By Japan K Pathak
Ahmedabad, DeshGujarat

Gujarat Chief Minister has asked ministers to visit schools, hospitals and other important public places in interior parts of the state. Presented here is a video clip featuring minister Nanubhai Vanani’s visit to government run schools in Dhoraji area fo rural Rajkot in Saurashtra region of Gujarat. It is good to see that Vanani not just visited class room and school office, but also checked water supply and even girls toilet during his visit which is very important because one of the reasons why girls leave school in rural India is lack of proper toilet facility.

During four days allocated to ministers under ‘Vanthambhi Vikasyatra’ title, they not only inaugurate and perform ground breaking of development programmes but also visit hospitals, schools and other government run services in order to check the things out there. Under scorching sun of May, this theme of ‘Vanthambhi Vikasyatra’ keeps ministers on ground, with people, especially village people in rural, tribal and backward areas. The theme of ‘Vanthambhi Vikasyatra’ is about opening/launching works for small development projects which are very important for village and taluka level areas.

State media doesn’t focus on this programme as there are no big projects involved, but actually the small projects like opening of substation, RCC road, local water supply project, local school or sub health center building, cold storage, local river bridge etc are very important for that particular village/taluka area. The ministers are allocated cross areas during ‘Vanthambhi Vikasyatra’. So Shankar Chaudhary who is a leader from Banaskantha in north Gujarat is sent to Dahod in tribal east Gujarat to inaugurate a model school. And Jaydrathsinh Parmar who belongs to tribal east-central Gujarat is sent to Banaskantha to inaugurate primary schools and health sub center buildings.

The entire theme of ‘Vanthambhi Vikasyatra’ was conceived by then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, and presence Chief Minister Anandiben Patel has adopted same model. This programme also keeps check over local district Collector and District Development Officer(DDO) as they need to show development works that are suitable to be opened by ministers. Lazy and non-performing Collector can not send a long list of development works that are completed or going to be started, and he is exposed immediately before the state government. Visits for inauguration/ground breaking provide the ministers opportunity to give their ear to ground.

– DeshGujarat