The Indian Government has come out with a lot of schemes and projects to help the people living in rural areas of the nation. But sometimes, even that doesn’t feel enough. The rural population needs a hand over them that could help them in flourishing, which is exactly what retired IRS officer, Mr. Rakesh Kumar Paliwal did.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Paliwal described his work for the nation and how he transformed villages across the country.
MODEL VILLAGES IN FOUR STATES
The former Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Mr. Paliwal wished to uplift rural areas by making a model of low-cost participative and sustainable village development programs.
He surveyed remote villages of some districts (spread out in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana) with the help of district administration and NGOs working at the grassroots level and selected villages in which the Sarpanch was educated and enthusiastic to develop his/her village as a model village. He also looked out for an active group of youth volunteers available for ‘shramdan’ in the villages.
Furthermore, Mr. Paliwal constructed a small multi-purpose community center with the help of village panchayat, state govt, village shramdan volunteers, and contribution from reputed NGOs, etc.
The community centre provided the following:
- Quality education, including computer literacy and village Library
- Awareness programs of cleanliness, health, and hygiene and arrangements for monthly
- medical camps.
- Training of employment opportunities for young students.
- Training of Alternative sources of livelihood for women self-help groups.
- Water conservation works such as digging small ponds & wells and de-silting of old shallow ponds.
- Organic farming by use of vermicompost etc.
- Orchard and vegetable production in Front or Backyards of houses.
- Training for Handicraft and village industries
“We have made following four remote villages as models of Gandhian philosophy:
- Tribal village Khoba of Valsad district of Gujarat
- Tribal village Chhedka of district Hoshangabad Madhya Pradesh
- Village Ratoti, district Agra, Uttar Pradesh
- Village Gongluru, District Sangareddy, Telangana
Recently,we have taken up following three more villages in Madhya Pradesh for development as model village.
- Village Luhari, district Sagar
- Village Chhapkheda, district Vidisha
- Village Char mandali, Abidabad district Sehore” Mr. Paliwal told Indian Masterminds.
OUTCOME OF VILLAGE ADOPTION
To promote cleanliness in the villages, the officer has also arranged giving of ‘Swacchatha Samman Awards’ in three categories – individual, household, and community levels.
The adoption practice has borne fruits as the massive motivation and mobilization of the public for participative development in the form of ‘shramdan’ for their self-development have energized the villagers.
“The active involvement of gram `panchayat’ has improved learning on gram level, with the improvement of school infrastructure; enhanced healthy living; and has created alternate sources of livelihood for a better income,” said Mr. Paliwal.
NATIONAL CORONA CONTROL MISSION
While the entire country is affected by the deadly Covid19 pandemic, it is getting extremely difficult for people to get even basic medicines, oxygen cylinders, and hospital beds. When metropolitan cities with big hospitals and infrastructures are facing this issue, one can only imagine how a rural district and a village may be going through it.
In a webinar involving doctors, health workers, representatives of philanthropic institutions doing various constructive work and providing health services to the people of rural areas, Mr. Paliwal addressed his concept of ‘Corona free India’ by motivating them to take active participation in fighting the epidemic together.
“The mission provides a comprehensive platform to all institutions and enlightened people, where all citizens desirous of rendering selfless service to the suffering humanity may benefit from each other’s experiences and diverse experiments. This will protect the general public from the outbreak of Corona so that more public service can be done with more enthusiasm,” said Mr. Paliwal.
Compared to the urban areas, awareness regarding coronavirus pandemic is quite low in rural districts. Villagers hardly believe in putting on masks, getting tested, and are quite averse to getting vaccinated. In such a condition, Mr. Paliwal feels that it is necessary for the ‘panchayat’ members, primary school teachers, ‘Anganwadi’ helpers, and health workers to sensitize the people regarding symptoms and treatment of the virus and make them understand the importance of vaccination.
A MULTI-TALENTED OFFICER
Mr. Paliwal is not just a diligent revenue officer but he is also a writer, poet, and playwright. He has written and published over a dozen books including novels and collections of short stories. Moreover, he is the only Hindi writer to have written the trilogy on the life and thoughts of India’s greatest leaders in freedom, spirituality, and constitution – Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, and Dr. B R Ambedkar.
He has done major social work across hundreds of villages and rural districts during calamities like the Kedarnath tragedy, Kerala floods, and now the Covid19 pandemic.
For his work, he has also received several awards including the Uttar Pradesh Hindi Institute’s Creation Award, Hindi Gaurav Award of National Hindi Council, and Official Language Writing Award of the Government of India.
Even after retiring from the service, Mr. Paliwal hasn’t stopped working for rural development. And he continues his work with exemplary zeal.
