Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s native village Ambadave, Adopted by DICCI to make it AtmaNirbhar

Mandangad (Ambadawe): Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s native place Ambadawe is located in Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra. It was severely affected by Nisarga Cyclone on 3 June 2020 prompting the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) to provide immediate Relief Material after consultation with Mr. R M Dighe, BDO Mandangad and Mr. Naren Sakpal (teacher) of Ambadave. The relief material comprises of Cement roof sheets, ration kits & solar LED lamps. It was distributed to 80 households on 18th June 2020. Speaking on the occasion Dr. Milind Kamble, Chairman DICCI assured villagers that DICCI along with Khadi Village Industries Corporation (KVIC) and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Technical University (BATU) will adopt the village to make it AtmaNirbhar (self-reliant).

The DICCI received a request from the villagers to provide 1236 Cemented roof sheets, Ration, and Candles for 80 households. Purchase order seeking immediate procurement of the said roofing sheets was placed with Visaka Industries; and its promoter Dr. G Vivekand was requested to give topmost priority to deliver the material at the earliest. Despite the conditions due the Pandemic, the material was delivered in record time.

The average cement roofing sheets of 433 sq.ft. per house along with 80 ration kits and 80 solar LED lamps were delivered & distributed by hands of DICCI Chairman Dr. Kamble on 18 June 2020. During his address to the villagers, Dr. Kamble said “This is an immediate relief we are providing at this juncture
but our long-term vision is to make the village self-reliant as per the grand vision of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar”.

To boost the village economy, Dr. Kamble held talks with Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chairman Khadi & Village Industries Commission.The talks led to a decision wherein a joint rural economy-boosting project of manufacturing handkerchiefs, Agarbatti sticks & Solar Vastra from solar charkha will be set
up in the village with a buy-back facility. Agarbatti manufacturing machine & Solar Charkha will be provided on a loan basis to those interested in starting a business by KVIC. Similarly, a Khadi handkerchief unit will be set up to provide self-employment to villagers. The stakeholders have promised to provide markets to finished goods manufactured in the village. Shri Sanjay Hedao, West Zone, Deputy CEO, KVIC has been appointed as the project coordinator by Chairman KVIC for implementing the entrepreneurship programs. KVIC team will be visiting the village in the first week of July to do the preliminary project work.

The village has 80 families, out of which 31 belong to Scheduled Caste (SC) while 49 belong to other categories. The village had been severely affected by Nisarg Cyclone which swept through the region causing damage and destruction to life and public property. Based on the principles of equal justice to all espoused by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, village entrepreneurship program will be implemented and extended to all the families without any prejudice. The project is the first of its kind in the state and would be an inspiration for the country, Dr. Milind Kamble, Founder Chairman DICCI informed.

DICCI also approached Babasaheb Ambedkar Technical University (BATU) to become a stakeholder in the proposed project. BATU Vice-Chancellor Dr. V. Rama Sastry immediately agreed to extend the necessary skills; EDP and incubation support for the project and designated professors – Dr. Sanjay Khobragade and Prof. Vhardakar to co-ordinate and provide full technical support to set up the programs.

The DICCI believes that the villagers can be empowered with the help and synergy from various government institutions to boost the rural economy and make Atma Nirbhar villages.

Explaining the rationale behind the adoption, Dr. Kamble said “Our mission to empower the village is essentially a payback time to the society during the Pandemic which has affected all sections of the society causing untold suffering,” he added.

Along with Dr. Kamble, DICCI office bearers comprising Mr. Avinash Jagtap, Mr. Anil Howale, Mrs. Seema Kamble, Mr. Amit Auchare, and Ms. Maitreyee Kamble were also present on the occasion.

Published by Secretary, DICCI Head Office, Pune.