Page 249 - PDI Vol 2

in the year 2005. It is selling nearly two lakh units of sapling takes root, as interest-free loans. The government
electricity out of 6.75 lakh units that were generated to the had deposited a sum of ₹10 crore in the Meenangadi
TNEB and is making a revenue of more than Rs 20 lakh a Service Cooperative Bank to run the scheme, and the
year. Apart from being self-sufficient in electricity, this interest is utilised for the project. The scheme was initially
smart village in Odanthurai is a phenomenon of working launched in two wards, and 7,619 trees were geo-tagged
together to make the area clean and uncluttered. The village with a unique number for each tree. As many as 159
also leads in energy education and self-employment. All farmers received a sum of ₹3,80,950 for conserving the
residents work together to keep the panchayat clean and trees.
tidy. Under the “Green House” scheme of the State
government, more than 850 houses were built and handed
over to the beneficiaries in the place. This is an example for
other States to follow in terms of energy self-sufficiency.

b) Similarly, Meenangadi Panchayat of Kerala initiated an
aspiring project to become carbon neutral by 2020. The
activities kickstarted in June 5, 2016 with a valuation of
carbon emission arising out of domestic consumption of
electricity and fuels from all 9,000 households in the
panchayat and from vehicles used in the panchayat. This
was followed by a measurement of the carbon content of Connect to GPDP
the soil and carbon emission from trees.
The GPDP, a manifestation of decentralised planning, provides
c) Also, in Meenangadi, as part of redeveloping forest land adequate opportunities to undertake activities for making a
and thereby considerably decreasing the carbon levels, the village Green and Clean. Ministry of Panchayati Raj has
panchayat in collaboration with the village temple provided an indicative list of activities corresponding to the
(Devasom board) along with the support of MNREGA identified indicators of the Clean and Green theme. The enlisted
team and Social Forestry department initiated the activities are like the guiding starts for the Panchayats to
‘Punyavanam’ project (holy forest). Under this, around 38 accomplish the goal of becoming Green and Clean. The
acres of land adjoining the temple were demarcated and Panchayat, that decided to go for Green and Clean Village as
saplings of various trees were planted. Today, these 38 Sankalp based on its need, has to select 50 per cent of the
acres of forest are the epitome of committed effort by the activities earmarked for Green and Clean Theme. Some of these
Meenangadi people towards the carbon neutral project. activities are given below:

d) How the policy and local programme action can realize  Community Toilet including for disabled, at market
Special Initiatives is seen in the Meenangadi Panchayat complex
with the government having launched an innovative ‘tree
 Toilet construction in public buildings
banking scheme’ for farmers of the panchayat as part of
efforts to develop it into as a carbon-neutral panchayat. As  Roadside Plantation
per the scheme, for each newly planted sapling, a farmer
 Agro-forestry
gets ₹50 every year from the third year onwards after the

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Theme 5: Clean and Green Village