For strengthening the quality of life of the people, Government of India takes up various flagship programs like Mahatama Gandhi National rural Employment Gurantee scheme (MGNREGS), Indira Awaj Yojana (IAY) a housing scheme for poor people, Rural drinking water, Total Sanitation Campaign, Rural Telephony, Rural Electrification, Rural Connectivity and others. With a view to check out whether the benefits of these welfare schemes are availed with the targeted rural people or not and people are fully aware of these schemes and so on, the concept of Bharat Nirman public Information campaign a media outreach strategy was developed by the Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Information, Government of India .
With a mission to aware the people inhabiting in the Indo-Myanmar Border about the flagship programs of the Government, a 3 days Bharat Nirman public Information campaign was held at Moreh, a border town of Manipur located at a distance of about 109 km from Imphal under the sponsorship of Press Information Bureau (PIB), Imphal. PIB, Imphal organized the campaign in collaboration with the Directorate of Field Publicity, Directorate of Advertising & Visual publicity, Song and Drama Division, All India Radio, Doordarshan, Local Media and NGOs.
The campaign which was held at the hall of Hill Tribal Council, Moreh from 26th February to 28th February 2013 could aware the people of Moreh about the various welfare programs of the Government. Moreh is a small border town inhabited by different ethnic groups like Meetei, Muslim, Kuki, Naga, Tamil, Nepali, Marwari and others.
On the first day of the campaign, MLA DK Korungthang graced the inaugural function as Chief Guest, ADC Moreh Lalramsang Infimate as President and Vice President of HTC Moreh Holkhojam Mate, Secretary of MCM Inaocha and Member of ADC Moreh JN baite, Member as Guests of Honour.
LR Koireng, ADPO, SSA, Chandel spoke elaborately on Sarva shiksya abhiyan (SSA) a scheme of Government to provide free and compulsory education to the children.Priyokumar singh, DPCO, MIS, SSA, Chandel spoke on the topic “Mid day Meal “ while Smt. Mangijaobi Devi, DPO, ICDS cell, Chandel spoke on Integrated child Development project.
Technical session having completed, Quiz completion was held for the students participating in the function and prizes were given out to the students.
On the second day of the campaign, N. Kunjakishore Singh, EE of Electricity Department, chandel spoke on Rural Electrification, Mr. L. Stephen Modar, PO, DRDA, chandel on MGNREGS, Mr. Hmangte Lerte kom, SDO, Chakpikarong on Rural housing (IAY), MR. BD Jameson, District Co-ordinator TSC, chandel on Total Sanitation Campaign and Mr. R. Sakum, EE, PHED, Chandel on Rural drinking water supply.
On the last day of the campaign, SMO, health department, Manipur spoke on Vector borne diseases. L. Nilajit Singh AE, DRDA, chandel on water shed Management, Mr. Ashakumar singh, SDE, BSNL on Rural Telephony.
A team of popular Comedian Artistes of Manipur “ Nokphade “ entertained the gathering at the end of the campaign. Students from the various schools of Moreh and people living there participated the campaign and made many quarries to the Resouce person regarding the schemes of the Government.
Premlata Loitam, Media and Communication officer, PIB, Imphal, during an exclusive interview with Manipur Times observed that the Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India has developed the concept of Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign, a media outreach strategy to disseminate information to the targeted beneficiaries focusing on the flagship programmes of the Govt. of India. This strategy combines information dissemination and demonstration of the benefits at the doorstep of the beneficiaries, particularly in the rural areas. Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign is designed as a more inclusive tool of information dissemination and envisages direct contact with the ordinary citizens (Aam Aadmi). The campaign seeks to empower the ordinary citizens particularly the rural people with knowledge of the flagship programs so that they can avail the advantages of these programmes to improve the quality of their life. The Multi-Media Event also includes media sensitisation about development programmes, media involvement in the grass root level development projects and motivation and participation of the people in the development process. The campaigns also provide opportunity to collect useful feedback from the people regarding implementation of flagship programmes and other schemes of the Govt. of India.
The following welfare programs are highlighted and aware to the people during the bharat Nirman public campaign. They are:-
I. Bharat Nirman package for development of Rural Infrastructure:-1. Rural Housing, 2. Rural Road connectivity, 3. Rural Drinking Water Supply,4. Rural Electrification, 5. Rural Telephone Connectivity, 6. Rural Irrigation ‘
II. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
III. National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)
IV. Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)
V. Mid Day Meal Programme
VI. Jawaharlal Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM)
VII. Right to Information Act (RTI)
VIII. Prime Minister’s New 15-Point Programme for the welfare of Minorities
IX. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme
X. Tribal Welfare specially the benefits of Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006
XI. Programme for workers in unorganized sector
XII. Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy & Law
XIII. Backward Region Grant Fund (Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Planning Commission)
XIV. Misc. Campaign like Total Sanitation Campaign, SGSY, Women Empowerment, Agriculture, Social Security Measures (old age pension etc.) etc.
“People should not miss such Bharat Nirman public Information Campaign. Rather they should participate it and try to be aware of themselves regarding the benefits of the scheme so that their rights cannot be confiscated by others. If people fully aware of the schemes,no one can misuse the funds of the flagship programs. This is what the Bharat Nirman campaign really means”, said the Media Officer of PIB, Imphal.
