Gyanodaya Kendras
Co-opting
Youth
In
Building
A Rational Knowledge Society
In
Chhattisgarh
Vision statement
l Mass arousal of
a desire for acquiring knowledge among our people that would give them a distinct identity
among all Indians; an identity which is not limited to only a few talented ones amongst
us.
Objectives
l A mass based
knowledge movement
l Forum for
debating development ideas and models for each village
l Encouragement to
neo-literates to access information and knowledge
l Preparing people
for exercising the Right to Information
l Knowledge hubs and resource and documentation centres at the
level of the village starting with Panchayat Headquarters
l Doubles as a village reading room and a forum for the youth to
critique development
l A centre for co-opting villagers – particularly the youth
and the neo literates – to rational thinking and inculcating scientific temper
l A forum to build harmony and integration among communities at the
level of the village by involving youth – drawing on the inspiration from our great
national leaders
l An opportunity to ensure gender equality and symmetrical access
to information and knowledge for all cutting across the divides of castes and class in the
rural context.
l Activities include :
– Training and exposure to youth for accessing information relevant
to the future of the village and their own future
– Organizing discussion forum for equipping the youth with tools
for applying reason to knowledge acquired
– Involving youth in village construction and reconstruction
programmes
– Training youth to inventory human and natural resources resident
in their communities and associating them in the Gaonla Chalab Campaign for preparing the
village jan rapats and in participatory micro plans
– Functioning as the Point of Contact for civil society initiatives
l Perspective :
– Upgrading
RGKs in to village level multi-media
information kiosks
– For which
equipping Kendras with Television sets, Radio sets, computers, etc.
– Networking
RGKs and other institutions sharing the broader humanist vision
l Outlines :
– All members of the Gram Sabha, irrespective of
castes/religion/class/income can be members of RGK. Youth are, in particular, encouraged
to participate.
– Every member of RGK is involved in some activity or the other
already enumerated earlier
– RGK is managed by a committee nominated by the Gram Sabha from
out of the active members conforming to the objectives of the Kendra
– Linkage between RGK and the Gram Panchayat is ensured through the
Panch/Sarpanch responsible for the Kendra who is nominated by the Gram Sabha
– The committee identifies one or more members who could volunteer
to manage the day to day activities and requirements
l Resources: An expenditure of Rs.3.52 crores has been
made by village panchayats on setting up 9049 RGKs
– The Gram Panchayat subscribes to at least one news paper for the
RGK
– All Gram Panchayats can spend up to Rs.10,000 as a one time
expenditure for setting up the RGK
– No separate buildings are constructed – any existing public
building can be used for serving the purposes of the Kendra.
– Quality books, periodicals, other reading materials donated by
those who can afford. An appeal has been issued to urban population in particular
– Collaboration with RAJIV GANDHI FOUNDATION’S RURAL LIBRARY
PROJECT in Bastar District.
– Eleventh Finance
Commission Grants for strengthening panchayat level activities
– Annual
grants for Panchayats for library activities ( Social Welfare Deptt.)
– Community
contributions of time/books/cash
– Budgetary
support from the State Information and Public Relations Deptt.
l Achievements :-
– First phase
l 9049 RGKs are functioning at the Panchayat HQ villages
against a total of 9139 Panchayats
– Second phase
l Remaining appx. 10,000 other villages by Oct. 2003
Foot Note :Enthusing Youth
l Rajiv
Gyanodaya Kendras would be the pivot for attracting and training a group of dedicated
young men and women in being partners in development programmes. RGKs are being developed
as forum to counter the ill effects of communalism and casteism at the level of the
villages. The Gaonla Chalav Campaign for documenting village resources would be continued
for one year in order to keep the RGK youth groups involved in rural development.