At RACLD, we believe that a vibrant democracy cannot thrive without a strong and self-reliant local economy, for sustainable democracy depends on sustainable livelihoods.
The Rural Economy Restoration Wing works to revive local economies and restore the economic sovereignty of villages and Panchayats by linking democratic governance with sustainable, community-led development.
Inspired by Gandhian economics and J.C. Kumarappa‘s ―economy of permanence,‖ we promote models where local production, local consumption, and local governance operate in harmony. Through Panchayat-based planning, enterprise incubation, training, and partnerships with government and market institutions, we enable rural citizens, especially women and youth to move from wage dependence to enterprise ownership.
We view every village as a living economic ecosystem, where skills, small enterprises, and local resource value chains thrive through collective organization, knowledge, and fair market access.
Across India, data on development indicators often remains fragmented, outdated, or inaccessible to those who need it most — the government and local institutions responsible for implementation. RACLD bridges this gap by commissioning high-quality research, facilitating community-owned data systems, and building analytic capacity at the grassroots. Our approach goes beyond research for its own sake: we translate data into tools for planning, monitoring, and reform. Through participatory analytics, digital platforms, and evidence-based planning, we ensure that data is not just collected but owned, understood, and acted upon by communities themselves.
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