“Aman Aur Jawan Aman Hai Muqam”
OPERATION SADBHAVANA
“Army belongs to the people and its commitment will last as
long as the involvement of the people lasts…..”
Army has undertaken a large number of Military Civic Action
programmes aimed at ‘Wining the Hearts and Minds” of the people in J&K and
North Eastern States, as part of a strategy for conflict resolution. These
programmes aim to achieve the following:-
(a) Fulfilling the needs of the Peoples and to alleviate
their problems.
(b) Development of remote and inaccessible areas where civil
administration is barely existent.
(c) Assuaging the feeling of alienation and moulding public
opinion towards peace and development.
(d) Fan the desire for firmer integration with the nation.
These civic actions include a wide range of activities
across the entire spectrum of development and demonstrate the ‘humane face’ of
the soldier. It is ensured that the projects are planned as per needs of the
local population and are handed over to the state administration on completion.
In Jammu and Kashmir and the North East, the projects are being implemented
under Operation SADBHAVANA. Similar activities are also being undertaken as
part of Operation SAMARITAN in the North East.
Scopes
(a) Infrastructure.
(b) Health Care.
(c) Education (Including Information Technology Assistance).
(d) Human Resources Development.
(e) National Integration Tours.
Detail of utilisation of funds in the last two years in
Jammu & Kashmir and North Eastern States are attached.
Ser
No
|
Year
|
Allotment of funds in J&K
|
Allotment of funds in North East
|
(a)
|
2010-11
|
42.8256 cr
|
14.8666 cr
|
(b)
|
2011-12
|
36.9141 cr
|
14.4522 cr
|
Operation Sadbhavana ( Op Sadbhavna ) was launched by the
army in 1998 in rural areas of Jammu & Kashmir where terrorists and
anti-national elements had wrought havoc by large scale destruction of
government property and public assets like schools, bridges, electricity supply
system etc causing severe hardships to locals. An insidious attempt was also
made to alienate the common man from the national fabric. The need of the hour
was not only to wrest the initiative back from the terrorists but also to reintegrate
the affected populace with the national mainstream. In such a scenario, Indian
Army was looked upon as one of the Governments organization which could provide
succour to the people. Under Op Sadbhavna Army took up a large number of
welfare and development projects. Spending Rs450 Crs over the last fourteen
years, the Army has succeeded in improving the quality of life of populace and
win their hearts and minds. The focus of Operation Sadbhavna has been on
Quality Education, Women and Youth Empowerment, Infrastructure Development and
Health and Veterinary Care. Educational / Motivational Tours outside J&K
are undertaken to expose the rich heritage and progress of India for the
students, youth and opinion makers. In addition, basic needs like ‘Water Supply
Schemes’, Electrification’ and ‘Animal Husbandry’ in far flung areas is given
priority while planning projects based on a participative model involving the
local people, their elected representatives and civil adminstration.
Education Quality education is a prime requirement in
militancy affected areas of J&K. The Army has established 53modern English
medium Army Goodwill Schools under the State Board and CBSE having all
facilities. These schools remain heavily subscribed and at places hostel facilities
are also provided at few places and in some schools. Local teachers and support
staff get employment opportunities and these schools are well received by the
people. In an effort to reach out to the poor children in the difficult areas
assistance to approximately 2700 State Govt schools in terms of renovations,
construction of additional class rooms, toilets, playgrounds, sports fields
/facilities, provision of furniture, computers and educational software
packages, stationery, books and school uniforms for poor students and
assistance in setting up libraries and laboratories has been provided. A large
number of students hailing from Gujjar and Bakarwal communities and poorer
sections of the society are imparted free education in these schools on nominal
fees. Large numbers of children are provided scholarships to study within and
outside the State in public schools.
Computer Education. Computer literacy centres have been
established at a number of places including local government schools to provide
computer literacy to children, youth and ladies who have no access to such
facilities in the environment they hail from. These centres provide computer
education in basics concepts of operating systems, use of MS Office software
and Internet for knowledge and empowerment.
Infrastructure Development. Rampant destruction of
infrastructure by terrorists and anti-national elements in early Nineties and
inability of government agencies to undertake new projects or restoration of
damaged projects left a large void in this field. The Army stepped in to
provide assistance by undertaking a number of small and large infrastructure
projects under Op Sadbhavna to ameliorate the condition of the local population
like construction of foot bridges, tracks to improve connectivity in rural
areas, schools, orphanages, primary health centres, community development
centres, and vocational training centres, rural mini hydel electrification
projects, installation of transformers, erection of solar lights and
distribution of solar lights, provisioning of generators, construction of check
dams, water supply schemes, digging of hand pumps and bore wells for water etc.
