MP Dr Gandhi adopts Marori village to transform it into modern village within 2 years

Patiala, Punjab: Patiala MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi on Friday adopted Marori village of the district’s Shutrana constituency with an aim to make the village free of drug addiction, under the central government scheme Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY). The village is infamous for brewing and selling illicit liquor.

Marori, which is about 11 km from Samana and 40 km from Patiala, is governed by a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) panchayat. With a population of 3,800, the electorate is 3,316 people strong. Out of this 2,376 voters belong to minority sections.

Lacking in basic facilities, Marori is one of the most undeveloped villages of Patiala district with no drinking water. The village has just one government middle school, kachcha roads and a poor drainage system.

With no financial assistance from the government, the village owns just 5-6 acre of shamlat land, which is insufficient for the village panchayat to collect funds for development.

The Patiala MP said he chose the village because of its deplorable conditions. On Friday, he visited the village along with his supporters and recorded the unclean surroundings and inadequate facilities there.

“I have chosen this village to convert it into a model village for two reasons — to improve basic amenities and to run de-addiction and rehabilitation campaign in the village which is gripped by drug addiction,” said Gandhi. “With no source of employment, the male members of every household are not only involved in producing, selling and smuggling liquor, but they are also addicted to alcohol and drugs. Most of them are behind bars for selling illicit liquor.”

Dr Gandhi said many advised him against choosing Marori. But, he claimed, he had taken it up as a challenge, and promised to provide “best facilities to the village” within two years.

The Patiala MP will also focus on launching drug de-addiction and rehabilitation campaign, besides arranging for employment for the youth.

“Despite minorities constituting 75% of the population, the village has less than seven acre of shamlat land due to which there is no employment in the village,” said the AAP leader.

Under SAGY, which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, every MP needs to adopt a village and convert it into a model village within two years by improving parameters such as sanitation, education and health facilities.