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 JHALDA 1 JHALDA 20

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Series1

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?

30th March 2011

- 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.35000.00

- 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..

- 25th 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

Jhalda II Baghmundi0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Series1

Blockwise villages covered

Jhalda II – 14

Baghmundi - 25

Jhalda II Baghmundi0

5

10

15

20

25

30

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

RTINREGSPDSMisc

Forums used for the meetings

Self Help Groups Youth Clubs Village0

5

10

15

20

25

30

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

SI. No. Activity Cost Calculation Rate Quantity/ units

1 Part time Accountant (1 )• 1000 12 12000

2 Other office management costs 1000 12 12000

3 Audit Fees Annually once Rs. 1500 2000 1 2000

26000

SI. No. Activity Cost Calculation Rate Quantity/ units

1 Project Coordinator^) 5000 12 60000

2 4000 12 48000

3 GP level animators (6 nos) 3500 72 252000

4 Annual cost as needed 10000 1 10000

6 Community Awareness Meeting 150 60 9000

8 Skill Building Training to project team 1500 1 1500

9 150 20 3000

10 25000 1 25000

11 Annual cost as per need 500 1 500

12 Telephone Bills 12 Mon X Rs.500 per month 500 12 6000

13 12 Mon X Rs.1000 per month 1000 12 12000

14 Documentation cost (annual) Annual cost as per need 3000 1 3000

430000

Total Project Cost 456000

5.70

94.30

Total cost (Rs.)

1 No.X 12 Mon X Rs.1000 per

1 No.X 12 Mon X Rs.1000 per

Total Adminstrative Cost

Programme Cost:Total cost

(Rs.)

1 No.X 12 Mon X Rs.5000 per

Telephone Counsellor (1) 1 No.X 12 Mon X Rs.4000 per month

6 Nos.X 12 Mon X Rs.3500 per month

IEC materials development & Wall writing (10 No. Spots)

90 Nos. X Rs.150 each for refreshment and meeting cost

1 No. X Rs. 1500 (for RP fees, documentation, TLM and fooding)Meetings with public forums (NGO,

CBO, Youth Club, SHG) for strenthening

20 Nos. XRs. 100 each for refreshment and meeting cost

Rally, Dharna, Gharao Public protest Lumpsump blocked for immediate action

Support service cost (Cost of Stamp, Postal duties, Photo copy

Travelling Cost to staffs

Total Programme Cost

Adminstrative Cost %

Programme Cost %

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!