its socio-economic fabric by its head. With a population of about 1,250, Hiware Bazar shows how hard work and determination can change people's fate.
Hiware Bazar: This little-known, small Indian village has 60 millionaires! | curlytales
Besides bustling markets, clean roads, green fields, and well-built houses, the village also stands out for its ban on open defecation, tobacco, deforestation, grazing, and alcohol consumption.
Every year, the village continues to improve. In 1989, Popatrao Pawar was elected as the village head (sarpanch). Since then, there's been no looking back.
Pawar first focused on ending smoking and drinking by shutting down all illicit liquor stores in the village. Then, he banned liquor and tobacco consumption.
Next, since the village gets very little rainfall, Pawar arranged for a loan and started a rainwater harvesting and watershed conservation program. From 90 wells in the 1990s, the village now has around 294 wells. Farming became the primary source of income, and the village focused on less water-intensive crops like pulses, vegetables, fruits, and flowers.
Present Day Scenario & Achievements
The villagers now focus heavily on cattle farming. In the 20th century, they produced about 33 gallons of milk per day. Today, they produce around 880 gallons per day!
In 1995, out of 182 families in the village, 168 were below the poverty line (BPL). Today, that number is zero.
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Other achievements include:
- Every home has a toilet.
- Each house uses biogas.
- Schools and a healthcare system have been built.
- Electricity and water are available throughout the village.
Three women are on the 70-member panchayat (self-government system), and the village covers the costs of every second daughter's marriage and education.
Hiware Bazar boasts the highest per capita income in the country. Villagers earn an average of Rs 30,000 per month, and out of 305 families, 80 are millionaires. Additionally, 50 families earn more than Rs 10 lakh annually.
With just over 1,250 people, Hiware Bazar's main income source is agriculture. The village once suffered from poverty due to severe droughts in the 80s and 90s, forcing villagers to migrate to cities. In 1990, 90% of the families were poor.
However, the villagers formed the Joint Forest Management Committee in 1990, started digging wells, and planted trees through Shramdaan. They also banned water-intensive crops. As a result, there are now over 300 wells in the village, and the groundwater level has risen to 30 feet.
All the families earn their income from farming, growing vegetables, and earning significant income every year. The per capita income of Hiware Bazar is twice the average income of the top 10% rural areas of the country. In the last 20 years, the village's average income has increased more than 20 times. Poverty ended due to the villagers' unity, and migration to cities stopped. People who left have returned.
The ¡®Ideal Village¡¯ & Highest Accolades
Hiware Bazar was named 'Ideal Village' by the Maharashtra Government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi honored the village head and the villagers. Popatrao Pawar was appointed chairman of the Model Village Programme of Maharashtra, aiming to create 100 similar villages. Brighter days are ahead!
Mr. Popatrao even received the prestigious Padma Shri award in November 2021 for social work from President Kovind.
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Anuj Tiwari writes stories for SEO and is a Youtube wizard. An engineer turned social media champ, he keeps a track of all that goes around the world. His interest areas include historic events, political and social-sciences.
