Mobilization plans in March

Dear friends,

Various groups from across the country have been sending news of struggle for the NFFWP: the news from Jagrut Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS), Badwani is not encouraging: neither have works been started in needy areas nor are minimum wages being paid. In some areas, grain payments have been pending since 2 months. There are no monitoring committees or provisions for social audit. JADS has asked that minimum wages be paid. They have decided to begin an andolan on 3 March if minimum wages are not paid (as of now Rs 40 are paid as against the minimum wage of Rs 57). District authorities have been given an ultimatum to this effect.

Maharashtra: Struggle in Dahanu and Nandurbar

After the last action on 5 January, Kashtakari Sangathna have been consistently following up with the district and block level administration to provide work – since then some works have begun. Action is being planned in Mokhada as things are moving either very slowly or in the wrong direction. Since the Sanghatna had been insisting on forest works the administration has agreed, though the administration and the forest department are “now playing havoc in people's encroachment plots by digging holes all over the fields for plantation while the bare hill slopes are left to erode.” In order to repair this damage, the Sanghatna plans a day or two of shram daan to restore the fields and return them to the cultivators. SOJA will be meeting the EGS minister around 28 February to thrash out issues related to the DSR, minimum wages and problems of implementation. Based on the outcome of the meeting they will decide whether to go to court. A similar struggle is on in Nandurbar – more details on this are awaited.

Uttar Pradesh: Mobilization plan for March

Following close on the heels of the closure of the Dalla cement factory, there were reports of starvation deaths from UP. As a result of the organized efforts of the National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW), the administration has issued BPL cards for all 5000 workers of the closed factory. NFFPFW are making elaborate plans in connection with the National Food-For-Work Programme (NFFWP) in Uttar Pradesh since they feel that it will “only work in those areas where people fight to take it and struggle by building up strong organization”. They plan to bring out a leaflet to educate people about the NFFWP guidelines. Besides this, from 6-10 March, to coincide with International Women’s Day (8 March) they are starting a padyatra to 8-10 villages where they will be made aware of the guidelines.

Central TU's Warn Of Countrywide Strike

Here are some excerpts from an article that appeared in People’s Democracy, 20 February, 2005

”The central trade unions – AICCTU, AITUC, CITU, HMS, UTUC, UTUC(LS), UTUCC – have warned the UPA government that they will be compelled to call for a countrywide general strike if it does not refrain from carrying out anti-people, anti-worker policies. They demanded the government to implement the pro-people promises made in the Common Minimum Programme. And in order to pressurise the government in this direction they have chalked out a series of agitational programmes. A protest week would be observed through out the country from March 6 to 12, 2005 by holding conventions, rallies, dharnas, mass demonstrations.”

“Nearly nine months have passed, the UPA government does not appear to be willing to enact a law for crores of unorganised labour, extending the benefit of reasonable period of employment and ensuring the payment of minimum wage. The employment guarantee scheme proposed by the government does not address the concern of the trade unions.”

“Our immediate demands are: Immediate enactment of a comprehensive legislation for the unorganised labour, including for the agricultural labour, with adequate funding and effective monitoring system. Guaranteed 100 days employment for all unemployed persons throughout the country with a minimum wage”

NREGB: HRLN’s memo on disability

The Disability Rights Initiative of the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) has studied the draft of the NREGB, 2004 with the view of vetting it for disability-specific provisions. To ensure the disabled rural population equal protection and guarantee of the benefits envisaged in the Bill, the Network recommends that in accordance with Section 40 of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, there be at least 3 per cent reservation for the disabled in all poverty alleviation schemes; “wages paid to persons with disabilities should not be less than those paid to the non-disabled, regardless of difference in production levels” and there should be adequate representation for the disabled as non-official members in various councils set up under the NREGB, 2005. The Network can be contacted at hrlndel@vsnl.net for further clarifications and full text of the memo.