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Working
women
In Guraiya
village, it’s women
empowerment all the way
Sagar district,
Madhya Pradesh
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Total area 750
ha
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Forest area 104.7
ha
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Population 783
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The Rajiv Gandhi Mission for Watershed Development (RGMWD), introduced
in Guraiya in May 1997, brought about a remarkable metamorphosis.
The once-brown landscape is verdant and water shortage is unheard
of.
The Guraiya Watershed Committee (GWC) consisting of 12 women was formed
for the work of RGMWD. With the help of government officers, they
took up the task of building check-dams and cattle-proof trenches.
They have constructed an 18,124 m-long contour trench, 2,000 m-long
cattle protection trench, 5,145 staggered trenches and three boulder
check-dams.
A nursery with 700,000 saplings has also come up. Three saving and
thrift groups have been started. So far, 86 saving accounts have been
opened. The committee has saved Rs 1,40,000.
Says Sitabai Choubey, president, GWC, "Since my marriage in 1964,
I have seen everyone scrounge for water. And the land was barren.
In just two years, things have changed. I have realised the importance
of being a woman. We have an identity now.
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