There are many villages in Gujarat, which are progressing with the support of the villagers along with the government schemes. It also includes Afwa village of Bardoli taluk. Afwa village situated on Bardoli Wankaner road in Bardoli taluk is already known as Adarsh village. In addition to government assistance, the village has taken a new direction of development with the support of NRIOs living in the village. The people of Halapati community living in the village earn their livelihood mainly by doing agricultural labour. While most of the Patidar community has settled abroad and those who live here, they are engaged in agriculture.
People of Mahyavanshi society have also been living in other castes. Sugarcane, paddy and vegetables are cultivated to a large extent in the village. Farmers use canal water for irrigation as canal water is available in sufficient quantity for agriculture. Apart from Bardoli, the farmers of Mahuwa and Marhi sugar factories near the sugar factory mostly opt for sugarcane cultivation. Being a small village there is no major problem in the village. People of all castes live peacefully in the village.
The total area of the village divided into 9 blocks is 555.53 hectares. The village is bordered by Isroli, Gotasa, Bamroli and Khali villages. Since Bardoli is very close to town, people here mainly depend on Bardoli. As the village is located on the Bardoli-Valod state highway, transport facilities are also available here. The buses of the Gujarat State Transport Corporation arrive here on time, making travel easier for the poor and needy people of the village. The village is administered under Afwa Gotasa Group Gram Panchayat.
Mumbai has been a rumored ideal village since the statehood
Afwa village, located about five km from Bardoli on the Bardoli-Wankaner road, has been gaining fame as an ideal village over the years. As most of the Patidar community of the village have settled abroad over the years, they are contributing greatly to the development of the village. As soon as the Patidars of the village go to Paliya, they will feel as if they have come to a foreign land. Roads, water facilities, sewer lines and other infrastructure facilities are available in all the plots. Village leader and former sarpanch Lallubhai Patel said, Afwa village has been an ideal village since the time of Mumbai (Gujarat Maharashtra united state). Even then the village got the shield of ideal village. Even today it retains the title of ideal village. This has become possible only with the support of all the villagers.
Demographic Information (as of 2011)
Total house 495
Total population 2202
Male 1058
Female 1144
Scheduled Castes 140
Scheduled Tribes 1288
Literacy rate
Total 73.17%
Male 77.41%
Female 69.26%
Village boards
Patel plank Mahyavanshi plank Nishal plank Padar plank New plank Ten span plank Neher plank Akkal hill plank Vallabhnagar
Gram Panchayat Body
1 Damayantiben Hasmukhbhai Dhodia – Sarpanch
2 Pinalben Samirbhai Patel – Upsarpanch
3 Bhartiben Shaileshbhai Patel
4 Sudhaben Ashwinbhai Halapati
5 Hirenbhai Jivanbhai Parmar
6 Raniben Bhikhubhai Dhodia
7 Bhavnaben Jivanbhai Nayaka
8 Hasubhai Bhikhabhai Dhodia
9 Amitaben Gameet – Talati cum Minister
80 percent of the Patidar community settled abroad
The largest population in the village belongs to the Halapati community. Besides, the people of Patidar society and Mahyavanshi society also live peacefully. The Patidar community has settled abroad over the years. 80 percent of people live abroad. Especially in USA, the village people live in large numbers and are engaged in their business and jobs there. They continue to support each year to pay off the debt of the homeland. Patidar Paliya has been beautified with their support. The beautification of Paliya was started from the year 2015-16. In which underground power lines, cables and internet wires, as well as wooden planks were built. There are no electric wires hanging anywhere in the planks. Which has become possible with the support of NRIs and local Patidars. While the people of Halapati society are involved in agricultural labor as well as animal husbandry. In the village, they earn their living by rearing animals like goats, cows, buffaloes. The people of Mahyavanshi society are mostly involved in clerical work and agriculture.
The roads are clear
Years ago, we used to see a saying that there is a village where there is a village. But now the villages have also started developing. As the Prime Minister launched a cleaning campaign, cleanliness is now being seen in the villages. But the intelligentsia of Afwa village had a far-sighted view years ago. Due to which this village is ahead compared to any other village today. If we talk about cleanliness in the village, it puts even the city to shame. Village roads and all house yards are seen clean. The people of the village have constructed a ring road around the village. So that heavy vehicles can move out of the village easily. Apart from this, CC road and paver blocks add to the beauty of the village.
Renovation done five years ago
Around 2015-16, renovation work was started in Patidar Paliya. The people of Patidar Paliya have provided facilities that put even the city to shame without any government assistance. This was made possible by the financial cooperation of NRIs and local people. There are no electricity, cable TV or internet wires hanging anywhere in Paliya. All wires are buried underground. Due to which the beauty of the village has increased. Renovation of the village was carried out at an estimated cost of more than four crores. After this renovation, the patidar planks of the village are seeing a glow.
Various facilities are available with the help of villagers
Naresh Patel, the leader of the village, says that our village has been in need of development for years. This work has been possible only with the support of NRIs and villagers. A marriage hall has also been constructed by the society. In which various programs are organized from marriage. The village school building has also been built with the help of village donors. Apart from this, mineral water plant and water parab are also quenching the thirst of people. In the earlier times, a water parb was used for the passers-by, from that, a modern parb has been built with the help of the NRIs of the village. Which has been used by villagers as well as passers-by.
