Kovalu seems to have attracted the attention of the government to progress, become a self-reliant village in Ranchi district of Jharkhand.
Like any other village, people of Kovalu were forced to migrate for livelihood. Many of its residents walked for miles to go to work at nearby chimneys/crushers as daily wage labourers.
The state government was keen to make this village a ‘model village’ with the convergence of different schemes. The government efforts appear to be bearing fruits.
Eligible people are connected with MGNREGA. The villagers are getting work in their own village and the female members of the families are also involved in earning through women self-help groups.
With the help of JSLPS, women are producing vegetable and making soaps. The male members are working on water, land and environment conservation projects.
Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society is helping female members of the village become self-dependent. Many winen in this village are being provided nutrient rich food under Didi Badi Yojna and getting trained for making soap under brand ‘Palash’.
Mobin Khan, a JSLPS co-ordinator says, “We are working towards making them self-dependent. To ensure this, we connected them to a drip irrigation programme. Now they are able to produce 2-3 crops in a year. Under Didi Badi Yojna nutritious food is being ensured to all. The surplus green vegetables is being sold in the market. Members of the SHGs are also producing and selling Mushroom.”
“Soon, a soap making plant will be installed in the village. Members of SHG are being trained in soap manufacturing. It will be sold in the market under ‘Palash’, a brand initiated by Govt. of Jharkhand. This will make them financially sound. We thank the Govt of Jharkhand for this welfare initiative”, he added.
*Conserving water, land & environment with new schemes of the Government*
Kovalu village is rich with TCBs(Trench cum Bund), rainwater harvesting plant, water reservoirs & soak pits to maintain the water level in the village. Hundreds of mango saplings have been planted under Birsa Harit Gram Yojna. A Gram Rojgar Sewak, Chittaranjan Mahto says,
“Through different schemes of MGNREGA many rainwater harvesting projects have been build across the village. Many TCBs, Soak Pits have also been formed to control the flow of wastewater. Hundreds of mango saplings have been planted across the village. In future, Mango farming will make villagers self-dependent. Its sloping terrain will also help control the soil erosion.”
A villager Sheela says, “During CORONA time we never went outside our village for earning because of MGNREGA. Now we are taking care of our family and earning as well. We are all happy. I want to thank the government for providing us with work in our own village.”
Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi Mr Chhavi Ranjan says that the government is working on an action plan to curb migration from state and ensure earning for the people at their home.
( Note:This story was drafted and prepared by Information and Public Relation Department of Jharkhand Government)