UNVEILING OF ADARSH GRAM JAUNTI STRATEGIC PLAN & COFFEE TABLE BOOK
UNVEILING OF ADARSH GRAM JAUNTI STRATEGIC PLAN & COFFEE TABLE BOOK
BY HON’BLE SHRI VENKAIAH NAIDU,
MINISTER OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT
New Delhi: 21st March 2016 Jaunti village was adopted by Dr. Udit Raj under the Sansad Gram Yojna launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi in October, 2014. Dr. Udit Raj constituted a team under Smt. Rekha Vohra and Shri Ramesh Menon to strategize and visualize the vision of an integrated village plan focused on Social Equality and Incremental GDP growth.
At that time, there was no roadmap, as such, for how to create an ideal village. Each village has its own character and potential. The challenge before us was how we could retain the essential nature of the village and build on its assets and provide the basic amenities to transform the village into an Adarsh Gram.
Dr. Udit Raj gave the vision and direction. He said that even though infrastructure development is important, the most important thing we must work on is bringing about a change in the minds and attitude of the villagers and make them partners in this effort, because this is what will make the project sustainable.
He stressed upon promoting the tourism industry in Jaunti Village as this village has a great historical reference when the king Shahjahan used to come to this village from Agra for hunting and he used to rest here. Therefore he proposed the plan of opening a five star hotel in the village.
We now had a vision and direction, but needed a framework within which to plan. This was when Dr. Rao, in his capacity as Delhi Urban Arts Commission, kindly agreed to do a study and develop a strategic, though limited, Plan for Jaunti. The Urban Development Ministry, under the guidance of Hon’ble Minister very kindly agreed to provide funds for the study.
Along with the villagers, we developed a Village Priorities Plan. The villagers were very clear that they would like to see the infrastructure developed first. The basic thinking was that the word ‘Adarsh Gram’ is a magic word and the Government must have given a lot of money and everything will get done immediately. However, this was not the reality. The Government has not allocated funds directly for the Sansad Adarsh Gram Project (SAGY).
This is not a small Project. Within this one Project, there are at least thirty smaller projects – each needing planning, funds and resources for execution.
Our emphasis so far has been on identifying what can be done by various Government departments within their scope and budget. For examine, the Delhi Health Services would built the Hospital that the villagers have been waiting for, for 37 years. The Animal Husbandry
Department would renovate the Veterinary Hospital at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh that is supposed to cater to 8,000 cattle in five villages in and around Jaunti and provide a full-time Doctor and medicines for the cattle. The Delhi Jal Board is to repair 30-year old leaking pipes at a cost of approximately Rs. 90 lakh, etc. A sports complex for the youth is planned and is to be built at a cost of approximately Rs.3-4 core with Dr. Udit Raj’s MPLADS funds.
One of the highlights of the Plan that will bridge the old heritage with the new is the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) Tourism Project with the Delhi Government. Jaunti has the potential to give Delhi a much needed Rural Tourism Hub where our children can catch glimpse of village life and see how a village has grown organically in and around a Fort built by Emperor Shah Jahan approximately 400 years ago.
Villagers on the other hand have to realize that they too have a part to play in sustaining development. “Sab Kuchh Government Karega” Mantra has to be replaced by “Hamara Gaon Hai, Ham Ne Kya Karna Hai?” They have a model already. The village temple complex is being maintained by the youth and elders of the village. They have got together and put money into building a new temple. The whole village comes to attend major religious festivals at the temple complex. In an Adarsh Gram, ‘Astha’ and ‘Vikas’ have to go together. This feeling of ownership and stake holdership has to be extended to the rest of the assets of the village.
Towards the end, we have to put in place a Capacity Building Project which forms a core part of the Development Plan. We have enlisted the support of two NGOs, namely Navjyoti and Ray Welfare Trust to work in Jaunti and Jhimarpura, respectively. Their role is to create a team of leaders and volunteers who will continue and take forward this work as this is what will make the Project sustainable.
The Strategic Plan and Book is just a beginning. It is a tool that will help us in reaching out to access funds and resources such as CSR funds from the Corporate Sector, Civil Society, Professionals and NGOs, in India and abroad, to partner with us in making Jaunti an Adarsh Gram. At this critical phase of the Project, we need the funds and resources to accomplish what we have set out to achieve. We estimate that apart from Government funds this will cost approximately Rs. 20 crore. The role of the media in highlighting this need, and the Corporate Sector in partnering with us through active allocation of CSR funds will help us achieve our objectives.
Dr Raj further stated that for the very first time in India he has come up with the master plan for a village as earlier there was only master plan for a city was there and not the village.
Hon’ble Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs, Sri M. Venkaiah Naidu emphasized on the importance of focusing on the significance of Matribhumi mata matribhasha. The one who forgets any one of these or even neglects one of these isn’t a human being in his opinion.
After the independence Mahatma Gandhi proposed two suggestions before the Congress Party firstly he wanted to dissolve the Congress Party and secondly he wanted the nation to focus on the villages. He also dragged attention towards the smooth functioning of the Parliament which is very important for the growth of a nation. A parliament is a place where we propose and an opposition can oppose which the house can dispose but there is no room for disrupting the Parliament.
