CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Bhopal: In blistering summer heat, Bhopal Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Singh carried out an extensive tour of the Berasia section on Thursday and inspected various development works and institutions linked to women’s empowerment, field ponds, gaushalas, organic farming and natural farming.
Praising the innovations being undertaken by women under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and their efforts toward self-reliance, Singh said the real objective of government schemes is to make people self-dependent. He interacted with women from self-help groups and took information about the different enterprises they are running, while also reviewing the ground-level progress of various government schemes in the villages.
The tour began at the zari-zardozi training centre in Golkhedi. Singh directly interacted with women associated with self-help groups, including presidents and vice-presidents of Cluster Level Organisations (CLCs) working under NRLM, as well as Lakhpati Didis, and appreciated their work and achievements.
Singh said, "The Livelihood Mission is not only a means of financial assistance, but a campaign to make women self-reliant and self-confident." Encouraging the women, he said they should take loans on their own, expand self-employment activities, take their products to the market and become financially stronger.
During the meeting, women shared their experiences as Bank Sakhis, Tax Sakhis and Lakhpati Didis. They said that after joining the mission, not only had their incomes increased, but their role within the family and society had also become stronger. Singh asked the women to pay special attention to branding and marketing products made by self-help groups so that they could get better markets and fair prices.
The Divisional Commissioner also called upon the women to play a role in social leadership, turn cleanliness into a mass movement and ensure active participation in democratic processes.
He inspected a field pond and an "Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam" site in Gram Panchayat Gunga, and also visited the Horticulture Department nursery in Gram Panchayat Karondiya. Janpad CEO Devesh Sarathe said 788 field ponds are being built, of which more than 550 have already been completed. Similarly, 107 "Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam" orchards have been developed by self-help group women, where mango, lemon, guava and orange are being cultivated.
In Gunga village, Singh spoke to field pond beneficiary Dalchand and took detailed information about the benefits of the pond, the water level and irrigation arrangements for crops. Deputy Director, Horticulture Department, Rajkumar Sagar, said 80,000 plants are being prepared this season in the nursery spread over 10 hectares of land. He said plants worth Rs 8 lakh had been sold this time.
Singh also visited the farm of Majid Khan, a farmer engaged in organic farming and horticulture in Imalia Narendra of Berasia development block. He appreciated the organic produce being grown by Khan on three acres. Majid Khan is engaged in organic farming and mixed fruit cultivation, growing cucumber, tomato and other vegetables along with mango, amla, guava, pomegranate, lemon and medicinal plants. Khan has received several honours. Singh inspected his fields and praised his efforts in organic produce and medicinal horticulture.
The Divisional Commissioner also inspected the Acharya Vidyasagar Gausanvardhan Kendra and gaushala at Barrikshirkheda in Berasia development block and took detailed information. He was informed that the gaushala, which houses 400 cows, is being run by the Sevaram Trust of the Jain community. Many programmes are also organised there by social organisations and citizens.
Berasia SDM, the Janpad CEO and officials of the Horticulture Department were present during the tour.
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