Government schemes and essential services accessible to Khutepal Gram Panchayat residents through new building

Dantewada TNINS 

Through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, various projects are undertaken for the development of gram panchayats in the district. Among these projects, the construction of a new gram panchayat building in the Khutepal gram panchayat under the Kuakonda development block has strengthened the administrative infrastructure. Khutepal gram panchayat was earlier a dependent village under the Shyamgiri gram panchayat before a new panchayat was formed prior to the year 2020. The need for an administrative building was necessary to implement the administrative system and make government schemes easily accessible to the rural population in the newly constructed Khutepal gram panchayat. Keeping in view the requirements of the newly constructed gram panchayat, administrative officials approved the construction of a new gram panchayat building through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

With the dedication and efforts of officials, technical assistants, and employees, the construction work of the new panchayat building was completed in a short span of time. Under MGNREGA, Rs 1.16 lakh were paid as wages, and 601 human days of employment were generated for this work. As a result, a total of 36 laborer families benefited. Now that the new gram panchayat building construction work has been completed on time, the residents of the Khutepal gram panchayat have received their administrative building. They are now able to easily obtain essential services such as caste certificates, residence certificates, birth/death certificates, ration cards, and pensions, along with benefiting from government schemes operated by the gram panchayats and the state government.

The rural women of Dannex have broken the conservative view of the society, and are creating new success stories of economic self-relian

Dantewada TNINS

The traditional practice of providing employment to women meant employing them by imparting knowledge of a specific technical skill, but the Government of Chhattisgarh has come with an innovative approach in this regard. The state government has established industries not  just to provide employment to women, but also the entire Management is in the hands of women itself.  The Chhattisgarh model does not aim at making women as skilled labours but as successful women entrepreneurs. With this vision, the brand Dantewada Next i.e. 'Dannex' was started. The rural women of the self help group working in this readymade garment industry, whom the people here refer as Didi, also handle the entire work management of this company. In this way, every woman associated with this organization is making her own identity as a successful entrepreneur.

12 lakh designer clothes, income of 72 crores generated

It is noteworthy that so far,12 lakh garments have been made from the Dannex factory and sent for sale. The quality and design of the readymade garments manufactured here is attracting numerous customers. As a result of this, there is a huge demand for these clothes at many big multinational stores and online shopping platforms as well. Readymade garments manufactured here are also being exported to various states of the country and abroad. So far,the company has earned an income of about Rs 72 crore from these clothes manufactured by  rural women. About 1000 women have been linked with direct employment through this factory. Under the patronage of the district administration, a target has been set to further expand this readymade garment industry in the form of an industrial chain, which is being operated through self-help groups. With the cooperation of the administration, women are continuously moving forward in this direction as well.

Entrepreneurial skills of women are getting strengthened and increasing their self-esteem

On January 31, 2021, the first unit of Dannex was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel at  Haaram village under Gidam development block. After Haaram in Dantewada district, now a total of 5 units of Dannex have been established in Katekalyan, Chhindnar, Barsur, and Kaarli. Women have been provided initial training in all these units. 

 Dannex Garment Factory has proved to be a boon for the women of these rural areas. Due to this, their entrepreneurial skills are getting a boost, as well as they are getting the means of livelihood which is positively shaping their standard of living.

Unique application of Chhattisgarh model

Dannex has also help change the conservative and patriarchal outlook of the society towards women. There was a time when women in the region of Bastar were confined to the domestic chores within the four walls of their house. Through Dannex, women are breaking these stereotypes and touching great heights of progress by writing a new chapter of  self-reliance. Every women of Dannex has a beam of pride on their faces and the confidence of an entrepreneur speeding towards success. The didis of Dantewada Next (Dannex) are becoming an inspiration for other women today. This application of Chhattisgarh model is a unique example of women empowerment in the country.

 Distance reduced by 20 kms, farmers relieved by the new centre

TNINS

As per the intentions of Chief Minister Mr. Baghel,Paddy procurement has been commenced in Chhattisgarh from November 1, 2022, under which paddy is also being procured in all the procurement centers of Dantewada district. It is noteworthy that earlier there were 12 procurement centers in Dantewada district. Keeping in view the convenience of the farmers that they need not travel far to sell paddy , now the 13th procurement center has been set up in Gram Panchayat Keshapur. With Keshapur becoming a paddy procurement centre, 626 registered farmers of these 14 villages of Keshapur, Midkulnar, Kavalnar, Bhogam, Purantarai, Tudparas, Kuper, Manganar, Pandewar, Gondpal, Kamalur, Jhirka, Revanar will be able to sell their paddy at the support price in this centre.

