CHANDIGARH: Going by the precept that ‘India’ can shine only if ‘Bharat’ does, the Chandigarh Administration has resolved to make its villages—Dhanas and Maloya—hold a candle to any developed sector of the city.Out to make its villages wear an urbane look, the Administration decided to equip them with modern basic facilities and improve the quality of life of its rural poor. These two villages were taken up for development in the first phase.
The Administration has taken a decision to develop Maloya and Dhanas as modern villages. Residents of these villages will be provided with all necessary facilities. These villages will also be provided schools, community centre, sports complexes, health centres.
Besides, water bodies of both the villages will be modernized and waste water of dairy and residential area will not be allowed into these water bodies. The official of the Administration said that water bodies would either feed from rainy water or through tubewells.
He further said that each village would have a sports complex to boost sports activities in these villages so that upcoming sports persons of these villages should not run to developed sectors for sports. These sports complexes will motivate the youths of these village and drawing them to the field of sports on one hand and hone their skills, firm up their mental fibre and strengthen their physical ability. In turn, global standard training sports complexes will produce players who can lock horns with the best, added the official.
The Administration is playing a pro-active role in ensuring overall development of the rural poor who barely manage to survive despite surging economic growth around them. “In the dark shadow of land, a silent tragedy plays out for rural poor who are still far away from the basic amenities needed to ensure quality life, ” says the official. To raise job opportunities and income of villagers, handicraft industry and other rural allied services will be encouraged and for this land for work place will be provided by the Administration.
It is revealed that soon a meeting of village development planning under the chairmanship of Mr Dharampal, Adviser will be held. The meeting will be attended by the Secretary, Home and Local Body; Finance Secretary; Deputy Commissioner; Commissioner, Municipal Corporation; LAO; Chief Architect and the Chief Engineer.
But all this could not have been possible without the determination of the Administration being lent financial muscle. According to the official for this purpose finance would be made available under the Plan Scheme. Most of its villages have since been provided with piped water supply; electricity; pucca circular roads; paved up streets; surface drains; flush-type toilets; multi-purpose buildings for various activities, sewerage facility and bus services.
Going beyond the script, the Administration has taken such intiative to modernize its villages and provision of modern facilities including training the rural youth in entrepreneurship development for their social and economic uplift seem to be in the priority list of the Administration.