This Jharkhand Village Has Become Self-Reliant In Meeting Its Water Requirements; Wins National Water Award

The Guni village in the Maoist hotbed of the Khunti district in Jharkhand is becoming a self-reliant region in meeting its water requirements. The village has adopted water conservation measures by benefitting from the 'Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Swawalamban Yojana' (DDUSY) of the Rural Development Department, which has also helped increase their agricultural productivity through community farming.

Guni village was awarded the 'National Water Award' in the Best Village Panchayat Category East Zone for its water conservation measures.'

Significant Measures

The villagers have built a 'trench-cum-bund' on around 400 acres, which has enormously improved the water table in the region, and it has further enabled them to cultivate three different crops in a season.

A resident of the village, Laxman Sanga, said that the village wells used to dry up in March but ever since they have implemented the measures there has been no water for irrigation purposes. He said, "Government motivators made us understand exactly what we needed to do," quoted The New Indian Express.

Free From Open Defecation & Liquor

Public motivator under DDUSY, Seema Devi, said, "The Gram Sabha decided to keep the village streets clean and involved kids and adults," as per the publication.

Khunit Deputy Commissioner Shashi Ranjan said that the village is on its path of actual development by being entirely free from open defecation, liquor sale, and consumption of tobacco products. At the same time, cattle are not allowed to graze in the open. He added that the villagers are being mobilised to make them self-sufficient.

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