Mangaluru: Rajya Sabha Member and Former Union Minister Oscar Fernandes today visited Shasthavu model village development project which is being initiated at Lathrottu village near Badaga Yedapadavu in Mijar.
Model village project is a unique initiative conceived and proposed by Vijaynath Vittal Shetty under the auspices of Shasthvu Shree Bhoothanatheshwara Temple, Badaga Yedapadavu, Mijar. It aims to convert a traditional village in a model village with facilities like good housing, education, healthcare and civic infrastructure.
Visiting the model village, Oscar Fernandes interacted freely with the villagers and children. Speaking to media persons on the occasion he expressed his happiness and appreciation of the initiative taken by Vijaynath Shetty. “This is a very good effort for the comprehensive development of a village into a model village whereby the rural people can enjoy an improved quality of life,” he said and assured to follow up on providing adequate financial support from both state and central government.
The design concept for the model village project has been prepared by Edifice, one of India’s leading architecture firms.
Earlier Fernandes visited Shasthvu Shree Bhoothanatheshwara Temple and offered prayers. Abdul Aziz Ghafoor, President of Congress Minority Cell, Udupi; Norbert Mathias, former Taluk Panchayat member; Moideen Bawa, Yedapadavu Panchayat member accompanied Oscar Fernandes.
Pramukh Rai, the chief architect for the project, Praveen Sarangan, Jayesh and Arjun Rai were also present.
We wish to complement Shriman Oscar Fernandes for taking the initiatives of visiting the Model Village and interact with dozens of young and innocent children who are at the prime of their youth. These children in the rural areas feel highly motivated when dignitaries from outside visit their interior land and show keen interest in their welfare in life. Many of these children meet some of the outside visitors first time. They bow their heads with their hands folded. They would like to maintain a close eye contact and wish to see the affection and love in the eyes of others. They would like to talk and share their humble feelings. All in all, they would just love to interact with others and make their presence felt.
I had taken a few American visitors not too long ago to the remote villages of India. I arrived with the entourage exactly at 12 noon which was the right time to be present when the children get their free lunch, a delicious plate of nutrious diet on a stainless steel plate. More than 300 children greeted our visiting American dignitaries with flowers and drum beats. The lunch was about to be served hence the leader of the children group invited the American friends to dine with them and share the humble bread. We all sat together on the school floor and shared the joy of being together. The children recited their prayers before the meal. Thereafter the children entertained us with their music and dances. The children even wanted to demonstrate the women’s volley ball game and the boys were proud to display their cricket game. They even made the American men and women to join the cricket game.
Out of total 21 days the Americans toured the Cities, towns and villages, they preferred their visit to the Model Village the most because that’s where they witnessed the “Real India” beneath the Indian soil.
Our Temples, our Mosques and our Churches have lot to give to the young children and divert all their God given fortunes in favor of the little children who are the gifts from heaven to Mother India.
Thank you dear Mr. Oscar Fernandes for your kind gesture. We had the pleasure of meeting each other on the Xmas mid night mass at St. Aloysius College last year.