Due to the formation of new paddy procurement centers, farmers are relieved that they need not travel far to sell their produce. Where earlier farmers had to travel numerous kilometres to sell paddy. Due to the long distance of the villages from the procurement center, sometimes the farmers used to spend more in transportation than the profit earned by selling paddy. Farmers used to go to Balud which is about 15 to 20 kilometers away. Due to which they had to spend some money in carrying the paddy and it also took more time. But now with the opening of new centres, the facilities have become closer to the farmers villages. Also, after the sale of paddy, the payment amount reaches the farmers' account within 24 to 48 hours.

Mr. Chandan Bhogami, a farmer and a resident of Manganar, says that earlier he used to go to Balud to sell his paddy, but now opening of procurement center in Keshapur has brought a lot of relief in his life. He also informed that numerous farmers are also getting the benefits of state governments public welfare  schemes like Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana. He further said that now Kodo and Kutki are also being produced by farmers which will be sold at the support price. Further, he says that he will invest his savings in the cultivation of next batch of produce and hopes to earn a good profit. He expressed gratitude towards the Chief Minister for opening the new centre.

Mr. Sarju Kumar Nag, a resident farmer of Purantarai Patel Para, says that many farmers are getting convenience as the new centre does not require him to travel far to sell his produce. 

It is notable that the Chhattisgarh government has started paddy procurement for the year 2022-23 on the support price from November 01, 2022, which will continue till January 31, 2023. While increasing the support price of paddy this year, the support price of paddy  has been fixed at Rs.2040/- for normal paddy and 2060/- per quintal for Grade A Paddy .Chhattisgarh government has also launched Token Tunhar Haath app for farmers to buy paddy at support price. Due to which farmers are selling their crop without queuing up by registering themselves online. Small and marginal farmers are being given tokens on priority basis in procurement centres. A total of 13140 quintals have been purchased in 13 procurements of the district and 1763.60 quintals of paddy has been procured in Keshapur so far.

 Dantewada transforming itself with its invaluable experiences

Dantewada TNINS 

Chhattisgarh's innovative initiatives were showcased at the International Summit on Social and Behavior Change Communication held in Marrakesh, Morocco from December 5 to 9. The 'Bapi Na Uwat', is an innovative program initiated by the Dantewada district that has garnered accolades in the field of behaviour change at the international level. The grandmother is known as ‘bapi’ in the local Gondi language. Bapis are participating voluntarily in the program and motivating the mothers and family members on child care, feeding, breastfeeding, health and nutrition. There is one Bapi in each of the 143 gram panchayats of the district. Bapis get the support of village-level volunteers, ‘Satrangi Nayak’ and ‘Satrangi Nayika’. This Chhattisgarh model was highlighted by UNICEF Head of Social Behavior Change (SBC) Mr.Siddharth Shrestha, and SBC expert Mr. Abhishek Singh.

An innovative initiative of the Dantewada district, the ‘Bapi Na Uwat’ program was launched on December 10, 2020, to reduce the rate of malnutrition in the district and adopt healthy practices, with the technical support of the District Administration and UNICEF. Almost 200 Bapi working in the gram panchayats of the districts are motivating the community to adopt healthy practices through various activities which belong to health, education, nutrition, and cleanliness in Satrangi Sabha, Gram Sabha, Mahila Sabha, Yuva Sabha in Devgudi at the community level. Along with Bapi, the youth are now participating in community awareness programs as ‘Satrangi Naak’ and ‘Satrangi Nayika’. It is a great pride that Dantewada's story of Bapi has garnered great accolades at the Global Summit held in Morocco.

 Scheme brought economic prosperity to Lakshmi's family

A village in Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari district had kept a private pig in his house. The team of forest department raided the rural house and was surprised to see the animals.

In the Ratwa village 30 km away from the city of Dhamtari, the forest department team raided and recovered many wild animals from the house of the villagers. Among them, there are 2 children of deer kotari, 2 jackal, 2 dragon and 6 parrots.