Bundelkhand region is known for it’s draughts, poverty and demand for a separate statehood. Governance and political structures are weak and not delivering at the grass-root level. Elected and selected representatives seem to make a little effort to connect with people. Government’s Bundelkhand revival package and plethora of national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are not able to make any visible dent. Human mind craves for hope and an initiative called “Voice of Talbehat” in a local town council in one of the district in Bundelkhand, gives that hope. The hope that at least someone is trying.
Talbehat is a block and a “Nagar Panchayat” (Town council) in Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh, one of the poorest district of Bundelkhand region. Mukta Soni got elected as the chairman of Talbehat Nagar Panchayat in 2006. Talbehat town has a population of around 25 thousand people. She and her team’s longing to connect with all these people in her town gave birth to the idea of “Voice of Talbehat”. It’s is a unique and simple concept, where a control room is set up in the heart of the Talbehat town and more than 225 speakers were mounted on the electricity poles in every nook and corner of the town. “Any message can be heard by whole of the town with minimum effort within no time.” Says Mukta Soni. She further adds that the cycle rickshaws canvassing different messages in the lanes of Lalitpur inspired her for the idea of “Voice of Talbehat”.
Council member, Dileep Pathak, and husband Vijay Soni, helped Mrs Soni to give shape to her brilliant idea and all the other councilors supported this new concept and unanimously approved Rs 10 Lacs from the town council’s budget for this initiative. In January 2009, VoT started with modest one or two messages a day and today after three years, it’s an integral part of Talbehat’s public communication system.
“Messages broadcasted form “Voice of Talbehat’s” control room involves information on “Tahsil Divas”, urgent requirement of blood for patients, free advices from doctors on seasonal diseases, information about weather, train schedules, religious greetings, information about lost and found items in the town, messages form police to maintain peace in the town, information about government schemes etc.”, says Narendra Goswami, the main announcer who lends his voice to this initiative form the control room.
A four-member team from ministry of information and broadcasting, government of India, came to study the VoT system, it’s inception, process of setting up and reception among people. After being thoroughly impressed with the idea, the team is planning to recommend the similar system to other town councils in India. In the electronic age, where technology companies are adding new dimensions to the world of communication and giving us multiple platforms to engage and connect with people every minute, this simplistic but extremely effective innovation in a small town of India seems like a great step by some motivated bunch of town councilors to connect with it’s people.
8 comments:
Loved the simplicity in the idea.
Innovation is but a simple and practical idea that has never been tried before! Great read....
love the simplicity of the idea....
Abhraham Abhishek !
This definitely is a good model of disseminating information. In this age where information is power,importance of propagation of information hardly needs to be emphasized. Any low cost but effective ideas is what the country needs. The case further illustrates that much can be accomplished when people are driven by a cause and nothing is unachievable. Good post !
Now when this idea is replicated in other parts of the country, we can expect to hear that loud speakers got stolen or the local admn siphoned off the money allocated to purchase and installation of speakers...diifferent people-different behaviour!
During Nazi period, in Germany, this communication method has proved its effectiveness.though it was all negative patriotism and propaganda .
its great to see that you people are using this for people welfare. keep it up.
Wow
HANDS UP FOR THIS IDEA AND ALL TEAM WHO TAKE THE INITIATIVE AND DO THIS NOBLE WORK.
OUR COMMUNITY IS PROUD ON MR.VIJAY SONI AND MRS.MUKTA SONI .
WITH REGARDS,
MS.NILAM SONI
HANDS UP FOR THIS IDEA AND ALL TEAM WHO TAKE THE INITIATIVE AND DO THIS NOBLE WORK.
OUR COMMUNITY IS PROUD ON MR.VIJAY SONI AND MRS.MUKTA SONI .
WITH REGARDS,
MS.NILAM SONI
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