District-level welfare plans earn Union govt’s pat

NEW DELHI: Managing migrants who returned to their villages due to Covid induced lockdown and that too without any work for months was a daunting task, particularly in Bihar, a state that sends maximum number of migrants workers to other states. But district magistrate of West Champaran, Kundan Kumar took it as a challenge and started an initiative to establish a startup zone in Chanpatia for the migrant workers. After two years, many youngsters have set up technology startups such as EaseMySaloon, Valmikiyatra, NearMeShop and AgriDhaan in the area.The startup zone has 57 units set up by the skilled labourers who returned from different states and it has created employment for more than 1,000 persons.The Sampoorna scheme in Bongaigaon district, launched with the aim to reduce malnutrition among children in the district, registered an achievement of 95.6% in just one year. The innovative scheme used technology-based models and involved community participation, particularly women to achieve this. Mother of all severe and moderate acute malnourished children were identified in each Aanganwadi centre and each of them were tagged with the mother of a healthy children. Each healthy mother is called a Buddy Mother. After three months of intervention using protein supplements, 88% of the severely acute malnourished children and 96% of the moderate acute malnourished children became healthy. These are some of the schemes and projects implemented at district levels which received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence on Civil Services Day. Among the total of 16 awards for five identified priority programmes and for innovations in public administration and delivery of services, a few have been implemented by the central and state governments as well.Lauding the efforts made by public administrators at the grassroot level, PM Narendra Modi said, “All the training institutes associated with civil servants can hold virtual programmes where the award winners can present their projects in detail and experiences to the trainees. You can have discussion with two award winners every week and this will help the new generation officers to get practical knowledge...Second, from the 16 award-winning projects, one scheme may be chosen for implementation among few districts on the line of One Scheme One District and the experience of the same may be discussed in the next year’s Civil Service Day.” He said this must be institutionalised for adoption of best and successful initiatives.The PM said the prime goal of every civil servant should be to make the life of the citizen easier. “The common people should not have to struggle in their dealings with the government, benefits and services should be available to them without hassle. This Sankalp (resolve) should be taken to Siddhi (completion) and that should be the goal for all of us. We should be there to handhold at every stage in this journey of Sapna , to Sankalp to Siddhi ”, Modi said.