This is about the study of Rural Culture and Their Activities. We have done this study on Ponnetipalem village in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.

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(UGC Autonomous)
RURAL IMMERSION PROGRAMME
Report on the Field Work Conducted as a Part of Curriculum
in the III Semester of Master of Business Administration
By
1. Prahlad. K, (Reg. No. 17691E00C5)
2. Reddy NagaSree. DR, (Reg. No. 17691E00E4)
3. Revathy. S, (Reg. No. 17691E00E6)
4. Soni Priyanka, B (Reg. No. 17691E00G8)
5. Sudarshan Kumar, S (Reg. No. 17691E00I0)
Under the Guidance of
Dr. Anil Kumar. M
Assistant Professor
MITS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
MADANAPALLE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE
(UGC Autonomous - Affiliated to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University-Anantapur)
MADANAPALLE-517 325
CHITTOOR DISTRICT, A.P.
2018-19

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RURAL IMMERSION PROGRAM
A Report of the Visit to Ponnetipalem Village
in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh

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CONTENTS
1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………… 05
2. Profile of the Village……………………………………………………………… 05
3. Salient Features of the Village…………………………………………………… 08
A. Agriculture……………………………………………………………………. 08
B. Allied Activities ……………………………………………………………… 09
C. Income Sources………………………………………………………………... 10
D. Supply of Electricity…………………………………………………………... 10
E. Infrastructure…………………………………………………………………. 11
F. Medical Facilities……………………………………………………………… 14
G. Educational Facilities ………………………………………………………… 15
H. Shops in the Village…………………………………………………………... 15
I. Political Scenario……………………………………………………………... 16
4. Implementation of Govt. (State/Central) Schemes……………………………. 16
5. Observations……………………………………………………………………… 17
6. Suggestions Offered……………………………………………………………… 18
7. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………… 18

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About Rural Immersion Program
What?
National Council of Rural Institutes in collaboration with Universities and Higher
Educational Institutions conducts Rural Immersion Program (RIP) with the cooperation of
Village Administration and Villagers. these programs are conducted with the support of
villagers and village administration.
Who?
Rural Immersion Program (RIP) is Meant for Scholars and Students of Universities and
Higher Educational Institutions.
When?
The 3-Day Program commences during the college hours.
Where?
This Program is held across the Village and its Neighbourhoods.
How?
Students are formed into teams of 4 to 7 members in each of them. The teams study and
analyses the social insurance available in the village and about the execution of Government
Schemes. Here we(students) assess the Challenges and Responses in Our Execution.
Why?
To sensitize the Students and Researchers of Universities and Higher Educational
Institutions in Rural Life, Its Challenges, Governance, Citizenship and Its Effectiveness. And
To provide Insights into various dimensions of Village Administration, Policy Administration
and Execution Gaps while dispelling several stereotypes associated with the rural population
at large.
Learning Objectives
 A Chance to Explore the Village Community and Identify its Social, Political and
Economic Aspects.
 Sensitized towards Village Social Issues to Broaden their Perspective.
 To Interact with and Observe the Rural Community and Understand its Challenges and
Opportunities.
 To Identify if the Government Schemes in the Village are Facilitated Approximately.
 Exposed to The Resilience and Integrational Aspects of the Village Community.

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1. Introduction
According to the Stages of Growth Model, advanced countries have passed through
all the intermediate stages and reached the last one, namely the age of high mass
consumption. Underdeveloped and developing nations are still lingering on the initial and
intermediate stages. When one looks at the Indian economy it becomes quite clear that India
is on all the stages viz. the traditional society, the pre-conditions to take-off stage, the take-
off stage, the drive to maturity stage and the age of high mass consumption. This
observation clearly depicts the sort of Inequality, be it Economic, Financial, Social,
Technological or Political, existing in India. All the Economic, Social, Financial and
Technological aspects can be applied on the Indian scene quite well.
2. Profile of The Ponnetipalem Village
Figure 1: Name Board of Ponnetipalem
The state of Andhra Pradesh is divided into several districts as is every other state of
India. Of the several district Chittoor is one. Madanapalle is a Taluka and Sub-District in
Chittoor District. Ponnetipalem is located 10 KM towards Madanapalle via Rami Reddy
Gari Palle and 13 KM via Kollabylu village. And is 105 KM from district Head Quarters,
474 KM (Via Kadapa) from State Capital Amaravathi. Tirupati, Chennai, Bangalore,
Hosur, Kadapa, Anantapur are the nearest Cities and Towns of the village.

