BIRSA MUNDA PARK (SUCCESS STORY ON CONVERGENCE)

Birsa Munda Park is one of the most attractive place nearby Dhanbad city which attracts people from all age groups.  It has walkway, leisure areas, play areas toy train, various rides for children, Canteen and plants of different species spread over 21 acres of land.

  Dhanbad did not had any park earlier. When it was thought of, we had only 21 acres of land locked barren land. With no land for approach road and fund for construction of park it was a distant dream for us.  MGNREGA offered us a great opportunity to begin with.  We prepared a project report for park. The entire project was broken into components and mapping of these components were done with respect to the available schemes at the district level. Various components such as landscaping, plantation, earth cutting, road construction etc were taken up from MGNREGA with the total amount of Rs. 60.48 lacks. Very soon the barren land took an attractive shape and the greenery also came up. Local landowners offered their own land for approach road.

Minimal Pucca works such as Bhul-Bhulaiya, Lawn, 11 KVA electric line, Main Gate, Ticket Counter, Gaurd Room, Boring and Water Supply etc. were developed from the limited fund of Rs.66.06 Lacks available with us at the district level from RSVY fund.

Proposal for rest of the works such as Toy Train, Light, Generator, Rides for children, Canteen, boundary wall etc were made and sent to the Tourism Department which was readily accepted and amount of Rs.125.10 Lacks was sanctioned by the Department.

Now this park is attracting more than five hundred people every day. It was an historical moment on 1st Jan 2010 when ten thousand people gathered in the park to celebrate New Year in the newly opened park.

                   Further more, big rides for children such as dragon train, Mary go round, Columbus, gaint wheel, striking cars etc are being installed by SHG’s with the loan from bank under SGSY. Now construction of Sports Hostel for 34th National Games is in progress which will not only help in conducting sports events but also training/ workshop at the State and National level.

The journey from barren land to development of Birsa Munda Park with the convergence of various schemes such as MGNREGA, RSVY, Tourism Department, SGSY etc. is a great journey. It has not only provided growth to the place but it has also created employment for the people along with recreational facilities. Its a dream came true for all of us.

The park is unique is many aspects. Firstly, it has been developed with local initiatives with the convergence of various schemes. Secondly, it is only park not in Dhanbad but in Jharkhand offers multiple activities to people from all age groups. Many of our own officers commented “its unbelievable.” But now they have learnt to translate dream into reality.

We are using our experience in replicating these activities by developing three more such projects namely (i) Lilory Sthan for religious-cum- recreational tourism, (ii)  Dhokara as Children Park and (iii) Damodarpur as Mahatma Gandhi Jaivik Udyan in Dhanbad district.  It is worth mentioning that again land proposed for Mahatama Gandhi Jaevik Udyan is land locked. However, people having experienced the development of Birsa Munda Park have offered their valuable land for construction of approach road.

                   This successful endeavour of convergence will motivate others to develop such projects with the convergence of MGNREGA with other available schemes at the district level.