Bharat, our beloved nation has predominantly been a rural structure. It’s growth story has been alongside rivers and in pre independence era, 80% of Bharat’s population resided in villages.
In earlier times the villages thrived with economic activities and prosperity. Villages were self sufficient and all the basic requirements of people living in the villages were fulfilled within village itself.
But post independence, the unplanned industrialization from the first five-year-plan caused the flow of village population towards Urban areas in search of jobs, resulting in economic activities of rural Bharat getting hampered.
Mahatma Gandhi’s economic outlook for post independence Bharat was of cultivating the URBAN ECONOMIC STRUCTURE. As per Gandhiji’s economic views, Bharat’s growth should have been rooted in the villages as the majority of Bharat lived in rural areas. He emphasised focusing more on the village economy as he believed that if the village-economy was strong and the people residing in villages were encouraged to produce their own goods, sell them in the market and make their source of income, they would not have to migrate to urban areas for livelihood.
Unfortunately Nehruvian Government did adopt the Socialists model but failed at implementing the significant nuance of Socialist model. With depleted state of villages due to drained economic activities, the prosperity of villages was exhausted where as Urban areas, weighed with mushrooming of excessive flow of migrants from villages, widened the gap between affluent and underprivileged.
For decades, the village structure was in ramshackle condition. Lacking the basic infrastructure such as Electricity, Drinking Water, Educational facilities etc.
In 2001, when Narendra Modiji become the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he implemented various schemes such as Jyotigram Yojna, Gokulgram Yojna, Jyoti Gramodyog Vikas Yojna that brought revolutionary Progress in villages of Gujarat.
During his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat Modiji revived the villages with modern technology while maintaining its rural structure intact. Electrifying each village put a stop to people having to travel far and wide for work. Provision of updated irrigation techniques like Check dam and Drip Irrigation facilities resolved the dependency on monsoon for farming to a great extent.
Interlinking of rivers within Gujarat, filled the dry rivers in regions with lesser rainfall. Narmada river, the lifeline of Gujarat, brought the Green revolution in the state.
Taking these initiatives forward the Hon. Prime Minister announced from the Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day in 2014 that the villages must be developed and nurtured. Hon. Prime Minister implemented a revolutionary scheme named Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna, resting the responsibility on the shoulders of elected representatives, the 543 Member of Parliament of Lower House (Loksabha) and 250 Members of Upper House (Rajya Sabha) including 12 nominated members.
Inspired by the principals and values of Mahatma Gandhi, the scheme places equal stress on nurturing values of national pride, patriotism, community spirit, self confidence and on developing infrastructure, Hon. Prime Minister launched this flagship programme of Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojna (SAGY) on the 11th October 2014 on the birth anniversary of Loknayak Jayprakash Narayan at New Delhi.
SAGY was initiated with an important objective to bring the members of Parliament, across the political parties under the same umbrella while taking the responsibility of developing physical and institutional infrastructure in villages and turn them into model villages.
Under this Yojna, each member of parliament is expected to select two to three villages, other than their own or their in-law’s village and fix the parameters and foster it into a model village by 2019. Thereafter, every year they are to choose one village and convert it into a model village, for the next five years. (2024).
SAGY aims at focusing upon the social development, cultural development and spread motivation among the people on social mobilisation of the village community.
The important aspects of model village are building a Hospital and healthcare facilities, pucca roads, Educational institutions, Playgrounds, Toilel in each house as well as at the public places etc. It also emphasizes on updated childbirth facilities as well as provision of sufficient supply of nutrients for new mother and child, e-education facilities, social justice and labour welfare centres. Creating job opportunities for the underprivileged section or inspire them to rise in their own profession and earn better livelihood is also a major goal. Provision of transport facilities along with maintaining environmental equilibrium are significant objectives of a model village.
Each member of parliament has been expected to shoulder the responsibility of adopting three villages in the first five years of its implementation and hence 2379 villages are revived as model village as on 2019.
Post 2019, each Member (Sansad) would have to adopt one village each year and thus more 3965 villages would be uplifted in the model category. Hence, by 2024, total of 6344 villages will witness a facelift.
There are around 5000 Members of Legislative Assembly and Legislative Councils across all states of Bharat. They also would be adopting villages in their constituency and support the cause.
Funds for SAGY have been allocated from existing schemes, such as Indira Awaas Yojna, PradhanMantri Gram Sadak Yojna, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Scheme and Backward Regions Grant Fund etc. along with the member of parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), the Gram Panchayat‘s own revenue, Central and State Finance Commission Grants and Corporate Social Responsibility Funds.
