| Over 400 colleges take to Gandhigiri | ||
| Students and staff will adopt one village for a 12-point programme to fulfil President Kalams Vision 2020 |
Pune: THE Mahatmas back-to-the-village slogan has found a following in the University of Pune. Beginning 2007, thousands of students, teaching and non-teaching staff of the Universitys affiliated colleges will join the government and NGOs to transform rural Maharashtra.
Called the Samartha Bharat Abhiyaan, the effort will involve all 408 colleges affiliated to the UoP in the three districts of Pune, Ahmednagar and Nashik. Each college will adopt one village in the vicinity, and work towards a 12-point development programme. This movement will involve nearly 5.35 lakh students, teachers and non-teaching staff, who will work with the NGOs and the government framework in the adopted village. A system will be developed wherein students can volunteer to visit the village every weekend in batches, said University Vice Chancellor Narendra Jadhav.
Initially, students and teachers will visit the villages regularly and carry out socio-economic surveys at the ground level. Four to five areas would be identified, where there is crying need, and these can then be taken up on a priority basis, said Jadhav. One such priority area could be communal harmony, he said. Guidance can also be provided to women on formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs).
Participants would generate awareness and encourage people to participate in already existing government schemes like the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan and the Nirmal Gram Yojana.
Aforestation will also be a key part of the programme. By June 2007, we should have planted 5.5 lakh trees. Each student should plant at least one tree, enthused Jadhav. Senior citizens will also be involved in the programme.
The plan
* For effective organisation and implementation, the 408 colleges have been divided into four groups. While two groups will comprise the Nashik and Ahmednagar colleges, Pune region has been divided into two groups Pune city and Pune rural.
* Meetings have been held with 400 college principals, who have all expressed interest in participating.
* University of Pune Vice-Chancellor Narendra Jadhav has also been encouraging students to volunteer. I will also address a large gathering of students at the National Youth Festival in Pune, said Jadhav.
* The movement will go a long way in inculcating the students with a sense of social responsibility. It is only with peoples participation that we can achieve President APJ Kalams Vision 2020, he said.
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