Hazaribagh, Sept. 10: Chief minister Raghubar Das today urged self-help groups (SHGs) to take inspiration from Amul and Lijjat Papad and achieve similar feats to transform rural economy in Jharkhand.
Das further exhorted rural youths to work hard instead of getting disheartened with momentary hurdles. "Do small work. Niyat saaf rakho, sab kaam hoga (keep intensions clear, everything will fall in place). Son of a khalasi (cleaner) is now a chief minister because of strong determination," he said, presenting himself as a role model for village youths.
The chief minister was in Hazaribagh as a part of his statewide campaign - Shashakt Gaon, Shashakt Rajya - and held meetings with representatives of SHGs and panchayats.
People from all the seven districts under North Chhotanagpur Commissionerate had arrived in the town for the programme which was also attended by rural development minister Neelkant Singh Munda and his HRD colleague Neera Yadav, Koderma MP Ravindra Rai and chief secretary Rajbala Verma, among others.
"Amul and Lijjat Papad (both cooperatives and essentially run by village people) have given a new identity to Gujarat. Start dairy business, venture into cottage industry, make traditional edibles and become economically empowered," Das said addressing the women of SHGs and unemployed youths at Curzon Ground Stadium in the town.
Applauding the SHGs for creating awareness on various social issues like foeticide and dowry, he also assured them of loan from banks for setting up units for making candles, rakhi and such other items. "Currently, there are 50,000 SHGs working in the state. The target is to take this number to three lakh in another two years. I urge people not to use Chinese goods and promote items made by these SHGs," he added.
The chief minister said he wanted to take the state on the path of development and to achieve that he had trained his focus on villages. "Mahatma Gandhi used to say that village revival was key to all-round development. Poverty eradicated is our priority now. We have fixed December 2017 deadline to construct panchayat bhavans in every village to linking it with Internet. The 2017-2018 budget will have financial provision to provide computers at every primary school of the state. We are also planning to light up 30 lakh households across the state in another three years," he added.
Das also asked the mukhiyas to work properly and honestly. "We need support of everyone," he added.
Also, the chief minister sought to allay fear over land acquisition and cautioned people against political leaders who were misguiding them for vested interest.
"Beware of them, otherwise they will misuse you for their own benefit. I don't have any personal interest like those middlemen. I only want development of the state and for which I am determined," he said, referring to the protest against NTPC coal mining projects in Barkagaon area.
