ADHIKAR Partners Renewed their Resolve to Empower the Excluded

The 13 CSOs and their coordinators gathered in Suchetna at Kathgodam from 14-15th May 2013, to review the Adhikar program which completed the milestone of one year. The 30 participants from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan, shared their experiences and stories of change in their area with excitement. They made very   enlightening presentations of their one year journey with community for accessing the entitlements which were beyond their reach before initiation of ADHIKAR in their respective locations.

Achievements: in last one year, 102 new SHGs have been formed who in long run will get empowered to raise voice for their entitlements. As a pilot in Rohtas district Bihar 38 MNREGA Munch (groups) which consists of the persons seeking employment have been formed. These manch will take lead in facilitating the MNREGA process in more transparent ways.  The marginal farmers from 45 villages were organized in to 60 farmers groups are accessing the services Krishi Vignan Kendra, NABARD, and Agriculture and animal husbandry departments. The groups are working actively and this will lead to achieving the planned objectives in the future.                              

• During the last one year 1,235 people applied for Job under MNREGA works and 351 people received the job cards.
• Due to the efforts  put in by the focus groups the PRI members and block development officers sanctioned the more   works under MNREGA in the target villages during the year. 1,798 landless and marginal people both women and men received this year 50 to 90 days of work in MNREGA in target villages.
• 186 BPL families received the ration cards and getting the regular ration from the ration shops
• 107 old women, 46 old men received old age pension.
• 88 widows started receiving widow pension.
• 8 handicapped people whose pension was stopped was renewed and 39 new handicapped also got the pension
• 298 school dropout children and 308 eligible  children  joined the government schools in 24 target villages

The participants found the panel discussion organized on Government – Non government Collaboration and Ways to collaborate with International NGOs very instructive.

The Quiz contest organized by the Caritas India team on topics related to Rights & entitlements under Health, Education, MGNREGA generated a lot of interest among the participants to learn more on the various legislations and their provisions.

Further moving on, the participants were given inputs on Micro level planning in the villages and also on Rashtriya Swasthia Bima Yojana (RSBY). The partners made the following plan of action for the coming 6 months.

• The partners decided to prepare of micro plans in all ADHIKAR villages during the coming eight months and get it approved by the Gram Sabha.
• Organize regular interface meeting with Govt. Depts. to strengthen collaboration and improve the convergence of efforts and resources for the benefit of the most excluded groups.
• The focus groups will submit the complaints in writing for redressing grievance to the concerned government personnel and also facilitating the process of filing the RTI for relevant purposes during the year.