Concept and Parameters needs to achieve an ICONIC Village - Gujarat

Concept Note on CM Iconic Village Project

1.   Introduction

Government of Gujarat aims to develop Ideal / Iconic / Holistic Villages to showcase rural life, art, culture, heritage and natural environment. This process will built over holistic development of the villages focusing around human and economic development  with cross cutting emphasis on equity, environmental protection and harmony. The thrust area of the Ideal Village is socio-economic benefits to rural people and its new geographic regions, thereby stopping the exodus from rural to urban areas.

The Village Development Plan (VDP) and Gram Panchayat Development  Plan (GPDP), subsequent to financial devolution recommended by 14th Finance Commission are two major village level consultative forums for local community participation to plan, implement and monitor developmental programs with  support of other community level institutions. The intention is to provide value addition to the existing village development process by enriching the village art, culture and heritage which is increasingly getting neglected.

Each ideal village can take up its journey around one or two “unique” goals set for themselves around combination of social-economic issues, human development issues and cultural issues that most suit the unique identity of the village. The development of a village has its foundation on the existing social capital which is vested in the village institutions, leadership, social inclusion practices and good governance and leadership of the Panchayat. It is expected that the journey of making an iconic village has to be an internal drive by the village social capital and government can only provide necessary technical support and encouragement as per the need. Each iconic village will have its own journey, distinctive focus and individual characteristics and can not be compared with others. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It shall not be treated as a scheme or program of the government.

The key aspects of Ideal / Iconic / Holistic Village are as follows,

·         Clean and beautiful habitat

·          Livelihood resource and its development

·         Plantation / Afforestation / Horticulture & Flower plants

·         Bio-Diversity Protection

·         Zero Budget Natural Farming

·          Rural tourism

·           Health and educated people

·         Digital Village

·         Deprivation free families and society.

·          Enrichment of cultural heritage

2.    Institutional mechanism:

The existing government machinery will be used for development of ideal village with support of effective implementation of  public programs of various departments  – Health, Education, Women and Child Development, Social Justice, Tribal Development, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Water Supply, Forest, Bio-Diversity Board, Rural Development (MGNREGA, livelihood, Swatch Bharat Abhiyan, Housing,). MGNREGS shall be the nodal agency to implement this program.

Commissionerate of Rural Development and respective DDOs may involve credible NGOs wherever possible to seek expert advice. The nature of NGO engagement can vary from capacity building, support in the planning to implementation.

In addition to that The existing social capital (SHG, youth group, Dairy, Cooperatives, Farmers group etc) could be in form of any institution but the process will be taken up around the leadership of gram panchayat with full participation of Gram Sabha so that the good governance of village leads to multi-fold development.

3.     Identification of Villages

In the first phase, it is envisaged to cover 251 villages across the state. However, It has been suggested to take up 500 villages in in the initial stage as some villages may drop out in the process because of feasibility factors.  The selection criteria for the development of Ideal / Iconic / Holistic Village are as follows,

Infrastructural Parameters

• ·         The villages situated on bank of river / pond / lake
• ·         Beautiful scenery
• ·         Enough irrigation potential
• ·         Historical place like fort etc
• ·         Bio-diversity
•          Social Parameters
• ·         Strong social capital
• ·         Renowned for skilling
• ·         Remarkable identity
• ·         Strong traditional cultural identity
• ·         Demand based

4.   Process

• ·       Vision building exercise:
•       Exposure of leaders to different model villages in and outside Gujarat should be done so that their horizon for vision building expands and also they understand how to do it.
• ·       Visioning exercise:
•        A participatory village visioning exercise to define a unique vision of the village.
• ·         Village Development Plan (VDP) and GPDP planning and implementation:
•     A multi-sectorial development plan along with implementation mechanism (responsibility sharing within GP committees, departments, convergence etc.). The process of VDP

• Village / Para / Ward level meeting
• What is a dream village?
• Interactive survey of rural social map
• Family livelihood survey  
• Resource map  
• Work demand estimate
• Transact walk
• Priorities of work
• Approve plans

