The land use in rural areas is changing from agriculture to non-agriculture due to urbanisation and change in the rural economy. This created the need for a land-use plan for the rural areas in the country. Hence, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) initiated to create spatial planning for the rural areas along with National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) and National Informatics Centre (NIC). The task was given to various educational institutions across India to prepare Rural Spatial Planning.
School of Planning and Architecture Bhopal (SPAB), an Institute of National Importance was also part of this program and took up two villages namely: Bilkisganj (in Sehore District) and Murwas (in Vidisha district) of Madhya Pradesh and prepared Gram Panchayat Spatial Development Plan (GPSDP) as both the villages were experiencing rapid spatial changes.
Bilikisganj, was transforming from a pure agriculture-based economy to an allied agricultural economy and land use was increasing towards commercialisation and industrialisation. Whereas Murwas is situated on the State highway, so cropping pattern and land use havebeen changed.
SPAB using various tools such as drones, remote sensing, and other methods, analysed the Bilkisganj village in terms of social, spatial, and economic changes and presented a vision to the villagers allowing them to create a better future. Based on this participatory approach, SPAB came out with a final spatial development plan for Bilkisganj and Murwas which was presented in the report. Ministry of Panchayati Raj representative Shri Sunil Kumar, IAS, Secretary, MoPR, Govt. of India, with other dignitaries from Govt. of Madhya Pradesh visited the SPA Bhopal on January 21 to review the Gram Panchayat Spatial Development Plan (GPSDP) prepared and presented by the team of SPA Bhopal lead by Prof N Sridharan, Director for the Murwas (village of Vidisha district).
The Gram Panchayat, Gram Sabha representatives were present physically whereas villagers connected remotely through youtube live streaming after the report presentation dignitaries planted trees in the SPA Bhopal. January 22 SPA Bhopal team presented the report at Bilkisganj (village of Sehore district) in presence of representatives of Govt. of India and Madhya Pradesh, Gram Panchayats, Gram Sabha, and villagers to know their feedback on the plan prepared by the SPA Bhopal.
