Vidyasagar University adopts village

The Vidyasagar University (VU) in West Midnapore has come up with a unique idea of adopting a village to improve the overall infrastructure of the village and improve the life quality of the villagers. This sets an example for other universities in the state.

The VU has taken up a host on new schemes to improve the condition of the village and it is also planning to start various health programmes to treat people living in the village. According to a senior official of the university they will adopt more number of villages in the coming years.  This is the first time a university had adopted a village and pledged to contribute for the wellbeing of its people. It was learnt that the university authorities will sanction Rs 10 lakh at the initial level for the development of the village. 

Moradanga, a remote village of West Midnapore district is the only village in the state to have been adopted by a university. The University has an elaborate plan to contribute towards the development of the village.  It will ensure that the villagers get the basic amenities like purified drinking water. An official of the university said that there is scarcity of purified drinking water in some areas of the village. 

To address the problem, VU has decided to build deep tube wells in the village. The university will also improve the road condition of the region. They will install more road lights. The university will construct toilets in the village. VU Vice-chancellor Ranjan Chatterjee said that this is the first time his university has taken up such a project of adopting a village. 

The University has an elaborate plan to adopt more number of villages so that they can contribute towards the overall improvement of the villages.  It was the social responsibility of the university to work with the local panchayat functionaries to bring developmental changes in the villages. 

The step was taken in consultation with the local panchayat administration.

The university will adopt one village every year. It has already adopted Moradanga village as a pilot project. From next year the university will adopt one village in the district. 

The Register of the VU, Jayanta Kishore Nandi said that apart from improving the condition of roads, providing purified drinking water and setting up lights, the university will provide free of cost heath treatment to the poor villagers.  The university has plans to form self-help groups to improve the economic conditions of the people. It will also organise various health awareness camps for the poor villagers.