Students from villages in remote areas who could not study in evening due to long hours of load-shedding
have a reason to cheer. The
Statutory Development Board for Vidarbha (SDBV) has decided to set up solar powered
study rooms in 1,700 villages of the region. They would allow students to study even when there is no power from grid.
SDBV chairman Tukaram Birkad told TOI that the board had identified almost 1700 villages in Vidarbha that undergo long-hours of load shedding in evening hours. Students especially those from standard VIII to XII suffer in such situation. The state government had decided to set up phase wise solar study rooms in almost 41,000 gram panchayats across state. In Vidarbha, the project will be implemented in 7652 villages across 11 districts with 1700 being taken up in first phase, he added.
Under the project, the state government will share 90% of the installation cost of solar equipment while 10% has to be shared by respective gram panchayats with public participation or local funds. They also have to give a room in any school or government building for installation of solar panel and four high power lights and a fan. State will provide Rs 23,660 for each installation while gram panchayat will have to give Rs 2630.
Said Bidkar, "Out of a provision of Rs 4.19 crore meant for Vidarbha for the project in 2009-10, state will provide Rs 2.67 crore while SDBV will provide Rs 2.01 crore from its special funds. From 1700 villages, the SDBV will also give 10% share of over 600 villages from remote areas of Gadchiroli and Chandrapur districts, Bidkar added.
"As per Governor's directives, this year SDBV received about Rs 48 crore from which it has decided to allocate funds for various projects like Rs 3.74 crore for purchasing 72 ambulances for primary health centres in Nagpur division. Last year, SDBV purchased and handed over 86 ambulances worth Rs 4.51 crore in Amravati division," he said.
SDBV has adopted two villages-- Korpana in Chandrapur district and Motala in Buldhana district-- this year. Rs 1.22 crore will be allocated for these villages and all development work will be taken care of by SDBV, he added.
Dogs and bulls for farmers
The Statutory Development Board for Vidarbha (SDBV) has decided to provide hybrid and indigenous breed of bulls and German Shepherd dogs to farmers in Vidarbha. Chairman SDBV Tukaram Birkad said, "As a pilot project we have decided to provide dogs to farmers of five villages of Redwa, Sarala, Soundala, Jawla and Nandkhed in Akola district." The idea is that farmers can breed these dogs and sell pups in cities to generate extra revenue.
A German Shepherd pup sells for about Rs 5,000 in market. SDBV has made provision of Rs 10 lakh for the project. Further SDBV has decided to provide hybrid and indigenous breed of bulls in over 100 villages of Barshi Takli taluka. They would help improve the breed of cow progeny in villages. A provision of Rs 40 lakh has been made for this project, Birkad added.
have a reason to cheer. The
Statutory Development Board for Vidarbha (SDBV) has decided to set up solar powered
study rooms in 1,700 villages of the region. They would allow students to study even when there is no power from grid.
SDBV chairman Tukaram Birkad told TOI that the board had identified almost 1700 villages in Vidarbha that undergo long-hours of load shedding in evening hours. Students especially those from standard VIII to XII suffer in such situation. The state government had decided to set up phase wise solar study rooms in almost 41,000 gram panchayats across state. In Vidarbha, the project will be implemented in 7652 villages across 11 districts with 1700 being taken up in first phase, he added.
Under the project, the state government will share 90% of the installation cost of solar equipment while 10% has to be shared by respective gram panchayats with public participation or local funds. They also have to give a room in any school or government building for installation of solar panel and four high power lights and a fan. State will provide Rs 23,660 for each installation while gram panchayat will have to give Rs 2630.
Said Bidkar, "Out of a provision of Rs 4.19 crore meant for Vidarbha for the project in 2009-10, state will provide Rs 2.67 crore while SDBV will provide Rs 2.01 crore from its special funds. From 1700 villages, the SDBV will also give 10% share of over 600 villages from remote areas of Gadchiroli and Chandrapur districts, Bidkar added.
"As per Governor's directives, this year SDBV received about Rs 48 crore from which it has decided to allocate funds for various projects like Rs 3.74 crore for purchasing 72 ambulances for primary health centres in Nagpur division. Last year, SDBV purchased and handed over 86 ambulances worth Rs 4.51 crore in Amravati division," he said.
SDBV has adopted two villages-- Korpana in Chandrapur district and Motala in Buldhana district-- this year. Rs 1.22 crore will be allocated for these villages and all development work will be taken care of by SDBV, he added.
Dogs and bulls for farmers
The Statutory Development Board for Vidarbha (SDBV) has decided to provide hybrid and indigenous breed of bulls and German Shepherd dogs to farmers in Vidarbha. Chairman SDBV Tukaram Birkad said, "As a pilot project we have decided to provide dogs to farmers of five villages of Redwa, Sarala, Soundala, Jawla and Nandkhed in Akola district." The idea is that farmers can breed these dogs and sell pups in cities to generate extra revenue.
A German Shepherd pup sells for about Rs 5,000 in market. SDBV has made provision of Rs 10 lakh for the project. Further SDBV has decided to provide hybrid and indigenous breed of bulls in over 100 villages of Barshi Takli taluka. They would help improve the breed of cow progeny in villages. A provision of Rs 40 lakh has been made for this project, Birkad added.