With ‘dismal’ level of awareness level amongst elected representatives to panchayats about the various rural development programmes run by the centre, the government has decided to launch a special TV quiz programme for generating interest amongst them.
The quiz show being designed in the line of famous Kaun Banega Crorepati, would be telecast in the state-owned Doordarshan, where the participants would be from drawn from a million strong representatives to the three tier panchayati raj system across the country.
A rural development ministry official told Fe, ?We have started to compile hundreds of questions related to various social sector programme and show is expected to go on air during next few months.?
The official said the programme would aim at bridging the knowledge gap of elected members to panchayats about various anti-poverty schemes being implemented by centre. The ministry is in a process of finding an anchor for the programme.
At present a large portions of works under mega Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) are being implemented by the panchayati raj institutions.
?The government had spend more than Rs 50,000 crore under MGNREGA till now, through this quiz show we intend to generate interest and awareness so that social sector schemes are implemented effectively,? the official said.
To give wider publicity to UPA government?s flagship social sector initiatives, ministry of rural development has been contemplating to use visual media extensively for expanding outreach amongst voters.
?As we get the biggest chunk of financial allocation for the social sector initiatives, we would like to disseminate information about the flagship programmes for ensuring better implementation and accountability,? an official had said.
According to official data, the rural development gets an annual budgetary allocation of more than Rs 80,000 crore for running mega programme including MHNREGA, Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana, Indira Awaas Yojana.
?A portion of this budget could be used for developing the communication strategy for the social section initiatives,? the official said.
On the commercial viability of the quiz programme, the rural development ministry official said that with more than 65% of country?s population living in the rural areas, the programme would focus on rural issues which would naturally attracts advertisers such as consumer goods and FMCG companies.
Doordarshan recently celebrated the success of its flagship agriculture-based show Krishi Darshan.
According to Doordarshan officials, Krishi Darshan manages to generate revenue worth of Rs 100 crore every year.