Social Entrepreneurship by Non Resident Gujaratis (NRG)

Abstract

The phenomenon of massive migration is not new in history. Many Gujarati people have migrated to Kenya, Uganda and other African countries especially eastern and southern Africa. There have been significant philanthropy activities by NRGs who settled in the United States, Australia and Canada since last two decades. Generally remittances are received from the migrants at household levels, community level and village level. By and large, these remittances are meant for repaying debt, investment in land and conspicuous expenses. However, many of them remit money back home for the community welfare, infrastructural development, establishment of schools and health care facilities, playgrounds, setting up of tube well, internet facilities, pay phones, old age pensions and recreational facilities. It has been observed while reviewing the literature migrant Gujarati people from lower middle class or first generation migrants are more willing to donate for social entrepreneurship (the welfare of the community). Whereas, upper middle class NRGs have been remitting money for household expenses and conspicuous expenses. This paper is based on the study of Nardipur and Paliyad, two villages of Gandhinagar district, Gujarat State. The paper emphasized on the impact of social entrepreneurship in these villages. The study is based on both primary and secondary survey. This study has been focused as the moves by the Indian Government to upgrade the Indian Diaspora on its list of foreign policy priorities. The paper builds around the arguments of migration-remittances-development and to institutionalize and accelerate for such practices of repaying the debt to a homeland or sometimes referred as ‘giving’ to the homeland. The paper also endeavors to study its short and long term impacts on the local community development in the homeland region.