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NEW DELHI: Demonstrating the use of television to bring about changes at the grassroots level, a competitive show in Kerala has resulted in developmental projects ranging from dairy sector interventions, health care projects, panchayat-run courts to settle cases and organic farming.
Doordarshan?s Thiruvananthapuram Kendra commenced the 103-episode Green Kerala Express in March last year and ended with Elappully village panchayat in Palakkad winning the Rs. 10 million prize.
The Green Kerala Express was the first social reality show on Indian television showcasing the grassroots-level development initiatives of three-tier local bodies.
Encouraged by Doordarshan?s programme, Elappully which was mainly inhabited by debt-ridden marginal farmers had undertaken a Dairy project to enhance milk production. With a complete dairy village concept, Elappully achieved a four-fold increase in milk production in the past two years from 2,400 litres per day to 12,000 litres a day, helping the Dairy farmers to fetch a combined turnover of 75 million last year.
One hundred and fifty-two panchayats had vied with one another and Panchayat office- bearers were given half-an-hour slot to SMS their votes for the panchayats of their choice.
