Senior officers, entrepreneurs, social workers, experts and social organizations of the state discussed in the seminar organized by Chhattisgarh Government, Pt. Ravi Shankar Shukla University and TRIF
Experts gave suggestions to deal with the challenges of rural development
Raipur. 22 July 2023
State Government, Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla Vishwavidyalaya Raipur and Transforming Rural India Foundation (TRIF) organized ‘India Rural Colloqui’ at a private hotel in Raipur today. Senior officials of the state government, entrepreneurs, social workers, experts and representatives of social organizations interacted on the topic “Society-Government-Market in New Village” in different sessions in the colloqui (symposium). It was organized to discuss the main challenges of rural development, poverty, inequality and other topics. In the colloqui, the representatives of the society, government and market presented their suggestions to tackle the challenges of rural development. During this, the role of society, government and market in the construction of new villages and the solutions to the challenges were also discussed in detail.
A booklet based on the success of women under the Lakhpati Didi scheme of the State Rural Livelihoods Mission (BIHAN) and Millets Recipe Book prepared by Raigad Millets Cafe were also released at the colloqui. Deputy Chairman of Chhattisgarh State Planning Commission Mr. Ajay Singh, Vice Chancellor of Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla University Dr. Sachchidanand Shukla, Director of Chhattisgarh State Rural Livelihood Mrs. Padmini Bhoi Sahu and Managing Director of Transforming Rural India Foundation Mr. Anish Kumar inaugurated the colloquia by lighting the lamp.
Addressing the inaugural session, Vice Chairman of Chhattisgarh State Planning Commission Mr. Ajay Singh said that ‘India Rural Colloqui’ is being organized for the first time in Chhattisgarh at the regional level. This will give real and correct information for planning at the national level. The information obtained on the basis of local thinking and challenges will prove useful in the formulation of plans. He said that India has emerged as the 5th largest economy in its journey of 75 years.
Director of the State Rural Livelihood Mission Mrs. Padmini Bhoi Sahu kept her views on the role of women in the society and the change in it. He said that it is a challenge to get women out of their homes to make them financially independent. This work can be done through support, motivation and group discussion. In Chhattisgarh, positive changes have taken place in the lives of a large number of women by joining women-centric schemes like Gauthan, Ripa, Bihaan and their standard of living is rising. Vice Chancellor of Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla University, Dr. Sachchidanand Shukla said in his video message that the objective of this colloqui is to take the benefits of the market to the last person of the society through the government. The conclusions drawn after today’s discussion will help in making plans for the backward classes.
Today, the first session of the day-long colloquia focused on the theme ‘Sapno Ka Samundar’ (Deep Drive into Dreams). In this, youths, public representatives, Bihan didis and rural families from remote rural areas of the state talked about their lives, struggles, challenges and dreams. He also presented the picture of changing Chhattisgarh. Social worker and Senior Program Manager Dr. Manjit Kaur Bal discussed in this session that dreams will come true with opportunity and cooperation. It is everyone’s responsibility to complete the system and technology.
In the second session of the Colloqui on ‘Regenerative Development’, Secretary, Panchayat and Rural Development Department, Mr. Prasanna R. Said that we have to move towards development keeping in mind the global changes. The cooperation of the community is also necessary in this. While making plans, we have to go one step ahead of sustainable development and think with regenerative approach for positive change. With this thought, the forest area has increased in Chhattisgarh in the era of de-forestation. There has been a rapid reduction in multidimensional poverty here. State MNREGA Commissioner Mr. Rajat Bansal, Ms. Anantika of Hindustan Unilever Foundation and film actress and social worker Ms. Rajshree Deshpande also presented their views in this session.
In the third session of the Colloqui on ‘Complementary Role of Society-Government-Market in Rural Development’, Agriculture Production Commissioner Dr. Kamalpreet Singh said that in view of the rapid changes taking place in the agriculture sector, there is a need to work on empowering the producers to market their products effectively to get proper market. Renowned social worker Dr. Shankar Dutta and economist Dr. Ravindra Kumar Brahme also stressed on fair market practices, empowering rural producers and adoption of digital commerce. He said that these can prove to be important steps towards a more inclusive and prosperous future for the villages. Writer Mr. Sanjeev Phansalkar also presented his views in this session.
The last session of the Colloqui focused on ‘Rebuilding the Village – Role of Caste and Occupational Change on Inter-Generational Progression from Structural Constraints’. Adviser to Chief Minister Shri Pradeep Sharma said in the session that efforts to break down caste-based occupational restrictions and challenge traditional barriers to social mobility are necessary steps towards promoting a more inclusive and just society. The “Mahatma Gandhi Rural Industrial Park” of Chhattisgarh government is a positive step in this direction. Dr. Vibha Gupta of Magan Memorial Wardha said that the villagers should not depend on the market but make their own essential things. The farmer should prepare the seeds himself. You should use your own compost. Our new village should be a self-sufficient village. Shri Anish Kumar, Managing Director, Transforming Rural India Foundation, underlined how the division of labor has actually transformed into division of labour. Officials from Panchayat and Rural Development and Agriculture Department, Ms. Neerja Kudrimoti, Mr. Shreesh Kalyani and Mr. Rajeev Kumar Tripathi from Transforming Rural India Foundation were also present in the colloqui.