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Figure 2: Ponnetipalem Location Map
A. Population:
Ponnetipalem is a medium size village located in Madanapalle Mandal of
Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh with total 347 families residing. The Ponnetipalem
village has population of 1301 of which 674 are males while 627 are females as per
Population Census 2011.
In Ponnetipalem village population of children with age 0-6 is 125 which makes
up 9.61 % of total population of village. Average Sex Ratio of Ponnetipalem village is
930 which is lower than Andhra Pradesh state average of 993. Child Sex Ratio for the
Ponnetipalem as per census is 838, lower than Andhra Pradesh average of 939.
Ponnetipalem village has lower literacy rate compared to Andhra Pradesh. In
2011, literacy rate of Ponnetipalem village was 64.37 % compared to 67.02 % of
Andhra Pradesh. In Ponnetipalem Male literacy stands at 76.73 % while female literacy
rate was 51.23 %.
As per constitution of India and Panchayati Raj Act, Ponnetipalem village is
administrated by Sarpanch (Head of Village) who is elected representative of village
(Currently, Sarpanch Tenure is over)

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B. Ponnetipalem Data
Ponnetipalem Population Data
Particulars Male Female Total
Total No. of Houses - - 347
Population 674 627 1,301
Child (0-6) 68 57 125
Schedule Caste 140 137 277
Schedule Tribe 8 3 11
Literacy 76.73% 51.23% 64.37%
Total Workers 417 369 786
Main Worker 61,034 0 782
Marginal Worker 1 3 4
Source: http://www.censusindia.gov.in/pca/SearchDetails.aspx?Id=676511
Table 1: Ponnetipalem Population Data
 Caste factor: Schedule Caste (SC) constitutes 21.29 % while Schedule Tribe (ST) were
0.85 % of total population in Ponnetipalem village.
 Work profile: in Ponnetipalem village out of total population, 786 were engaged in
work activities. 99.49 % of workers describe their work as Main Work (Employment
347
1,301
125 277 11
786 782
4
Total No. of
Houses
Population Child (0-6) Schedule
Caste
Schedule
Tribe
Total Workers Main Worker Marginal
Worker
Population Data

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or Earning more than 6 Months) while 0.51 % were involved in Marginal activity
providing livelihood for less than 6 months. Of 786 workers engaged in Main Work,
465 were cultivators (owner or co-owner) while 229 were Agricultural labourer.
3. Salient Features of the Village
A. Agriculture
As we knew, Agriculture is a back bone of India. In rural areas most of the
people are depending on Agriculture and its related only. Some of the people are
depended on rain water and some people are depended on borewell.
The power is supplied 7 hours per day for agriculture in earliest days for
cultivation oxen, bullocks and more workers were used in previous days more water is
used for cultivation at present people are using drip irrigation which more useful to the
farmers by using less water with this more crops were grown.
Figure 3: Tomato Crop before Growth
Figure 4: Tomato Crop after Growth

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B. Allied Activities
Allied activities seemed more reliable than crop production as these remained pretty
immune to disasters like unseasonal rains, foods, famines and lack of inputs. Thus,
focussing on allied activities seems an alternative first step to this sort of disaster
management viz., prevention. Smoothing of income stream not in conjunction but fairly
in line with consumption becomes an utmost necessity in the case of poor people. When
it comes to agriculture, there is only one stage process of income generation whereas
input requirements are staggered. Like the case input requirement, there is some sort of
conspicuous consumption during many festivals which are also staggered over the
entire year. In such a scenario access to formal and informal financial institutions is a
necessary evil. People are more inclined to seek credit from informal lenders as they
require almost no paper work and the associated hassles were minimal despite high
interest rates. In case of allied activities especially dairy farming, income is generated
after every eight days and the returns are also pretty good. The return on buffalo milk
ranges anywhere between Rs. 30-40 per litre depending upon the amount of cream/fat
contained in the milk. The average buffalo of a good breed has a daily output of 10-15
litres in terms of milk. Thus, on an average a buffalo fetches around Rs. 300-600 per
day. Many households are having three or four buffaloes and same numbers of cows as
well. The productivity of cows is around 100-150 rupees lower than that of buffaloes.
Thus, dairy farming is very rewarding and income generation is in line with
consumption. People also don’t have to search market for milk as Baroda dairy comes
to their doorsteps to collect milk every day. Thus, neither storage facilities neither
distress selling occurs in case of milk production. Also, it is pretty immune to disasters
as fodder availability is always there. The difference between input cost and total
revenue is also very impressive in case of milk production.

