No takers for Modi’s `model village’
By L.S. Herdenia
It appears that bulk of MPs are not interested in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream project of Model village. This became clear by the poor presence of MPs at the workshop held in Bhopal. The workshop was organised by the Rural Development Ministry of the Government of India. All the members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were invited but only 31 MPs turned up. Other 30 MPs sent their representative. Not only from other parts of the country even most of the MPs from Madhya Pradesh did not attend the workshop. Only 11 MPs from Madhya Pradesh attended the workshop while the MP sends 29 members to the Lok Sabha and 11 to the Rajya Sabha. Not only MPs even the officials posted in the model villages also did not turn up in expected numbers. Critical reports appeared in the media about the status of the scheme. For instance it was revealed that most of the MPs adopted such villages which are already developed. Similarly MPs have adopted such villages which are connected with main roads. Few MP are keen to adopt such villages which are under developed and for away from the main roads.
A local newspaper carried out extensive survey of some villages which were adopted by MPs. One such village has been adopted by BJP Lok Sabha member Alok Sanjar. One year is over since Sanjar adopted this village. But nothing has changed in this village. Women have to cover a distance of two KMs to fetch drinking water. Liquor shop is located just opposite the school. Even enough teachers are not there to take care of students. Najma Heptulla, former Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha has adopted a village in Indore district. Residents of the village told the reporter of the concerned news paper that nothing has changed in this village during last one year. Najma has not even visited this village. Asked about this Najma explained that she has asked the local Assembly member to take care of the village adopted by her.
The newspaper also surveyed the villages adopted by Rajya Sabha member Chandan Mitra, Lok Sabha member Jhavar Chand Gehlot, Central Minister Narendra Tomar, Lok Sabha member Uday Pratap Singh and Lok Sabha member Nand Kumar Chauhan, who also happens to be the president of Madhya Pradesh BJP.
Residents of the village adopted by Chandan Mitra, who is the proprietor of the daily newspaper Pioneer, said that Mitra has only once visited the village. Even after one year this village continued without street lights. School of Gehlot’s village does not have a teacher. Tomar has the distinction of visiting his adopted village four times. Roads and Aganwadi building have been constructed with the estimated expenditure of Rs. one crore. Residents of the village adopted by Uday Pratap Singh complained that despite popular demand liquor shop could not be removed from the village. According to reports submitted during the workshop villages adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar recorded remarkable development. While Modi’s village is located in Varanasi district while Tendulkar village located in Andhra Pradesh.
The streets of the village adopted by Modi have been electrified by the solar system.
After the workshops addressing a press conference Union Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh denied that there was a shortage of funds for rural development or that funding for schemes had been curtailed. The minister said the 14th finance commission had recommended an allocation of Rs. 2.92 lakh crore to panchayats. He said smaller panchayats will get an average of Rs. 14-15 lakh per annum, while bigger panchayats will receive Rs. 50-60 lakh per annum.
The minister also met MP rural development minister Gopal Bhargava and other state officials to discuss the MNREGS, PMGSY and Indira Awas Yojana. Sources said the meeting marked by complaints about shortage of funds.
The minister also said the Union government had decided to develop 300 village clusters across the country. Each cluster would have a population of 25,000 to 50,000 and a total of Rs. 50-55 crore would be spent on each cluster. The Centre would bear 30 per cent of the total cost in case there is a shortage of funds. He said opportunities should be created in rural areas to stem migration to cities. Earlier, while inaugurating the national workshop, the Union minister said governments should be given longer time to function as five years often appears short time to perform. He said the term of office should be increased to six-seven years.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the mindset of people on rural development needed to change and initiative needed to be taken rather than just depending on the government for everything. (IPA Service)