Karnataka: Two villages in Mandya district win national award for development

MYSURU: Amid coronavirus crisis, here is a news which will make Karnataka proud at the national level. Two remote villages of Mandya district won the two coveted national awards given by the Union ministry of panchayati raj. Both these panchayats followed unique developmental which won them these national awards.
Hemmanahalli, a grama panchayat in Maddur taluk is selected for the Child-friendly Gram Panchayat Award 2020(CFGPA)(Appraisal Year 2018-19) while Naguvanahalli gram panchayat in Srirangapatna taluk won the Gram Panchayat Development Plan Award (GPDPA) 2020 (Appraisal Year 2018-19).GPDP award was introduced during 2018, with a view to encouraging the gram panchayats which have developed their plans according to the state-specific guidelines prepared in line with the model guidelines issued by the ministry of panchayati raj. CFGP award has been constituted keeping in view that the basic component of social development is creating a conducive atmosphere for the healthy growth and development of children.

Hemmanahalli grama panchayat which has five villages under its belt is selected for the CFGP award as a recognition of its various child-friendly initiative. The panchayat which is located 27 kilometres from the Mandya city has seven anganavadis and four schools up to higher primary classes. The village population is around 6,000.

"Ward level nutrition committee comprising of ASHA workers and others to ensure that no child will suffer from malnutrition, sanitary napkins for all the girl students, three languages learning equipment even in anganwadi, best of the facilities for the anganwadi students, 100 per cent immunisation, zero school dropout problem, better educational initiatives are the several child-friendly initiatives taken up by our panchayat. School enrollment ratio is 100 per cent in our panchayat level. We ensure the best infrastructure in our schools. We have a good teaching system. All these interventions helped us to get this coveted national award," said Leelavathi, Panchayat Development Officer (PDO), who holds a masters degree in Economics from the University of Mysore (UoM).
"We provide free uniforms to our anganwadi children beside learning kits to improve their language skills. Schools are provided with computers," she recalled how the village was transformed into a child-friendly village.
HG Yogesh, panchayat development officer, Naguvanahalli which is selected for the GPDP award also has an interesting story. "From waste segregation at source at all the households to renewable energy generation, we implemented a number of new schemes. We collect segregated waste from the doorstep of villagers. A digital library, 100 per cent toilet coverage, waste collection boxes in all the public places, street lights, dedicated website for the panchayat, etc are the major interventions which helped us to get the national recognition," he said.
K Yalakki Gowda, chief executive officer (CEO), Mandya Zilla Panchayat stated that these two panchayats are model for others. "Their stories are inspirational for other panchayats to take up the developmental works. The interventions followed by these two panchayats worth emulating. We are very happy and proud about these two GPs," he added.