JAGRUKTA SE MILA KAAM

Profile

Name of the Gram Panchayat-Shivpuri Khanji, Bhawalkheda

Name of the village: Patna, Kalyanpur,

Block – Banda.           

District – Shajhanpur.

State – Utter Pradesh

The above mentioned villages are 8 – 12 km. away from Banda block. The target group belongs to SC and OBC categories. Most of the people are illiterate and the major source of income of these people are daily wages and involved in the labour work in the agriculture fields and during the unseason they migrate to the towns in search of work.

Situation before intervention:

Most of the People in the villages- Patna, Kalyanpur, were depending for their livelihood on daily wages far away in the cities. They were ignorant about MNREGA ACT. Persons in authority (Pradhans, Rojgar sevaks, secretaries) did not take any interest to communicate /motivate the people about MNREGA. People were unaware of getting the job cards and jobs. Due to lack of knowledge, people do not apply for job, and they did not try for job under NREGA. They used to go to cities in search of jobs for their livelihood. Many of them go to work in the fields of land holders of the village. These land holders make use of the poor people maximum and pay minimum.

INTERVENTION

The ADHIKAR Project team conducted base line Survey of target people and collected the information on status of MNREGA work in the target village and noticed that people are not availing the work under MNREGA.  As a result the team decided to motivate the target people to get cards and jobs under MNREGA. Very many times the animators met the people individually and collectively to convince the people on the benefits of MNREGA through awareness program, and training on MNREGA.  The animators conducted the training to 270 people and they were oriented on the procedure of obtaining the work under MNREGA

Turning Point

The village level awareness meetings paved the way to the people in understanding the provision of work under MNREGA and procedure of submitting the application.   Before the intervention of the ADHIKAR animators, the people did not know the provisions and procedures under MNREGA.  When the community people got the knowledge on the NREGA work they expressed the willingness to avail the job under NREGA.  They prepared the application and submitted to the village secretary and sarpanch with the signatures (Thumb impressions) of the people..  Several times the representatives of the people and animators met the authorities of MNREGA and requested them to sanction the benefits available under MNREGA to the people of above mentioned villages.

Adhikar team organized series of meetings with Pradhans, Rojghar sevaks, Secretaries, B.D.O and facilitated the process of sanctioning of the work. As a result 146 poor and marginalized people who had the job cards applied for job and the application were accepted and within 15 days of submission of the application 80 people received job in road construction work.

Challenge Faced

ADHIKAR program was viewed as a threat by Pradhans, Rojgarsevaks, and secretaries.

They were not available in the office in spite of giving the appointments and therefore, meeting and submitting applications to village secretaries was a big challenge faced by the people representatives and ADHIKAR team.

The misconceptions about the MNREGA work influenced the people and they were not convinced about the getting work under MNREGA in the beginning. 

How the challenges were overcome

Relentless and continuous efforts of the animators and the friendly meetings with the authorities changed their attitude and facilitated their willing to co-operate with ADHIKAR team.

The Adhikar team motivated the people through street plays and ensured their support in obtaining the work under NREGA.

Present Status or Changed Situation

80 people obtained the work for 25 days and they received the wages for the work done.   By seeing these people the other people in the target villages started submitting the applications to sarpanch and village secretary for the work in the villages.   The availability of the work under MNREGA reduced the migration of the people to the nearby towns and now the people are trying to demand for more working days in the villages.   Good rapport is developed between the people and the service providers like sarpanch and village secretaries in the villages.