RANCHI: In an example of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat,’ a village located in the Maoist hotbed Khunti in Jharkhand is becoming self-reliant in meeting its water needs.
Guni village has adopted measures of water conservation by taking advantage of the ‘Deen Dayaal Upadhyaya Swawalamban Yojana’ (DDUSY) of the Rural Development Department and increasing their farm-productivity through community farming.
Due to the water conservation measures, the village was awarded ‘National Water Award’ in the Best Village Panchayat Category East Zone.’
Villagers talk about a ‘trench-cum-bund’ that they have built on about 400 acres, which has significantly increased the water table in the region.
This has enabled them to cultivate three crops in a season.
“Government motivators made us understand exactly what we needed to do,” said a local Laxman Sanga.
He says all village wells used to dry up in March. After the measures, there has been no shortage of water for irrigation purposes.
The village is completely free from open defecation and liquor sale and consumption of tobacco products.
“The Gram Sabha decided to keep the village streets clean and involved kids and adults,” said Seema Devi, public motivator under DDUSY.
Khunit Deputy Commissioner Shashi Ranjan says the villagers are being mobilised to make them self-sufficient.
“The village is made completely free from open defecation and liquor while cattle are not allowed to graze in the open,” he said.