"Implemented by a voluntary organisation, the Bharatjan Vigyan Jatha, the project has opened up new economic opportunities and created a healthy environment in terms of health, sanitation and hygiene in the predominantly tribal village."
Here is yet another example of an NGO creating jobs and improving lives in rural Assam. Kudos to project to Dr. D.N. Borthakur, former Assam Agriculture University vice-chancellor, who is heading this project. --Ram __________________ Fortunes turn in tech-savvy village - Once ignorant, residents reap fruits of science after novel project A STAFF REPORTER Guwahati, June 7: Until a couple of years ago, the very mention of science used to scare Moniram Marak. But for Marak and his ilk in Ganapati village, located on the outskirts of the Assam capital, life has taken a turn for the better since the area was adopted as a model village for application of science and technology. Not only has his attitude towards technology changed, it has actually become his source of livelihood. Ganapati is the first village in Assam to benefit from the project launched by the department of science and technology two years ago. Implemented by a voluntary organisation, the Bharatjan Vigyan Jatha, the project has opened up new economic opportunities and created a healthy environment in terms of health, sanitation and hygiene in the predominantly tribal village. The village is inhabited by 86 families, of which 54 are tribals and 32 are in the category of "other backward classes". The problems of the village prior to the introduction of the science and technology project were low crop productivity, over-dependence on shifting cultivation, dilapidated schools, lack of community participation in development programmes and absence of basic amenities. "To make the villagers aware of the multiple benefits of science, we introduced modern technology in agriculture, horticulture and livestock rearing. We also improved irrigation through water harvesting," project head and former Assam Agriculture University vice-chancellor D.N. Borthakur said. Sukanta Changmai, a resident of Ganapati, is one of those who owe the positive change in their lives to the project. He was trained in modern farming techniques in Kerala, after which he started a horticultural farm in his village. "We were very poor and unaware of the fact that a scientific approach to everything can bring about all-round development. I greatly benefited from the project," Changmai said. Borthakur said community participation was now the driving force behind the project. "After attending several training camps, residents of Ganapati started realising the importance of science and technology in their lives. They even set up two solar electricity units with our help. The turnout of students in the village school increased after we improved the building and roped in teachers from Guwahati. Ganapati is a model for other backward villages of the state." _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list [email protected] http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam Mailing list FAQ: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html To unsubscribe or change options: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