Development of co-operative activity also
Gujarat is still ahead in the direction of development due to government activity. Many people are also getting employment through this activity. Even though 80 percent of the Patidars are rumored to have settled abroad, the people living here are taking care of agriculture. Cooperative activity has also developed well in the village. As many as three co-operative societies are currently functioning in the village. Talking about this, village elder and founder president of Piyat Mandal Kamleshbhai Patel said that the families settled abroad have also handed over their farming to the families living here. An irrigation society has also been established in the village on a cooperative basis to ensure that agriculture is done systematically. Due to which irrigation in agriculture has become possible in the village very easily. Apart from this, a rice mill is also running on a cooperative basis in the village, which the farmers of the village and surrounding areas are also taking advantage of. Rice mills have been providing affordable prices to farmers. The village is also home to a co-operative society called Sahakari Mandali Limited, which converts and sells Afwa Vikas crops. Farmers have been working for the welfare of the members.
A blessing for the village dairy farmers
Industrialization has spread in Gujarat, but agriculture and animal husbandry are also progressing against the growing population. In this age of technology this industry cannot be ignored. In Afwa village, Afwa milk producer cooperative society is located, in which the herdsmen of the village have been supplying milk in the morning and evening. The milk is delivered directly to Sumul Dairy. Special attention is paid by the management of the association to ensure that the animal husbandry gets affordable prices. Due to the Dudhmandali, the village herdsmen find it easy to sell their milk and also get their compensation on time. This compensation is also deposited in the bank in the village, which benefits the members.
Number of women more than men
India recently surpassed China in terms of population and India has the highest number of young people in the world. Many countries are also suffering due to low population. So the ratio between men and women is also seen as worrying. Then, with the campaign launched by the government, little improvement is being seen in the ratio of men and women. As per 2011 census, the total population of Afwa village is 2202, including 1058 males and 1144 females. According to the gender ratio, the population of women has been seen to be higher in the rumour. Which can be said to be very good and commendable compared to the state and Surat district. Afwa village has a sex ratio of 1081, which is higher than Gujarat’s average sex ratio of 919. There are very few villages in Bardoli taluka, including Afwa village, which have more population of women than men. However, their literacy rate has been found to be low in comparison to the male population in contrast to the larger female population. The total literacy rate is 73.17, with male literacy rate of 77.41 percent and female literacy rate of 69.26 percent. On one hand, the sex ratio of the state and Surat district is decreasing, the increase recorded in the sex ratio of Afwa village is an inspiration for other villages and cities.
Morning and evening sweet music plays in the speaker
Music therapy is now being used in major illnesses. Music therapy gives a person peace of mind. And for this reason small speakers are placed on every electric pole in Patel Paliya, in which soft music is played in addition to morning and evening bhajans. Such music creates a positive and devotional atmosphere in the village. Aarti and tunes are played in the morning and evening. As soon as the music starts in the morning and evening, the elders sit outside and enjoy the music. Due to this facility, the atmosphere of the village remains positive and the sense of unity among the people is strengthened.
Eye catching trees
As soon as the boundary of this village adjacent to Bardoli town continues, the fields are green due to the sugarcane crop. In some fields, the green paddy seems to cool the eyes in summer. So a village means there is greenery all around. But trees have been planted with the help of villagers to maintain greenery in Paliya. Along with the development of the village, the concept of preservation of the environment has also been kept. As soon as you enter the village, there are rows of trees standing upright on both sides of the road. The villagers are also maintaining the trees. The trees planted in the village are protecting the environment as well as enhancing the beauty of the village.
Deepak Patel struck a chord on foreign soil
Deepak alias Dilip Patel, known as NRI and Sardar in the village of Afwa, has struck a chord on foreign soil. Deepakbhai Patel, born in an ordinary farmer’s family, went to America and became known as Danny Patel. After going there and working a small job, he gradually entered the motel hotel business and he has been the chairman of the Best Western Hotel, which is considered the top in America, along with the owner of the hotel. Apart from this, he also founded the American Pride Bank with Indians in America and was also its chairman. Currently he is involved in the construction business in America. They are so attached to their homeland that they come 3 to 4 times a year. He also has a good relationship with the country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has a good hold among Indians in America. Also, he has been playing an important role in the local politics of Bardoli.
The fountain made by the priest quenches the thirst of the people
In earlier times, the village padar used to make parab by placing water pots for the passers-by. Now as the times have changed, so has the Parab. A state-of-the-art parab has been built in Afwa village. A special aqueduct has been constructed in the village to provide cold and mineral water to the people. This watercourse has been built by the village priest with the help of the villagers. Which is used by passersby. Apart from this, the facility of mineral water has also been made available to the villagers. In the scorching heat of the afternoon, the laborers who come home from work feel refreshed by drinking the water of this stream.
The Chief Minister was present for Gunotsav in the village school
The primary school building in the village has been built with the help of villagers and NRIOs. Even the government officials who come here put their fingers in their mouths when they see a government primary school building that rivals even private schools. In January-2017, the then Chief Minister of the state Vijaybhai Rupani visited the primary school of Afwa village. He evaluated the school children under Gunotsav-2017. He attended the prayer meeting of the school and evaluated the children of class-1 to 8 in stages. When the chief minister reached the village, the enthusiasm of the people of the village was seen and they gave him a warm welcome. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also happy to see the facility of the village. He appealed to other villages to take inspiration.
The development is being done by the government scheme
Government assistance is also playing an important part in the development of the village. Road, water and electricity facilities have been made available in the village under various schemes of the state and central government. Under the tap water scheme, the facility of clean drinking water has also reached the people in the village. Works like paver block, CC road, sewer line are being done in various parts of the village. In some slabs the works have been completed, while in some works are in progress. Apart from this, the villagers are also getting housing benefits under various schemes. Various schemes of the state and central government are being well implemented in the village.