Objective is how schemes’ benefits reach ground level
A leadership training of elected panchayat representatives and traditional leaders of three remote gram panchayats, Soseng, Sunabeda and Michhapali, of Komna block in Nuapada district was held at Sunabeda on Saturday by NGO SPREAD, which has been working on nutritional issues of children and women in Komna and Boden blocks since last two years.
“The objective of this training programme is to help the leaders of these inaccessible areas have a meaningful participation in development schemes so that the benefits of the programmes reach the needy,” said Bidyut Mohanty, head of SPREAD.
The training was provided by RK Surdeo, a nationally reputed trainer, who through various simulation games generated awareness on various developmental issues, how the benefits of the programmes and schemes are unequally shared by different categories of people although all contribute equally to the income of the State.
In their comments on the learning from the training, the participants said that people remaining far from the power centres like the block and district offices are discriminated against; and to get rid of such discriminations they have to be united. The participants also identified their needs through group discussions that included regular presence of the ANMs in the Sunabeda PHC, restoration of ambulance service, creation of water bodies, sanction of individual claims and community forest rights under the FRA, land development, construction of roads, supply of electricity and upgradation of the primary school at Sunabeda to a high school.
While discussing about the causes of their poverty, the participants cited lack of employment, restrictions on kendu leaf collection, low agricultural production, lack of education and awareness, lack of better Government services and increase in population. The participants wished the outcome of the meeting reached appropriate levels of Government offices.