The village named Chetar (Ramgadh district, Jharkhand) sets an amazing example for the rest of the country. Since Independence not a single police case has been filed from this village in any of the police stations around. This tiny village having population of around 1000 people has around 35 teachers. Any local issues that crop up in the village are resolved in the village Panchayat. All the villagers respectfully abide to the Panchayat decisions which are always taken with general agreement of all the people. For the fine collected from those found guilty is kept in a joint account and used for the public affairs of the village or helping the less fortunate ones (like bearing the cost of marrying daughters of the poor).

The village is now coming forward as an ideal role model with techniques to be adopted at other places. This is creating general interest in academicians as well. Recently a team of students from Saint Zavier’s College of Ranchi and one of the institutions in London visited the village to study their model. Though it is little bit off from Ramgadh district headquarters, the roads are developed enough for a four wheeler to pass through with ease. There are no pot holes anywhere and the drainage system of the village runs completely underground. The youth of the village take turns to keep the surroundings cleaned and tidy.

The village is alcohol free. No villager ever drinks alcohol, be it a festive occasion or something stressful happening in their lives. The villagers belonging to wide range of castes, including Mahato, Munda, Bediya, Karmali, Muslims, Thakur, Kumbhar; stay together as a family. The people of this village even actively participated in freedom movement against the Britishers, said 80 year old Tularam Mehato.

Even the Police officer Ranjit Kumar Prasad has high regards for the people of Chetar village. He is full of appreciation for them as all the issues are solved in the Panchayat amicably and the village has done a commendable job of not having any crime record against them post-Independence.

Translated from Hindi to English by Smt.Nipa Shah

Original news item in Hindi by Sri Rajesh Patel