Patna: Bihar will organise a statewide Kalash Yatra from August 18 to 20 to mark the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Guru Ravidas Ji, with the procession set to travel through districts before reaching panchayats across the state.
The programme will coincide with the launch of the Shri Guru Ravidas Samarasata Sankalp Abhiyan, a campaign aimed at ensuring 100% coverage of government schemes and essential services in villages and settlements with Scheduled Caste populations.
The campaign will also focus on education, skill development, employment, infrastructure and social empowerment, with the stated objective of accelerating socio-economic development among disadvantaged communities.
Rights And Awareness Camps Planned
The campaign will include rights-based camps and public awareness programmes, along with bicycle rallies, debates, essay and quiz competitions and public hearings.
Officials will use existing government schemes to address gaps in housing, drinking water, roads, electricity, solar energy and healthcare.
A Sant Ravidas Camp will be organised mandatorily on the first Thursday of every month during the campaign period. The camps will facilitate access to essential services and amenities, including LPG refills.
The campaign will continue until February 15, 2027.
Focus On Skills, AI And 3D Printing
The campaign will also promote high-impact initiatives through the Department of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Welfare and other concerned departments.
These will include skill development programmes, marketing and support centres, Sant Ravidas Parks and the Sant Ravidas Award.
Special skill-upgradation programmes will focus on emerging technologies such as 3D printing and Artificial Intelligence, with an emphasis on modern and employment-oriented skills for young people.
Inter-school sports competitions and other youth-focused activities will also be organised.
Sant Ravidas Sadans And Welfare Centres
The campaign will seek to strengthen social infrastructure through Sant Ravidas Sadans and Sant Ravidas Welfare Centres at the block level.
Activities in this area are targeted for completion by February 15, 2027, through phased implementation by the districts.
The government plans to monitor the implementation of welfare schemes through inter-departmental coordination, with the aim of ensuring that eligible beneficiaries receive government services and benefits in a timely and transparent manner.
The campaign’s broader objective is to combine welfare access with education, employment, skills, infrastructure and social empowerment to promote more inclusive and sustainable development in areas with significant Scheduled Caste populations.
