Jagdalpur, 07 December 2020. When Corona slowed down all activities conducted around the world, it was again given momentum through panchayats for education, health and employment in Vananchal like Bastar. Especially in rural areas, there is no reduction in the pace of development, so the work was made to make the panchayats aware of the rights and duties. Local dialects such as halbi and gondi were also used for this task.
Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, was in favor of strengthening the Panchayat system for the welfare of even the last man. With the same vision, on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary (October 2) to bring basic needs like education, health and employment to the people and to develop the capacity of Panchayats, ‘Badhati Panchayat-Amcho Bastar’ means Rising Panchayat in Bastar district. Our Bastar campaign was started. The role of Panchayats was also strengthened under this campaign, which was started to remove the hurdle in the field of education, nutrition and employment due to Corona.
To speed up development in Bastar, it is only possible to illuminate every house with the torch of education, when all of them try this together. The school education department is generally held responsible for imparting education and the foundation of education is laid in children through schools. During the Corona period, the pace of education for children should not be slowed down, so the state government conducted programs like Tehunar Duar. An innovative attempt was made by the Bastar district administration to keep children connected with education through loud speakers, which not only won praise across the state, but it was also implemented throughout the state. Along with this, mohalla classes, learning programs and reading campaigns are being conducted continuously.
In order to give momentum to these programs and to continue, the work of connecting the heads of society and panchayat representatives with this program was also done. Monthly meetings were organized to improve the quality of education in the presence of teachers, Anganwadi workers, Panchayat representatives, school managers, voluntary organizations. To complete their participation in this campaign, the youth who have completed their studies also went to the mohallas to teach children. The Panchayat representatives also organized various competitions to make the study interesting and rewarding the children played their important role in making this campaign successful. Along with this, continuous support was also provided to provide better education.
In order to speed development in any society, it is necessary for all people to be healthy and well-nourished. It begins as the baby arrives in the womb, and children from birth to six years of age need the most nutrients, as children’s brain development is also greatest during this period. Nutritional deficiency in childhood lasts a lifetime. Constant efforts are being made by the state government as well as the district administration to reduce the rate of malnutrition in the district, but due to lack of awareness among the parents, there was a need to make more efforts for the success of this campaign. Through the ‘Harik Nonibera’ and Women and Child Development Department, run by the Bastar district administration, government schemes operated to remove malnutrition can benefit pregnant mothers and infant mothers, teenage girls with young children, For this, work of creating awareness through the representatives of Panchayat was started. Various social leaders were also linked to this campaign. Cultivation of vegetables in Anganwadi centers is also being encouraged for the cultivation of vegetables. Along with this, all vaccines are being imparted, weighed and if needed, it is also being motivated to take advantage of the health facility by providing nutrition rehabilitation center.
Most of the villagers of Bastar district are small marginal farmers or agricultural laborers and usually turn to big cities for employment after paddy harvesting in the Kharif season. This year Corona has also affected the economic activity of big cities, due to which there is a decrease in migration of villagers. In order to provide employment locally to these villagers, efforts are being made to motivate the Panchayat representatives and society heads as well as to connect them with employment oriented works. Apart from providing employment to these migrant laborers through employment generation programs like MNREGA, the state government’s ambitious programs like Narva, Garua, Ghurwa, Bari were also linked. Agro-based activities in rural areas definitely generate the most employment and Narva, Garua, Ghurwa, Programs like Bari are an important program taken towards making farmers self-reliant. The work of making Vermi and Nadeep composts in the Gothanas built under the Narva, Garua, Ghurwa, Bari programs was also accelerated. Efforts are being made to increase activities like dairy, goat rearing and poultry farming along with efforts to provide perennial farming opportunities through works like water harvesting and water augmentation. Considering the possibilities of value addition from processing as well as collection of forest produce
Work is also being done towards the establishment of forest produce processing units. Apart from linking women self-help groups with job-oriented tasks, the work of training as per requirement is also being provided through the district administration. Along with this, work of providing employment opportunities to migrant laborers through construction agencies is also being done with priority.
