Union govt to empower underprivileged people in districts

Kolkata, Aug 1 (UNI) With the aim of empowering the unprivileged people in West Bengal, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will launch a Public Information Campaign (PIC), with the help of Press Information Bureau (PIB) and local Panchayat bodies, on various welfare projects.

Deputy Director of PIB P K Bandopadhyay said here today that under the banner "Navodaya Utsav", PIB would organise the campaign from August four to eight at Belkuri village in Purulia district.

Similar campaigns would be held in several villages of Birbhum, Murshidabad, and Jalpaiguri districts in the next four months.

Mr Bandopadhyay said the cost of the entire "Navodaya Utsav" would be bore by PIB and it would provide the stalls to the villagers free of cost.

He further added that the main purpose of conducting this fair was to involve the deprived and poor villagers in several programmes like education, health missions, Rural employement generation schemes and make them aware regarding AIDS and child welfare.

The PIC would be held in association with 30 NGO's across the state, PSU's and the leading banks like NABARD, along with the apex bank RBI, where the banks would look into the financial problems of the people by highlighting rural credit schemes and sanction on-spot rural credits or loans.

Mr Bandopadhyay also said that as the poor villagers are not able to come to the cities to participate in various trade fairs and cultural events, hence the government has decided to conduct such fairs at their doorsteps.

They would be able to actively particiapte in various cultural and traditional events of the state along with several competitions, he added.

The fair would contain 25 stalls depicting various welfare schemes and works of women Self Help Groups in rural areas.

The PIB has decided to involve the local artisans and youths from the song and drama division, who would spread various messages and awareness programmes, through their dramatic presentation.

Through this fair, people would have access to Right to Information (RTI) Act, PIB officials said.

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