Power of the road
For any longtime observer, the villages of Southasia, even in very remote areas, are today changing rapidly and dramatically. There are several reasons for this, the most significant of which is the construction of new roads, which are increasingly penetrating into more and more valleys and hamlets hitherto inaccessible by motorised transport. In addition, radio, telephone and television networks continue to expand; and drinking-water and electrification schemes, both large and small, are bringing the countryside onto the same grid. Village folks are now beginning to enjoy some of the perks of modernity. All the while, the flow of remittance monies earned by people working in other parts of Southasia or overseas is helping to transform their home country.