Nabarangpur, August, 11: An inspiring story of awareness, determination and community participation has emerged from the remote Raighar Block of Nabarangpur district. In a tribal-dominated region where awareness about government savings schemes was once limited, one village is now setting an example for the entire state.
This is Mundibeda- a village that has earned a special identity as a “Sukanya Samriddhi Village.”
More than 120 Sukanya Samriddhi accounts have been opened for girl children here, marking a significant step towards securing their financial future.
Mundibeda village in Raighar Block of Nabarangpur district has created a new example in strengthening the objectives of the Central Government’s “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign.
The journey gained momentum after the Mundibeda Branch Post Office became operational with digital services in 2024. With easier access to postal savings schemes, efforts began to connect more families with government-backed financial security programmes.
But in this remote tribal area, reaching every household was not an easy task.
Post Office officials, along with Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, teachers, Mission Shakti CRPs, Self-Help Groups and local representatives, began reaching out to families through door-to-door campaigns and awareness meetings.
“As this is a tribal area, we continuously meet Anganwadi workers, teachers and ASHA workers. Through them, we reach the people and organise awareness camps to inform them about the government’s Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana”, says Bimal Kumar Panda, Assistant Post Master of Mundibeda Post Office.
“It was a tough task to convince parents and bring 84 girl children under this scheme. But we will continue our efforts to ensure that every eligible girl child in this area is enrolled in Sukanya Samriddhi and that her future is financially secure, added Panda.”
The challenge was not just opening bank or post office accounts. The real challenge was to make families understand why saving for a daughter’s future from an early age matters.
Post Office personnel explained the benefits of Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, including its attractive interest rate and the long-term financial security it can provide for a girl child.
Gradually, awareness began turning into action.
So far, 120 Sukanya Samriddhi accounts have been opened in Mundibeda village, while 84 new accounts were opened during the financial year 2025–26 alone.
Behind these numbers lies a story of countless conversations- of workers walking from house to house, meeting parents and patiently explaining the scheme.
“Following Bimal sir’s initiative, we started motivating people to secure the future of their daughters by enrolling them in Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana. Earlier, people here were not very aware of government schemes. Whenever a girl child is born, or if a family has a daughter below 10 years of age, we explain the scheme to the parents and make them aware of its benefits. In Mundibeda village, around eight families have opened Sukanya Samriddhi accounts at the post office, while across Mundibeda Panchayat, around 82 families have enrolled their girl children under the scheme.”, says Golapi Rani Bala, Anganwadi Worker
For many parents, the initiative has turned information into an opportunity to plan for their daughters’ future.
What once seemed complicated — opening an account, understanding the scheme and planning long-term savings — has become much easier with the support of local workers and the Postal Department.
“I had heard about Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana earlier, but I did not know how to open an account or what the process was. With the help of Bimal sir, I opened a Sukanya Samriddhi account for my daughter. Now, I also try to make other parents aware and encourage them to open accounts for their daughters at the post office. When the girl turns 18, the savings can help provide financial support for her future and for her education and other important needs, says Koushalya Chouhan, Parent.”
The success of Mundibeda is not the achievement of one department alone.
It is the result of a collective effort — from the Post Office staff who took the message to people’s doorsteps, to Anganwadi and ASHA workers who helped connect with families, and parents who took the decision to invest in their daughters’ future.
The village has now set its sights on an even bigger goal.
The Postal Department wants to ensure that every eligible girl child across the entire Mundibeda Gram Panchayat is brought under the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, transforming the panchayat into a “Sukanya Samriddhi Panchayat.”
For this, more awareness programmes, public outreach campaigns and village-level meetings are planned in the days ahead.
Mundibeda is proof that even in remote and tribal regions, awareness can bring meaningful change.
When government schemes reach people through dedicated grassroots workers, when communities participate and when parents take a step towards securing their daughters’ future, a small village can become a model for others to follow.
From awareness to action, Mundibeda has shown the way.
Today, its daughters are not just beneficiaries of a savings scheme — they represent a promise of a brighter, more secure and financially empowered future.
And the message from Mundibeda is clear: when a community invests in its daughters, it invests in the future of the entire society.
