‘LOKPAL’ In SAPAHI PANCHAYT, WEST CHAMPARAN, BIHAR

On 2nd August 2013, Mr. Nagina Prasad, Lokpal, West Champaran District Bihar along with Mr. Goutam Kumar , MNREGA Technical Officer Ramnagar Block visited Ramnagar Block ,West Champaran. They visited Ward No. 6 Sapahi Panchayat of Ramnagar Block. Nearly 85 villagers and ward members Mr. Jata Sankar and Ramiya Devi were present. Mr. Nagina Prasad, Lokpal got introduced to the villagers and explained the purpose of his visit. He come today to Saphi Panchayat to know about the about the MNREGA program and its functioning. Mr.Nagaina Prasad, Lokpal asked the people about the MNREGA Payment made by the Officials.  Then he told the MNREGA Technical Officer to take the name of the beneficiaries who are not paid. He also discussed the problem related to payment, job card & pass book. Many members raised their voice against the corruption in MNREGA Scheme.

Adhikar Project Staff Sr. Nirmala, Mr. Amit with Lokpal

a) Some people complained that they have worked in pond digging but they are not paid so far.

b) Some expressed that they are partially paid; some said their money has been taken by Meth. After that Mr. Nagina Prasad went to the Bakhari Post office and enquired about the payment in MNREGA with regard to partial payment and money withdrawal by meth from the beneficiaries Account. Mr. Nagina asked the MNREGA Technician Officer to clear their pending payments and to help the people in solving the various problems with regard to MNREGA Scheme in collaboration with BDO and other Block officers.

Villagers said that 

”Hammar Jindigi main Pahila bar koi Bada afisar iee gaon main aail baa”

Improving Access to Social Security Schemes (Widow Pension)

Ranju age 22 an empowered women lives in village Asthawan, Panchayat Lahna, Block Chewara Sheikhpura District.  Her husband Pappu Mahato died on April 1, 2011 in Delhi in a gas cylinder blast in a private company. She had lost her hope of survival without any support of family members. She has got 2 children 1 girl of age 2years and a boy of 5 years. She has to take care of her children so she made up her mind not to marry again.  On the other side she is facing problem from her in-laws who is attempting to capture her agricultural land. Life has been difficult for her with lot of struggle. Ranju belief that, together with her 5 year-old son, she can manage her family in future. She very often get harassed and forced by her in-laws and family members to go back to her father’s house leaving behind her children.  She discussed this problem among her fellow members of Rajmani SHG. She is a regular member of Rajmani SHG and does regular savings too. SHG members suggested her not to get panic from her in-laws. She got full protection and confidence from the SHG members

She acknowledges the support of SHG members who always helped in reducing her sufferings that was really unbearable for her. In her words as she said that group members not only helped me in accessing the ‘widow pension’ and also to take the benefit from other government provisions. She is getting Rs. 300 as widow pension every month and work under MNREGA to feed her children and run the family. She acknowledged that due to continuous support of ADHIKAR PARIYOJNA group members and she started to live at in-laws house. Thus Ranju found the rays of hope in despair and taking care of her family. Sr. Francis, Mr. Aloysius, Patna, Bihar. 

Caritas India Chairman Bishop Lumen visit to Adhikar Project area in Bihar

Reaching Community by Walking Extra Miles 

Bihar is one among the priority states for Caritas India to intervene. Bihar is also known for rigid caste systems leading to discrimination in all form especially in south Bihar. Caritas India Adhikar cluster programs being implemented in both south Bihar. Adhikar project is an initiative for the poor and marginalized community for ensuring 100% entitlements for all especially dalits and tribals. Caritas India Chairman Bishop Lumen along with Fr. Paul Asst. Executive director and Mr. Philip Head of Department visited 2 cluster programs in Bihar i.e. Partners for Resilience and Adhikar. In Adhikar Project of Bihar the following 2 visible changes in are.....

