Bhawanipatna: Infrastructure development itself does not make an ‘Ideal Village’. Community-led initiatives and collective efforts of the community do. Rajya Sabha MP, Shri Sujeet Kumar believes in community-led development and hence, following the bottom-up approach of the development process for sustainable development of his adopted Gram Panchayats (GPs) which has been deliberately chosen by Mr. Kumar as both the GPs have close to 97% ST & SC population.
He was on a 3-day visit to his adopted SAGY GPs i.e. Sagada and Bhatangpadar in the Kalahandi District of Odisha which created quite a buzz among the local people.
Shri Kumar visited majority of the villages in both the Panchayats and interacted with the villagers. He toured on foot in the remote households along with the Government officials and village volunteers. He conveyed the various social welfare schemes of the Odisha Government and encouraged villagers to take benefit of those schemes. During the visits to these villages, he enquired about the various requirements of the village. The common requirements mooted by the women of these villages were livelihood and income generation activities. Shri Kumar conveyed that collective efforts of the women in the form of SHGs will result in income generation activities. He assured them of providing all kinds of training and support to women SHGs through existing Odisha Government’s schemes for setting up small businesses.
Shri Kumar interacted with the local youths and emphasized upon the critical role they will play in village development and reiterated support to them wherever required in the “SAGY Samavesh” organized in both the GPs. Following Hon’ble CM Shri Naveen Patnaik’s call for “Samajik Seva Karjyakrama” to be taken up across the state from 2nd Oct to 2nd Nov, he initiated cleanliness drives in both the GPs alongwith the village volunteers.
He visited his adopted Sagada and Bhatangpadar High Schools under “Mo School” programme. He interacted with the teaching faculty and discussed about the various requirements of the school. He also reviewed the ongoing development work of Sagada High School which is being transformed under the High School Transformation program under 5T initiative of Govt. of Odisha.
As both the GPs lies nestled in the lush green mountains and offers excellent tourism opportunities, Shri Kumar had discussions with district officials to explore eco-tourism potential of both the Panchayats, including providing training to the local people in tourism and to create job opportunities.
The village Jakam of Sagada GP which have around 35 tribal families, is unconnected due to the Sagada river which flows near the village. Shri Kumar visited this village braving the strong water current to meet the villagers and distribute relief materials to the villagers. He assured the villagers of providing adequate funds for connectivity to the village as soon as possible.
Shri Kumar’s commitment of providing livelihood opportunities as well as developing physical infrastructure such as community centres, mini-stadiums, approach roads etc. is expected to go a long way into making both the GPs truely “Ideal Panchayats”.
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