A review meeting of rural development schemes in Bhopal district was held on Tuesday in the presence of central government officials, with a focus on sanitation, housing, livelihoods, and midday meals.
The meeting, held at the District Panchayat office, saw the presence of Avik Bhattacharya, Under Secretary, and Praveen Kumar Jha, Accounts Officer, from the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. CEO Ila Tiwari opened the meeting with a briefing on key schemes.
Presentations covered the Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural), including updates on ODF Plus model villages, community sanitation complexes, and solid waste processing. District coordinator SB Mission shared detailed progress reports.
The review then moved to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Officers reported on construction quality, while MGNREGS updates included water conservation efforts and restoration of historic stepwells as local innovations. The District Project Manager (NRLM) reported progress on the "One District One Product" initiative, highlighting zari-zardozi work as Bhopal's focus. Self-help groups are promoting these crafts through the “Raag Bhopali” brand.
To boost women’s self-reliance, several “Didi Cafés” have been set up at Vallabh Bhawan, Bhopal Haat, and other public locations, allowing SHG women to run food outlets and earn independently.
Under the PM POSHAN scheme, officials provided updates on the centralised kitchen run by Akshaya Patra, which supplies nutritious midday meals in urban areas. Rural coverage was also reviewed. Concluding the meeting, the Under Secretary expressed appreciation and directed officials to escalate technical issues to higher offices. He urged 100% on-ground, quality-driven implementation of all schemes. Meanwhile, in the weekly public hearing, Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh addressed 165 citizen complaints on Tuesday. Many issues were resolved on the spot in the presence of senior officials.
The Collector instructed officers to act promptly and sensitively on citizen applications and ensure time-bound resolution by relevant departments.
