'We Want To Make Jharkhand Self-Reliant And Stop Distress Migration' Interview With Rural Development Minister Dipika Pandey Singh

How do you ensure locals choose a life within their own community pincode? This question is on the mind of Dipika Pandey Singh, Minister of Rural Development and Congress MLA from Mahagama constituency in Jharkhand. She has launched several initiatives to ensure the attraction of labour to Jharkhand's rural areas. Singh believes that the solution starts with building sustainable livelihood programs, work infrastructure, and health facilities to mitigate the forced migration of women and children. She is soft but firm. Singh is a rising star in the Indian National Congress and Jharkhand politics.

Born into a political family in Ranchi, politics is in her genes, with her mother being the former state president of the Women's Wing of the Indian National Congress. She is a daughter-in-law of Avadh Bihari Singh, former minister for Rural Development, Government of Bihar, and four times MLA, Mahagama, Jharkhand. With an MBA in Information Technology and an LLB degree, Singh has a lineage of public service, not just with the family legacy but her own achievements as elected National Secretary of Jharkhand Youth Congress, District President of Godda District Congress Committee, National Secretary of the women's wing of Congress, and elected MLA of the party.

In a conversation with ETV Bharat, she shares her thoughts on pressing issues affecting her constituency, broader policy priorities, and her vision for steering rural Jharkhand toward progress and power politics. Excerpts:

You represent a constituency with immense potential. What are the top three issues you feel need urgent attention in your constituency, and how are you addressing them?

It has a long way to go. We have been struggling with our basic facilities, be it roads, drinking water, schools or irrigation. Although we have coal mines in the neighbouring areas, we don't have a big industry based on that. The nearest industry is NTPC, which is in Bihar. So there's a lot of potential in Mahagama; we are just trying to build it as a health hub. A 300 bed hospital in Deoghar, which is bigger than AIMS, is being made through the CSR fund of Eastern Coalfields Limited, ECL. So I think in the coming years, apart from industries that are agro-based, we want to build the economy based on the health sector. So a lot of the economy will flourish around that. We are trying to build institutes that will ensure that the trained youth of Mahagama are employed in these hospitals and the local industries, which we intend to build in the constituency. I think there's a long way to go, but yes, we are on the right track.

Rural Jharkhand has a rich cultural fabric but also faces infrastructural gaps. How do you balance preserving local identity with pushing for modern development?

Over the years, we have improved road connectivity. We are close to Deoghar, so we have an airport also. Rail connectivity is still pending for Mahagama. Although it was sanctioned during the UPA II government, it is still not implemented. We are looking forward to that. Rail connectivity will also help us develop our economy because a lot of people need to travel to and from to develop this place. Other than that, I think we will need skilled forces to develop that area. There are no good institutions where the youth can actually study, so we recently got a degree college in Thakur Gangti, one of our remotest blocks. We also started Mahagama Degree College last year. We are still struggling with basic education. We need more technical institutions so that our young boys and girls can get employed. With this 300-bed hospital, I am trying to get a medical college so that we have doctors as well. We are trying to get paramedical institutions there so that this hospital comes up as a solution for our economic development, for opportunities of employment for youth, and then world-class health facilities for the residents nearby.

What feedback from your constituents has influenced your decision-making most strongly so far?

I have walked across my constituency from one end to the other in a program called Gaon Gaon Paon Paon. So I visited all the Panchayats and villages. If you mention a village, I can tell you what the problem is there. So, to understand the issues firsthand has helped me a lot. I understand that today, drinking water is the most serious issue in my rural constituency. I understand that youth are looking for better opportunities for education and employment. I understood that our people are based on agriculture and that 80% of our population are farmers. So I need better irrigation facilities. I should ensure that they have multiple crops. We are working towards it. And I think we have succeeded in a lot of things.

Dipika Pandey Singh, Minister of Rural Development, Jharkhand (ETV Bharat)

As Minister of Rural Development, you oversee policies that directly affect the lives of millions. Which flagship programs under your ministry are you most proud of implementing, and why?