In implementation of SAGY, at the national level, the elected representative, Member of Parliament and member of Legislative Assembly, have the most prominent role to play. The key responsibilities of MP is to identify the Adarsh Gram, facilitate the planning process, mobilise additional funds and monitor the scheme.
There are two committees, headed by the Minister of Rural Development and the Secretary of Rural Development Ministry, respectively. These committees monitor the process of identification and planning, identify the bottlenecks in the scheme, issue operational guidelines and indicate specific resource support which each Ministry can provide.
At the state level, a committee headed by the Chief Secretary works at the helm of the Affairs.
Supplementing the central guidelines for the scheme, reviewing the village development plans and its implementation along with outlining the monitoring mechanisms and designing a grievance redressal mechanism for the scheme are the important aspects handled at the state level by the Chief Secretary.
Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna is a portrayal of Hon. Prime Minister’s Statesmanship, rising above politics.
Every Sansad (MP), across the party line, has duty to adopt a village and work for its welfare and betterment, which manifests its truest goal of bringing together all the people’s representatives, irrespective of politics they belong to, project single goal of upliftment of Nation and bring positive change in lives of its citizens.
Hon. Prime Minister himself, had adopted a village called Jayapur in Varanasi constituency. Sonia Gandhi had adopted Udwa village in Rae Bareli. Rahul Gandhi had adopted Deeh village in Amethi. Sachin Tendulkar had adopted Puttamraju vari Kandriga (P.R. Kandriga), a village near Gudur in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh and Donja village in Osmanabad in Marathawada in Maharashtra. General V K Singh had adopted Mirpur Hindu in his constituency Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, to name a few.
Jayapur lacked all the basic facilities of properly constructed school and children were made to study under the tree, as well as there were no Public toilets or even toilets in homes and women lived under fear and embarrassment of defecating in the open space. Now, under SAGY the situation is completely changed. Properly constructed colourful classrooms attract the children to attend school regularly. Narayan Patel, The Gram Pradhan of the village is overwhelmed with Light and Fan (the power supply) in all public utility service centres. Another resident of Jayapur, Shyamsundar feels elated with the Banking facility and a Post office at their door steps. The Pucca Roads with street lights, Playground and a Girl’s school with Toilets has built new confidence and hope for the residents of this village.
Another village in Uttar Pradesh has inspiring tale to tell. Nimka village in Dr. Mahesh Sharma’s constituency of Gautam Buddhha Nagar has seen the transition to a model village. Asha Sharma, the school teacher in Nimka recalls that earlier the school ground remained muddy and the teachers had to carry little children in their arms across the ground. Now with the implementation of SAGY, the playground has been tiled and school has been provided with Fan, Solar Light and Benches. School now boasts of Computer Lab that keeps the students well versed in global developments. The Skill Development centre for women felicitating them with training in Stitching and other vocational guidance under SAGY, enriches their lives and providing them with job opportunities to stand on their own feet.
Gorhe village in Palghar district near Wada in Maharashtra was adopted by North Mumbai Member of Parliament, Shri. Gopal Shetty. As the North Mumbai constituency is an urban constituency, Gopal Shettyji took the responsibility of the village in the neighbouring district. Under SAGY, Gorhe has seen change of face with comprehensive development. New Gram Panchayat building, Multipurpose center and a new bridge have been significant infrastructural development. Provision of basic amenities such as Pucca house, Electricity connections, Access roads, Public Institutions, Broadband connectivity have been important welfare projects that Gorhe village has witnessed under the SAGY. For economic development of the region, promoting diversified agriculture and horticulture, Dairy processing, Skill development workshops, Self employment and job placement opportunities along with expanding Village tourism has enriched the lives of people of Gorhe and brought them livelihood. This area transitionally being a tribal village, Warli art is their unique specialty that the tribal people of Gorhe possess. Nurturing this art form and inspiring the tribals to beautify their village as well as earn livelihood through this ability has been promoted under SAGY. Promotion of human development has been achieved through Awareness campaign about health care and hygiene, Vaccination, Immunisation, Insurance Schemes, Access to education for all and converting the schools into smart schools (e-classrooms, e-library) has enhanced the growth of Gorhe.
All in all, ‘गाँवों की आत्मा और शहर की सुविधा’ has been the conviction, extremely close to Hon. Prime Minister’s heart.
Creation of RURBAN model was a dream vision of Mahatma Gandhi. Hon. PM shri Narendra Modiji has taken fruitful steps to fulfil this dream vision through RURBAN mission.