As the Collector of Wanaparthy, carved out of erstwhile Mahbubnagar district, synonymous for poverty, high migration of labour, Sweta Mohanty has her task cut out.
With poor Human Development Index reflecting in high maternal and infant mortality rate, low literacy rates, Ms. Swetha gave top priority to streamline the health care system, and the KCR kits scheme facilitated the increase in institutional deliveries by 2.5 times that what was a year ago.
Institutional deliveries meant families are saving close to ₹30,000 in private hospitals where invariably C-sections are performed indiscriminately.
Education was her another focus area as the district fared poorly in SSC examination. “We focused on quality teaching initially in mathematics in all government schools to improve learning levels. Our district will have better results next year,” says the Collector with confidence.
Explaining about her experience after the reorganisation of districts, she said existing problems would not disappear overnight but in a smaller district, they become magnified and attract attention of administration and ensure better service delivery. “We know what we have to focus on as issues become crystal clear in a smaller jurisdiction,” Ms. Sweta says.
Every flagship programme, notwithstanding infrastructure and staff issues, is speeded up as a result. For instance, when about 15 lakh saplings were planted in the area last year under Haritha Haram, the number went up to 60 lakh this year, even with dry spell, 40 lakh saplings would survive, she says.
