Every year, thousands of people leave Bihar for metro cities in search of livelihood opportunities. The district of Gopalganj is no exception. People who have migrated from here have reached top positions in different fields, including films, business, and science, popular actor Pankaj Tripathi being an apt example.
Although these people are doing great in their adopted states, they have a deep connection with their native state and wants to do something for the development of their district or villages. But, due to lack of time and monitoring, they often fail to do so.
For this reason, Gopalganj District Collector, Dr. Nawal Kishor Choudhary, has created an app called ‘Gopalganj ka Gaurav’ to invite development ideas from people leaving outside the state and help them in implementing those ideas. In conversation with Indian Masterminds, Dr. Choudhary talked about the app and the ideas he has chosen to work upon.
INVITING IDEAS
The basic idea behind the app was to invite as many ideas as possible, said Dr. Choudhary, who is also MS in General Surgery.
“Most of who migrated from this district are in top positions now. Some are in the Middle East and other foreign countries and are doing well for themselves. Often, I come across such people who want to do something for their district but are not able to. They want to donate money for development, but due to lack of time from their side and monitoring, their purpose is not achieved. To harness this, we created this app. Now they can share their ideas about what they want to do or donate. Our task is to help them monitor it, supervise their initiative, prioritise it and attach it to other government schemes, and get the work done.”
SETTING EXAMPLES
Till now, more than 50 ideas have been received through the app, out of which, few have been selected for implementation.
Mr. Surya Prakash, who is associated with an NGO, has donated land for the creation of a library. The district administration has helped him in free registration and has shifted the Panchayat library to the donated place, with better infrastructure and facilities.
DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) official Amod Kumar has mooted the proposal of cyber security education, including science training in the district. The administration is supervising his needs, including the establishment of a lab for the purpose.
Similarly, five deluxe toilets will be constructed in the district with best of facility, with the money donated by businessman Pradeep Sinha from Mumbai.
Collector Dr. Choudhary said that this initiative works well for both the parties. “The individuals are getting satisfaction for doing something for their native places, and by providing all the machineries, the administration is helping in the wholesome development of the district.”
He now plans to felicitate all the people who have come forward to help develop the district. “At the same time, are planning to organise an interaction of these people with the district administration for better ideas and coordination in the work.”
Now that few people have set examples, others will follow. Although living far away from their native places, deep in their hearts, they are still intimately connected to their hometowns and villages. And now that they have found a way to contribute to the development of their native places, they are eagerly coming forward to do so.
