People in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar avail of govt services via special camps
The state government-led initiative is based on the “principles of development, trust and security” to ensure that people in the interior areas of Bastar can get basic services such as medical, education and employment, among others.
The Chhattisgarh government has claimed that the citizens in its Bastar region are able to avail of various government services via special camps – which are being organised for redressal of grievances pertaining to Aadhaar card, ration card, ayushman card and pension cases.
In other districts such as Sukma, villagers made a beeline in similar special camps in Silger, Sarkeguda and Minapa, to avail of the government services, a statement by the Chhattisgarh government read.
A facilitation camp was organised at village Sarkeguda with the aim to provide several facilities to the villagers. “Vehicles were also arranged by the administration so that the villagers do not face any problem in commuting to the campsite,” the statement added.
The villagers of Minapa and Silger also informed the district administration about their problems, and these special camps are being set up in these areas as well for “quick redressal.” “Similar camps will be organised in other villages in the coming days,” the government statement noted.
Bastar division has seven districts, and these are included in the list of “aspirational districts of the country.” “In the tribal-dominated districts of Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Kondagaon, Bastar (Jagdalpur) and Kanker, access to facilities in the hinterland has always been a challenge due to geographical complexities and Maoist activities,” the statement pointed out.
To eradicate these issues, chief minister Bhupesh Baghel-led Chhattisgarh government decided to adopt a camp strategy as per the local conditions for the development of Bastar division – moving away from the traditional methods.
“This new strategy of governance is based on the principles of development, trust and security. To ensure an environment of security in the Maoist-affected interior areas, security-force camps were set up at various places,” the statement read.
Furthermore, these special camps paved the way for the establishment and functioning of other camps as well. With the usage of mobile clinics of ‘Mukhyamantri Haat-Bazaar Clinic Yojna’ – medical camps have also begun in the Haat-bazaars of the interior areas, where the villagers are getting the facility of free examination, treatment and medicines. Several schools that were shut down due to Maoist activities in the interior areas have also been successfully reopened.
English medium schools have also started at various places along with teaching in local dialects. These schools are being run under the ‘Swami Atmanand English Medium School Scheme’, in which free education is being offered to every student with facilities like private educational institutes.
Due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, Chhattisgarh has gathered the maximum number of minor forests produces in the country. “Most of the minor forest produce in the state is collected in these seven districts of Bastar division. With better strategy, now the collection of minor forest produce is being done in a more systematic and organised manner,” the statement read, adding that forest dwellers do everything starting from collection to purchase.
Self-help groups, in return, obtain these forest produces, and set up purchase camps in Haat-bazaars. “The enthusiasm of the villagers has increased due to the increase in the price of minor forest produce by the government and increasing the number of minor forest produce purchased on support price from seven to 52,” the government statement added.
It said that after the minor forest produces are collected, they are processed locally, thereby helping in employment opportunities for the people.
