Port Blair, Dec. 12: The Port Blair Municipal Council organised ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ programme at Dr. B R Ambedkar Auditorium, PBMC HQ here today. Admiral D K Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM,VSM (Retd.), Hon’ble Lt. Governor, A&N Islands and Vice-Chairman, Islands Development Agency as the chief guest inaugurated the programme by lighting the traditional oil lamp. The Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Shri Keshav Chandra, IAS, Chairperson, PBMC, Smt. S. Selvi, Councillors, Senior Officers of A&N Administration and various community representatives were present on the occasion. The Govt. of India launched the nationwide campaign ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ to raise awareness through outreach activities to achieve saturation of schemes and to ensure that benefits of flagship schemes reach the targeted beneficiaries in a time bound manner.
The Lt. Governor administered the ‘Sankalp’ pledge to the gathering which emphasizes collective participation towards a ‘Developed India’. On the occasion, the Lt. Governor felicitated, Smt. Gouraiya Devi, Sanitary Worker, PBMC, Shri Ganesh Ram, Junior Engineer, Water Supply Division, PBMC for their outstanding contribution towards ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ campaign and also handed over Ayushman Bharat Card to Ms. Chandini, a beneficiary of the Scheme.
Earlier, the Lt. Governor, the Chief Secretary and the Chairperson, PBMC welcomed the IEC Van of ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ in the PBMC premises with flowers. The Lt. Governor also interacted with the representatives of various Departments & NGOs, SHGs and Financial Institutions who have put up their stalls to generate awareness about various Govt. schemes.
Welcoming the chief guest and others present on the occasion, the Secretary (UD), Shri ASPS Raviprakash, IAS said that ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ programme is a nationwide campaign to raise awareness through outreach activities to achieve saturation of schemes covering all Gram Panchayats and Municipal Wards. Under this campaign, onsite registration of beneficiaries, delivery of services of different schemes are being carried out viz. Registration of Ayushman Bharat, LPG Connections, Applications for Credit Assistance etc., he said. With the support of various Departments across the Islands, the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ is effectively being conducted, covering the rural, urban and tribal areas, the Secretary said.
Proposing the vote of thanks, the Secretary, PBMC, Shri Dilkhush Meena, IAS, stated that ‘Viksit Bharat’ campaign is being organized in different Wards of the city area to reach out to the public and make them aware about various Central Government's Welfare Schemes, so that the benefits of the schemes could be availed by all people residing in remote areas and cover the last mile beneficiaries.
Later, a colourful cultural programme on patriotic theme and ‘Viksit Bharat’ was presented by the students of Model School and Girl’s School, drawing loud applause from the audience. Videos on ‘Viksit Bharat’ shared by the GoI were screened for the gathering. A PM SVANidhi beneficiary shared her story under ‘Meri Kahani Meri Zubani’, to motivate others to avail benefit under the scheme. A Nikshya Mitra was also felicitated by the Chairperson, PBMC, Smt. S. Selvi on the occasion.
In the ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’ program, various Departments, NGOs and Financial Institutions such as Industries, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Health, Social Welfare, State Bank of India, IDBI, TMB etc. participated and set up stalls to create awareness about their schemes among the rural public. Stalls of PBMC created awareness regarding Solid Waste Management and PM SVANidhi besides display of model of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) project. The Financial Institutions viz. SBI, IDBI, Central Bank and TMB generated awareness regarding the Social Security Schemes such as PMJJBY, PMSBY, Atal Pension Yojana etc. while Consumer Co-operative Society generated awareness about PM Ujjwala Yojana. Kurundham Helping Hand, NGO, Parash SHG under (DAY-NRLM), Smart SHG, Sthree Hosla, SHG displayed their handicrafts and packaged food items.