How the Society Came lnto Being :- Its Inception

With India achieving independence, new priorities emerged  in the role of state and government servants. Government came to mean service to people and an engine of their development. This required an expansion in the activities and structure of the government. And  being the summer  capital city of Bihar, Ranchi became an important seat of governmental expansion. The  government servants in various Departments and with different ranks  were now being  posted in increasing numbers. Soon the need for adequate housing facilities for the government servants posted in Ranchi was felt very acute. The    government servants were  facing difficulty in getting accommodation. Some  senior civil servants of the  undivided Bihar took concrete initiatives in the wake of  the government servants’  hardships. This led to the creation of a housing society and the coming  into existence of the Ashoknagar Colony in Ranchi. A  housing society was  formed and registered under Bihar Cooperative Society Act 1935, bearing the number 20/R dated 21.03.1960. At the start its  name was “Ranchi Govt. Employees Cooperative House Construction Society”. Later, in 1964, the name was changed to ” Services Housing Cooperative Society Ltd., Ashoknagar Ranchi through the first amendment in its bye-laws. The main objective of the Society was to ride over the difficulty of Government Servants posted at Ranchi in having accomodation here.

Land and layout : Geographical Entity

After the Society was formed, the first priority was to have suitable land. Shri T.C. Puri, ICS and Shri D.P. Verma, a member of Bihar Civil Service, was the first Chairman and Honorary Secretary of the Society respectively. Quite a few sites were visited for  the Society to get land for residential development. One of them was the site where the headquarters of present Central Coal Field Ltd. is located. It was one of the choices of Society. However, ultimately, the Government of Bihar agreed to allot only 155 acres of land in the villages Argora and Kadru. The allotted land was very remote at that time. The main town ended then near Ratan Talkies. The Society had no option but to accept whatever was offered to it. In December 1964, vide letter no. 7473 dated 19.12.1964, possession of the entire 155 acres of land was handed over to the Society by the Housing Department of Bihar. The layout plan was also approved by the housing Department. In the beginning only 496 plots were laid out under the A,B,C,D categories. Later some more plots were developed on the fringe of Society to make a total of 508 plots. Apart from  residential plots of four different sizes to suit the individual requirement, ample  space was also earmarked  for clubs, parks, health centre, marketing complex, school and a temple also.  Total length  of internal roads is approximately 110 K.M with wide flanks. The Roads are illuminated with LED lights.

Its Movement With Time How it evolved over years to Present Pristine glory

At the start Ashoknagar colony was situated in a relatively remote area of Ranchi. But in the changed time and after fast development, Ashoknagar became  one of the most conveniently located colonies   of Ranchi with its proximity to AirPort, Railway station, Bus Depot, High court, Nepal house, Secretariat and other important establishments. Thanks to its founding members, our society has got  a unique distinction of  planned residential colony. However, besides the physical features, this Society is also known for its members. They are very participative and care about the well – being of the Society. This has resulted into Services Housing Cooperative Society Ashoknagar as a law- abiding community. Here elections of the Board of Directors are held on due dates. It is done democratically in a free and convenient manner under the General Body’s meeting, composed of all members in the Society. The efficient,sincere and true- to – cooperative spirit management of the Society has made it a flagship Society not only in Jharkhand but also in Bihar.

 Its presevation in the future Cardinal duties of members for future preservation

There have been many challenges facing the Society. The initial remoteness of the land under its possession was the reason behind the initial slow pace of its development.  The Society was formed with a strict  provision that only the government servants of Bihar and, afterwards, Jharkhand will be its member. As we know,  changes are bound to come  with the passage of time. Many members became retired and settled elsewhere in their retired life. They became uninterested  in doing construction over their plots. The Society had to make provision in its bye laws for  surrender of such plots by them. Intending members have been given  a choice to surrender their plot in   favour of a person they like and  who is  eligible to become a member of the Society. This ensured an increase in the pace of Society’s development. Also Ranchi developed in such a way that Ashoknagar became one of its prime locations with its very convenient distances from the centre of services like Railway, Airports and government establishments.

The Society’s  vision for the future is to ensure that it  keeps pace with the march of time and is always  fulfilling its role. It has been necessary to provide for suitable  changes to its bye- laws.  Many amendments have been made in the bye- laws from time to time. Most of our members are retired Government Servants and they need to be facilitated in  their dealing with the issues about the land and  house of their plots. In addition to what has been done regarding the surrender of plots by members, the Society’s bye-laws have been amended to provide for even bifurcation of house and land of a member’s plot to his/her succeeding family members. However, one plot will have only one member as allottee or Karta. Others may be only Associate members for plot, with no participative role in the conduct of Society.

Security, and  Cleanliness, and Water Supply and drainage our topmost priorities

Since Ashoknagar is a self dependent society, it is free to undertake its development in its own way. The cleanliness and security issues are very much engaging the management committee of the Society. However, security of persons and property in the kind of land expanse like Ashoknagar is mainly a domain of law and order instrument of the government. Ashoknagar colony is not like the entirely closed  premises of apartments where entries and exits are managed at the same place.  Ashoknagar Society is attending to the security issue of the Society to a limited extent only  in some possible way. Similarly, for the waste disposal the Ashoknagar Society has to be  on the same pedestal as other areas under Ranchi Municipal Corporation. Earlier, the civic works in the colony were undertaken by the Society on its own. Now the situation has changed. The RMC has undertaken the civic works also in the Ashoknagar Society. Water supply to members is also undertaken by its management Committee. But due to scarcity of water, adequate water supply to members is a struggle. Water harvesting campaign has been made.  Many members have resorted to their own arrangements for water needed in their premises. Covering of open drains and its frequent cleaning remains our bounden duty apart from security cleaniness and water supply.

Challenges ahead in changing socio geopolitical scenarios.

Ranchi became the capital city of the new State of Jharkhand formed in 2000. This was bound to have a tremendous impact on it.   Ashoknagar colony was not free from the impact of growth on the city at large. The non- residential use was earlier on a very limited scale. But after Ranchi became a capital of the new State of Jharkhand, there was large expansion in government activities accompanied with the same in trade, commerce and industry. The demand of space for them put pressure on the Ashoknagar colony. To maintain the basic  nature of this colony being residential, its bye- laws were amended to check unbridled non- residential use of houses in the Society. Putting house here purely of  commercial types has been prohibited under the amendment in the bye- law. Yet tremendous increase in the volume of vehicles in the city in general and also within the Society and its neighbouring areas  has impacted the Society. It is no longer as peaceful and undisturbed as earlier.  Trees on the flanks of roads have grown old; they require replacement. With a fast increase in population, water requirements are increasing day by day. Water table is going down fast. Though members of Ashoknagar  has taken up rain water harvesting in a big way, more is needed to be done to meet the gap.

It has been in the interest of the Society that Its members are active for its welfare and the services which are required  to be fulfilled by the Management Committee. Ashoknagar is spread over a large area with residential plots, roads, drains and suitable space for parks, markets, club, school and a temple also. For maintenance of such a colony adequate funds are essential. Members need to  pay suitable amount of maintenance charges to the Society.Because in absence of funds all major dreams for qualitive changes in the colony would simply remain in the pipe and never see light of the day.