Some of the Criteria to be considered for all the villages –

1.    History

2.    PAHELI

3.    SONG or Village anthem

4.    Gazetteer

5.    Biodiversity census

6.    Flora/Fauna

7.    Bharath Nirmal volunteer

8.    Skill development

9.    Vulnerable groups

10. Tourism

11. Activity Calendar

Process of the above criteria’s –

      1.      History of the village –
Ask to the elderly people or take one help of sarpanch or panchayat committee through history know the culture and tradition which was existing and history of the name of the village2.      PAHELI Survey – Go to the nearby college or high school distribute the tool in app or in paper to the students. The students selected must be from each section of the society 3.      Song or Village anthem –
Asking for the village with the help of school teachers students or any artist who is there in the village 4.      Gazette year –
A gazette which includes the history important dates -time line, important events that has taken place, information regarding the village, the census, any natural disasters, the schemes implemented, the scheme that are working well, the demands of the villages, what all they require in the next year. 5.      Biodiversity Census –Get the information on regarding which kind of pants can be grown in the village which are suitable for the climate encourage plantation in open spaces or was to lands. 6.      Flora and Fauna
                                                                                                  i.      Solid Liquid Resource management –
Separate the dry waste and wet waste while collecting itself land dispose if accordingly 7.      Bharath Nirmal Volunteers                                                                                                  i.      Organization –Check whether these are any organization working in the village or working for them try to incorporate its activities and identify the volunteer
                                                                                                ii.      Nuclear groups –
Identify or encourage the formation of groups like SHG’s to take active participation in the village development if it is under NRLM try to make the groups active socially also include children with them                                                                                              iii.      Faith based Organizations
 8.      Skill Development –Identify the people who wanted to be skilled and what kind of skill training they require. Sit with RESTI and tie up the aspirants with it per their interest 9.      Vulnerable groups –
Identify which are the vulnerable group existing in the village. Check whether they are getting any benefits old age, widows whether they are getting the pension? Are they able to live with it?
They have any livelihood –
·         If not link them up with any economic activity which they can do
·         If they are unable to do any kind of activities means check for the financial help that can be provided
Special Abled (mentally special) / Special abled children·         Whether they are going to any special schools
·         Financial help
·         % of disability
·         If there are more number of such children means a setup in village itself where they can then be taught and make them engaged in the active SHG’s can take a role in it and also the primary and secondary schools
·         Orphans – See whether these are any organization to take case of them. If not find a solution to help them financially and by providing a shelter and all what is required in case of children sent them to school and find for a home where they can be safe
 10.  Tourism –Check whether is scope for tourism, like mountains, rivers or waterfall, aesthetically whether the village has a potential for that, or culturally or traditionally it can attract the touristWhether these is any craft which is being done in the village. The following things can be checked under it:·         History of the village
·         Local Cuisine
·         Location
·         Scope for homestay
 11.  Activity Calendar –
Engage the villagers in different activities so that participation of all age groups is not left out and link them to one educational institute with the help of nucleus groups 

5.      Works to be taken up to achieve the status of Ideal / Iconic / Holistic Village

•                  Development of Digital infrastructures (Wi-fi , internet - >  banks - > ATMs - > Cashless)  

•        Decorative infrastructure

•  Decorative Lake bank / River bank along with sitting arrangement (benches) , Illumination,

•   Roads  (Various designs)

•    Village entrance / reception

•    Construction of wayside amenities.

•   Refurbishment of the monuments.

•  Signages

•  Daily cleanliness

• Regular maintenance of sanitation structures (Underground drainage)

•             Providing for improvement in solid waste management and sewerage management.

• Solid liquid resource management

• Illumination in the village & Underground electrification

• Structured dairy & animal husbandry development

•  Prohibition of wandering animals       

•  Chips coded animals & Animal Health Card

•              Zero Budget Natural Farming

•      Horticulture / Vadi / Floriculture

•            Human health Card

•           ST Bus Stand

•           Decorative Temple  

•           Architecturally Innovative

•      Wall painting & Aesthetics  Identification of Unemployment & KVK involvement

•             Fodder Developments in Gauchar land ( e. g. Chanka village Junagadh)         Sports & Entertainment like Rajsamadhiyala : Cricket Ground

•      Other facilities

o   Children          - : Parko   Adult                 - : Reading Hallo   Women            - : Swadhay Kendrao   Youth               - : Gymnasium , Stadium