The procurement of paddy has helped my constituency a lot. We have built small structures to help with irrigation. We have more than 60 check dams built. Two major projects were revived that have helped improve the irrigation facilities. And now farmers are growing multiple crops. Apart from that, a lot of policy changes could help. We followed up on many, and we ensured many have been approved, like the old pension was implemented. This has helped the entire state. And for the constituency, we are trying to improve road connectivity and basic amenities in the schools. In the next two years, I can say that our government schools will have basic amenities in place. I can also talk about my achievements when it comes to empowering women. We have worked a lot with the SHGs (Self Help Groups), and we are trying to help them with credit linkage, proper training, and engage them in better economic activities.

Many rural areas continue to struggle with connectivity, roads, healthcare, and digital networks. What specific measures are being taken to bridge these gaps?

See, the consistency should have been there. I cannot only blame the previous governments, but the central policies have also damaged us a lot in the last 10-12 years. So I think it's not very good to just keep complaining about it. We are trying to do positive work and get things done, which have been delayed for a long time. For example, this 300-bed hospital, I would like to share with you that it was approved, and the fund was allocated in the UPA-2 government. So after 13 years, the state and centre did an MOU, and this work started.

So the problem is with the end delivery?

Yes, everything gets approved, and delivery becomes a problematic thing. And then the constituency has to work harder; whoever leads it has to work harder to get that done. So it's not just planning; the implementation is a very important part, and that should be taken as a task. And that is what I am trying to do.

And how are you balancing this transparency and implementation?

We have to have deadlines for ourselves. So if this was decided 13-14 years back, I assure you, when the government had done an MOU two years back, the hospital would be complete by next year.

That’s very interesting. What specific policies or implementation strategies do you plan to introduce to ensure the sustainable development of the rural community?

See, we are focusing on the implementation of the PESA Act (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas) in Jharkhand. We are almost there. I would like to work on the women's policy also, although this is not in my jurisdiction, but because the livelihood mission has a big JSLPS (Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society) under my ministry, so we have a big commitment towards women. We'll work on the women's policy in the state. Apart from that, I think drinking water is a big issue in our state. So things are being worked out because we have been given some central projects, which I don't know when they are going to finish, as we can see half-built water tanks and pipelines being laid. We are also not sure when we will have enough support, as far as funds are concerned, to complete this project. In the last tenure of our government, we ensured that we have schemes like Maiya Sambandh, which has helped a lot to improve the conditions of women, whether it is by giving them 2,500 rupees or getting them into economic activities, they take care of their own health, the health and education of their children.

We have actually taken a lot of decisions on tourism and industry policies. We have tried to invite IT-based industries. These things have been done in the last five, six years. But we should have better government policy so that we have a good textile and garment-based industry across the state after things that have gone haywire in Bangladesh. I would like to mention how scary it was during COVID-19. It was only then that I realised my constituency doesn't have enough oxygen beds to take care of our people. So health is also a priority for our state. We have worked a lot on education. We have started a scholarship for girls so that they don't face any financial challenges. We curtailed the dropout numbers. We have started the CM School of Excellence in Jamshedpur so that they have quality education in the rural areas. Apart from that, we have a scholarship that supports children to go and pursue higher education abroad. For this tenure, tourism, employment, education, and health will be our priorities.

As you said, there are blocks from the centers, and in terms of budget, things are half-built. What steps have you taken so far to bridge the development gap in your constituency?

See, I will not say that we have not done anything, and we are just dependent on the center. There are a lot of schemes that are state-supported, and we have run them very successfully on our own resources. But yes, the grants from the center mean a lot of support and help. Our rightful share of GST and royalty of minerals is our right, and the center should not be hesitant in giving that share to us. Almost 1.5 lakh crores is pending with the center, but still we have successfully run schemes which are completely state-supported. Be it Abua Awas, Maiya Saman Yojana, or a lot of scholarships and pensions like Sarv Jan Pension, which ensures a pension to all senior citizens across all religions and castes. We have come up with very good social schemes in our state, in our own capacity. But if the center is supportive and they don't hold our grants back, then I think we could have done wonderful in the state.

