Daijiworld Media Network – Belagavi
Belagavi, Feb 7: In today’s rapidly changing digital age, mobile phones, television, OTT platforms and web series have become an inseparable part of everyday life. However, as dependence on technology increases, children’s traditional play, family bonding, culture and social values are slowly fading away. While children remain glued to mobile phones, adults too spend considerable time on video games, OTT platforms and social media. This growing concern over the erosion of traditions and values has prompted a unique initiative in Halaga village of Belagavi district.
As a response to the growing digital invasion, Halaga village in Belagavi taluk has launched a distinctive and commendable initiative. Inspired by a similar model successfully implemented in a village in Maharashtra, Halaga has introduced a daily two-hour ‘Digital Off’ programme. The initiative officially came into effect from December last year.
Under this initiative, the village has decided to completely suspend the use of mobile phones, television and internet every day from 7 pm to 9 pm. During this period, a siren is sounded by the gram panchayat, following which all residents are required to switch off their mobile phones and televisions.
During the Digital Off hours, children are actively engaging in studies, reading books, writing, drawing, painting and playing games. Adults are spending quality time with their families, interacting with elders, discussing culture, narrating stories to children and strengthening social bonds. As a result, warmth within households has increased and family relationships have grown stronger.
It is noteworthy that children and elders, who earlier felt they could not live without mobile phones and television, are now happily embracing the Digital Off hours. Villagers say that they once believed life without mobile phones was impossible, but now these two hours have become the most beautiful and cherished time of their day.
The initiative has received strong support through the collective efforts of gram panchayat members, teachers and villagers. The primary objective of the programme is to promote education and steer children away from excessive digital habits towards creative activities. The Digital Off experiment of Halaga village has the potential to become a model for rural India, encouraging society to reduce excessive dependence on technology and rebuild human values. This initiative is not just about one village, but a significant step towards guiding society in the right direction.