Gram Bharati Samiti

Gram Bharati Samiti, also known as GBS or the Society for Rural Development, is an Indian nongovernmental organisation working primarily in Jaipur district, Rajasthan. Established in 1984, it seeks to promote a society grounded in humanitarian and democratic values while supporting ecologically balanced habitats. Its work combines environmental restoration with rural development, placing particular emphasis on degraded land, desertification control, water security, biodiversity, and the participation of village communities. One of the organisation's best-known initiatives is GANDHIVAN, a model afforestation and wasteland-development project in Todaladi village in Jaipur district. The project involved planting approximately 80,000 trees and indigenous plants, restoring rainwater-harvesting structures, stabilising sand dunes, and improving soil and moisture conservation. Related interventions included the stabilisation of 65 sand dunes and the plugging of 30 deep gullies and ravines. These activities were intended to reduce sand movement and storm frequency, encourage the regeneration of native vegetation, and create additional sources of fodder and fuelwood for local communities. GBS has also worked on the restoration of traditional water infrastructure, including old wells and step wells. Such projects have been presented as both practical responses to village drinking-water challenges and efforts to preserve Rajasthan's historic cultural landscape. The organisation reported restoring a step well believed to be more than 1,000 years old. Its water-conservation and heritage work attracted attention in international and specialist publications, including coverage concerning the restoration of Rajasthan's step wells. The organisation's rural-development model links ecological work to social and economic outcomes. Its stated areas of impact include reducing poverty and vulnerability, strengthening local livelihoods, conserving biodiversity, reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, supporting ecosystem functions, and developing local capacity. Gram Bharati Samiti has also supported the formation and leadership development of women's self-help groups in village communities, reflecting an approach that combines physical restoration with community organisation and participation. GBS's environmental projects have received recognition from government, corporate, and international institutions. The GANDHIVAN and related wasteland-restoration work was associated with the Van Vistarak Puraskar from the Government of Rajasthan's environment and forest authorities, the Ford Conservation and Environment Award from Ford India, and the Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Puraskar from the Government of India. The United Nations Development Programme included the work among its success stories on wasteland development, while a delegation from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries described it as a model wasteland project. Gram Bharati Samiti is also accredited to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification process, linking its local work to wider international discussions on land degradation and desertification.

Gram Bharati Samiti was established in 1984 as a rural-development organisation in Rajasthan. Its stated objective is to help establish communities based on humanitarian and democratic values while maintaining an ecologically balanced habitat. Rather than treating environmental degradation and rural poverty as separate problems, the organisation developed projects that joined land restoration, water security, village participation, and livelihood support. Its principal demonstration project, GANDHIVAN, was established at Todaladi village in Jaipur district on degraded or wasteland terrain. The project used afforestation and related land-management measures to restore ecological functions. Approximately 80,000 trees of different species were planted, while rainwater-harvesting structures were repaired or revived. The organisation also introduced methods for stabilising sand dunes and plugging gullies and ravines. Around 65 sand dunes were stabilised, and approximately 30 deep gullies and ravines were treated to retain soil and moisture. These interventions helped limit the movement of sand, reduce the frequency of sandstorms reported in the area, encourage the return of indigenous vegetation, and provide green fodder and fuelwood resources for surrounding communities. A notable feature of the work was the emphasis on indigenous plants and locally relevant techniques. The project included the planting of roughly 100,000 indigenous plants on sand dunes, described as an innovative intervention for the area. The organisation's land-restoration approach was also linked to wider development outcomes: reducing the vulnerability of poor households, strengthening livelihood capacity, improving biodiversity, and supporting local adaptation to environmental stress. GBS expanded its environmental work into the restoration of traditional water systems. It worked on old wells and step wells that had fallen into disuse, treating them as both water-management assets and elements of India's cultural heritage. Restoring these structures was intended to improve access to safer drinking water in village communities while reviving the social and architectural traditions that historically developed around such water sources. One restored step well was described as more than 1,000 years old. This work received attention in specialist and international heritage publications, including articles discussing the restoration of Rajasthan's step wells. Community participation became another component of the organisation's model. GBS helped develop women's self-help groups and supported leadership capabilities within village communities. The combination of local organisation, environmental improvement, and livelihood support allowed its programmes to address social as well as ecological objectives. The organisation describes these outcomes in terms of poverty reduction, climate benefits, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem functioning, empowerment, and capacity development. The work at GANDHIVAN and related projects received several forms of recognition. Awards and honours associated with the programme included the Van Vistarak Puraskar from Rajasthan's government environmental and forest authorities, the Ford Conservation and Environment Award from Ford India, and the Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Puraskar from the Government of India. The United Nations Development Programme included the project in its material on successful wasteland development, and a SAARC-country delegation identified it as a model project. Gram Bharati Samiti also became accredited to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification process, giving its local restoration work an institutional connection to international efforts addressing desertification and land degradation.

• 1984

  Organisation established

  [1]Gram Bharati Samitien.wikipedia.org

  Gram Bharati Samiti was established in Rajasthan as a rural-development organisation working toward socially inclusive and ecologically balanced communities.

• GANDHIVAN wasteland-restoration project initiated

  [1]Gram Bharati Samitien.wikipedia.org

  GBS initiated a model afforestation and wasteland-development project at Todaladi village in Jaipur district, combining tree planting, water-harvesting restoration, and land conservation.

• Sand dunes and gullies stabilised

  [1]Gram Bharati Samitien.wikipedia.org

  The organisation stabilised approximately 65 sand dunes and treated about 30 deep gullies and ravines to conserve soil and moisture and limit desertification.

• Traditional water structures restored

  [1]Gram Bharati Samitien.wikipedia.org

  GBS restored old wells and step wells, including one described as more than 1,000 years old, linking drinking-water improvement with heritage conservation.

• International recognition for wasteland development

  [1]Gram Bharati Samitien.wikipedia.org

  The organisation's restoration work was included by UNDP among wasteland-development success stories and was presented to a SAARC-country delegation as a model project.

A community-oriented rural-development organisation combining ecological restoration, traditional water conservation, desertification control, heritage preservation, and local capacity building.

• Afforestation and wasteland development

  GANDHIVAN

  GANDHIVAN is Gram Bharati Samiti's model ecological-restoration project at Todaladi village in Jaipur district. It combines large-scale planting, including tens of thousands of trees and indigenous plants, with rainwater-harvesting restoration, sand-dune stabilisation, and soil-moisture conservation. The project is designed as an integrated rural-development intervention rather than a standalone plantation, connecting land rehabilitation with fodder, fuelwood, biodiversity, and community resilience.

• Water conservation and heritage restoration

  Traditional well and step-well restoration

  GBS restores disused wells and step wells to support village water security and conserve historic water architecture. The work addresses practical access to drinking water while preserving structures that formed part of Rajasthan's traditional community life. At least one restored step well was described as more than 1,000 years old.

• Desertification control

  Sand-dune and gully stabilisation

  This programme uses locally adapted methods to stabilise dunes and plug deep gullies and ravines. The reported results include reduced sand movement, improved retention of soil and moisture, regeneration of indigenous plants, and additional green fodder and fuelwood resources for nearby communities.

• Community development

  Village self-help-group development

  GBS supports village-based self-help groups, including women's groups, with an emphasis on leadership development and local capacity. These activities complement the organisation's environmental projects by strengthening community participation and the ability of residents to manage local development priorities.

1. 1Gram Bharati Samitien.wikipedia.org
2. 2Gram Bharati Samiti official websitegbsjaipur.org