I think many development programs are delayed due to a lack of last-mile delivery from the center in your state. How is your ministry addressing accountability and transparency in implementation?

We have to have deadlines. We have ensured the implementation of all the schemes I mentioned to you. We had the Sarkar Aapke Dwar scheme programs, which ensured the villagers had an option to apply for the scheme in that particular Panchayat. And within a span of 30 days, 60 days, they got the benefit of certain schemes, including Sarv Jan Pension and Mayaan Samman. So I think if we work with focus and if we want to deliver, it won't be tough. It is very easy. We have to have deadlines, and we have to build a mechanism of accountability of our working force also, be it a clerk at the block level or a bureaucrat at the senior-most level in the state or center. Accountability of the government officials will play a major role. The government has political will. So I am sure this will be done and we have done this successfully in the past years.

You also mentioned SHG, Self-help groups. How do you see their role evolving in the next decade?

I think they are the best changemakers, most important for the state now. They are not just involved in economic activities but also contribute a lot when it comes to implementing the government schemes. They themselves are beneficiaries of the government schemes. They ensure that their friends, their neighbors also benefit from those government schemes. So when I was saying that we are just not focusing on planning, we are also focusing on the implementation of little things that the government has initiated. So in those activities, I think these women have contributed a lot, and we appreciate their contributions.

Rural women face both social and economic barriers. What do you think the government and society must do together to break these barriers more effectively?

See, in local bodies, we have enough representation of women. In fact, in some places, more than 50% participate as local representatives. But when it comes to Vidhan Sabha or Lok Sabha, although Jharkhand has a good number of women in the assembly, I think we should have at least 50% of women in the Vidhan Sabha or upper house, in Lok Sabha, in parliament also. I think we will be in a position to contribute more and ensure that whatever we say, whatever we think, and whatever we gather from the women at the grassroots is implemented and reflected in the policy of the government.

Women form the backbone of rural economies but often remain invisible in policymaking. What initiatives are you championing to ensure women’s economic independence and leadership at the grassroots level?

I would like to mention that there are states that have good women's policies, but their budgets don't reflect the allocations. So, tender budgeting has been done very successfully in our state. We are very proud of the fact that 50 lakh women are getting 2,500 every month under this scheme. Although it is not a huge amount, for women who are in rural areas or who work as homemakers, it is a kind of motivation for them that your work is also appreciated and the government is with you. We have designed a scholarship, the Savitri Bhai Phule scholarship, which gives a Rs 40,000 scholarship to girls studying in class 8 to 12. Apart from that, 15,000 crores of credit linkage to self-help group women is a huge amount. This did not happen in the 17- 18 years of the BJP government. These schemes have helped women with their economic stability, health, education for their children, and their self-training. We are trying to make more self-help groups of women who are beneficiaries of the Maiya Samman Yojana so that their economic activities can improve. Apart from that, political strengthening of women has been done with their participation in the local bodies, which has helped the women to become a political voice of the state and ensure their participation in the policy decisions. Their opinion is honored.

Do you think having more women in policymaking positions would make a difference in getting things done effectively?

Definitely! We need to have equal voices. I am not saying that we have a larger voice than men. But this is the high time when we should have equal voices, and we ensure that our roles are in decision making, and we shouldn't be just considered as voters. It is very necessary for women to be in decision-making positions, and I try to influence the decisions. I also try to support women who can be the change makers and especially in decision-making roles, when they can contribute.

In your view, what qualities should a woman possess to succeed as a policymaker or politician in today's challenging environment?

I think it is as easy as running home. When you can run your home successfully, you have training. In fact, I can say all the departments at a time. So if you are a good homemaker and you are being educated, it can help you in politics. And the commitment and passion I think almost every woman has. It is only about opportunities. If I got an opportunity, I would be sitting here. Maybe someday, if you get an opportunity, you can be a decision maker in the political system. This is not a fight against men. I would say that women are gifted, and they are built like this. We are more sensitive.

