Several initiatives taken in Panchayati Raj resulted in success. Given below are case studies of a few of the initiatives:
Pradhans and Villagers Unite to demand Registration and Job Cards
In Mirzapur, the city block is located about 6 km from the district headquarter. Villagers are very aware of NREGS and its norms and rules because information on it had been disseminated through the civil society organisations of the area. Villagers started asking uncomfortable questions to Gram Pradhans like Hamara panjikaran kab hoga ?, Hamara job-card kab milega ? (When will the registration start in NREGS? When will we get our Job Cards?), but they received no answer. The Gram Pradhans said that they had no information. Then people of 12 villages asked their Gram Pradhans to accompany them to the Block Development office to know how things stand. While a few hesitated, four pradhans went along with the villagers and on 21 August 06, nearly 600 villagers ( of which 400 were women) surrounded the BD office. The Block Development Officer fled the office asking the ADO-Panchayat to handle the situation. The ADO asked the villagers to sit in the blocks' conference hall and ordered his subordinates to register eligible villagers for NREGS. All the 200 registration forms available in the office were filled on the spot and the rest of the villagers received assurance of registration. The pradhans did not leave the side of the protestors even though officers tried to persuade the Pradhans to leave them. The incident showcases community awareness and the effect of community solidarity on arrogant officers. Following the protest, the BD office distributed registration forms acquired from the Panchayat Information Centre to Gram Pradhans to give to the villagers.
Women SHGs Emerge as a Powerful Tool for Mass Mobilisation
This success story relates to a Cluster Group of Women SHGs from Block Basopatti, Madhubani. The total number of members of the cluster group is 45. The women conduct regular monthly meetings at block level on different issues. The majority of the members belong to the SC and Backward community. Their main source of livelihood is agriculture and related activities. During their monthly meetings they were oriented on NREGS. Almost all the members of this cluster group applied to be registered under the scheme and forwarded their application to the Gram Panchayat. After two weeks, 2-3 members of Hathapur Parsa Panchayat approached Panchayat Bhawan to get job cards but none of them was issued one. Even at the end of the month they didn't get the job cards.
During their next monthly meeting, the women discussed the matter and a decision was taken that all the cluster members should together visit the Mukhiya (Chairperson of GP).
The cluster put pressure on the Mukhiya asking him to issue job cards to all those who had applied to get registered under the scheme. Accordingly, the Mukhiya issued 124 job cards within a week.
The women raised a slogan to highlight their awareness of NREGS: Kuch bhi ho Aadhikaar hamain to lena hai Sou din ka Rojgar hamain to Panchayat mein pana hai
NREGS Provides Work to Disabled Youth
Kedalal is a 23-year old youth living in the Hanumantya Panchayat of Dharampuri block in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. Kedalal is suffering from a disease of the bone, which has disabled him. He and his wife worked as agricultural labourers in his village. Often Kedalal would not get any work due to his illness. After NREGS was launched in the district, Vasudha Mahila Mandal, an NGO working in Dharampuri Block, conducted trainings and awareness campaigns in the Panchayat. Kedalal applied for work with the Panchayat and got an opportunity to work at a road construction site. He has been given the work of providing water to labourers engaged in the worksite.
Panchayats Take the Responsibility of Making School Toilets Usable
A common sight in the villages of Gujarat is a lock on the toilets constructed in primary schools under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA), indicating that these toilets cannot be used. When asked for the reason, the stock replay was that either there was no facility for cleaning the toilet or there was no water. After the issue was taken up and discussed in the Panchayat Vikas Samiti meetings of Vanjhar and Mahijda villages, villagers decided to talk with their Panchayats and the Panchayats made arrangements for 24-hour water supply to the primary schools. The toilets were unlocked and school students could use them.
Media Helps Get Teachers for a School
Government Girls High school, Pilimandori, District Fatehabad, Haryana, was going through a shortage of teachers. Several times, the Gram Panchayat informed district officials about the shortage of schoolteachers and requested them to do something. But their efforts were in vain. During a Gram Sabha Meeting, the issue was raised again. With the help of the local Youth Club and Chetna Manch (a local NGO), a press release was submitted to a local daily newspaper. The newspaper published the news. The District Commissioner of Hissar immediately noticed it and within a week three guest (temporary) teachers were appointed by the district administration. The incident highlights how collective initiatives of local self governments and the media can make a difference.
