Shillong, May 29, 2017: The ‘Gramoday Initiative’ –Inter sub-watershed football tournament final match was held at Dikki Bandi Stadium, Dakopgre, West Garo Hills, Tura. The mega event was sponsored by IBDLP and co-sponsored by Mission Unite, Office of Chief Electoral Officer, Meghalaya and District Election Officer, West Garo Hills, Tura. The star organisers were District Administration, Tura, Soil & Water Conservation Dept., District Sports Officer and IBDLP, BDU, Tura. The co-organisers of the event were District Election Dept., Chief Minister’s Youth for Green (CMYFG), water users & watershed groups and Tura Municipal Board.
It may be mentioned that the inter-sub watershed football tournament which kick started on the august occasion of the 45thMeghalaya Day celebration on 21st January , 2017 had participation of over 98 teams from 6 blocks of West Garo Hills, with 99 games being played in the series. The mega finals played on 27th June, 2017 had winners of 6 blocks, who showed their mettle to covet the district champion titles. The final game was played between Rongram and Selsella team. The Selsella team synchronised brilliantly well to covet the title and became the Gramoday District Champions. Shri Jimberth Marak and Shri Fridynath Marak received the Player of the Tournament and Best Goalkeeper titles respectively, both from Selsella team. The awards were given away by Pravin Bakshi, Chairman IBDLP & Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills and Satyavan Khanchi, Commandant 141 Battalion, BSF Danakgre Tura, who were the Chief Guest and Guest of Honour respectively.
The ‘Gramoday Initiative’ which fostered the message of ‘village rising or village shining’ was conceptualised with the motive wherein more partnership take place between different stakeholders in the development process with an outcome that community knows the systems well and are aware of different programmes and schemes, social agreement exercises, banking services, knowledge services, market linkages, product clusters, various developmental institutions etc.
During the Gramoday football tournament, more than 100 villages were covered during the Gramoday Campaign. The games were witnessed by large group of community members in different blocks. Indigenous and innovative games were played during the ongoing playoffs wherein women, men, children and youth of all ages participated actively.
The tournament was enthralled with the participation of over 2000 enthusiastic youths in the series. More than 600 green volunteers were registered and 97 VECs/Nokmas briefed on social agreements & partnership agenda. The campaign also facilitated the platform for identification of major product clusters and existing markets in the watershed areas. There was greater mass mobilisation & awareness and the initiative gave facilitating opportunity for better synergy between departments and community. Protection of NRM, catchment areas, enterprise development and market linkages, community participation, gender and role of men and women in development initiatives, KM initiative etc were some of the main agenda of the campaign.
The final event also encompass stalls for entrepreneurs, youth motivation talk, information on career guidance, EFCs and development missions, green volunteer registration and enterprise forum. The District Election Officer, West Garo Hills, Tura staged an vibrant stall and innovative display of mascots, placards, banners etc were organised wherein youths were given awareness on enrolment under right to vote. ‘Mission Unite’ campaign was innovatively shared to the players and spectators during the Gramoday finals.
