A report on Covid-free Village Program pilot implementation in 150 villages of Pune during the period August to September 2021.

1. Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana
COVID-FREE VILLAGE PROGRAM
PILOT IMPLEMENTATION IN 150 VILLAGES OF PUNE
(Aug - Sep 2021)
Covid-free Village Pilot in Pune
Pune district has always remained on high priority for the government for Covid containment due to
the large number of cases ever since the pandemic affected the country. Recently, Zilla Parishad, Pune
identified 439 villages in the district as “high risk” for Covid infections. Outside urban centres in the
district that continue to remain as high priority, the District Administration’s efforts for containing the
pandemic is closely tracking these 439 villages in an effort to control new infections.
BJS has been at the forefront of Covid-containment measures ever since the pandemic began in India.
Continuing its timely response to reduce Covid vulnerabilities in Pune district, BJS in August 2021
began implementing a pilot of the Covid-free Village program, focusing on 150 of the 439 “high risk”
villages identified by the District Administration. The objective of this pilot program was to understand
Covid-vulnerabilities in rural areas and to create a proof of concept to comprehensively address such
vulnerabilities through a community-led model that can be scaled and replicated across the state, and
possibly the nation. While results from a Dipstick Assessment conducted recently in pilot villages are
soon awaited, the succeeding paragraphs illustrate BJS’ efforts and experience from the pilot program
to inform the now proposed scaled-up in Pune district.
Village Visits
As part of the formative research prior to implementing the pilot, technical visits were made to several
of the identified villages to help understand the prevailing situation and to discuss the Covid-free
Village concept with grassroots stakeholders. Discussions were held with Sarpanchs, village officials
and ordinary villages to learn about their perceptions on Covid vulnerabilities vis-à-vis the health and
development infrastructure and services available to them.
Village meetings at Mandaki, Purandar Village meetings at Mandaki, Purandar

2. Meeting with CEO, Zilla Parishad
After having received feedback from village communities, a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer
of the Zilla Parishad, Pune was conducted to discuss BJS’ experience from the formative research and
possibilities for collaboration with the District Administration to scale the Covid-free Village program
to cover the entire Pune district. The CEO, Zilla Parishad approved the program for implementation in
Pune district and promised all the required coordination and support from the District Administration.
Subsequently, Shri. Shantilal Muttha, Founder of BJS and Dr. Ayush Prasad, CEO Zilla Parishad held a
joint virtual meeting with 149 Sarpanchs from the district to explain them about the implementation
plan of the Covid-free Village program.
Village meetings at Mandaki, Purandar Village meetings at Mandaki, Purandar
Village meetings at Mandaki, Purandar Village meetings at Mandaki, Purandar
Joint Virtual Meeting of BJS and CEO Zilla Parishad with 149 Sarpanchs

3. Training and Deployment of Field Teams
BJS identified and recruited a strong team of Taluka Coordinators to implement the Covid-free Village
pilot program in 150 high risk villages of the district. An induction training program was organized for
the Taluka Coordinators at BJS Head Office, in which they were provided an in-depth understanding
of the Covid-free Village concept and their specific roles and responsibilities in the program.
A Taluka Program Management Unit was established in each Taluka to coordinate the program with
villages. All Sarpanchs were appealed to come forward to be part of the program and respective Taluka
Coordinators provided necessary support to them. Several meetings were held with different Taluka
level officials and village stakeholders to seek their support for the pilot.
Training of Taluka Coordinators Training of Taluka Coordinators
Training of Taluka Coordinators Training of Taluka Coordinators
Meeting with BDO & THO, Junnar Meeting with BDO & THO, Mulshi

4. Meeting with Sarpanch, Kari, Bhor
Meeting with Sarpanch & Gramsevak,
Vitthalwadi, Ambegaon
Meeting with Gramsevak, Yelwadi, Khed Meeting with Sarpanch, Pandharwadi, Indapur
Meeting with villagers, Bhoradi, Velhe VTF Training, Dapodi, Daund
Meeting with Sarpanch &
Gramsevak, Gholwad,
Junnar
VTF Formation, Waki Khurd, Khed

5. Awareness, Testing and Vaccination Camps
As part of the pilot implementation of the Covid-free Village program, several camps were conducted
to improve Covid awareness among villagers and to improve their testing and vaccination coverage.
These camps were much appreciated by villagers and resulted in an increase in demand for Covid
testing and vaccination. They succeeded in addressing the fear and misconceptions about testing and
the hesitancy in ordinary people’s minds about Covid vaccination.
VTF Training at Dongarga, Haveli VTF Training at Purandar
Vaccination camp, Mandaki, Purandar Vaccination camp, Gunjalwadi, Junnar
Vaccination camp for Elders,
Mandaki, Purandar Vaccination camp, Velha, Purandar
Vaccination camp, Kusur, Junnar Awareness before Vaccination, Kusur, Junnar

6. Media Reports
The pilot program implementation in Pune was extensively covered by the local print media in Talukas.
The Covid-free Village program is a unique initiative in which local communities take ownership and
responsibility for protecting their villages from the pandemic. The program empowers villagers to
create a people’s movement for Covid containment. Being a people-centric program, the Covid-free
Village initiative attracted a lot of media coverage, some of which is appended below: