1. Introduction
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan has given its strong commitment to the achievement of Global Sustainable Goals. Despite tremendous progress on various fronts, a gap still exists between the rural and urban people in achieving all their survival needs. In this context, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan had announced the perennial assistance fund to various participating institutions based on their multi disciplinary work in their adopted villages through technology development and technology customization.
This institute had also got the recognition and awarded with perennial assistance fund of Rs.1.75 lakhs by the National Coordinating Institute UBA 2.0, IIT Delhi on the basis of achievement of action plan and activities carried out during the year from 2018 onwards in the field of water management, solid waste management, conduct of various skill development programmes to the down trodden people, Self Help Group women, daily wage workers, transgender, etc.
This grant is fulfilling the objectives of the scheme with proper guidelines issued from UBA 2.0 followed with the established procedure of this institute.
2. Background
Perennial assistance fund scheme would have been desired to establish various technological customization and development activities across the adopted villages to review, monitor and strengthen the livelihood of people. In this context, an action plan had been prepared to achieve the Gram Panchayat Development Plan and mapping it with UBA themes of Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals.
3. Action taken
This institute had drafted an action plan on the basis of localization of SDGs in the seven adopted villages Kundrakkudi, Palavangudi, Athangudi, O Siruvayal, Soorakkudi, Ariyakkudi and Aaravayal from Sivaganga District with Perennial Assistance Fund under the theme of Self-sufficient infrastructure in village and to create awareness among the village people for the utilization of renewable energy resources available.
In this context, 14 solar street lights were established in these villages located at Schools, Public places like bus stops, road junctions, backward areas of those
villages as mentioned above with the proper consent by Gramin Sabha Members and resolution had been passed by them to make an entry about the establishment of solar street lights at various locations in the adopted villages with cost of Rs.1,72,200/-. Around 800 people benefitted by this scheme.
Medical interventions and homoeopathic medical care for the benefit of rural households in all the UBA villages conducted by SKHM College, Kulasekharam by placing the services of seven (7) medical students and interns in villages which promoted the healthy village theme under this fund of Rs.2800/-. More than 1200 people health data have been collected and given health related suggestions.
Gandhigram Rural Institute, Dindigul had been reviewed the plan of action at the every intervals so as to improve the progress of the work. 14 number of Solar streets were established in all adopted villages by providing 2 numbers of lights per village. Our college Principal Dr P K Palani inaugurated the commissioning of lights on 15/06/22 in all villages. Dr K Ravichandran, Regional Coordinator, UBA, GRI Dindigul presided, Kundrakkudi Panchayat President and People were present during the programme. UBA Coordinator, Loganathan K T made arrangements for the programme.
Medical interventions and homoeopathic medical care for the benefit of rural households in all the UBA villages conducted by SKHM College, Kulasekharam by placing the services of seven (7) medical students and interns in villages which promoted the healthy village. Aaravayal Panchayat President, Secretary, Vice President and UBA Coordinator Loganathan K T were present during the survey.
4. Gram Panchayat Development plan
The Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP) paves the way for the Panchayats to link it with the SDGs. It is important that the SDG goals and targets are deconstructed with the perspective of local governments and presented to them in a way in which they can be used in local planning and implementation.
Panchayats are mandated to prepare and implement plans focusing on the subjects / functions devolved to them leading to achieving SDGs at local level. In line
with the Sustainable Development Goals and to combat with post COVID-19 pandemic crisis, all adopted Gram Panchayats had undertaken several extensive development programmes in rural areas last year which not only helps to develop rural infrastructure but also creates a great impact on environment as well as helps to enhance socio-economic condition of rural people.
Some of noteworthy activities implemented in the last couple of years are:
(i) Set up of SLWM project helped to address environmental degradation and its adverse effects and this consistent with the Sustainable Development Goal 13;
(ii) Arrangement of Special Gram Sabha with Women & Children along with Bal Sabha and to ensure maximum active participation in a view to address the needs of women & children and this initiative is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, 5;
(iii) Excavation of 6 firm ponds in the land of individual beneficiaries, providing organic farming training to 330 farmers, social forestry in about 5 km road, providing Chick shelter with chicks to 600 beneficiaries and skill development programmes on sericulture, apiculture, mushroom cultivation, etc to 18 Self Help Groups help to end poverty and sustainable development of agricultural work.
Women beneficiaries have been given privilege in all these projects. Besides 300 farmers have been provided with soil health card after necessary soil test and these all programmes are consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2,5,8 and 15;
(iv) Creation of a beautiful Children’s Park helps to overall development of children within Panchayat area and this activity is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 3;
(v) To develop pre-primary education system by constructing 7 ICDS buildings as well as to provide nutritional support to women and children are consistent with the Sustainable Development Goal 2, 4, 5;
5. Next plan of action
(i) Regular monitoring to maintain ODF status helps to keep the whole Gram Panchayat area clean and this consistent with Sustainable Development Goal 6;
(ii) Rural connectivity has been enhanced by developing 11 km of rural roads to all weather roads and this also facilitate the sale of manufactured rural goods and this activity is in line with Sustainable Development Goal 8 and 9;
(iii) Gram Panchayat has initiated several handhold skill development trainings such as bag making, beautician, sewing training, soft toy crafting, paper bag making etc. besides arrangements have been made for marketing those items also. This initiative of Gram Panchayat is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 3, 5;
(iv) Gram Panchayat has tried to eradicate poverty and to ascertain well being for all by providing monthly pension to 54 non BPL but marginalized people and by providing permanent financial support to 13 families of missing or dead fishermen. And these initiatives consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals 1,2 and 3;
(v) In order to reduce agriculture pollution, several workshops related to organic farming have been arranged; besides farmers have been encouraged to use SLWM Project generated compost fertilizer at a subsidized rate. Gram Panchayat has started a new initiative to transform two villages into organic village and the project is called “My Village-Organic Village”. All these initiatives align with the Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 13;
(vi) By ensuring 100 percent rural electrification and also by arranging more than 700 street lights in rural roads help to reduce crime tendency as well as to ensure road safety. And these initiatives are in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 7;
(vii) Gram Panchayat has arranged for several rally, workshop, meeting to eradicate various social issues viz women and child trafficking, child marriage, education for all, health and hygiene, child labour etc; and this initiative consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4 and 5;
(viii) Gram Panchayat has raised 3 hectare of forest and these activity is consistent with Sustainable Development Goal 15;
ix) A variety of programmes were observed to promote civic awareness regarding water borne diseases. In addition to initiate propagation on drinking water crisis among villagers, soak pits have been constructed near each tube well. Gram Panchayat has ensured safe drinking water for each household, water testing for each tube well has been done twice in a year. And these activities are in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 6 with the help of Ministry of Jal Sakthi under the scheme of “Har Ghar Jal” (Jal Jeevan Mission)
(x) In order to provide health services to even all the marginalized people, several free health check up camps for women and children has been arranged. Besides 2 voluntary blood donation camps have also been organized and these activities are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 6;
6. Conclusion
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Scheme Perennial Assistance Fund promotes the localization of sustainable development goal mapping with the activities done by this institute in the adopted villages.
80 School children of O Siruvayal panchayat are utilizing solar street light which is installed at the school for their night study and to play in the ground.
