ASSAGAO: Taking the lead in ensuring the welfare of academically and economically backward students particularly the girl child, the Siolim-Sodiem Panchayat Village Development Committee (VDC) has come out with tough suggestions to ensure the protection and education of such kids.
The move, they said, was to make Sodiem-Siolim a model village and set an example for others to follow.
Expressing its concern over the dropout rate of students and subsequent delinquents, the VDC has called for arresting this trend as it felt that it is not healthy for the society.
The members at the recently held meeting took stock of the emerging situation with regards to education of the village children and expressing concern over the dropout rates felt the need to reach out to the students in distress and get them educated.
The members felt that the poor economic situation of the family with special reference to broken families should not justify the dropout rates and demanded that the panchayat arrange for special counsellors and called for roping in of educated villagers in this regard to reach out to these children, beyond school hours.
They opined that most students dropped out as they could not cope up with maths and science and for this reason, called upon the panchayat to arrange for special funds and send the dropouts to open schools or provide them with ITI training at nearest institute at Marna so that they could join complete their education and sustain themselves.
The villagers also advised the panchayat to ask all builders within the panchayat jurisdiction especially those involved in construction of multi-dwelling units to compulsorily contribute towards CSR which could then be used for the education of children and promote agriculture in the village.
Members underscored the need to tap children’s talent right from childhood with proper guidance and counselling.
The villagers advised the ward members and social workers to compulsorily move from house to house to ensure that no child took to vices that led to their dropping out of schools.
Taking serious note to the recent Balrath accident at Balli, the members slammed the government for neglecting these buses which were ill-maintained and demanded that the government repair these vehicles from time to time to ensure the safety of students.
The VDC hailed the services of retired health staff visiting ailing and bed-ridden people, and demanded that the panchayat recognise their yeomen service and help them in transport so that they could reach to the needy during emergencies or even during odd hours.
The Podnir Bridge linking Sodiem to Marna too was discussed with the VDC claiming that this structure is in a deplorable condition as many students were risking their lives using this bridge to cross to Marna to attend school and demanded its immediate repair.
The meeting was convened by Sarpanch Deepa Pednekar in the presence of panchas and was attended by members of all the village committees.
Pednekar said she was happy with the constructive suggestions made by the villagers and assured all possible support.