What is your long-term vision for Jharkhand’s villages? If you could define “an ideal Jharkhand village,” what would it look like ten years from now?

Our Jharkhand villages are very beautiful, very green. And I think we should maintain this. We should not lose sight of the greenery of our villages. We should have good connectivity. We should have health services. And apart from that, I think a clean village is very important. We must ensure that there's no pollution from plastic and other pollutants. So, when I think of the ideal village of Jharkhand, apart from the basic infrastructure, I imagine that the residents of that village are empowered, educated, and economically independent. Also, they have employment that they don't have to migrate to other states for their livelihood. So, bringing livelihood opportunities to them, to the villages, is one of the things that is on my priority list. I think if we can keep our villages clean, green, and water sufficient, that would be the kind of village I would like to see.

You rightly said that migration should stop. What is being done to create sustainable livelihoods in villages to reduce this migration?

COVID-19 taught a lot of things to the world and to Jharkhand as well. We saw the number of people who had migrated to different parts of the country for their livelihood. That time, we not just ensured their safety, security, and brought them back safely to the state, we also ensured they get livelihood opportunities through Manrega and other policies. We ensured that a lot of women participate in the SHG group so that they have the credit linkage to create something of their own and ensure employment for others around them. Also, migration is not always negative. If people willingly want to go for better opportunities, they are most welcome. People from not just our state but from the entire country have migrated to other countries. If that is by choice, I think that should be welcomed and appreciated. But migrating out of distress is a concern for the state. We are trying to create livelihood opportunities in the state itself so that they don't have to migrate for minimal jobs. A lot of girls, especially from tribal communities, have migrated to urban cities to work as domestic helpers. We have trained quite a large number of girls in several villages so that they don't go as domestic helpers, but they go and work in some industry. We have schemes of skill development which are helping them earn 15-20,000 rupees either in the state or in some other cities. But they have decent work, a decent livelihood that we are working towards. I am sure, if migration happens from Jharkhand, it will be on the individual's choice and not out of distress.

You have spoken about Digital Panchayat initiatives. Could you explain how technology is being used to strengthen grassroots governance and bring transparency?

This reminds me of our late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi ji who started these digital activities in the country long back. And when I think of Digital Panchayat, we ensure that people don't travel a long distance and don't get harassed at the block levels or district levels. They can just walk into their Panchayat and get their Jati Praman Patra or any other certification, or they can apply for the government schemes, and they get the benefits without running around. We imagine Digital Panchayat as a tool to ensure ease for the villages. And we also want to minimise the human interaction, as, I'll be honest, a lot of complaints of corruption come. So if somebody can get the benefits of the government, especially the government schemes with minimal human interfaces, that person has the convenience to apply for a scheme, get the benefit of the scheme without any delay. We also want a Digital Panchayat so that we can track everything on a click of a button. So, sitting in Ranchi, I can see what is happening in any remote Panchayat of Palamu and how many people are interested in what kind of schemes. It can be a good management information system for us to plan and implement our schemes.

This will be my last question! What personal philosophy or guiding principle drives your work in public service and keeps you motivated through challenges?

I am into politics because of Shri Rahul Gandhi ji. He started to invite youth from 2007-2014. He was in charge of the Youth Congress, and many like us have joined politics and see him as our guide or mentor in politics. And with his vision and ideology of Congress, I am into public service. I want to help the person who is last in the line. And I think his motivation and his guidance have helped us a lot. We are in roles where we can make a difference. So we are just trying to bring the change we have ever dreamt of.

Read More:

1. How Women In Politics Are Still Excluded From India's POSH Act And Left Vulnerable To Sexual Harassment
2. Theaterisation Of India's Defence Forces? Why It Matters, Why It Is Hard, And What Comes Next
3. 50 Is The New 30; Mahua Moitra Proves It's Never Too Late To Find Love