Kavita Dhurve, Sarpanch of the tribal-dominated Khumkal Gram Panchayat under Junnardeo Janpad Panchayat of Chhindwara district, brought immense pride to the entire state by being honored as a special guest at the Independence Day ceremony held at the Red Fort in Delhi.
This recognition is not just her achievement, but also a symbol of the strong identity and rising stature of women from tribal-dominated regions. Her honour at the national level has created a wave of joy and pride across the tribal community.
She was awarded a Certificate of Honour for her inspirational innovations and outstanding work under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) at a function organized on the eve of Independence Day, in the presence of Union Minister K. R. Patil and Principal Secretary of the Ministry, Devoleena Mukherjee.
Sarpanch Kavita Dhurve of Khumkal dedicated herself to making cleanliness a mass movement in her Gram Panchayat. Under her leadership, several innovative initiatives were undertaken. With active public cooperation and the support of the Swachh Bharat Mission team, she developed a unique Swachhata Park on the theme of “Jugaad se Jagad.”
To transform Aradongri village into an ODF Plus model, a wide-reaching public awareness campaign was organized through Chaupal, Gram Sabha, and Grih Bhet. For effective solid and liquid waste management, compost pits, plastic collection units, soak pits, and magic pits were constructed.
In the drive against single-use plastic, cloth bags were distributed to villagers to encourage sustainable practices. Smt. Dhurve’s innovative efforts received wholehearted support from both the villagers and the Chhindwara district administration. Her initiatives have not only strengthened cleanliness practices but also inspired women Sarpanches across the region to embrace innovation.
