Dear friends,

This is the third part of Update 33. It begins with an update on the "right to work banners". The final display of banners in Delhi is planned for 21 December - a few days before the end of the Winter Session of Parliament.
This is another important milestone in the campaign for an Employment Guarantee Act and all organizations committed to the right to work are invited to participate in full strength. In the remainder of this Update, we catch up with recent events and activities around the country.

Today's headlines:

1. EGA BANNERS TO BE DISPLAYED ON 21 DECEMBER

2. STATE-LEVEL CONSULTATIONS ON EGA CONTINUE

3. BIHAR: RIGHT TO INFORMATION DHARNA IN MADHEPURA

4. CHHATTISGARH: DRAFT LAW TO DE-PRIVATIZE THE PDS

5. MADHYA PRADESH: COMMISSIONERS IGNORED

6. UTTAR PRADESH: COMMISSIONERS' INTERVENTION BRINGS RELIEF

7. REPORTS ON STARVATION DEATHS IN MP AND RAJASTHAN

8. UTTAR PRADESH: "JANATA JAANCH" CAMPAIGN BEGINS

9. MAHARASHTRA: RATION CARDS FOR THE URBAN HOMELESS

10. THIRD STEERING GROUP MEETING

11. NATIONAL FOOD FOR WORK PROGRAMME LAUNCHED

12. AIDWA'S FIRST NATIONAL CONVENTION

13. FORTHCOMING EVENTS

1. EGA BANNERS TO BE DISPLAYED ON 21 DECEMBER

The collection of signatures on banners (conveying the demand for an "Employment Guarantee Now") has begun - see earlier Updates. The signature campaign is due to culminate on 10 December, Human Rights Day. After that the banners will be brought to Delhi for a creative display of "people's voices from around the country". If you have missed the initial call for banners, see the "employment guarantee" section of the campaign website, www.righttofoodindia.org

Signatures are being collected all over the country. In Delhi, a signature campaign was launched on 20 November with the support of many eminent citizens and political leaders. At a follow-up meeting the next day, it was decided that the display of banners in Delhi should take place on Tuesday 21 December. This is just two days before the end of the Winter Session of Parliament, and the event could play an important role in making sure that the Act is tabled and passed in an acceptable form. At least 1,000 banners from all over India are expected to be displayed on 21 December. Please consider joining in full strength - at least 1,000 people will be needed just to hold the banners. It is hoped that the display of banners will be followed by a lively cultural event.

If you are collecting signatures in your own area, please make sure that your banners reach Delhi by Monday 20 December at the latest. Banners are already expected from about 300 districts, and the number is growing every day.

2. STATE-LEVEL CONSULTATIONS ON EGA CONTINUE

There have been many useful meetings, conventions and discussions on the draft Employment Guarantee Act in various states in recent weeks. For instance, two conventions on employment guarantee were held in Delhi (19 September and 19 October); academic seminars and workshops on the EGA were held in Hyderabad (National Institute for Rural Development, 4-5 November), in Mumbai (Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, 6 November) and Jaipur (Institute of Development Studies, 22-23 November). State-level meetings of activists task place in Ranchi, Bhopal and Jaipur among other places. Employment guarantee and the right to work also figured prominently at the recent convention of the All India Democratic Women's Association
(AIDWA) in Bhubaneswar on 18-20 November. At the AIDWA convetion, a decision was taken to hold a rally on the right to work in Delhi on 10 December (Human Rights Day).

3. BIHAR: RIGHT TO INFORMATION DHARNA IN MADHEPURA

Approximately 3,000 flood-affected people were present at three dharnas organized by Lok Shakti Sangathan on 6-8 October in Madhepura, Lakhnaur and Jhanjharpur blocks of Madhubani district. The activists were demanding transparency in the on-going flood relief and rehabilation work being implemented by panchayats, NGOs and international donor agencies.
Flood-affected people were getting only 20-22 kg of foodgrains though they are entitled to 25 kg. While local officials from Lakhnaur and Madhepur blocks did not show up at the dharna, the concerned official of Jhanjharpur block was present and gave relief-related information to the public. People raised several questions before the government official who assured them that a board displaying the list of distributed materials would be put up soon. For more details please contact Deepak Bharti at deepak1004@sancharnet.in

4. CHHATTISGARH: DRAFT LAW TO DE-PRIVATIZE THE PDS

In Chhattisgarh, concerned citizens have been working closely with the state government to draft a new PDS control order aimed at de-privatizing ration shops across the state. This involves taking ration shops away from private dealers and facilitating "self-management" of ration shops by institutions such as panchayats, self-help groups, mahila mandals, LAMPS, etc. The draft order has many innovative features such as: full disclosure of all records pertaining to the PDS; quota for women in the allocation of licenses for ration shops; representatives nominated by the Advisors to the Supreme Court Commissioners to be on State and District Vigilance Committees; special provisions for destitute households and the homeless, etc. The draft order (available at www.righttofoodindia.org) has been sent to the state Law Department for approval. Feedback on legal, administrative, and other aspects of this order are welcome - please send your comments to birajp@actionaidindia.org.

