Mesri Devi (43) had a different plan in her hardly educated mind to take on the ultras present in and around Saraju village of Mahuadanr block in latehar about a year ago.
She chose, against the diktat of Naxals, to learn bamboo art, fabric designing and embroidery work in assistance of Government agency Jharcraft, a clear no-no in the dens. Now, a qualified trainer Mesri rates Naxals as no threat and rather a manageable menace provided their oxygen is cut by adding people in production cycle.
"Earlier they used to come in our village and seek support from us. After the villagers started earning by art and craft locally and village is also getting developed considerably, they don't object. Gaon ka vikas ho raha hai to kyon kuch karengeIJ Ab daar nahi lagta," says proud Mesri, while holding certificate for trainer in one hand and cheque of Rs 5,000 as award money on the other.
Notably, village Saraju falls at the epicentre of the much-talked-about Saraju Development Plan and came on the national map after Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh chose the village to replicate positives of Saranda Development Plan continuing in Jharkhand to overshadow the leftwing extremism by bringing growth on fore front.
Mesri is not alone but one among the 2,200 others, mostly women from deprived sections, became artisan after training at Mahuadanr and Garu blocks of latehar district, otherwise in news for wrong reasons. Intensive skill development exercise of Jharcraft has plans to take the numbers to 10,000 by September and 20,000 by the year-end.
Jawahar Oraon of Naiki Debri of Saraju area has mastered himself in bamboo artifacts. He makes round boxes, pen holders, wall hangings, table lamps etc and had attained trainer's rank four months back. "I travel the villages where people want to learn the craft. I want to make others self-dependent as well. My village had not much Naxal activities but I am sure that the growing income level and self-dependence have played a role in holding the problem not percolate further here," says Oraon, also an awardee in the list of 238 trainees, 47 trainers and seven self-help groups (SHGs) from the two blocks.
The caravan moved further in right direction when 4,259 more people of the area joined their training this Tuesday. Jharcraft is playing its role in making available machines and raw materials, besides the training to the SHGs. The agency also buys-back the finished products from the artists making them earn Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 every month.
"I had not work other than household until I joined the training. Our Kaniz Fatma group has now a solar-based reeling machine and working on cocoon. Sixty-odd women of lorgumi Kalan have a feeling of self-dependence. We can provide our children a better education so that they do not deviate," says optimistic Rehana Bibi while extracting silk threads form the machine named assamridhi or prosperity.
The current is flowing across Sannadih, Tamboli, Chatakpur, Kotgaon, Hami, Amuatoli and Rampur; the villages under persistent Red shadow. The change also confirmed by the Deputy Commissioner of lahetar. "When I joined here, people presented very negative picture of the district. They expressed doubt over safety and security scenario. But what I find here that people are hungry for change which is coming in a big way," said Aradhana Patnaik, when she addressed the women gathered at Mahuadarn block office on June 25.
The partners in the sea change taking place silently also danced and sung, "jungle pahar par kari ke… pahuna pahuchi gelo re….(The guest has reached us by crossing jungles and mountains)," narrating the hardship present and happiness coming despite that.