(GIST OF KURUKSHETRA) Vision for Green and Clean Rural India

(October-2023)

Vision for Green and Clean Rural India

Introduction:

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 interlinked objectives designed to serve as a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) are adopting the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s ‘Whole of Government and Whole of Society’, approach to ensure an enhanced level of engagement and meaningful participation of different stakeholders through the localisation of SDGs (LSDGs) under 9 themes by subsuming the 17 SDGs.
A multipronged strategy has been adopted to localise SDGs, through joint advisories and resolution signed with concerned ministries/department.

Key themes required to achieve SDGs:

Poverty free and enhanced livelihoods village
Healthy Village
Child Friendly Village
Water Sufficient Village
Clean and Green Village
Self-Sufficient and Infrastructure in Village
Socially Secured Village
Village with Good Governance
Women Friendly Village

Clean and Green Village:

Key interventions are needed for an efficient implementation of the theme of ‘Clean and Green Village’ that will require a concentrated effort towards the following:

Awareness generation amongst the citizens on the importance of reducing waste, ensuring sustainable production and consumption of energy.
Promotion of measures within the GP that would reduce environmental pollution.
Taking steps to create an in-depth understanding of the term climate change and its impact.
Mapping land use patterns, water bodies, forests, hill slopes, wetlands, and degraded forests within the GP.
Selection of appropriate technology for water supply and sanitation.
Ensuring maintenance of toilets, public spaces.
Developing a comprehensive energy programme based on need assessment.
Promoting adoption of Resolution of Mission LiFE and taking steps towards becoming Mission LiFE certified Panchayat.

Gram Panchayats and Theme 5 of Clean and Green Village:

To become a Clean and Green Village, a gram panchayat must prioritise and maintenance of water and land resources, and the preservation promotion of the generation and consumption of clean energy.
Across India, 16% of Gram Panchayats have taken Sankalp (Resolution), with a focus primarily on Clean and Green Village, furthering the efforts under this theme.
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is making a concerted effort under the ‘Clean and Green Village’ theme, wherein panchayats take up activities on natural resource management, biodiversity protection, waste management, afforestation activities, water resources, health, and management of land resources.
Organic farming and marketing are yet other areas where Panchayats can focus.
Self-sufficient Panchayats can be the target of Panchayats working for carbon neutrality.

Open Defecation Free (ODF):

Around, 52% of villages are ODF Plus villages.
Nearly 4,25,691 villages, have sustained its Open Defecation Free (ODF) status along with implementing either solid or liquid waste management systems.
Various community assets have been created across villages, contributing to the ODF plus status of the GPs.

Gram Urja Swaraj Abhiyaan:

Under the Gram Urja Swaraj Abhiyaan, GPs have developed their own implementation models with the support of Renewable energy development Agencies of the states.
It would help Gram Panchayats to evolve as self-sufficient in terms of energy and become producers of energy instead of only being consumers.
Moreover, widespread adoption of renewable energy applications in rural areas would enable the Gram Panchayats to develop own sources of Revenue (OSR) and employment opportunities for the local youth of the villages.

Mission LiFE:

It was launched at COP26, promotes sustainable living by encouraging eco-friendly actions globally.
It seeks to replace the prevalent ‘use-and dispose’ economic model with a sustainable ‘circular economy’ by encouraging people worldwide to adopt environmentally friendly practices in their daily lives.
Panchayats hold a strategic position to drive transformative change from the grassroots. They can effectively oversee the adoption of eco-friendly practices and encourage active community involvement in Mission LiFE’s endeavours.
Through collaboration with Panchayats, Mission LiFE could gain access to local expertise, resources, and established governance mechanisms, enabling a grassroots-driven approach to sustainable living that seamlessly aligns with the mission’s overarching objectives.

Conclusion:

The Government under the leadership of the Prime Minister has taken some major green initiatives during the last few years for sustainable energy development. India is among one of the few countries globally which has kept to its Paris Climate Change (COP21) commitments along with an exponential increase in renewable energy capacity. The total installed renewable energy capacity in India, excluding large hydro, has crossed the milestone of 100 GW. India stands at 4th position in the world in terms of installed renewable energy capacity, 5th in solar and 4th in wind in terms of installed capacity. Our rural areas have made a significant contribution to this movement.