Short film by NGO Utthan on vision of village development as seen by villagers

By Pallavi Sobti-Rajpal*
Utthan is glad to share that the launch of a short film, Chaalo Evu Gaam Banaaviye’/My Vision for my Village, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
We have been supporting communities and leadership of 45 Gram Panchayats in Bhavnagar, Dahod & Mahisagar districts of Gujarat to effectively mobilize mandated government resources for village development through Gram Panchayat Development Planning (GPDP) and MGNREGA, since 2021.

The effort is to create a sustainable mechanism to

Overcome the challenges in making the mandated and envisioned processes for development, truly participatory and
Optimally use available resources and schemes to address the needs of marginalized communities.

The foundation of this work was laid with discussions at the community level. A citizen shared, sort of puzzled, “No one ever asked me what is my vision for the development of my village”. The journey from this voice to the change which has been initiated for sustainable and inclusive village development through the work of the Village Development Committees and Panchayats, has been an endearing one. This film is a humble ode to this cycle of change.
We remain committed to taking this work forward in line with our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals. Grateful to the Edelgive Foundation for their support.
Please view and visibilise the film, share your comments, like and subscribe to our channel. We are working on a version with English subtitles as well.

---

*Joint CEO, Utthan

Comments

Advocacy group decries 'hyper-centralization' as States’ share of health funds plummets

By A Representative In a major pre-budget mobilization, the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA), India’s leading public health advocacy network, has issued a sharp critique of the Union government’s health spending and demanded a doubling of the health budget for the upcoming 2026-27 fiscal year.

Delhi Jal Board under fire as CAG finds 55% groundwater unfit for consumption

By A Representative A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India audit report tabled in the Delhi Legislative Assembly on 7 January 2026 has revealed alarming lapses in the quality and safety of drinking water supplied by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), raising serious public health concerns for residents of the capital.

Zhou Enlai: The enigmatic premier who stabilized chaos—at what cost?

By Harsh Thakor* Zhou Enlai (1898–1976) served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from 1949 until his death and as Foreign Minister from 1949 to 1958. He played a central role in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for over five decades, contributing to its organization, military efforts, diplomacy, and governance. His tenure spanned key events including the Long March, World War II alliances, the founding of the PRC, the Korean War, and the Cultural Revolution.

Stands 'exposed': Cavalier attitude towards rushed construction of Char Dham project

By Bharat Dogra* The nation heaved a big sigh of relief when the 41 workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel (Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand) were finally rescued on November 28 after a 17-day rescue effort. All those involved in the rescue effort deserve a big thanks of the entire country. The government deserves appreciation for providing all-round support.

Pairing not with law but with perpetrators: Pavlovian response to lynchings in India

By Vikash Narain Rai* Lynch-law owes its name to James Lynch, the legendary Warden of Galway, Ireland, who tried, condemned and executed his own son in 1493 for defrauding and killing strangers. But, today, what kind of a person will justify the lynching for any reason whatsoever? Will perhaps resemble the proverbial ‘wrong man to meet at wrong road at night!’

Jayanthi Natarajan "never stood by tribals' rights" in MNC Vedanta's move to mine Niyamigiri Hills in Odisha

By A Representative The Odisha Chapter of the Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD), which played a vital role in the struggle for the enactment of historic Forest Rights Act, 2006 has blamed former Union environment minister Jaynaynthi Natarjan for failing to play any vital role to defend the tribals' rights in the forest areas during her tenure under the former UPA government. Countering her recent statement that she rejected environmental clearance to Vendanta, the top UK-based NMC, despite tremendous pressure from her colleagues in Cabinet and huge criticism from industry, and the claim that her decision was “upheld by the Supreme Court”, the CSD said this is simply not true, and actually she "disrespected" FRA.

'Threat to farmers’ rights': New seeds Bill sparks fears of rising corporate control

By Bharat Dogra As debate intensifies over a new seeds bill, groups working on farmers’ seed rights, seed sovereignty and rural self-reliance have raised serious concerns about the proposed legislation. To understand these anxieties, it is important to recognise a global trend: growing control of the seed sector by a handful of multinational companies. This trend risks extending corporate dominance across food and farming systems, jeopardising the livelihoods and rights of small farmers and raising serious ecological and health concerns. The pending bill must be assessed within this broader context.

Climate advocates face scrutiny as India expands coal dependence

By A Representative The National Alliance for Climate and Environmental Justice (NACEJ) has strongly criticized what it described as coercive actions against climate activists Harjeet Singh and Sanjay Vashisht, following enforcement raids reportedly carried out on the basis of alleged violations of foreign exchange regulations and intelligence inputs.

A balancing act? Global power rivalry over Iran challenges India’s foreign policy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* A stable Iran is clearly in India’s interest. While US President Donald Trump has so far avoided a direct attack, the situation remains deeply uncertain. The central problem is that few governments take Trump’s words at face value. His actions have revealed a clear pattern: Washington targets adversaries even while pretending to negotiate with them.

Search This Blog