Kota, Rajasthan’s Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar concluded his four-day padyatra on Monday by delivering a strong message against alcohol consumption.
On the fourth and final day of his “Jan Hitay-Jan Sukhay” padyatra, Dilawar reached Bhairapura village under Borabas gram panchayat, where he held a meeting with villagers, a majority of them belonging to the Bhil tribal community, and heard their grievances.
He asked the residents to take a pledge to give up liquor and also announced ₹80 lakh for the development of the village.
Addressing the gathering, Dilawar promised to fulfil their demands immediately, but with a rider: they would have to fulfil a request from him in return.
As his remark surprised the villagers, Dilawar clarified that he was not seeking money or anything material from them.
When the men present at the meeting promised to ratify Dilawar’s request, he said he wanted only one thing from them their “liquor bottle.”
He then asked for a pot of water and requested the men to take an oath while holding it that they will give up alcohol from now onwards.
As some villagers appeared hesitant at first, the elders persuaded them. One by one, several men came forward to the stage, held the pot of water and vowed to give up drinking alcohol.
The minister warned that if anyone resumed drinking, development funds for the village would be halted.
Following the pledge, Dilawar announced development works worth ₹80 lakh for Bhairapura. The funds included ₹30 lakh for drainage and CC road construction, ₹35 lakh for building an Anganwadi centre, ₹5 lakh for construction of a boundary wall at the cremation ground, and ₹10 lakh for a community hall. Officials present at the site were directed to begin the work immediately.
Dilawar also instructed Bhairapura authorities to organise camps in the village to facilitate applications under government welfare schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, distribution of free wheat under the National Food Security Act, and pension benefits for eligible residents.
Reiterating his message, the minister urged the villagers to keep their promise and stay away from alcohol, stating that excessive drinking harms families, leads to financial hardships and adversely affects children’s education.
The minister began his four-day padyatra on last Friday from Nayagaon.
On Monday, the march started at Doliya village at 8 am and passed through Bhairapura before reaching Borabas, where the minister continued interacting with villagers and listening to their grievances.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
