A transformation in the heartlands

Smart schools, libraries and women-friendly spaces — this is only a glimpse into the world of changes that M Shobha Rani has affected as a government officer

At the heart of Nagawala village, Mysuru district, village elders rest, chat and read newspapers in a park furnished with benches and walkways. In the lead-up to the village is a restored 140-year-old stone Kalyani adjoining a picturesque lake. Just a short stroll away from here is a well-stocked library lined with a row of computers.  

A couple of years ago, Nagawala had none of these facilities. The winds of change followed after M Shobha Rani was appointed as the Panchayat Development Officer. Eeshwarappa, a member of the gram panchayat, describes this metamorphosis. After her arrival, the school, once dilapidated, looks cheerful with new furniture, washroom facilities, smart equipment and colourful walls. 

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The result, according to K N Shivamallaiah, the headmaster of the school in Nagawala, is, “A few students who had opted to attend private schools have now returned to this school.” 

Shobharani’s work in three gram panchayat limits — Malangi, Nagawala in Mysuru district and Harohalli in Ramanagara district — has earned her an immaculate reputation and many accolades. However, even these awards and honours pale in comparison to the love and admiration that the residents of these villages have showered over her in the years. “One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is when residents change their attitudes and open up to new ideas,” she says.

She cites the example of how men in the village changed their approach to menstruation after the declaration that Nagawala was a 100% pad-free village. “We decided to popularise the use of menstrual cups. After such campaigns, newly married grooms would persuade their wives, who often came from other villages, to come to the panchayat office to collect the menstrual cups,” she says. 

Nandini, a member of a self-help group in the village, was involved in door-to-door campaigning for the initiative. “The availability of pads was not a guarantee in the past. Many young girls also felt ashamed of asking their families. This attitude has changed now. Also, there is no need for the additional expense of disposable pads,” she says. Today, most girls and women opt for clothing pads or menstrual cups that the gram panchayat distributes free of charge in Nagawala. 

Nandini can attest to how in the past there was an implicit exclusion of women from decision-making. “We did not even know that there was such an official in the first place. From instituting a training centre for women to making sure our voices and problems are prioritised, she has made sure that we are more involved with the government,” says Nandini. 

This is the result of one of several measures implemented by Shobha Rani when she was assigned the role. “We put a movement register in place. All officials are obligated to mention where they plan to go if they are on a site visit or away from the office for some reason,” she says. The register is the result of her belief that recognises the duties and responsibilities of government officials towards the public. 

Simple solutions 

Another programme that won the favour of the public in Harohalli was the creation of pathways to farms. “During a site visit, women who were carrying food for their husbands in the hot summer mentioned that the walk to their land was complex because of the lack of pathways,” she says. The gram panchayat office quickly laid pathways through the MGNREGA programme and the public was exultant. 

In Malangi, bestowed with the tag of a model village, Shobha Rani encouraged Jenu Kuruba farmers to start a community seed bank. In 2019, the Malangi Seed Bank won the national Biodiversity Award for its work on native seed conservation. “We grow the seeds ourselves and have over 100 varieties of ragi, rice and other millets. We provide it to those who want to grow the crop,” says Janakamma, a panchayat member in Malangi and leader of the Jenu Kuruba community. The initiative has provided income to the Jenu Kuruba collective that grows these varieties as well. 

This is one of the many solutions that Shobha Rani has implemented that have had a measurable impact on the quality of life in these villages. While many in her position are not able to intervene due to budget constraints, Shobha Rani has persevered through no-cost programmes, the use of MGNREGA and pursuing partnerships through CSR initiatives. 

To support the education of children, for instance, she collaborated with SELCO Foundation and introduced the “Shikshanakkaagi belaku” (light for education) programme. With the support of a corporate company, Shobha Rani was also able to clear lake encroachment and revive 10 lakes and desilt nine in Harohalli. Lake development committees have taken ownership of the water resources here, protecting and deriving revenue through fishery. Such initiatives have also added to the tax revenue of the gram panchayats. 

“In Malangi, tax collection improved from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 11 lakh at the end of my tenure (over ten years),” says Shobha Rani. This, Shobha Rani attributes to raising awareness about tax collection among property owners and leasing out lakes for fishery purposes. 

Hard work, systematic approach 

Just before she applied for the post of a Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) in 2010, Shobha Rani was awarded her PhD from Bangalore University, after completing a master’s degree in sericulture. Having grown up in a semi-urban, comfortable environment, the rural setting of her work was daunting. “I applied based on the recommendation of a professor and I wanted a government job,” she says. She passed the qualifying examination, but the real test had just begun.

“I almost quit after the first year of my work. A gram panchayat member then quoted a famous Kannada proverb ‘Kotta kudureyannu yeralaradavanu veeranu alla shooranoo alla’ (The one who can’t climb the horse he is given is neither brave nor capable). He told me that being this educated, if I was not able to help people, what was the use of the training?” Shobha Rani recalls.

These words sparked a deep commitment in her. Additionally, she wished to emulate the hard work and the way the people of Malangi lived. “For instance, Janakamma had no resources at hand. She used to cover dozens of kilometres by foot to make sure that her community had IDs and were able to access government schemes,” she recalls.

These examples have inspired a similar rigour in Shobha Rani’s work while her educational background laid the foundation of her approach. Informed by her doctoral research, the officer thoroughly researches an issue before intervening. “I employ the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) method when we are thinking of a programme,” says Shobharani. When there is a need for a survey, she relies on the network of self-help groups, youth organisations, Anganwadi and ASHA workers. 

Shobha Rani’s educational achievements have also cemented in her mind the role of schooling, higher education and easy accessibility of study materials. This is what prompted her to put in place a library that was open to students throughout the day and night in Harohalli. 

Mahesha Harohalli, who is working on a project for NCERT, explains, “The library is equipped with digital resources. There are several newspapers and magazines that are stocked here. This environment has enabled those preparing for entrance exams to study keenly, without interruption.”  

He observes that committed officers like Shobha Rani are rare to come across and initiatives such as this one can have a big impact. “Other adjoining villages have also initiated work to put in place such libraries,” says Mahesha. 

The government has recognised the importance of resource-building initiatives like the construction of libraries and encouraged other panchayats to put in place similar infrastructure.  H K Abdullah, PDO of Hoddur gram panchayat, Madikeri, says Shobha Rani is always ready to share resources and ideas. “She encourages others to implement similar solutions. She helped connect us with the right people to build a library,” he says. 

Ruminating over the recognition and praise she has received for her work from residents, fellow officers and the government, Shobha Rani concludes that government officers have an important responsibility today. “If we can provide services in a timely way, public trust in government employees will only increase.”