By Our Correspondent
BERHAMPUR: On 26th January 2025, Sunday a special Gram Sabha was conducted in all Gram Panchayats of Rangeilunda Block, Ganjam District under the joint collaboration of Youth for Social Development (YSD) and UNICEF volunteers. The event was organized to approve the community-focused Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) that emphasizes child-friendly, clean and green villages along with conducting surveys and identifying eligible beneficiaries for rural housing schemes.
The Sabha saw active participation from various stakeholders, including local residents, women and children who shared their issues and suggestions. Children in particular presented plans on key topics such as child marriage, child labor, school dropouts, child safety, and their involvement in local planning.
Issues like gender discrimination, child-friendly spaces, open defecation-free Panchayats, and disaster preparedness were also discussed. Elected representatives, government officials, parents and children deliberated on these topics and the GPDP was unanimously approved. Discussions also included topics such as rural housing survey and selection of eligible beneficiaries.
Key decisions taken during the Sabha:
– Formation of child-friendly Gram Panchayats.
– Development of clean and green villages.
– Inclusion of water-secure villages in the GPDP.
– Collective oath-taking for sustainable and child-friendly village development.
The Gram Sabha meetings were conducted in all Gram Panchayat offices with participation from elected representatives, government officials and local residents. The program was facilitated by Biplab Kumar Behera (Project Coordinator, YSD), Sudeep Kumar Chakraborty (Block Coordinator, Rangeilunda), Geetanjali Panigrahi, Mamali Panda, Niki Pradhan, Jagamohan Dhar Mahapatra, Sashikanta Pradhan, and Alok Nayak.
