Workshop Implementation:

As planned, a foot campaign was organized in all the 6 Districts of Santhal Pargana from 14 – 25 October, 2005 and it was followed by Social audits by the local populace of programmes (Social Security Programme, which includes Anantodaya Annapoorna Programme, Lal Card), Food for Work Programme, and Public Distribution System. At five locations PDS irregularities and at 10 locations the food for work Programmes were taken as the main focus for Social audits. After the Social audits, Public hearings were organized on fixed dates to listen to the grievances of the poor tribals and the problems faced by them in the presence of concerned government officials.  The government officials failed to appear on the appointed day or even provide the desired information relating to programmes.  A Justice committee was formed to deal with the related issues

and for formulating future strategy, 1000 Pradhans (Village – Heads) were invited from different locations to gather at Hijla Maidan, Dumka for two days (28-29 October, 2005).

On October 28, around 60 Village Heads gathered at Dumka    Mr. Michel Tudoo, co-ordinator of the Mass Meeting, requested the present Village Heads to identify the problems of their districts that emerged at the social audits so that a strategy could be evolved to address them and openly discussed on the day of the Mass Meeting.

Thereafter, the Village Heads discussed the individuals problems of their respective districts.   At 5.00 pm of October 29, all village heads gathered in the main hall and put forward the problems of their respective districts along with the suggested strategies to address them. 

The following were the common issues that emerged:

Public Distribution System (Antyodaya, Lal  Card, Annapurna Scheme)

• No Food grain available on Lal Card
• Antyodya card holders do not get the exact quantity of ration at  rates fixed  by the government or at regular periods
• The dealer making wrong entries on Card
• The dealer forcibly keeping the cards with himself
• No fixed time schedules of opening and closing of ration shops.
• No Information regarding how much food grain is sanctioned to a particular ration shop and number of card holders availing the given amount
• Beneficiaries of cards are illegally selected by the Govt. bodies and not by the Gram Sabhas, based on their informal nexus.
• All  Pahari communities are deprived of these card facilities
• Distribution of  poor quality of ration

Food for work Programme

• Negligence in selection of programme
• No involvement of village communities in regulating and monitoring at State, District and Panchayat level in Govt. Programmes.
• No public disclosure of the projected budget, related amount expended and employment generated.
• No distribution of ration as per programme
• Only 20 -30 percent work can be seen on the ground; the rest  is  only on paper.
• No facilities for drinking water, toilets, shelters,  and creches for Babies etc at work place for labourers.
• In most places, heavy machines have replaced labourers.
• Implementation of schemes and Programmes without any Perspective Plan.   

 Disability

• Non- availability of proof certificate for the disabled.
• The disabled deprived of the benefits accorded to them in the schemes.
• The disabled are deprived of all the Govt. run self-employment and other schemes.

The irregularities and corruption in all these programmes are making a mockery of the orders of the Supreme Court.  They are making a mockery of the Security of Equal Opportunities and Complete Partnership Act 1995.   Hence, the people of Santhal Parganas will have to evolve a strategy which could be forward at the Mass Meeting.

Few important points identified for evolving strategy:

• Negligence of Gram Sabha in Selection of beneficiaries in general meeting.
• Corruption in all welfare schemes and also in their implementation.
• No Control of Gram Sabha on land, water and forest
• Increase in Migration
• Resistance in Availing right to information programme and schemes
• Regular and consistent increase in  hunger deaths.
• Non- availability of even minimum wage fixed by the Govt.
• In activeness and irregularities of health and educational institutions.
• Traditional Maghi – Harum, Village – heads are deprived of the powers they have enjoyed since long.
• Gram Sabhas in scheduled regions are deprived of their additional power as directed in the Panchayati Raj Act 1996.
• Regular increase in oppression and exploitation of Women.
• Negligence of Rehabilitation of displaced Tribals during construction of big dams and setting up of industries..
• Even after the expiry of lease, the community is deprived of its control on land,water and other village based resource
• Illegal possession of tribal land, tribals dispossessed of their land

The following strategy and programmes were planned thereafter:

Future Strategy and Programme  

• Only Gram Sabhas responsible for organizing public meeting, selection of beneficiaries and implementation of programmes.
• All Development funds should directly reach the Gram Sabhas.
• Govt. officials, Gram Sevak and other outsiders will not be allowed to attend Gram Sabha meetings..
• Contract and monitoring of land, water and forest by Gram Sabhas.
• A hearing Committee should be formed at Block and  District level to ensure a responsive and transparent administration.
• A collective approach and participation of community should be intensified to create a strong public opinion.
• Ensuring of women’s rights and gender equality through involving women actively in all stapes of development.
• Rallies, Processions and Public Hearings to be held at regular intervals in order to move the administration to action and augment its responsiveness and transparency.

Thereafter, all Village Heads took a pledge to ensure the success of the above-mentioned programme:

“We, the members of Gram Sabhas of Santhal Pargana, pledge to create a self-governed, self-dependent and self-reliant Jharkhand. We pledge to ensure a corruption-free, responsive and transparent administration.  We pledge to wage a struggle for the control of our land, water and forest. We pledge to root out middle men and corrupt officials. We pledge to establish gender equality and involve women in all steps of development.”

After this oath, Mr. Sanjay Kisku declared the Deliberations Camp closed and said that the above pledge and strategy would be put forward in the Mass Meeting of October 30, 2005.

On October 30, 2005, the Mass Meeting began as per schedule, which was attended by around 7000 participants.  The Members of the various Gram Sabhas endorsed the strategy evolved and jointly decided to give an application to the Commissioner, Dumka for his active role and intervention. In the application the members have hopefully requested the Commissioner to inform the directives within 3 months to Hakdari Maha Sabha which will be followed and operationlized by the entire Santhal Pargana region.  If there is no directive forthcoming from the Commissioner within the stipulated three months, then the Gram Sabhas would be forced to take direct action and the state administration would be responsible for the consequences.

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