Project Update: Mandra Lions Club Period: October 2010 to March 2011 Area of operation: Baghmundi, Jhalda I, Jhalda II blocks of Purulia district, West Bengal

No. of RTIs filed Baghmundi - 4 Jhalda I - 3 Jhalda II - 8 Many of these applications are being actively followed up

Topics covered in telephone counselling - Information about Old age pension receivers, - How to get NREGS Plan and amount of sanction money, - For getting widow Pension list, and copy of BPL list., - Amount of allotted Ration goods opening days and time of ration shop., - For misappropriation of his Job card, If the PIO gives information after 30 days does the recipient have to pay for the information?, - Whether fees have to be paid for gross information?,

- How the information of the total volume of free supply of medicine to the patients in the BPHC can be obtained?, - From where Gram Panchayet related information can be obtained? - Who are the PIO and appellate authority at the gram panchayet?, - Hand holding supports about the points for different applications.

A few case studies...

Fraud with Job card - Umesh Mahato and Paresh Mahato - Applied for job cards to Bagmundi Panchayat Office - job card denied - “has been issued earlier” - filed RTI application to the district NREGS Cell to know the following information:

Who has received his (Umesh Chandra Mahato) job card and who has identified the person at the time of receiving of the card? In what identity the job supervisor has appointed him at work - name of the work spot and name of the job supervisors. Whether the wages of the works are paid through Post office A/C or by cash? If paid through A/c what the A/c No. is? Name and address of the person who has identified the person in time of opening A/c and withdrawal of wages from A/C? What kind of steps the Dist NREGS Cell can take against these corrupted persons? May he be eligible to get compensation for such deprivation? If so please inform how he can get it and his job card?

30 th March letter came to GP office for inquiry (after 2 years)‏ - from the Dist. NREGS Cell - News spread - More people want to pursue their own cases now!!

United protest against the use of machine in NREGS - repairing work of “Shrabandi Majhi Para Gramin Rasta” under NREGS – supervisor used JCP Machine - villagers went to Panchayat member Kasinath Majhi - forced Panchayat member to inform the mater to BDO - Joint BDO came with Police and ceased the JCP Machine - supervisor is absconding with master role and documents - work has again started involving the labours.

Protest against use of bamboo in lieu of rod in construction of culvert - Pardi village (Matha Panchayat) - Rs villagers brought up the use of low quality materials - bridge broke down when a loaded van tried to cross - bamboo sticks and stone dust in lieu of rod, stone chips and cement

continued th March people filed RTI application - Panchayat denied, B.D.O. gave word to inquire but refused to receive the complain letter - Next stage : District Nodal Officer.

Comments of the workers/labours who have worked under NREGS: Jagun Bibi, Kanpa Panchayet - over aged - works in another house - cannot do hard construction/excavation work in NREGS - does stone sorting work and process clay - needs old age support - late payment of wages - invest part time for want of cash -work outside at even lower rate.

Tutun Biswas, Mohonpur Panchayet - young people can do any work - old people should have easier work - not getting wages timely - Number of workers will be increased if proper step is taken

Sabir Ali, Mamudpur Panchayet - excavation of tank - repairing of road - cleaning of park, painting, and plantation trees should be included - Drinking water security should also to be included

These are the typical problems Solutions revolve around building awareness amongst people, and organising

Community meetings - primarily started with RTI act - turned into need base solution of community - Specific Meetings on NREGS - procedure of RTI - NREGS job application - wage rate - compensation for non availability or late availability of job in NREGS work - Specific meetings on PDS - one to one counseling - visited NREGS work spot and interviewed the workers

School student awareness on NREGS rules: - Meeting with School Students and guardians for awareness - Bareria Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra (Bagmundi Block)‏ - Jargo high school - Begunkodor high school

Block-wise community meetings Jhalda II – 23 Baghmundi - 36

Blockwise villages covered Jhalda II – 14 Baghmundi - 25

Issues discussed at the meetings These meetings have been instrumental in mobilising people Organised whenever there is a crisis Main forums for people to get together as a community Total around 1300 reached out

Forums used for the meetings

Irrigation department Has its own NREGS jobs People made them open a few lockgates People themselves reconstructed canals Filled up a pond for non-drinking purposes Started filing RTIs

Monitoring PDS – What a success! Visited Ration shops in three blocks  Found display boards  Proper quantities given  Proper price charged  Cash memos given

Changes noticed Promptness in providing information under RTI. People themselves are approaching for information/ enquiry. Compulsory spontaneous display boards Spontaneous CBO/ Community protest against corruption people are coming forward with the community issues also Political power holders are afraid of RTI and providing information to people.

But lot more needs to be done!!

Compensation for lack of NREGS 52 families Cheated out of their jobs – colluding with the post office Agitation District nodal officer for NREGS gave assurance DM is “looking into it” Indefinite dharna next

Main Focus for next year: 1. NREGS Job Generation 3000 (wo)mandays of work per Gram Panchayat so far (estimate) 2000 families per Gram Panchayat (estimate) Lot more needs to be done  More survey work  Mobilisation  Building pressure on the administration  Work on compensation issues

Main Focus for mext year: 2. Electoral Reforms Building up to the Panchayat elections in 2 years Seen as a means to sustain RTI activism Conduct social audits, surveys Build 'ideal manifestos' Ensure free and fair elections Get elected representatives follow-up on manifestos Learn from RTI Manch / MKSS

Newer directions: Forest Forest Dept has its own NREGS program Forest protection, regeneration, drinking water supplies No one knows the amount of money involved Initiated filing RTIs – 4 so far Need to make sure the June-July forest regeneration work happens properly  RTIs  Follow-ups  Build pressure on administration

Newer Direction: Health Govt has health schemes Janani Suraksha Yojana (maternal care) Children's medicine supply Money sanctioned for health support Started filing RTIs: 4 so far Next steps -  File RTIs  Mobilise people  Build pressure on health administration

Budget Total budget – Rs. 4,56,000 (~ $ 10,000)‏ Too much! (?)‏ Cut down to ~ $6000 ? Cut down on the salaries? And the lump sum?

Other geographical areas of work emerging.. Sunderbans Murshidabad District level in Purulia

I made this presentation, not anyone else!