Other development projects like construction of bus stop shelters, utility
toilets, renovation of rural government schools, development of play fields and
stadia and construction of model villages destroyed in 2005 earthquake were
undertaken.
Medical Care A major focus area of Op Sadbhavna is health
care medical needs of the people in the rural areas who do not have excess to
specialised medical care facilities. To provide same Army organises a number of
medical camps and has established a number of health centres. These centres
provide essential medical aid to the locals. These centres have been equipped
with ultra sound, ECG machines, oxygen cylinders, nebulizers etc. In addition
villagers are regularly educated on family planning, child care, basic hygiene
and sanitation. Free medicines are provided. Medical exhibitions displaying
posters on various fatal / dangerous diseases like AIDS, Cancer, TB etc and
screening of life style diseases are regularly organized. The Army also
provides artificial limbs to civilians injured in mine blast and terrorism
related incidents.
Para Medical Care. Motivated youth are identified in medical
camps in rural areas for further training in para medical care and first aid by
the Army Field Hospitals. These men are provided civil recognized certificates
for spreading awareness of hygiene and sanitation amongst their people, become
self-employed and be readily available for immediate medical aid in case of
emergencies.
Veterinary Camps. Veterinary Camps are regularly organized
by the Army’s Remount and Veterinary Corps in conjunction with representatives
of Govt Veterinary Department to provide veterinary care and advice to people
rearing cattle in remote rural areas of the State. Volunteers are trained by
the Army in emergency first aid and treatment of animals.
Women and Youth Empowerment In keeping with the ethos of
Army’s commitment towards women empowerment and welfare activities, special
emphasis has been laid to create vocational training centres, where local women
are taught traditional skills / crafts, made aware about personal health, birth
control measures, and bringing up their children. Interaction organized with
bank and government officials about banking and loan procedures. Adult literacy
classes are organised for illiterate women to teach them basic reading and
writing. Skill development training like operating of computers, knitting,
tailoring, candle making, bag making, carpets / basket weaving, jam and sauce
production, horticulture, fashion designing etc are taught through local women
themselves who are employed as guides.
Youth Empowerment. Unemployed youth are an ideal target
group for subversion and fomenting political unrest in the Sate by terrorists
and inimical elements. In order to help the youth and thwart the nefarious
designs of inimical elements, numerous Youth Guidance Employment Nodes (YGENs)
have been established across the State under Op Sadbhavna to create awareness
about various job opportunities, competitions and eligibility criteria for
jobs. Competent trainers and counsellors train the youth and assist them to
develop skills for seeking jobs and availing employment opportunities on their
own merit in government and private sector. Skills training as mechanics,
machine operators, poultry farming, animal husbandry, compounders, tourist
guides, mountaineers, sportsmen are conducted to make them self-sufficient and
integrate in the local economy.
Educational Tours Educational tours are organized under Op
Sadbhavna for students and opinion makers from all regions of the State to
various parts of India with a view to providing them an exposure to the rich
cultural diversity and varied traditions of other parts of the country and
progress achieved under conditions of peace and stability. This exposure
enables them to become responsible “citizens of tomorrow” and gives them an
insight to appreciate the vast natural, historical and cultural heritage of our
country. These tours enable the young impressionable minds of youth to
integrate with the national mainstream and act as catalysts for channelizing
their aspirations to achieve higher goals in life
Sports Stadia and Tournaments. To boost and revive sports
activities in the State based on requests by the State Government, seven stadia
have been constructed at Bandipur, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Budgam and Shopian. These
stadia have a seating capacity from 5000 to 7000 and facilities for conducting
number of sports tournaments. To identify and nurture sports talent in the
State a number of sports activities and tournaments are organised like T-20
Cricket Tournaments like Jammu Premier League and Kashmir Premier League.
Vocational Training Centres. Under Op Sadbhavna assistance
is provided to the local community members to enable them to hone and develop
their traditional as well as modern skills like jam and sauce making, carpet,
shawl weaving, beauty and hairdressing, stitching, family welfare, child care,
family planning, adult education, computers education etc. This enables the
women and community members to become self-reliant and monetarily independent.
Conclusion Projects undertaken under Op Sadbhavna have
yielded tremendous results in improving the quality of life of the populace and
have provided major benefits to the locals of the State by contributingto the
localeconomy and generating employment oportunities. The projects undertaken by
the Army are aimed atsupplementing the efforts of the State Govt. to improve
the quality of life of people in the State and has helped in winning the hearts
and minds of the people.
-VEERENDRA SINGH,APRO (Army)
DPR/Defence
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