Surendra Singh

A small oasis of hope and regeneration in the arid landscape of Rajasthan, nurtured with sheer determination of the local community, has emerged as a replicable model for fighting desertification and infusing life to a dying earth. Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi, on 14 June 2021, declared India’s commitment to Land Degradation Neutrality, aiming to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030. Inspired by his clarion call, I, then serving as Chairperson, Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC), started an exercise that would go on to simultaneously achieve de-desertification, reclamation and restoration. When I first visited Nichla Mandwa village in Udaipur District of Rajasthan in the last week of June 2021, for site selection, no one would have imagined that targeted efforts at greening and plantations, launched on 04.07.2021, would end up creating a whole new eco system of diverse flora and fauna in a barren landscape, within four years. The journey of this amazing transformation began with the villagers offering 25 acres of Gram Sabha land for rejuvenation. The transformation achieved thereafter, is a story of human resilience and ingenuity. KVIC & an Ahmedabad-based NGO “National Council for Civil Liberties” (NCCL) joined hands to prepare this land for mass plantation, with involvement of local Woman Sarpanch, MLA & the Member of Parliament (MP). About 5500 plants of various species - primarily Bamboo (Bambusa Tulda & Bambusa Polymorpha) brought in from Assam were planted on the location. Saplings of Guava, Papaya, Gooseberry (Amla), Mango, Moringa, etc. were also planted. A solar powered bore-well was dug to meet the watering needs. A defunct check-dam was repaired and innovative measures like use of mulching, by utilizing organic kitchen waste from nearby hotels, for strengthening plantation, were undertaken. A trench was dug around the entire periphery of the 25 acres land parcel, with the aim of not only storing rain water, but also keeping away stray animals from plants in their early growth cycle. A boundary wall was also constructed around the site, using the MPLAD Funds of the then area MP, Shri Arjun Lal Meena. Bamboos were specially chosen for their resilience, less water requirement and high water retention, that, in turn, helps raise water tables apart from emitting 30% more oxygen and providing a seal against UV Rays. Amla, Guava, Mango, Moringa - all fruiting trees were chosen to introduce new fauna - mammals, reptiles and arthropods, apart from enriching the floral diversity. I kept a watch on the transformation taking place, visiting the village twice thereafter and it was heartening to see squirrels, peacocks, chameleons, butterflies, dragonflies, grasshoppers and others teaming around the trees, on my visit to the restored site on 04.09.2025. The entire exercise was completed at a cost of just ₹5 Lakh. The aim was not only restoration & reclamation of degraded barren land, but also creating opportunities of livelihood & local employment. Bamboo provides raw material for cottage industries like Incense Sticks (Agarbatti), Kite and Furniture. Its availability in the vicinity, will enable such units to generate employment locally. This video is a tribute to vision of the Hon’ble PM. It is an exemplar of human imagination & community engagement. I hope that public spirited citizens of our country and government bodies will be inspired to take similar steps to heal Mother Earth. This is just a humble effort, a small token of gratitude to give back to nature, which nurtures humanity. Nichla Mandwa stands as a testimony of how a low-cost project can foster an eco-system that boosts scarce natural resources, enriches people’s lives & counters the larger threat of global warming. I hope this serves as a replicable model for healing vast degraded landscapes and create sustainable futures - not only for our country, but the entire Globe. @byadavbjp