Model Village (Aadarsh Gram)

The Holistic Village Development Program (HVDP) under Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY), where each Member of Parliament adopts one village from their constituency to transform that village into an model village. The ideal village model is based on multidimensional aspects including water issues, agriculture issues, gender issues, health issues etc.

Dr. Subramanium Jaishaknar, Member of Parliament and Union Minister, External Affairs adopted the Malsalomot Gram Panchayat, Narmada, Gujarat. Malsomat is a group gram panchayat consisting of 10 villages situated in the eastern tribal belt of Gujarat. The entire ten villages are tribal dominated with 98% of the population comprised of tribals, mainly inhabited by Vasava and Bhils.

The gram panchayat identified various issues including lack of livelihood opportunities, absence of scientific livestock management, poor health care, improper land use and ground water depletion among others. The HVDP is focused on building rural capabilities and mechanisms. An end to end strategy caters to need analysis and implementation of the project, along the lines of participatory approach. The progress of the project can be seen through the following four steps:

• Community mobilization
• Capacity building training
• Baseline survey
• Enhanced convergence

State and central level schemes such as MGNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) a pension scheme announced exclusively for the senior citizens, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Grameen among others are being leveraged at village level according to the need of the village and challenges faced by individuals.