Jan Bhagidari has been at the heart of the functioning of the Government of India for the past 9 years. Keen to fuel development through the power of people’s participation, the Government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modihas always invoked Jan Bhagidari to encourage citizen engagement, seek public opinion, and involve people in various initiatives and developmental activities. The Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Yatra(VBSY)intends to seek the goal of a developed India, with the sovereign resolve of its people. This Yatra shall reach citizens in lakhs of villages, towns and cities, at their very doorstep. It will seek their commitment to work for a Vikasit Bharat and avail the benefits of the different welfare schemes launched by the Government of India. By disseminating the right information about welfare schemes and ensuring that citizens avail their benefits, the Yatra aims to promote transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in governance.
Pursuant to the above objectives, various Jan Bhagidari events, such as experience sharing by beneficiaries of the schemes(Meri Kahani Meri Zubani), interaction with progressive farmers, celebration of achievements of Gram Panchayats achieving 100% saturation of central government schemes like Ayushman Card, Jal Jeevan Mission, Jan Dhan Yojana, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, ODF Plus status, etc. are being conducted as part of the ground activitiesunder the Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Yatra.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Yatra from Khunti in Jharkhand on the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas on November 15, 2023, the IEC (Information, Education and Communication) vans are travelling to various parts of the country, spreadingawareness about various welfare schemes and to ensure 100% saturation of schemes.
Here are some testimonials of the beneficiaries of various central government schemes from different parts of the country(Meri Kahani Meri Zubani):
Manzoor Hussain, a beneficiary of Jal Jeevan Mission from Rajouri district in J&K said, “There was no water connection at my house. I struggled for two-three years for one, but could not succeed. Then we got a connection through Jal Jeevan Mission and I am thankful to the government for this initiative and providing water to us,” he said.
Sh. Sakibul, a beneficiary from Draj-A panchayat, Budhal Rajouri, J&K, hailed the Government’s Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme. “Earlier, when someone used to get sick, we would have to pay a hefty price to get them treated. However, under PMJAY, we get Rs 5 lakh for treatment for which we are very grateful to the government. Also, the loan given on KCC has benefitted us a lot,” he said.
A beneficiary of PM Ujjwala Yojana shares her happiness on receiving an LPG connection as part of Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatrain Palakkad, Kerala.”Previously, I used firewood for cooking, hence it was difficult for me to cook food. Now, I have a gas connection, which has been a tremendous help. A big thankyou to the Prime Minister,” she said.
Supriya Nayak, another beneficiary of PM Ujjwala Yojana, expressed happiness over the scheme’s benefits as it gave her a smoke-free life in the kitchen. Smt. Kajal from Baasteel village in Chakrata, Uttarakhand, also appreciated the government for providing LPG connection under Ujjwala scheme.
Shri Rajendra Singh Rana from Uttarakhandhailed the PM KISAN scheme for farmers. “We receive Rs 6000 annually and seeds, fertilisers, etc are provided free of cost for which we are thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
Akbar Ali, a farmer from Kaimur in Bihar, also hailed the government’s pro-agriculture initiatives, such as, providing seeds, irrigation facilities, etc, which were not available earlier.
Meanwhile, Nirmala from Meerut, UP could afford treatment for heart condition due to Ayushman Bharat. She recounted,“I had a heart problem and had to get treated at a private hospital, which my family could not afford. I received the treatment free of cost under the Ayushman Bharat scheme and I am now here with my kids. I am grateful to the government for running this scheme.”
Reshma Sable, a beneficiary of the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), from Ambejavalge village in Dharashiv district, Maharashtra, narrated how the assistance provided under the scheme has helped her get a nutritious diet.
Beneficiaries also highlighted the positive sides of PM Kisan Yojana at the Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Yatra (VBSY) programme at Jamboni block of Jhargram, West Bengal.
Further, beneficiaries in tribal-dominated villages of Koraput district in Odisha hailed different government initiatives which have empowered them and made their lives better.
The Vikasit Bharat Campaignis one of the largest-ever outreach initiatives to be undertaken by the Government of India. It eventually aims to cover all districts in India by 25th January 2024.
Nimish Rustagi/ Himanshu Pathak/ Priyanka Kumari
