A Pilot Programme to Strengthen Planning & Implementation of Activities under NREGA in Salinity affected Villages of Jambusar, Amod & Vagra Talukas, Bharuch District, Gujarat, India Progress Report Duration November 2009 to February 2010 VIKAS Centre for Development Ishavasyam, Opp. Lajpatnagar, Eeshita Towers Road, Navrangpura, Navjeevan, Ahmedabad‐380 014 1 Spiralling out of poverty & salinity Use of resources under NREGA to address the issues of poverty in salinity affected coastal regions of Bharuch district: 1.0 Background: VIKAS has long term involvement (three decades) in facilitating freedom of bonded agriculture labours (20,000 families) living in coastal villages of Bharuch district. Macro-economic changes combined with intensive educational empowerment followed by strong focus on accessing means of production (wastelands, village ponds, surplus agriculture land) and wealth generation activities by providing technological/credit inputs (SAVE & Lok Vikas Nidhi) have resulted in freeing of about 12,000 families over a period of last 10 years. However there are still about 8,000 bonded families having collective debt of Rs. 5.6 Crore waiting to be free from this inhuman cycle of borrowing and bondage. VIKAS sees combined use of NREGA & RIT as an opportunity to address this unfinished task. In order to realise this objective VIKAS with the support from Costal Salinity Prevention Cell (CSPC) (October 2009) & SAVE the Children (June 2009) initiated a pilot project. 2.0 Work carried out: Under the programme the focus has been on facilitating access of poor to resources under NREGA as legitimate entitlements leading to development of productive assets aimed at reducing their vulnerability. This is being achieved by • Creating local institutional mechanism, • Providing technical services in preparing and implementing village specific plans • Facilitating joint use of provisions of NREGA & RTI Act by poor to get entitlements & dues For this VIKAS created • Technical resource group at regional level covering 120 villages • Four Community organisers each covering 30 villages • 40 Development activists each covering three villages 2.1 The activities carried out under the Programme: Following is a set of activities carried out over the programme period. May 2009 During this month meetings were organised with District Development Officer, Bharuch District to solicit the mandate and support to initiate the programme. As a result of this, DDO requested VIKAS, as pilot effort, to identify set of villages were people would be interest in taking advantage of the scheme. The general impression in the Government administration was that though Government wants to initiate the activities local people do not come for the work. Based on our suggestions DDO instructed Taluka` Development Office, Jambusar to initiate work in nine villages. VIKAS organised meetings with representatives of Janshakti Parishad & leaders from the selected nine villages to ascertain the need of local people. After much effort work in eight out of nine villages was carried out. 2 Due to intensive mobilisation of local people and involvement of team of VIKAS people participated in the programme in large numbers. (Exceeding the expectations of district development administration) Efforts were also made to ensure timely and full payment to workers. The village-wise generation of person days: Village Women Men Total 1 Kalak 1054 983 2037 2 Sardarpura 570 620 1190 3 Vanseta 312 306 618 4 Tundaj 370 358 728 5 Tankari 4227 4091 8318 6 Sigam 340 297 637 7 Gulal 428 380 808 8 Thakor Talavdi 230 221 451 9 Vavli 0 0 0 Total 7,531 7,256 14,787 June 2009 In the second phase, meetings were organised with the representatives of Parishads of Jambusar, Amod and Vagra taluka to share the experience of Jambusar taluka and also plan out similar activities for all the three talukas at a larger scale. One of the major issues was soliciting demand for work from local people. It was observed that local people were sometimes not enthusiastic about participation mainly because of delayed and incomplete payment against the work. VIKAS ensured them of intensive follow up with the Government and requested members of Parishad to carry out major campaign to solicit demand for work. A survey form was canvassed in all the 120 villages and as a result demand for work was collected from 44 villages from three talukas. The details are as under: Summary of demand for work received Sr. No. Taluka Total Villages Women Men Total Workers 1 Jambusar 22 1044 1125 2169 2 Amod 5 129 134 263 3 Vagra 17 678 701 1379 Total 44 1851 1960 3811 After receiving applications from 44 villages detailed planning exercise for 16 villages was carried out. This included wasteland development and mangrove plantation as well as development of individual land of BPL families belonging to Schedule Tribe. On 24th June 2009 the District Planning Board approved the proposal amounting to Rs. 108.29 lac. August 2009 During this month, due to insufficient rains in Gujarat, Government of Gujarat started an intensive programme to build Bori Bandh in a campaign mode throughout the state. VIKAS organised major meetings with representative of Parishads & Gujarat Land Development Corporation. 