5. MADHYA PRADESH: COMMISSIONERS IGNORED

Work on an earthen dam site in Limbi village of Badwani district was started on 22 May, 2004 and completed on 2 June, 2004. On 22 August, Dr. N.C. Saxena (Commissioner of the Supreme Court) wrote to the District Collector urging her to ensure that these wages "MUST" be paid immediately. On 10 September, wage payments to the extent of Rs.82,737 and 103 quintals of wheat along with 15 quintals of rice (for 156 person-days of work) had yet to be made.

The unhelpful attitude of the district administration is a cause of concern.
The wages have remained unpaid in spite of a Joint Enquiry Committee visit in mid-June as well as repeated reminders to and promises by the sarpanch, Naib Tehsildar, Zila Parishad, etc. Dr. Mihir Shah, Adviser to the Commissioners, also wrote to the District Collector to request a social audit (which the villagers of Limbi had repeatedly requested) and appoint Shri Rangu Rao as his representative for this purpose. When Shri Rangu Rao met with the District Collector to participate in the proceedings of the social audit, she feigned ignorance, asked pointed questions ("how long will these enquiries go on? Till the government succumbs to the anti-social elements who file these complaints?") and demanded to know what authority Shri Rangu Rao, Dr. Mihir Shah and the Commissioners had in this matter. On
4 September, 2004 when the social audit was finally carried out the gram sewak tried to evade the enquiry by stating that the records were not with him. The evasive behaviour of the gram sewak and the sarpanch made it clear that they had no intention of parting with the records.

This is the first time that the authority of the Commissioners and their Advisers is questioned so blatantly. This precedent could send a wrong signal to the bureaucracy, and it is unlikely that the Commissioners will take it lying down.

6. UTTAR PRADESH: COMMISSIONERS' INTERVENTION BRINGS RELIEF

Activists of New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI) working in Sonebhadra district of UP had brought the issue of starvation deaths to the notice of the Commissioners. They estimate that nearly 500 deaths have occurred in the district since the closure of a cement factory due to a lack of food and access to medicines. The Commissioners wrote to the Chief Secretary of UP urging him to look into the matter immediately. As a result, a high level meeting of concerned officials was held in Lucknow and a survey was conducted among the affected families. All affected families were sold 20 kg of wheat and of rice at subsidized prices. At the meeting the government decided to convert all APL ration cards into BPL cards. Besides this, it has been agreed to provide free medical facilities and issue 2000 additional Antyodaya cards for those who are very poor. These developments have brought much hope to the affected families.

7. REPORTS ON STARVATION DEATHS IN MP AND RAJASTHAN

Following recent reports of starvation deaths in Baran district (Rajasthan), a seven-member team consisting of representatives of the Commissioners, doctors, social workers and a journalist surveyed more than 100 households spread over five villages on 25-27 September 2004. The nutrition situation in these Sahariya villages is horrendous. Undernutrition rates (based on body weight) ranged between 27 and 39 per cent among adults, and between 93 and 100 per cent among children. The team estimates that the Sahariyas have been consuming less than 1000 kilocalories per person per day in the past 3 months. According to WHO guidelines, a person requires 850 kilocalories just to maintain a basal metabolic rate without performing any physical activity, and no Sahariya person can afford the luxury of staying idle.

The survey also reveals gross violations of various orders of the Supreme Court. For instance, while the Court had directed that all "primitive tribes" should be given Antyodaya cards, the Government of Rajasthan waited for the bad publicity before these cards were issued. Other orders such as those related to ICDS and mid-day meals are also being violated. The report prepared by this team recommends full and immediate compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court, immediate initiation of relief works, a system of food credit, improved health facilities, and also longer-term strategies to protect the right to livelihood among the Sahariyas.

Meanwhile further news of starvation deaths have poured in - five children are reported to have died of hunger in Badwani (Madhya Pradesh) in September. Even though the Chief Medical Officer has confirmed that these deaths were due to undernutrition, the administration and state government have denied the problem and failed to respond. The District Collector gave a rough reception to local activists when they tried to raise the issue.
Food-related schemes such as mid-day meals, ICDS and the public distribution system are virtually non-functional in the area.

