Organizing comprehensive community care

In Madras (Kerala, India) community care is devolved to "street cells", made up of people in a neighbourhood without consideration of their status or wealth. Local street cells may be responsible for collection and disposal of garbage and kitchen wastes, supply of clean water, decision on building standards for the area, and collecting the taxes. The cells are combined into Area Councils, Area Councils into Divisions, Divisions into Ranges and the Ranges into a Corporation. Each level in the pyramid has full and autonomous control of expenditure of part of the taxes, and the beneficiaries determine their own priorities. This form of civic participation down to the street level keeps everyone involved in civic affairs and everyone concerned with the welfare of their neighbourhood. By putting care and concern for the community above self-interest and by trusting the people to make their own decisions, Kerala boasts health and well-being standards equal to the best of the developed countries, with per capita incomes in the order of only US$200 per year.