Indian Economy Nitin Singhania ◎ | PREMIUM |

In the heart of India’s cotton belt lay , a village trapped in a vicious cycle: volatile crop prices, crumbling primary schools, and a sahukar (moneylender) who charged 5% interest per month .

She convinced the council to stop giving subsidised fertilizer (which the rich stole). Instead, they issued Food-for-Work vouchers (a mini MGNREGA ). Villagers built a warehouse in exchange for grains. Indian Economy Nitin Singhania

Result? The sahukar lost power. The (a post office bank) opened a tiny branch. In the heart of India’s cotton belt lay

The elders laughed. But Meera persisted. Villagers built a warehouse in exchange for grains

One evening, , a young economist freshly back from the city, sat with the village council. She didn’t carry a business plan. She carried a worn, tabbed copy of Nitin Singhania’s Indian Economy .

“What’s your secret?” they asked.

“This is a ,” she said. “Don’t write it off – restructure. Convert their debt into equity: they give us labour hours to build a school.”