Wheels of Fire (10 Parts)

Synopsis

The series examines some of Indias’s more successful development schemes which are transforming the lives of communities throughout the sub-continent. The programmes focus on the individual lives of men, women and children (in both rural and urban areas) many of whom are still trapped by the harsh realities of a repressive caste system, exploitation of the poor and a rising birthrate.
Part 1: Shows the Social Work and Research Centre, at Tilonia in Rajasthan, which is the headquarters of one of the most successful experiments in Indian rural development. By concentrating its projects on the poorest, most exploited members of society, especially women, Tilonia has managed to change their lives for the better by helping them to help themselves.
Part 2: Because half of all deaths in India are of children under the age of five, millions of parents will continue to have five or six children rather than two. At the Gandhigram Institute of Rural health and Family Welfare, in the southern state of Tamilnadu, a dramatic improvement in health care of very young children has led to a drop in infant deaths and thus reduced the need for so many births.
Part 3: Shows how the building of a canal started in 1958 and which will eventually be four times longer than the Suez Canal, is transforming 2.5 million acres of once barren land in Rajasthan into rich farmland. Now thousands of families have land of their own and are better off than they could ever have imagined.
Part 4: Most of India’s milk comes from the buffalo, and has traditionally been produced by small farmers with only one or two animals. But during the last 10 years - in Operation Flood - more than 10,000 co-operatives have been established, comprising the largest dairy system in the world. Shows how the scheme has helped small farmers, raising their standard of living and status in the villages. Profits are used to help feed children.
Part 5: The Mulkanoor Co-operative, in Andhra Pradesh, is known throughout India as an example of what co-operative movements can achieve. Some families have belonged for over 20 years, others have only recently joined the scheme.
Part 6: Hyderabad is one of the fastest growing cities in India. At one time more than half the city’s population - over one million people - lived in slums. But during the last 15 years, the city’s Urban Community Development Programme has transformed conditions for Hyderabad slum-dwellers by helping people to help themselves.
Part 7: In most Indian cities nearly half the labour force are women. In 1972 working women in Ahmedabad formed SEWA (Self-Employed Women’s Association) to prevent exploitation and improve their status in the community. Members of SEWA describe their achievements.
Part 8: Every third box of matches in the world is made in India. Most are produced in small factories by women and children; a quarter is made by one company, Wimco. Who are better off, the employees of the big company, or the workers in small factories? Another five million people work at home as hand-loom weavers. Discusses the consequences for them of the increasing demand for machine-made cloth.
Part 9: From small beginnings in 1956, Hero Cycles has become the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world, outside the United States. During the same period, Telco has become India’s largest manufacturer of trucks and buses. Traces their development and discusses the effects of their success on the workers.
Part 10: Follows the progress of the Comprehensive Area Development Corporation in West Bengal in its attempts to introduce radical changes in 20 districts throughout the state. In Sonamukhi, about 100 miles form Calcutta, shows how the village council’s reforms are benefiting the landless labourers, sharecroppers and harijans (untouchables). The most radical change is the sale of land to the landless, but the CADC looks at the entire range of problems of each district including poverty, rural conditions, social structure, malnutrition, etc.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 10 x 30 min.

Year of production

1983

Availability

OUT OF DISTRIBUTION

Uses

Courses on economic, social, political aspects of rural and urban development in Third World areas.*

Subjects

Development studies

Keywords

bicycles; cooperatives; dairies; health care; India; labour (employment); manufacturing industries; motor vehicles; rural development; slum communities; urban development; women workers

Credits

Director

Julian Stenhouse

Producer

Howard Smith

Sections

Title

Call your centre people for help

Synopsis

Part 1: Shows the Social Work and Research Centre, at Tilonia in Rajasthan, which is the headquarters of one of the most successful experiments in Indian rural development. By concentrating its projects on the poorest, most exploited members of society, e

Title

Five million chidren

Synopsis

Part 2: Because half of all deaths in India are of children under the age of five, millions of parents will continue to have five or six children rather than two. At the Gandhigram Institute of Rural health and Family Welfare, in the southern state of Tam

Title

My dear friends, the land is very ugly

Synopsis

Part 3: Shows how the building of a canal started in 1958 and which will eventually be four times longer than the Suez Canal, is transforming 2.5 million acres of once barren land in Rajasthan into rich farmland. Now thousands of families have land of the

Title

After the flood

Synopsis

Part 4: Most of India's milk comes from the buffalo, and has traditionally been produced by small farmers with only one or two animals. But during the last 10 years - in Operation Flood - more than 10,000 co-operatives have been established, comprising th

Title

If it can happen here

Synopsis

Part 5: The Mulkanoor Co-operative, in Andhra Pradesh, is known throughout India as an example of what co-operative movements can achieve. Some families have belonged for over 20 years, others have only recently joined the scheme.

Title

With our own hands

Synopsis

Part 6: Hyderabad is one of the fastest growing cities in India. At one time more than half the city's population - over one million people - lived in slums. But during the last 15 years, the city's Urban Community Development Programme has transformed co

Title

We are so poor, but we are so many

Synopsis

Part 7: In most Indian cities nearly half the labour force are women. In 1972 working women in Ahmedabad formed SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association) to prevent exploitation and improve their status in the community. Members of SEWA describe their achi

Title

Made in India

Synopsis

Part 8: Every third box of matches in the world is made in India. Most are produced in small factories by women and children; a quarter is made by one company, Wimco. Who are better off, the employees of the big company, or the workers in small factories?

Title

All in the family

Synopsis

Part 9: From small beginnings in 1956, Hero Cycles has become the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world, outside the United States. During the same period, Telco has become India's largest manufacturer of trucks and buses. Traces their development and

Title

Next year, maybe

Synopsis

Part 10: Follows the progress of the Comprehensive Area Development Corporation in West Bengal in its attempts to introduce radical changes in 20 districts throughout the state. In Sonamukhi, about 100 miles form Calcutta, shows how the village council's

Production Company

Name

BBC Television

Distributor

Name

BBC Active Video for Learning - now BBC Learning

Contact

Carolina Fernandez Jeremy Wilcox (CF - for educational enquiries JW - channel sales manager)

Email

BBCStudiosLearning@bbc.com

Web

https://www.bbcstudioslearning.com/ External site opens in new window

Phone

+44 (0) 20 8433 1009

Address

BBC Studios Limited
Television Centre
101 Wood Lane
London
W12 7FA
UK

Notes

The BBC Active company has now been absorbed within BBC Learning, a division of BBC Studios. It was originally a joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Pearson Education. Formerly known as ‘BBC Worldwide Learning Studies’ and before that as ‘Videos for Education & Training’