Jowai, March 30: A media workshop – Varta on Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB – GRAM G) was organised under the aegis of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Shillong, in association with the District Administration, Jowai and the Jaintia Journalist Association to strengthen awareness and dissemination of rural development initiatives.
Addressing the gathering, Additional Director General, North East Zone, Shri Kripa Shankar Yadav highlighted the vital role of media in bridging the gap between government and citizens. He emphasised the need for accurate and timely communication to ensure effective outreach of schemes. He further noted that VB – GRAM G builds upon existing initiatives by addressing gaps through expanded employment guarantee, stronger institutional mechanisms, and enhanced transparency, aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Smt. Baiamtimon Blah, Additional Deputy Commissioner & Project Director (DRDA), West Jaintia Hills District, elaborated on the scheme’s implementation and key features. She stated that the new Act strengthens employment generation, transparency, planning, and accountability, while recognising the importance of Village -led planning and shared responsibility between Centre and States. She highlighted that the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 expands guaranteed employment to 125 days, enhancing incomes, boosting local economies, and reducing distress migration.
She also underlined key benefits such as timely wage payments, creation of productive rural assets, and use of digital systems to reduce delays and leakages, ensuring improved service delivery. Emphasising awareness, she noted that informed citizens are central to participatory governance and that platforms like Varta help bridge information gaps.
The scheme includes key provisions such as enhanced wage guarantees, timely payments, strengthened social audit mechanisms, use of digital platforms for transparency, and prioritisation of durable and climate-resilient rural assets. It also promotes convergence with other rural development programmes and greater participation of local institutions in planning and execution.
A detailed presentation on the salient features of VB – GRAM G was delivered by officials of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), outlining implementation strategies and expected outcomes.
Block Development Officers from Amlarem, Laskein, Thadlaskein, and Namdong C&RD Blocks shared field-level insights and highlighted ongoing awareness activities across villages to sensitise communities about schemes, entitlements, and participatory planning processes.
During the interactive session, media persons and local representatives raised queries on timely wage payments, transparency mechanisms, grievance redressal, and community participation. Officials addressed these concerns, emphasising safeguards, digital monitoring, and capacity-building efforts for effective implementation.
During the interaction, the Assistant Director, PIB Shillong Shri Gopajit Das apprised the journalists about the Journalists Welfare Scheme of PIB and urged them to avail the benefits and support mechanisms available under the scheme, as and when required.
It was further discussed that efforts would be made to ensure broader inclusion of journalists from across districts of Meghalaya in PIB initiatives, including press tours and media outreach programmes, beyond Shillong, in order to promote equitable representation and strengthen grassroots-level media engagement across the state.
Media persons from Jowai and Khliehriat, along with representatives from the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Jowai and Khliehriat, representatives of the Synjuk ki Waheh Chnong, and SHG members under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), participated actively in the workshop. The programme concluded with a collective commitment to strengthen coordinated communication and enhance outreach of VB–GRAM G for inclusive rural development.
