Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee hosted a webinar on the transformation of Hivare Bazar into a model village. Regional Coordinating Institute (RCI), Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, and Institute Lecture Series Committee, IIT Roorkee jointly organized the webinar titled ‘Transformation of an Impoverished Village into a Model of Development’. The objective of the initiative was to share insights and highlight the journey of the once-impoverished Hivare Bazar Village into a model for development.

Hivare Bazar is located in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. The village has increased the per capita income from Rs 832 to Rs 30,000 in 24 years and achieved a unique distinction of the village with the highest Gross Domestic Product in India.

Adarshgaon Hivare Bazar is the result of blessings, motivation, vision, community planning, consistent efforts, responsibility-sharing, belief in the leadership, support by the community, convergence of schemes, transparency in the functioning, periodic and timely evaluation, people’s participation, guidance and support of various change agents at all levels.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has commended the village in the ‘Mann ki Baat’ programme.

Prof Ashish Pandey, Coordinator, RCI-UBA, IIT Roorkee, commenced the webinar that featured Popatrao Baguji Pawar, Executive Director of Maharashtra’s Model Village Programme and former Sarpanch, Hivare Bazar as a key speaker. He has been awarded Padma Shri in the year 2020 for his exemplary contribution towards social work.

“The initiatives taken by Shri Popatrao Baguji Pawar have played a pivotal role in making Hivare Bazar a model for development. As a responsible institution, IIT Roorkee is committed to the cause of societal development. The rich and diverse experience of Shri PopatraoBagujiPawar will enrich our learning and motivate us to contribute proactively towards the cause,” Prof M Parida, Deputy Director, IIT Roorkee, said.

“Located in a drought-prone area of Ahmednagar, Hivare Bazar had acquired a dubious distinction of a water-stressed village. The village adopted the watershed development programme in 1992 that was the first step towards its transformation. It implemented revegetation, changing crop patterns, diversifying sources of income for farmers under the watershed development measures. Today, the village serves as a benchmark for development. It is now helping to transform other villages in Maharashtra as well as supporting the 1000 Ideal Village Project of the Maharashtra Government,” said  Popatrao Baguji Pawar.