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Figure 5: Shed for jersey Cows
Figure 6: Gross for Cows
C. Income Sources
According to the villagers’ responses, the main sources of their income is Milk
and Crops. Each farmer is getting double income in Milk than the Crops. Some people
are doing their Hierarchical Occupation like Laundry Works and some Labour works.
D. Supply of Electricity
The record of electricity as a necessity For Households and Agricultural
Activities is Impeccable. For Agricultural purposes like Irrigation the stipulated 8 hours
per day supply of electricity is without any erratic supplies. The only problems are short

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circuiting and different timings, or the provision of 8 hours Supply of Electricity. In
case of Households, there is 24-hour Supply of Electricity without any hassle what so
ever. There is proper metering as well and people pay their Electricity Bills once in two
months. Proper supply of electricity has also encouraged the use of electrical gadgets
among the villagers...
E. Infrastructure
 Roads:
The village have two routes to reach from Madanapalle. One is via Rami
Reddy Gari Palle another one is via Kollabylu as discussed earlier in “Profile of the
Ponnetipalem Village”.
Inside the village, all streets are filled with Cement Concrete Roads and
having good quality also.
 Transportation:
Daily a APSRTC bus will come twice a day i.e. Morning and Evening. In
remaining times, villagers use their own vehicles to reach their destinations. Share
Autos also available to come Madanapalle.
 Water Tanks and Supply:
the village having one water tank nearby the village only. It is supplying 24
hours water to the villagers. These water is also using for animals for feeding and
bathing also. Hand Pump and Tube Wells / Bore Wells are the other drinking water
sources. Open drainage system available in this village. This village covered under
total sanitation. There is no system to collect garbage on street. Drain water is
discharges directly into water bodies.

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Figure 7: Drinking Water Tank of the Village
Figure 8: Drink Water Tub for Animals
 Communication Facilities:
Now a days Communication is makes cheaper by the telecom providers. All
top telecom brands towers are constructed around the village to avail the Network. It
is having a Post Office from long days to communicate the people indirectly via
Mail/Letters.
 Government Offices and School Buildings in Ponnetipalem:
 Panchayath Office
 Veterinary Hospital
 Post Office
 Ration Shop
 Anganwadi School

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 Elementary School
 Mandal Parishath Upper Primary School
Figure 9: Anganwaadi School, Ponnetipalem
.
Figure 10: Elementary School, Ponnetipalem

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Figure 11: Mandal Parishath UP School, Ponnetipalem
Figure 12: Veterinary Hospital, Ponnetipalem
F. Medical Facilities s
It is generally said that apart from physical infrastructure like roads etc... The
two most important aspects of social infrastructure are Health and Education. These are
also being merit goods which a government should promote wholeheartedly taking into
cognizance the positive externalities associated with it. If allowed to be produced
privately these may be under produced. The strange thing about the village was the non-
availability of a dispensary. People of the village must go Madanapalle to seek
treatment in case of emergency as well. Most of the households purchased medicine
over the counter for the treatment of normal ailments like Headache, Stomach Ache,
Muscle Pain etc. Taking into cognizance the avail ability of associated infrastructure,
the non-availability of a dispensary seems very amazing and disdainful as well. The

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mobile hospital 104 is visiting the village once a month. In case of Extreme Emergency
Toll Free Number 108 is called upon for Immediate Help.
G. Educational Facilities
Faculty Details of Govt. Schools in Ponnetipalem
Name Specialisation Qualification Experience
Mr. Shabeer Basha (HM) Social, English M.A., B.Ed. 30 Years
Mr. Sudhakar Naidu Maths & Science M.Sc., B.Ed. 20 Years
Mr. Gaali Ravindra Telugu Pandit M.A., B.Ed. 18 Years
Mr. B. Gopal Naik Hindi Pandit B.A. 10 Years
Mrs. S. Lalitha Kumari (SGT) M.A., B.Ed.,
Source: Mr. Sudhakar Naidu (Maths Teacher)
As far as the Second Merit Good (Education) is concerned, the village has got
an Anganwaadi, A Primary and An Upper Primary School. The medium of instruction
is Telegu in all 3 Anganwaadi, Primary and Upper Primary Schools. Both these
institutions are linked with government nutrition and retention schemes for increasing
literacy and health status of the students. In case of Anganwaadi the food is cooked by
the worker of the Anganwaadi while in schools it is cooked by some outside contractors.
These schemes have a positive impact on retention and nutrition level among students
seems to be working very well. For above 8th
class, the students must go to Schools at
Madanapalle. Some students are going to Private Schools in which are in Madanapalle
to avail English Medium classes. Most of the students are going to Madanapalle for
Higher Studies.
H. Shops in the Village
When it comes to doing some sort of Trade or Business in the form of shops in
the villages, the distribution of the ownership of shops is highly skewed. The total
number of shops in the villages are Three of which are two owned by Old Aged people.