3 September 2009 This month was market with unearthing of a major fraud in implementation and payment of wages, committed by village Sarpanch, Talati, and Postmaster of Ora village. Money in the name of local laboureres who were Chakars (Bonded Labourers) was wrongfully taken away by the officials. The complaint under RTI was by cadres of Parishad against the earring officials and finally they were put behind the bars by DDO, Bharuch district. Note: From post office A/c of two tribal labourers, amount of Rs.7,956/- was wrongly taken out by officials. Police case was filed by the local people. Village Sarpanch, Talati and Post Master were kept in jail for three days. October 2009 During this month survey was carried out to assess the development potential of land received by BPL tribal families from Government. This was followed by preparing planning and facilitation of allocation of funds through Gujarat Land Development Corporation to develop these plots of land. Total fund allocated for the activity to be carried out on land belonging to 182 families is to the tune of Rs. 52.00 lac. The work carried out during this month under NREGA. Taluka Total Villages Men Women Total Person Days Total families 3 15 7476 7725 15201 231 November 2009 During this month a second campaign to solicit demand or work was carried out in 120 villages. Based on the response detailed long term planning for 15 additional villages was carried out. Sr. Date Participants Trainer Remark No. 1 8th Nov. 96 Mikal, Badribhai, VIKAS - Vagra, Lok Vikas Parishad - Jayantibhai, Jesangbhai and Shantigram Nirman - Amod Jointly arranged the Training Programme 2 26/27 Nov. 19 Harineshbhai Pandya Training given to Project Officers and Cluster Coordinators of VIKAS : NREGA and WASMO team 3 15/16 Nov. 40 Harineshbhai Pandya, VIKAS - Development Activitist, Panktiben leaders of Janshakti Parishad, Jambusar and Lok Shakti Parishad - Amod 4 16/17 Nov. 35 Harineshbhai Pandya, Development Activists VIKAS : Pratapbhai, Jesangbhai NREGA and leaders of Lok Vikas Parishad - Vagra December 2009 An awareness campaign was organised from 1st December 2009 to 21st December 2009 (for 21 days). For dissemination of information on NREGA and RTI Act material like posters, handouts etc. were developed. During the campaign, list of 2,220 families without having job cards was prepared. Supports have been given to those families for availing job cards. Moreover, 883 people have done applications for seeking work under NREGA. Our NREGA team members are supporting them for availing work through coordination with Gram Panchayat. 4 Awareness material Developed Sr. No. Details of Printed Material Total No. 1 Pamphlets on NREGA Act 10000 2 Applications forms for issuing new job cards 10000 3 Application forms for requirement of work under NREGA 6000 4 Large posters of Bharuch District Panchayat 1500 After campaign in 120 villages on NREGA and RTI Act, coordination was done with Village Panchayat Talati and out of 2,220 applications, 970 new job cards were issued to those labourers who were not having job cards. January 2010 DDO, Bharuch requested VIKAS to prepare mangrove plantation project covering 20 coastal villages. Further, the work on land belonging to 182 tribal BPL families supported by GLDC continued. Work carried out under NREGA during January Issuing new job cards Jambusar - 40, Amod - 55 & Vagra - 45 Total - 140 new job cards issued. Application for Job cards - 122 families applied for work: (Jambusar: 91 families, Amod: 21 families) Planning Meeting for NREGA with Parishads Parishad Members Present - Jambusar 7, Amod - 5 Total - 12 Members Planning meeting with DRDA & GLDC Present members of Parishad - Jambusar -4, Vagra - 32, Total 36 members Employment generated under NREGA Jambusar - Women - 839, Men - 940 Total 1,779 (551 families) Amod Women - 6, Men - 5 Total 11 (3 families) Carry out planning on Ceiling Land In collaboration with GLDC work permission has been taken for carrying out activities on land of 182 farmers. Out of them, work is in progress in four villages. February 2010 As a part of NREGA work in Jambusar, Amod and Vagra, Village plan was prepared for seven villages. The approval of respective Gram Sabhas is awaited. The work carried out under NREGA during February - Jabmusar - 35, Amod