Power To The People

JANMABHOOMI, the pet programme of N. Chandrababu Naidu,is a people-centred development process launched by the Andhra Pradesh chief minister in January '97.This pro-gramme is a product of the experiences gained through Prajala Vaddaku Palana (taking administration to the doorsteps of people), launched in November '95, and Sramadanam (contribution of Labour), launched in January '96. It aims at establishing an ideal society that embodies and cherishes the principles of people's participation, equality, transparency and accountability leading to sustained economic development and excellence in all walks of life. The goal: an enhanced quality of life for every man, woman and child in the state.

Nine rounds of Janmabhoomi have been held in the state so far since January '97.The five core areas of Janmabhoomi include community works, primary edu-cation,primary health and family welfare, environment conservation and responsive governance.

The programme is a grand success in the backward, north-coastal Viziana-garam district. Projects taken up under Janmabhoomi were completed in record time. There was 100 per cent success in literacy campaigns. So it was for healthcare and environment protection. Smokeless chullas for cooking has become a habit of the residents of the district. Elsewhere in the state,the spontaneous public response helped create the necessary infrastructure to improve the quality of life of the people,especially those living in the rural areas. The general public,cutting across party affiliations,have played an active part in improving communications net-works,laying pucca roads,improving the drainage system and creating better environs.

Community works were started in habitations/wards where no work was taken up earlier and where earlier projects have been completed. The works prog-ramme for every habitation/ ward for all of 1998-99 was also finalised in Gram Sabhas. So far, 1,96,972 individual sanitary lavatories were grounded and 1,18,750 were completed. Beneficiaries have been identi-fied for sanction of 1,64,153 individual sanitary lavatories afresh. About 5.74 lakh unenrolled children and 2.42 lakh dropout children have been identified for enrolment during 1998-99.