ORIENTATION PROGRAMME BY DR R RAMESH ON INTRODUCTION TO UNNAT BHARAT ABHIYAN

The session on Introduction to Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) aimed to familiarize students and faculty with the objectives, vision, and significance of this national initiative launched by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is a flagship program that seeks to build a strong connection between higher educational institutions and rural communities in order to promote sustainable development in villages. The session began with an overview of the concept and background of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, explaining how educational institutions can play an active role in addressing rural challenges through knowledge, innovation, and community engagement. Participants were introduced to the core objectives of UBA, which include improving rural livelihoods, identifying local development needs, UBA approaches to education, Gram Panchayat Development Plan, prioritization using NSL chart and applying academic knowledge to solve real-world rural problems. The speaker highlighted the importance of adopting villages under the UBA framework and discussed how institutions can conduct village surveys, identify issues, and implement development-oriented activities. Various themes such as sustainable agriculture, water management, sanitation, education, renewable energy, and skill development were discussed as key focus areas of the program. The session also explained the role of students and faculty in field visits, community interaction, and participatory learning, emphasizing experiential learning and social responsibility. Examples of successful UBA initiatives undertaken by other institutions like Digi-Keralam, registering rural products online and Financial LIteracy for SHGs were shared to inspire participants and demonstrate the practical impact of the program. Students were trained to help them register in MyScheme Policy a one stop solution to deliver social security and welfare schemes for unorganised workers. By the end of the session, participants gained a clear understanding of the goals, structure, and implementation process of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, as well as the importance of academic institutions contributing to nation-building and rural transformation.