Profile:
Name of
Gram Panchayat:- Junsutty
Name of
Villages:- Junsutty, Daniya Nagla, Seetanagala, and Radhe Nagala)
Block:-
Mathura
District:-
Mathura
State
:- Uttar Pradesh
Junsutty
Grama Panchayat is 15 K.M. away from Mathura block. The major sources of income
of households are agriculture and livestock rearing. The women are mostly house wives and involved in farming,
rearing livestock (cow and buffalo) etc. Paddy & wheat crops are chiefly grown
in these areas.
Situation before intervention
General
public had scant knowledge on importance of job cards and its use, provisions
etc. Both Pradhan and Rojgar sewak did not tried to motivate the people to
avail job cards and obtaining job that would have been diminished poverty in
rural families. It was observed that almost all job cards were partially filled
with mandatory information such as Job card number, dates of work and so on. Majority
of HHs were not getting work under MNREGA as they did not have knowledge on how
to process application. Since people were not demanding jobs through written
application, scope of corruption and favouritism arouse. Consequently, service
providers exploited the situation maximum and given work for their well-wishers
whereas job was credited into other job card holders. In addition, eligible
people neither received even 30 days jobs nor stipulated wages on time. Due to
lack of knowledge among community on MNREGA, Pradhan turned to be the custodian
of job cards and did as he wishes.
Intervention
During base
line survey, ADHIKAR team got firsthand information on status of MNREGA and how
far it reaches to the real beneficiaries. As a result, ADHIKAR team decided to
motivate the community to make use of their job cards and avail jobs under
MNREGA. Street plays, corner meetings, awareness classes, celebration of Independence
Day with special focus on right to work were organized in the villages where
300 people made aware of MNREGA and its provisions. Consequently, 5 villagers
put RTI application to get the status of people own job cards. According to the
block office, 369 job cards have been already issued and 300 people are not
having job cards. In fact, 90% of issued job cards were holding Pradhan and 50
% of the community do not have job cards. As a result, literally, almost 80% villagers
were not getting the benefit of Job cards and MNREGA provisions.
Turning Point
ADHIKAR
project team along with 3 villagers met Block Development Officer and convinced
him about the malfunctioning of MNREGA in Junsutty Grama Panchayat. BDO
enquired about the matter to Pradhan over phone but he denied. Again BDO
informed Pradhan on his visit to cross check MNREGA functioning as well as
availability of job cards with beneficiaries. As a result, Pradhan had
distributed all job cards to the beneficiaries within one night.
Challenges
faced
Unfavourable
attitude of Pradhan in materializing MNREGA in an infallible manner was a
challenge.
How
challenges were overcome
The
project staff oriented the community again and briefed them by showing the reply
of RTI filed by community. Also staff ensured the support of Block Development
Officer in realizing MNRGEA in favour of needy.
Present
status or changed situation
350
people could retrieve their job cards from Pradhan and they started to apply
for job as per the norms. Also people who do not have job cards put application
for obtaining the same. Since Government authorities are convinced on the malfunctioning
of MNREGA, they have decided to hold a social audit in Junsutty.
Courtesy: Agra Catholic Diocese Samaj Seva Sansta
