Ekta Parishad: Chetavni Yatra

Ekta Parishad is a people's organization that is committed towards attaining livelihood rights over natural resources such as land, water and forest for the land deprived communities of tribals and dalits. This organization has been active for the past 18 years in U.P., undivided Bihar and M.P., Orissa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. To further their commitment and strengthen their efforts, they organized people at the grassroots level through adivasi sammelans, public hearings, padyatras etc. Discussions have also been held with the respective state governments over land rights issues.

Achievements of Ekta Parishad include land distribution among 3 ½ lakh odd tribals and dalits in Madhya Pradesh. Apart from this efforts have also been made to set up taskforces by 4 state governments to look into the problems of land reforms and distribution. However despite these consistent efforts there still remain lakhs of people who are land deprived and are living in penury. To highlight their cause a chetavni yatra is being conducted from October 2, 2006 (Gwalior to Delhi). This yatra also aims at building a janadesh or people's verdict for rights over land, water and forests by the dispossessed communities.

For the details of the chetavni yatra please write to: Gandhi Bhawan, Shyamla Hills, Bhopal 462002, Madhya Pradesh, India. Tel: +91 755 4223821 Telefax: +91 755 4223821. ektaparishad@yahoo.com, info@ektaparishad.org, www.ektaparishad.org

NACDOR's `March Against Poverty'

National Conference of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR) launched its Long March Against Poverty in Madhya Pradesh on 20th September 2006 from Rewa. NACDOR has been successful in ensuring possession of 1200 acres of land by Dalits and Adivasis. This `March' is envisioned to continue these efforts at ensuring access to ecologically sustainable livelihoods and assets for Dalits and Adivasis. All this will lead up to the STANDUP event on 15th and 16th October 2006 on the occasion of International Day for Eradication of Poverty.

In a meeting held in Nagpur for discussing measures for realising rights to sustainable livelihoods and employment, it was decided to organize a Rozgar Adhikar Yatra in Madhya Pradesh. A planning meeting will be held on 1 October 2006. The yatra aims to generate awareness on NREGA and collect cases studies for the state Tribunal on NREGS to be held on the conclusion of the MP Rozgar Adhikar Yatra.

NREGA Implementation Status in Giridih (Jharkhand)

A Report contributed by Mazdoor Kisan Samiti & Nari Shakti Sangathan.

An NREGA survey was organized by Mazdoor Kisan Samiti and Nari Shakti Sanghatan in Bengabad block of Giridih district, Jharkhand. 36 sample villages from 8 Panchayats were identified and the survey was conducted during the Padyatra, from 11th September to 16th the September'06.

Many lacunae were found in the implementation of the programme. For example the Act encourages formation of Gram Sabhas to monitor and plan the works, whereas it was found that the Gram Sabha was formed in only 8 out of the 36 sampled villages. Awareness amongst the people was very low and no efforts had been made on the part of the administration to spread awareness about the NREGA and its provisions. Furthermore the block administration also discouraged disabled, and APL cardholders from applying, apart from fixing a time-period for registration, where none is implied in the Act. The villagers were charged for their photographs, when it has been specified that all such costs (job cards, photographs etc.) will be borne by the administration.

Adding to their woes is the attitude of the administration. It was discovered that government officials lack knowledge as regards the Act and were non-cooperative in providing any kind of data to the public. Moreover they cause great confusion amongst the villagers and take the support of middlemen in getting implementing work at the village level, leading to corruption.

MP Employment Guarantee Scheme: Inclusion of the Differently Abled

contributed by Tanushree Sood, Commissioner's Secretariat

A state-wide consultation on inclusion of the differently-abled in NREGA was organized by Ashagram Trust in Bhopal on September 15, 2006. The workshop was attended by NGO representatives from 15 (out of 18) EGS districts of Madhya Pradesh.

Discussions were centered around NREGA with focus on provisions under the Act for the people with disabilities. Some crucial tools (under NREGA) that were discussed to protect the rights of the disabled, minorities, SC/STs and OBCs were:

• Schedule II, Clause 34 of the NREGA stating that there shall be no discrimination solely on the ground of gender and the provisions of the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, shall be complied with
• Empowering NREGA by power to the Gram Sabhas. It was emphasized that the process of inclusion can begin from the very stage of the village or the panchayat. Any kind of issues pertaining to discrimination should be raised in the Gram Sabhas. Further, the Gram Sabhas are empowered to pass resolution to this effect. A crucial understanding needs to be developed while working towards inclusion. Firstly, in many cases, the differently abled do not want to work as they feel inferior and incapable. It is extremely important to overcome this challenge through (i) motivating them and (ii) discussing the prospects of work with them. It is important to understand that `work' can be split in smaller easy-to-do parts. And these can be further carried out by the differently-abled. Ashagram trust has prepared a list of works that can be undertaken by the differently abled. Discussions were held on the tasks and policy matters too. The above mentioned list will be revised in view of the discussions and shared with the participants shortly.

The consultation was briefly attended by Mr. Wasim Akhtar, Secretary, Panchayat and Rural Development Department, MP. He stated that the state is providing work to about 17-18 lakh people each day. A monitoring format will soon be developed, by the state, to ascertain the number of days of employment gained by (i) the SC/STs, (ii) the differently-abled. He also stated that Annupur district will be added in the EGS district list of the state soon (perhaps this year).

It was heartening to note that Ashagram Trust has achieved some level of success towards securing jobs for the differently abled in the NREGA. They were able to achieve this through the following process:

1. Meetings with the panchayat members on the issue.
2. Discussions with the differently abled aimed at (i) spreading awareness about the provisions of the Act, (ii) motivating them and (iii) discussing and preparing possible list of works that can be carried out by them
3. Discussions with the family members of the differently abled
4. Encouraging the differently abled to work
5. Preparing videos of the PwDs in action at the worksites
6. Showing these videos to the sarpanchs, sachivs etc to build and strengthen their faith in their matter.
7. Discussions with Self-help and other groups in the village to raise and present the issue with force
8. Discussion at two level of works: one that can be independently performed by them and the second which can be carried out by them with the help of family members.

Political economy of pre-launch preparedness of NREGA in Kerala by J. Chathukulam and K. Gireesan (a summary)

Wage Employment Programs (WEPs) have been implemented in Kerala since the 1980s, starting with the National Rural Employment Program, Employment Assurance Scheme, Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojna to now the NREGA. However it has been noticed that the problems which plagued the earlier WEPs are also manifest in the NREGA. An interesting problem which the authors point towards is, is that an impression has been created in the Kerala society and administrative circles that such programs are designed keeping in view the interests and requirements of North Indian states and are hence unsuitable to Kerala.

The NREGA has come into force in 2 rural districts of Kerala: Palakkad and Wayanad. In preparation for this scheme many training programs have been held for various levels. However since these sessions were conducted on an ad-hoc basis they did not prove fruitful or enlightening to the elected members and officials. The implementation of the program is also hampered by inadequate staff- support. Additional staff has not been appointed in many places contributing to the slow pace. Moreover the authors indicate a lack of ownership by the elected representatives, government and officials of the program. This attitude is compounded by the nature of the Panchayati Raj system in Kerala. Inhere each tier of PRI has its independent status, position and responsibility often disregarding the other two tiers. Nonetheless there are positive developments. For instance increased registration by the marginalized sections has been noticed: 32.21% of SC population and 64.88% of ST population.

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