Raipur: Setting a sterling example, Chhattisgarh's youngest sarpanch Ritu Pandram is busy "transforming" lives by taking up developmental causes of the tribals as well as imparting free education to the needy.
The 24-year-old head of Saarbahara village panchayat in Gourela development block imparts free education to students and is also working hard to tackle several other issues in her village like water scarcity and sanitation.
"If villagers have better access to water, electricity, sanitation and education, it would transform their lives and brighten their future," she told PTI.
Located about 225 km from state capital Raipur, tribal-dominated Saarbahara village has a population of about 9,000. Ritu, who pursued her post graduation in biotechnology from Guru Ghasidas Central University of Bilaspur, aspires to crack the civil services examination.
However, this has not held her back from contesting the panchayat election in early 2015 from her native Saarbahara village. She was elected as the youngest sarpanch in the state and continued her studies after the polls.
"My friends used to call me 'neta ji' in college just to pull my leg, but I had never imagined that I would ever contest an election as it was not my cup of tea. Now my villagers say I was the most suited candidate for the post," the young woman said.
Her agriculturist father Udai Singh Pandram, despite his meager income, educated Ritu and her two other siblings. Ever since she assumed the office, Ritu got engaged into the task of development and bringing better sanitation and roads in the village.
Simultaneously, she also started her mission of imparting free education to children at her house. She decided to teach them basic Mathematics and Science.
"We have a government school upto class XII in the village and even a semi-government model school. But these students need extra attention to understand the basics," she pointed out while talking about her endeavour.
It was started with 12-13 children, upto class VIII, last year and now nearly 30 kids attend her classes. Ritu later shifted the classes to nearby 'aanganwadi' centre as it was spacious.
Admitting that she had lot of responsibilities on her shoulders since people have reposed faith in her, Ritu said good roads, clean drinking water and sanitation were the issues on her priority list.
She also stressed that the government as well as villagers needed to focus in the area of water conservation.
"Agriculture is the main source of livelihood of people in the area and for the purpose they are mainly dependent on rainwater for irrigation. Owing to the drought situation in past couple of years, it is becoming difficult for farmers to arrange water for their crops.
"We have written to the irrigation department to enhance irrigation facilities. Besides, we are also working on methods to store maximum rainwater," she said.
Ritu also said that villagers lacked adequate information about government schemes and their benefits. She wants to work extensively to spread awareness and help villagers avail the benefits.
Though she is yet to decide on her future plans, the young woman is at present preparing for the civil service examination.
"I want to serve the people at grassroot level but not only through politics. I would never let my dream of becoming an IAS officer take a back seat," she asserted.
The sarpanch recently went on a trip to Raipur to see the development works and implementation of government schemes.
Lauding the young sarpanch's efforts, a state government official said, "She is working tirelessly to ensure benefits of various state government schemes to villagers and for the progress of the area. She was on a trip to the capital as a part of 'Hamar Chhattisgarh' Yojana."
Efforts had been made by her to harvest rain water as there was shortage of it in the area. She is serious about educating the children in the village and imparting free education to them. She has inspired girls to go for higher education in other towns, the official added.
