Gadchiroli and Yavatmal look to fast track developments under Centre’s Aspirational Districts Scheme

Nagpur: Gadchiroli and Yavatmal districts of Vidarbha region hope to make rapid progress in various parameters under the Central government’s scheme to fast track development in rural areas. Collectors of both districts were part of a video conference chaired by PM Narendra Modi in which he talked about the Central government’s ‘Aspirational Districts Scheme’ and other projects for scaling up district-level basic facilities.
Gadchiroli, which was chosen as an aspirational district in 2018 itself, has successfully implemented projects like Educate Gadchiroli, Fulora (related to education) and is in final stages of starting the first-ever IIT coaching centre for local kids. Being part of the aspirational districts list ensures that these district receive funds for projects faster and that they maximize benefit from both state and Central schemes. The Niti Ayog is the coordinating body for such districts.
Gadchiroli district collector Sanjay Meena is now awaiting nod for a proposal which involves capacity building for gram sabhas with regards to community forest rights (CFR) granted to them.
The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, recognizes the rights of the forest-dwelling tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources on which these communities were dependent for a variety of needs, including livelihood, habitation and other socio-cultural needs. CFR also includes the right to ‘regenerate or conserve or manage any community forest resource for sustainable use’.
“There are 1,432 gram sabhas that have been granted CFR. We want to ensure capacity building initiatives for all these gram sabhas so that they are aware of the backward and forward integration that’s aligned to their CFR. For example if one gram sabha has been allotted 50 hectares of land, they must have all the knowledge required to develop that land in a sustainable manner which means getting maximum yield for the community’s benefit,” said Meena.
In Gadchiroli, almost 5 lakh hectares land is now under CFR.
For this, Gondwana University has been roped in as a knowledge partner. “They will prepare the literature/curriculum on how to train locals. Even if 10 people from each gram sabha can be imparted the training, it will bring about a big change,” said Meena.
Yavatmal collector Amol Yedge too was part of the virtual meet with PM Modi and is now looking forward to implementing projects focussed on school education. “Our district has been chosen specifically by the school education and literacy department wherein the focus will be on qualitative education. In the next 15-20 days we will receive guidelines on how these projects are to be implemented,” said Yedge.
With almost the entire part of the district under ‘rural’ tag, Yedge has his task cut out. “The geographical area is vast and base is rural. With this project we look forward to improving quality of education, infrastructure and other parameters which will come under the key performance indicators,” said Yedge.
PLAN IN PLACE
* Gadchiroli part of centre’s Aspirational District Scheme launched in 2018 to fast track development in rural areas
* Already district implemented innovative education projects which benefited thousands of tribal students in remote villages
* Gadchiroli in final stages of starting first-ever government-run residential IIT coaching centre
* Yavatmal chosen under separate scheme by Centre’s school education and literacy department
* In February, Yavatmal will receive guidelines on how to improve infrastructure in schools
* Also, guidelines for providing qualitative education
* Yavatmal making steady progress in improving basic infrastructure, but now can accelerate projects in education field