Adarsh Gram Yojana: Javadekar to adopt MP tribal village next

A Madhya Pradesh village with hundred per cent tribal population is set to be adopted by Union minister Prakash Javadekar with special focus on education and sanitation.

The HRD minister will soon adopt Khutiya in Chindwara district under the 'Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana' after working for two years with Paldev gram panchayat.

"After serving the Paldev gram panchayat, now I am moving to Khutiya, a complete tribal village in Chindwara district, bordering Maharashtra. At present, we are conducting an assessment of the region, and preparing a roadmap. Hopefully, by next month, we would adopt the village," Javadekar said.

The Rajya Sabha member had taken up Paldev, situated on the border of Uttar Pradesh, in 2014 under the Prime Minister's Adarsh Gram Yojana, whereby MPs work on raising growth parameters in the adopted village.

The minister, who recently visited Paldev, which falls under the Chitrakoot region of Satna district, and held a review meeting with officials there, emphasised that in his next stint as well, sanitation and education-driven development model would be followed. "We worked on education and sanitation areas in Paldev and it bore fruits. And so, in the next adopted village too, our primary focus would be on education and sanitation. 'Shiksha aur Swachhata' are the watchwords," he said in an interview.

The sleepy hamlet of Paldev has seen a considerable improvement in its standards of education and sanitation, with Javadekar asserting that it now "stands on its own feet".

"Two years ago when I adopted it, the faces of the children in schools used to look so wilted. But, now look at them, all bright and enthusiastic. And, their attendance and performance has also gone up over these two years," he said.