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I. Political Scenario
 Assembly Constituency : Madanapalle
 Member of Legislative Assembly : Dr. Desai Thippa Reddy (M.S.)
 Lok Sabha Constituency : Rajampet
 Member of Parliament (MP) : Mr. P. V. Midhun Reddy
4. Implementation of State/Central Govt. Schemes
To reduce Poverty, Several Poverty Alleviations, Employment Generating, and Basic
Services Programmes are being implemented currently both by the Central Government
and the State Government. To mention few schemes currently in operation are: -
 Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin) / Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY):
A centrally sponsored scheme. The Government of India is implementing
lAY since the year 1985-86 to provide financial assistance for constructional and
up gradation of dwelling units to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) in rural households
belonging to SC/ST.
 National Rural Employment Guarantee Act:
The Act aims at enhancing livelihood security of households in rural areas
of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage
employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteers
to do unskilled manual work. The Act came into force on February 2, 2006 and was
implemented in a phased manner.
Figure 13: Works Under M.G.N.R.E.G.S.

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 Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana:
It was launched on 25th December 2000 as a fully funded Centrally
sponsored scheme. The primary object is to provide all weather connectivity to all
the eligible unconnected habitations in rural areas.
 National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP):
Comprises of Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme
(IGNOAPS), National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and Annapurna. Annapurna
Scheme was introduced on 1st April 2000 to provide 10 cups of food grains per
month free of cost to eligible beneficiaries who could not be cover under IGNOAPS.
Under NFBS, Rs. 10000.00 is provided to a BPL family in case of natural or
accidental death of a primary bread earner in the family.
5. Observations
 The villagers are mostly depended on Agriculture only.
 The Annual Income a Family is too minimum.
 Farmers are cultivating mainly Ground Nut, Tomato, Paddy only.
 Farmers are availing Loan Facility by Kissan Credit Card.
 Many of the farmers using Borewells for water to their crops.
 Most of the people are having Insurance Policies in different schemes. It is best way to
invest their money for future and, it protects the family if unfortunately, any person
died by some reason.
 Majority of the farmers are using Modern Methods to Cultivation and giving their
preferences to cultivate Organic Products.
 All the families having Pakka Houses (With Cement Concrete Roof) and Bathrooms.
 It is fully Liquid Petroleum Gas village. It is good way to avoid health issues of
housewives and useful in controlling Air Pollution.
Though the people in that village are fine according to the Health, but these are a
no any medical facility available and to the students there is no ground to play and people
over there are majorly depended on the ----- which yields Len profit.

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6. Suggestions Offered
 Villagers must concentrate on Agricultural related products also to generate more
income.
 Farmers must Concentrate on Cultivation of Millets to generate the income by using
little bit of water.
 Farmers must Educate about Crop Insurance to protect their Crops from loss by any
causes/reasons.
 The government must have control on the digging of borewells. Because, useless
borewells create more problems to the environment like earthquake, Water Cutbacks
 Government must facilitate transportation to reach the village.
Finally, there should be implement Swatch Bharath effectively. Because, there is
no clean discipline among the villagers. They are dumping the animal and grass waste
nearby their houses only. So, and they need to be follow certain activities to avoid this.
7. Conclusion
The experience that we garnered by visiting the village is unique and revealing.
Hitherto we had only a vicarious experience of the village life and economy. After
conducting this study, we have gained real and first-hand knowledge of the advantages and
limitations of being part of the rural socio-economic setup. The people of the village were
very cordial in providing us all the necessary information that we required for our study to
the best of their knowledge. From the study we also came to know about the existence of
all kinds of dualism not only between urban and rural areas but also among the various
subsections of the rural areas itself. Taking a cue from the Model of Development of Rural
Economy given by Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, we also have concluded that there is a great
need of providing all the urban amenities in rural areas. This conclusion is drawn in a
broader perspective and not specifically taking only our study village into consideration.
Rural areas should not be considered as supplier of manual labour only. This conclusion
has been drawn by considering the potential of villages to convert themselves into growth
centres by removal of various constraints thereof.