Community Organization: Villagers of Dharampur, Nokha block, Rohtas district through Adhikar project formed 2 community based organizations i.e. MNREGA workers forum (MWF) and Women self-help group (SHG). The MWF is formed with the basic objective of streamlining the MNREGA implementation through removing the obstacles created by service providers. Some of the problems were like Job card making, job card not in the hand of beneficiaries, no planning meeting for MNREGA the MWF took such issues to Gram Sabha and forced to solve their issues. Due to the pressure from community the service providers were forced to solve the problem.  

Women Empowerment: Women of Chewara block Sheikhpura district got together in the form of SHGs and acting as pressure group in their respective villages to ensure entitlements for all. The SHGs formed under Adhikar project is not only doing thrift and credit business but also working as strong pressure group in the community. They strongly ask the service providers like ANM, Anganwadi workers rojgar Sewak and BDO reasons of not getting their due entitlements.    

While looking on the above 2 positive visible changes in Bihar some new dimension are also brought out. The challenges like, community sanitation issues, leadership development, safety and security issues while working on rights and entitlements. The team also brainstorms on the usage of renewable energy as prime factors for the overall development. 

Caritas India Chairman Bp.Lumen Monteiro visited Adhikar Bihar Project area on 14-15 August 2013

in above Chairman in MNREGA Suvidha Kendra Nokha, Rohtas

in above Chairman addressing the Self Help Group Women 

in Chewar block, Sheikhpura

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Shri Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar gave statement on MDM incidence of Chapra Bihar

Death of 23 school children and hospitalization of more than 50 children due to consumption of mid day meal at Chapra Dharmasati Gandaman primary school on July 16, 2013.

FACT FINDING TEAM VISITED THE SITE .....(COMING SOON FACT FINDING REPORT)

 fact finding team at Patna PMCH Gov. hospital (on left) Child out of danger in Patna PMCH Gov. hospital (below)

 A snap of class room were this children use to study (above) Direct telecast from the village school (Right) 

Deceased children buried in school campus (left)

Bihar's mid-day meal disaster: Forensic report confirms presence of pesticide in food

.A forensic report on the free lunch served to children in the school in Chhapra on Tuesday, has confirmed traces of insecticides in the food sample. The Forensic Science Lab report found the pesticide in the samples of oil from the container, food remains on the platter and mixture of rice with vegetables on aluminium utensils, all of which were collected from the school.

"It was observed that the peak area of the poisonous substance in the oil was more than five times in comparison to the commercial preparation used as a control. It is a matter of investigation that how it came into the food," said Ravinder Kumar, Additional Director General (ADG) of Police, Patna.

Caritas India and Bettiah Social Work Society a adhikar partner today 19th July 2013 finally visited the village. They need to struggle as the local crowd of that locality became violent after these incidence. They are not allowing any outside vehicle to come in their village. They were damaging the vehicles and destroying government properties. The local support from Sr. Jyoti from Chapra and her team supported in making the visit possible. The following were the team compositions

a. Mr. Uday Kumar, Lawyer

b. Sr. Jyoti, Social Worker

c. 3 Volunteers expert fact finding

d. 2 volunteers from Local parish (who has good rapport in community)

The report found Monocrotophos in the samples of oil and the food sample that was collected. Monocrotophos is used as a pesticide for agricultural purposes. It is very toxic to human beings and animals.More than 20 children died after consuming the mid-day meal. A report by the Bihar government said that there was widespread mismanagement among all those people involved in implementing the mid-day meal scheme. The tragedy has left the village of Gandaman broken and furious, and triggered a national debate over the world's largest school feeding programme. The principal of the school where the children died remains missing. She is guilty of criminal negligence, says the report prepared by local administrative and police officials in Chhapra. The Union government is planning to set up a special committee that will to review the implementation of the mid-day meal programme and monitor the quality of food and the standards of hygiene. India's free mid-day meal scheme, the largest free food programme in the world catering to around 120 million schoolchildren across the country, was introduced as an incentive for children to go to school. After Bihar's tragic deaths on Tuesday, shocking reports are emerging from other parts of the country, forcing state governments to order strict checks on the hygiene standards. On Thursday, 170 children fell ill after lunch at a school in Neyveli, in Tamilnadu's Cuddalore district.