There is a tiny little village called Doburji about 35km from Ludhiana, Punjab, that has quietly been turning itself into a haven for its people. Not only have the residents been fighting actively against social evils such as drug intake and female foeticide, they have also focused on making technological advances so the village can comfortably exist in the 21st century.Perhaps that’s why the village has been endowed with Panchayat Sashaktikaran Puraskar, a national award that recognises work done by Panchayats across the country.
One of the reasons as to why the village, which has a population of just 1,450, has developed so much in the recent times is said to be its Sarpanch, Sukhvir Kaur, a 39-year-old woman.After having been elected in 2013, Sukhvir, who has a Masters degree in English, swiftly implemented a number of developmental projects and hit the ground running. Some of the campaigns like ‘Save the Girl Child’ were implemented with great success. She also ensured that medical camps were organised on a regular basis.Today, the village sports solar lights, has clean ponds, and its roads are mostly concrete thanks to the efforts of all involved. In a report from the Times of India, Sukhvir and her family are not done with their efforts to modernise the village. Soon, with money raised from NRIs from the village, they are planning to buy an ambulance that will cater to the medical emergencies to anyone from the village.
There are also plans underway to install water purifiers in every household. Sukhvir has proudly noted that nearly 90% of the development projects she had planned for when she was elected have already been implemented!
Photo source: Wikimedia