8. UTTAR PRADESH: "JANATA JAANCH" CAMPAIGN BEGINS

In Uttar Pradesh, ASHA has been invoking the right to information to expose corruption and ensure greater accountability in food-related schemes. In Bharawan and Sikroriha blocks of Hardoi district, their efforts led to action being taken against the corrupt Pradhans. However, this victory received a setback due to intervention by the Courts and political pressures. Undaunted by the setback, ASHA activists carried out a Janata Jaanch, where villagers themselves went out to physically verify and measure discrepancies between government records and ground realities. A meeting to share the experiences of this "Janata Jaanch" was organized in Lucknow on 11 September, 2004.

9. MAHARASHTRA: RATION CARDS FOR THE URBAN HOMELESS

In Maharashtra, Anna Adhikar Abhiyan had taken up the issue of access to the public distribution system (PDS) for the urban homeless in Mumbai. After a long struggle (including the intervention of Mr. S.R. Sankaran, Commissioner to the Supreme Court), the activists were successful in obtaining a government order for issuing ration cards the homeless in Mumbai. However, the struggle did not end there, and further agitation was required as the government order did not get implemented. The matter had to be taken to Bombay High Court where the failure of the government to comply with Supreme Court orders was emphasised.

The long-awaited issue of ration cards was finally initiated on 2 October (Gandhi Jayanti), when more than 200 ration cards were issued to the homeless at special functions in different parts of city. Officials like Principal Secretary for Food and Civil Supply Department along with Controller of Rationing participated in this exercise. All the recipients got Antyodaya cards. The government has identified Rationing Kruti Samiti
(RKS) as a nodal agency to facilitate this process in the future. The process adopted by the government for the issue of these cards (including a modified application form) has been simplified as suggested by RKS.

10. THIRD STEERING GROUP MEETING

The third meeting of the steering group of the right to food campaign was held on 30 October 2004. The main focus was on the campaign for an Employment Guarantee Act, especially the forthcoming demonstrations on 10 December. It was resolved that efforts would be made to strengthen this campaign in various ways, e.g. by taking part in the "banner project", launching advocacy efforts in New Delhi, sending delegations to political parties, facilitating state-level conventions on the Employment Guarantee Act, etc. Basic arrangements were also put in place for the "secretariat"
of the steering group, coordinated by Najyoti (with a little help from Vivek until the end of December). Possible activities for Children's Day were discussed and will be further explored with other concerned organisations in Delhi.

10. NATIONAL FOOD FOR WORK PROGRAMME LAUNCHED

On 14 November, the Prime Minister launched the National Food for Work Programme (NFFWP) in Rangareddy district of Andhra Pradesh. This is supposed to be a precursor to the Employment Guarantee programme which will be introduced after the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act is passed in the parliament. The NFFWP has been launched in 150 districts of the country.

11. AIAWA'S FIRST NATIONAL CONVENTION

The All India Agricultural Worker's Alliance organized its first national convention in Delhi on 21 November 2004. The Alliance is a national level platform of agricultural workers unions. One of the foremost demands put forward by the Alliance at the convention was for the immediate enactment of a national level Employment Guarantee Act. The convention was attended by about 350 delegates from 15 agricultural workers unions from nine states.
The delegates also decided to collect signatures on banners as part of the on-going the Banner campaign from each of the districts they are working in and to bring them to Delhi on 21 December.

12. FORTHCOMING EVENTS

We end with details of some forthcoming events of interest:

26-28 November: National convention of the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP) in Jaipur. Contact: Kavita Srivastava (tel 0141-2706 483, kavisriv@yahoo.com).

28 November: Shiksha Adhikar Diwas. Launch of NAFRE's campaign for Common Schooling and the Right to Work (see previous Update). Contact: Ambarish Rai (amb1857@yahoo.com).

29 November: NAFRE demonstration for Common Schooling and the Right to Work.
Starts at 10 am at Jantar Mantar. Contact: Shaifali Chikermane (09810396677) or Shilpi Malhotra (09810726629).

5 December: All India Peoples Dignity Rally at Ramlila Grounds in Delhi (see above). Contact: Ashok Bharti and Mukul Sharma (worlddignityforum@yahoo.com).

7-8 December: Convention of the Campaign for Survival and Dignity in Delhi.
Contact: Pradip Prabhu (kasht@sancharnet.in).

10 December: Human Rights Day. Country-wide demonstrations for the right to work and "employment guarantee now" (see above).

21 December: DISPLAY OF "EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE NOW" BANNERS IN DELHI.
Details will be circulated a.s.a.p.