12 July,2025 02:43 PM IST | Gadchiroli | mid-day online correspondent
Aerial image of Gadchiroli village. Image/FilePic
With the view of making parts of Maharashtra naxal-free, the Gadchiroli Police have set up 71 libraries across the district. The libraries have been set up under the 'One Village, One Library' initiative. This initiative aims at countering Naxal influence by providing youth with education and employment opportunities, a police official said on Saturday.
Earlier, the initiative, which was launched on January 18, 2023, began in Kotgul, a remote village near the Chhattisgarh border. It aims to establish one library in each village under the jurisdiction of a police station or outpost.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal, who is leading the project, told the media, "Two years ago, we started with just one library under the One Village One Library initiative. Today, 71 libraries are functioning across the district, and over 8,000 youth are actively using them," as cited by news agency ANI.
SP further stated that the initiative has already helped hundreds of secure jobs, adding that "In areas like Nalgonda, we've connected remote libraries to Wi-Fi using police post connectivity. 205 of these young individuals have been selected for the police force, and many others have secured jobs in the revenue department. These libraries provide Wi-Fi, books, and access to online coaching, giving these students a platform to grow."
According to SP Neelotpal, Maoist groups had earlier misled local youth, and the library project was designed to counter that.
He further addressed that, "Before 2020, or even earlier, Maoist groups would mislead the youth and were not meaningfully engaged. To positively engage and provide opportunities to the youth of Gadchiroli, we started this initiative," as per ANI.
Rakesh Lohambare, coordinator of the Kotgul Library, said the project has seen strong support from villagers.
"To make this initiative successful, we involved not just the police department but also the local villagers. The library building was in ruins earlier; we renovated it with the community's help and provided all necessary facilities," Lohambare highlighted.
Lohambare further added, "Today, apart from the students who study here regularly, even schoolchildren come and ask us if they can study here. This library has significantly boosted the confidence of the youth in our area."
One of the students in Gadchiroli, Nandkumari Hidame, also expressed her happiness by stating that the library has changed her life.
She even highlighted that, "Ever since I started coming to the library, I have felt a change within myself. I am preparing for the police recruitment exam. My village is 3 km away from here. Earlier, I had no idea about competitive exams, but I'm learning everything here. I'm hopeful that I'll clear the upcoming police exam," as cited by ANI.
(With Inputs from ANI)
