Services at Grassroots: Ganjam All Set to Start People-Friendly ‘Satranji Baithak’ Programme

Berhampur: Buoyed by overwhelming response to its ‘Mo Gaon Re Tahasil’ programme, the Ganjam district administration is all set to roll out yet another people-friendly initiative in pursuance with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s 5T mantra to further enhance service delivery at the grassroots level.

A unique evening programme ‘Satranji Baithak’ to be launched in all 22 blocks across the district will provide a platform to the villagers to become part of the development process.

The Satranji Baithak, which calls for government officials to sit with common people to discuss about their problems, will be organized in two gram panchayats (GPs) in each block.

The programme has been purposefully set for evening timing, so that a large number of villagers can attend it, an official said.

The district administration aims to cover all GPs under the programme by November 15.

The issues pertaining to rural housing, MGNREGS, SOSO, drinking water and social security will be discussed elaborately in the meeting.

The programme will be attended by Block Development Officers (BDOs) and his staffs;  BSSO; officials from horticulture, agriculture, veterinary departments; BEO and local school headmaster; local CDPO and AWW; Revenue Inspector, Sarapancha and Samiti Sabhya.

The rural housing issues like progress of rural housing projects and gap analysis, release of installment, convergence with MGNREGS and Wage Payment as per ‘Mo Abass Bahi, will be one of the major agendas at the meeting.

The BDOs have been instructed to intimate all RH beneficiaries to attend the Satranji Baithak.

All active job cardholders under MGNREGS and leaders of Sramik Sangha will also attend the programme where BDO will inform about the projects – additional projects and list of sanctioned projects.

Besides, labour registration will also be done during the meeting and bogus cards will be eliminated, sources said.

Discussions will also be made on issues related NRM work, delay payment, execution of one GP one nursery, dugwell, cattle shed, Vermi/Nadep pit and land development, playground, pond development and village garden.

Apart from it, geo-tagging, construction of IHHL and institutional toilet and sensitization regarding single use plastic, drinking water and social security will also be discussed at the meeting.

Ganjam Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange urged the BDOs to take all necessary measures for successful conduct of the programme.

Effectiveness of Satranji Baithak programme will be evaluated by all means, the Collector said.

He also said that after the first round of Satranji Baithak, the second round will be started for poor performer GPs.