A wave of joy and celebration swept through the local villagers in Tripura as BAC Chairperson Rakhi Tripura alongwith Block Development Officer (BDO) of Rupaichhari Block, Abhijit Majumder, proudly accepted the Best Women-Friendly Panchayat Award on behalf of the South Manu Bankul Village Committee (VC).
The prestigious honor was conferred during the National Panchayat Awards 2024 ceremony.
President Droupadi Murmu handed over the award in an event organized on December 11 by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj at the Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
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The South Manu Bankul Village Committee stood out among 1,94,000 gram panchayats across India to emerge as the Best Women-Friendly Panchayat.
As part of this recognition, the VC received the Deendayal Upadhyay Panchayat Sustainable Development Award along with a prize of ₹1 crore.
Speaking to Enewstime.in after receiving the award, Rakhi Tripura and Abhijit Majumder expressed immense joy and gratitude.
He thanked the villagers, stakeholders, and government departments for their collective efforts in propelling the South Manu Bankul Village Committee to this significant achievement.
Challenges faced:
With a population of 1900 with 62 percent belonging to the ST, South Manu Bankul VC bagged the prestigious award after a overcoming several challenges with the help of various stakeholders including ASHA workers and meticulous approach to emerge as the Best.
Mobilizing necessary resources was a big challenge. Initially, gaining community acceptance for the Panchayat’s initiatives and overcoming socio-cultural barriers also posed challenges.
Besides, encouraging active female participation in governance and economic activities was also a tough task.
Initiatives taken driving success:
In quest of success, the rural body administration established Mahila Sabhas and Gender Resource Centre to create spaces for women to participate in governance and decision-making.
Besides, financial literacy and credit camps were organized to equip women with the knowledge and confidence to manage finances and take on economic roles.
Also, community service providers like Swasthya Sakhis, Bank Sakhis, Pashu Sakhis, and Matshya Sakhis under the Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission (TRLM) supported women to gain skills and economic independence.
Support Received:
Despite the challenges, the Village Committee received cooperation and support from different local agencies.
ASHA and Anganwadi workers have supported the Panchayat by conducting health and hygiene awareness campaigns among women.
Local and state government agencies provided resources for clean drinking water projects.
Government agencies also facilitated health initiatives, contributing to the overall well-being of the community.
Key achievements:
With a well coordinated and concerted initiative, the South Manu Bankul Village Committee established a brand titled ‘SRESTHA’ for SHG-made products.
This initiative created a recognizable identity for locally produced goods like spices, rice, etc. in the market.
Secondly, it achieved empowering women by providing financial independence and promoting entrepreneurship in both farming (vegetable and rice cultivation, animal husbandry, floriculture etc.) and non-farming sectors (handicrafts, textiles, food processing etc).
Thirdly, the South Manu Bankul Village Committee also recognized 301 nos “Lakhpati Didis” as models of self-empowerment. This step highlighted successful women who have achieved financial stability through their entrepreneurial efforts and serve as inspiring role models within the community.
Road map for sustainability:
Building on its success, the South Manu Bankul Village Committee has charted a roadmap for sustainability.
Accordingly a road map has been chalked out emphasizing institutionalization of key programs like Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission, BalikaManch, and ‘Empower Her’ to make these initiatives integral to community development.
Continuing regular financial literacy and health awareness camps to promote women’s participation in governance and economic activities are another area of thrust.
The VC also aims at fostering an inclusive environment where women’s participation is encouraged and normalized.
#Jaydip Chakrabarti may be contacted at [email protected]
(Tripura, Northeast)
