Implementing govt schemes in true spirit

Kadeshwalya in Bantwal taluk is in the forefront of community development. The gram panchayat under the capable leadership of a woman is climbing the ladder of success, writes Naina J A

Elected women representatives in various gram panchayats have been creating a silent revolution by making use of the government schemes, selecting the right beneficiaries and monitoring the implementation of the government schemes. This is a story of rural development in Kadeshwalya Gram Panchayat in its true sense. Kamalaskhi is behind the success story of the development and transformation of the Gram panchayat.

Be it supplying water to homes, cleanliness drive, helping the poor in marriage, dealing with the corruption, implementing the government schemes, the gram panchayat did it all with stunning success.

Kamalaskhi has been serving the Gram Panchayat as its member for the last 11 years. With the support of other gram panchayat members and staff, she has been able to carry out the development works in the villages.

Total sanitation

When the total sanitation campaign began in DK, there were 560 households which did not have toilets in the gram panchayat limits. Now all the households have toilets and the GP is free from open defecation.

The Kadeshwalya gram panchayat with its two revenue villages — Kadeshwalya and Barimaru has a population of 7,480 and 1,422 households. The Gram Panchayat has won ‘Swacchatha Grama Puraskar’ in the year 2010.

To sustain the cleanliness drive, ward committees have been constituted. Continuous awareness is being created among the rural folk on the need for cleanliness. The Gram Panchayat has also decided to make five ‘model houses’ with a small kitchen garden, compost pit to dump the degradable waste in every ward. By looking at these model houses, others will get inspired to make their house also a model. The Gram Panchayat has also announced prizes for best model house. In fact, a 15 member committee has been constituted to look into the sustainability in cleanliness drive, said Kamalakshi.

Gram Panchayat PDO Ugrappa Moolya said “The Gram Panchayat has also resolved to reduce the use of plastics. In fact, a plastic soudha has been constructed to dump the plastic covers. We have already held talks with the SKDRDP to supply cloth bags to all the shops, so that the use of plastics can be reduced slowly.”

Beyond politics

Kamalakshi says the number of GP members, including herself stood at 19, out of which seven are women. “We are like family members and would discuss all the issues pertaining to the development of the gram panchayat. We are into development politics. Gram swarajya, rural development and providing basic facilities are our main goal. At the same time, all the gram panchayat members are given a file providing complete details on the schemes of the government and all the gram panchayat members have a uniform.”

No to corruption

The Gram panchayat is the first GP in Dakshina Kannada to make an open declaration that they are against corruption. “In a public awareness programme held on November 29, 2011, all the members and the staff openly declared that we will not accept bribe for any work in the GP.”

MGNREGS

The flagship programme of the government Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme has been implemented effectively in the gram panchayat limits. Using the schemes, work worth Rs 10 lakh has been carried out so far. Levelling the land, repairing the roads, drains, constructing retaining walls along with the construction of Rajiv Gandhi Seva Kendra have been taken up. The Gram Panchayat has also put up details on all work carried out during 2011 on the walls of the Gram Panchayat. 

The dynamic board has been installed at the entrance of the GP. Moreover, individual boards have been installed at all the places where the work was carried out under the scheme. The GP members have decided to give priority for the construction of compound walls in the schools using MGNREGS fund, so that schools can become self-reliance by growing vegetables for the mid-day meals.

At the same time, the walls of the Gram panchayat also provide details on vaccination for the new born kids and pregnant women. Owing to these awareness programmes, the gram panchayat has not seen infant mortality for the last several years except the recent one death.

Revenue

The tax collection has risen considerably. “We have already collected 89 per cent of the tax. We are confident of reaching cent per cent by March end,” said the PDO.

Water

About 465 households are supplied with drinking water by the Gram Panchayat.“We are planning to install water metre for the connection and the process is likely to be completed by June.”

Housing schemes

As many as 70 houses have been sanctioned under Basava Vasathi Yojana, of which, 43 are under progress. Under Indira Awaz schemes, as many as 44 houses have been sanctioned and the works on 28 are under progress, said Kamalakshi.

The Gram Panchayat also helps the poor SC/ST in getting their daughters married by providing a financial assistance of Rs 1,000. 

In the last one year, five individuals have been given the financial assistance, said GP President.

Gram sabha

‘Halliya Vidhan Sabha,’ a novel initiative of replicating Vidhan Sabha in villages was taken up at Kadeshwalya on February 28. The new concept of holding gram sabhas on the lines of Vidhan Sabha was aimed at attracting villagers to participate in the meeting. 

The day-long meeting also showcased talents of the villagers. 

“We thought of bringing in changes in the mindset of people and officials so that gram sabhas too will have serious meetings like Vidhan Sabhas,” said Kamalakshi.