Research and Surveys
Research and surveys have played an important
role in the right to food campaign from the beginning - an informal
survey of several villages in Rajasthan was used to support the
original Public Interest Litigation filed by the PUCL in April 2001.
Since then, field surveys have been used to
- assess the situation of food security in different parts
of the country
- guide policy decisions on food schemes
- monitor the implementation of Supreme Court orders
This page contains links to some past and ongoing research projects that are relevant to the campaign. Where possible, we have included survey guidelines and questionnaires, in the hope of facilitating further research and surveys around the country.
SIMPLE QUESTIONNAIRES FOR RAPID SURVEYS
The following questionnaires can be used to conduct rapid surveys by
grassroots organisations primarily for the purpose of monitoring.
DETAILED QUESTIONNAIRES FOR FULL-FLEDGED SURVEYS
The following sets of questionnaires were developed for conducting
detailed surveys. The questionnaires are accompanied by detailed survey
manuals.
SIMPLE QUESTIONNAIRES FOR RAPID SURVEYS
Monitoring the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA)
The Movement for Right to Food and Employment, UP, conducted a large-scale social audit of the NREGA in December 2006-January 2007. The annexures to the final report contain questionnaires which may be used for a rapid survey of the NREGA. [Hindi].
February 2008 the Rozgar Evum Suchna Ka Adhikar Abhiyan (Rajasthan), and the Hum Kisan Sangathan organised a social audit and jan sunwai in Jhalawar district, Rajasthan. The worksite checklist [Hindi] prepared for this social audit is a useful tool for monitoring the NREGA.
Monitoring Mid-day Meals
In Chhattisgarh, the Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti (BGVS) is trying to ensure regular monitoring of mid-day meals in a large number of schools. For this purpose, BGVS is using a simple questionnaire, available below . For further information please contact BGVS (Chhattisgarh) at cgbgvs@rediffmail.com.
The BGVS questionnaire is available in two formats: html and word. [Hindi translation prepared by Arundhati Dhuru]
Monitoring ICDS
- A questionnaire to monitor the ICDS, developed by groups in Andhra Pradesh.
- A simple questionnaire to monitor the performance of ICDS by grassroots organisations.
- A presentation on a grading system developed for ICDS in Himachal Pradesh.
Hunger and Developmental Failure in Jharkhand
Following reports of "starvation deaths" in Kusumatand village (Manatu
block, Palamu district, Jharkhand), members of the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan
and the Right to Food Campaign conducted a survey of 21 randomly-selected
households in the village in June and July 2002. The survey results
were used in a public hearing on hunger and the right to food in Manatu
in July 2002. At this public hearing, the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan also presented
results of a survey of 36 villages in Manatu block. Survey findings
are summarized in a report on the public hearing which can be found
here.
Kusumatand survey (household): [Questionnaires]
[Summary
Findings]
Manatu survey (village): [Questionnaire]
[Summary
Findings]
Investigating Suspected "Starvation Deaths"
Hunger Watch Group, an offshoot of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, is in the process
of developing guidelines for rigorous assessment of "starvation deaths"
and nutritional emergencies. The draft guidelines are available below.
For further information on the Hunger Watch Group, please contact Vandana
Prasad (chaukhat@yahoo.com) or Nilangi Nanal (cehatpun@vsnl.com).
The draft guidelines are available here. Note that this is a large file (250 kb).
Classroom Hunger in Delhi
This draft questionnaire was designed to investigate the problem of
'classroom hunger' in underprivileged neighbourhoods of Delhi. A hunt
is on for the final version of the questionnaire. For further details
please contact Janaki Rajan (SCERT, Delhi) at janakirajan1@rediffmail.com
The questionnaire is available in html
and doc format.
Public Distribution System
In July 2001 the Supreme Court ordered State Governments to ensure that
all ration shops were open and functioning properly. This field survey
was undertaken shortly thereafter, to check the extent to which the
order had been implemented. Summary findings will be put up shortly.
[Introduction]
[Village
Questionnaire] [Household
Questionnaire]
DETAILED QUESTIONNAIRES FOR FULL-FLEDGED SURVEYS
The following sets of questionnaires were developed for conducting
detailed surveys. The questionnaires are accompanied by detailed survey
manuals.
National Food for Work Programme (NFFWP)
A field survey to monitor the NFFWP in seven states, conducted in May-June 2005 by the Centre for Equity Studies and the Centre for Development Economics at the Delhi School of Economics. The states were Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Rajasthan.
[Guidelines, Questionnaires, and Training Materials] [Findings]
Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS)
A field survey was organised in 2004 to assess the functioning of
ICDS across six states. The survey data is currently being processed.
Questionnaires are available in English, Hindi, Marathi and Tamil. The
questionaires have been uploaded currently in zip format. For further
details please write a line to icdsstudy@yahoo.co.in
[English questionnaires]
[Hindi Questionnaires]
[Marathi Questionnaires]
[Tamil Questionnaires] [Survey
guidelines in English]
Mid-day Meal Scheme
A field survey to assess and monitor mid-day meal schemes in Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Chattisgarh, conducted by the The Centre for Equity Studies (Delhi) in early 2003.
[Introduction]
[Survey
Questionnaires] [Survey
Guidelines] [Findings]
Antyodaya Anna Yojana
A field survey to evaluate the working of Antyodaya Anna Yojana programmes in Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, conducted in June 2002 by researchers from the Centre for Development Economics and the Centre for Equity Studies.
[Introduction]
[Survey Questionnaires]
[Survey Guidelines]
[Findings]
Last updated: 5 April 2008
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