Jalore attempts to shed ‘backward’ tag with community-based initiative
POSITIVE CHANGE Drive to focus on improving sanitation, education, health in the district at micro level
JAIPUR: In a unique initiative, the Jalore district administration has launched “Jabron Jalore” programme to improve sanitation, education and health through community involvement.
Under the programme — initiated by district collector Jitendra Kumar Soni — the existing schemes and policies in the three sectors will be effectively coordinated and monitored at micro-level through elected representatives, NGOs and technology for better results.
Asked about the objective behind the whole programme, Soni said, “When I joined office in Jalore, I found out that for development of the district these three aspects need more focus.”
“Under the programme,” he said, “we will work on making the district open defecation free; increasing literacy rate, especially among women; decreasing infant mortality rate (IMR) and mother mortality rate (MMR); and attaining target of vaccination and population stabilization according to human index, to make Jalore a model district.”
He said that for making the district open defection free (ODF), people will be motivated to construct toilets through triggering process, gaurav (glory) and sharamsar (ashamed) yatra.
MPs, MLAs, jila pramukh, pradhan and other public representatives will adopt three villages each making them ODF. In addition to it, NGOs, banks and philanthropists will be included in the programme, while district administration will monitor it at micro level, he said.
According to estimates, Jalore would have 53,785 deliveries in 2014-15, of which 3,873 children may die - most of them within one month of birth.
Also, 119 women would lose their lives before delivery, during delivery or after 42 days of delivery. Even according to human development index, Jalore is a backward district.
Soni said the administration will run special campaigns in areas where institutional deliveries are less. Their efforts, the officer said, will be to ensure 100% vaccination of children, to reduce MMR and IMR, curb child marriage and spread awareness.
The literacy rate in Jalore is 54.86%, with female literacy rate being only 38.47%.
“The district administration will run NREGA AKHAR where prerak (para-teachers) will make NREGA labourers literate, the initiative will be reviewed every month at ground level. Awareness will be created through NGO, student groups, teachers and pensioners. For exemplary work, they will be given Akhardoot award,” said the collector.