village exposure report

Parivartan – An XLRI Initiative

2012

Report On Village Exposure Visit Organized by XLRI- Facilitated by SEEDS

Report Created by:

Name Roll Number

Bhargav Thakur G12074

Bikash Hansia G12075

Chiranjib Bhattacharjee G12076

Darshan Kamat G12077

Devanjan Das G12078

Dipak Shamrao Haridas G12079

X L R I J A M S H E D P U R

XLRI & SEEDS Village Exposure Visit – 2012 – GMP

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Table of Contents

1.0 PURPOSE: ................................................................................................................................................... 3

2.0 TEAM COMPOSURE: ................................................................................................................................... 3

3.0 FIELD SITE: .................................................................................................................................................. 3

4.0 HIGH LEVEL OBSERVATIONS: ...................................................................................................................... 3

4.1 SHGS: ...................................................................................................................................................... 3

4.2 YOUTH GROUPS: .......................................................................................................................................... 4

4.3 COMMUNITY AT LARGE ................................................................................................................................. 4

5.0 ASSETS OF THE VILLAGERS:......................................................................................................................... 5

6.0 MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS: ....................................................................................... 5

6.1 WOMEN EMPOWERMENT GROUP ................................................................................................................... 5

7.0 CONCERNS FOR THE COMMUNITY ............................................................................................................. 5

8.0 CONTRIBUTION OF SEEDS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ................................................................................. 5

8.1 WOMEN EMPOWERMENT BY SETTING UP SHG: .................................................................................................. 5

8.2 SETTING UP OF SCHOOLS: ............................................................................................................................... 6

8.3 EMPOWERMENT OF THE POOR: ....................................................................................................................... 6

8.4 EMPOWERMENT OF THE YOUTH: ...................................................................................................................... 7

8.5 FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION: ......................................................................................................................... 7

9.0 SUGGESTIONS: ........................................................................................................................................... 7


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1.0 Purpose:

The purpose of the village visit was to gain first hand exposure to the village life and understanding the functioning of the village economy, the means of livelihood and the role of the host NGO - SEEDS (Socio Economic and Education Development Society) and the various self-help groups created by SEEDS for the upliftment of the rural community.

2.0 Team Composure:

Team Lead: Mr. M.N Jha also representing SEEDS

Team members: Mr. Bikash Hansia, Mr. Bhargav Thakur, Mr. Chiranjib Bhattacharjee, Mr. Darshan Kamat, Mr Dipak Shamrao Haridas and Mr. Devanjan Das – all students of GMP batch 2012-13.

3.0 Field Site:

Following villages were covered under the block Musabani, East Singhbhum district between 22nd

- 24th

June 2012:

• Jamsol, • Latia,

• Lenjobera,

• Cholagora,

• Rohnigora, • Khudgariya,

• Gayaghata

4.0 High Level Observations:

4.1 SHGs:

• The members of the SHGs have basic business sense. This was evident by the way they carried

out business processes such as managing supplies and inventory, marketing their produce, book

keeping etc.

• The members of the SHGs have accountability and sense of responsibility. They were able to

repay the due loan repayments well before time and there has not been a single case of default.

• They have high level of commitment to their own village community. For instance, they made a

corrupt PDS licensee to surrender his license and with new license they took up the responsibility

of prompt delivery of ration through PDS to the community. They generate revenues through self-

employment of the members in various types of occupation, such as, Poultry rearing, Animal

husbandry, making of dishes and bowls from leaves, cane products.


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4.2 Youth groups:

• Youth groups are formed but need greater accessibility to the various types of information related

to opportunities.

• Aspirations and enthusiasm are very high.

• Lack of definite roadmaps to uplift their standards of living

• Scarcity of transport and infrastructure facilities. This is preventing them to access graduate level

education. Correspondence education is the only option. This in turn is affecting the long-term

career prospects. They have to settle for a career at a lower level

4.3 Community At Large

• The villagers were mostly members of the diminishing primitive tribes such as the Santhal,

Munda, Ho, Bhumij, Mahali, Birhor, Sabar and Paharia

• The mortality rate at infancy is very high due to lack of proper infant care facilities and proper

maternity care facilities. Average family size is 3 to 5

• Most of them live in mud houses. Some tribes also live in thatched houses made of grass and

bamboo

• Men were seasonal workers or farmers. Women, in addition to help in household work have also

established SHGs and generate income through several activities like animal farming etc. Women

also fulfill their families’ financial responsibilities. Generally children are enrolled in schools and

also help in other household activities. When both parents work outside, the children take care of

their younger siblings.

• Food and repayment of loans are the major expenses for the households. Besides, men have

drinking problems as a result of which earnings from wages are not used constructively.

• On the healthcare front, most of the time the medicines do not reach the villagers. Medicines,

though available in the government clinic, get wasted due to lack of awareness. In addition, there

is no Doctor in the immediate vicinity of most of the villages. People have to travel long distances.

For instance, in Jamsol only one private Doctor works in the remote place, but people generally

don’t approach due to cost factor.

• For the BPL and tribal families, the Government of India has Indira-Avash and the Birsha-Avash

housing schemes. Earlier, the process was such that the government used to get houses

constructed through contractors. However, there were lot of delays, quality issues and funding

irregularities. In few cases, eligible people did not get the benefit and there were also lot of

discrepancies in the allotment of the funding. The Youth groups through peaceful protests and

agitations resolved this problem and were able to change the process. Currently the fund

allocation is better organized and the beneficiary can also get the home constructed on his own

and doesn’t have to depend on Government contractors.

• The much celebrated NREGA program – though provided employment, but had a very long delay

in payments sometimes as much as 2 months. Also there were hurdles in getting the job card.

After multiple meetings between authorities and Women’s Group both these issues have been

addressed now.

• The government has a special program for expecting mothers from BPL families. They are

entitled to get Rs.4000 – at intervals of 8th month, 9

th month and after child birth. However, the

families were getting only Rs 1500 due to lack of awareness.


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5.0 Assets of the villagers:

• The villagers do not have any furniture in their home except for the “charpaya” or the “khatiya”

which is a rudimentary bed.

• Some villagers have built huts for themselves after availing the Indira-Avash or the Birsha-Avash

schemes of the Government of India.

• The SHGs have availed subsidized loans from the banks to buy livestock.

6.0 Major achievements in the last ten years:

6.1 Women Empowerment Group

1. Elimination of pilferage in the PDS system – There was about 10% leakage in the PDS system.

The people were not aware of the eligibility from the PDS monthly ration i.e. 35 kg. The group

aired their voices in protest and through several meetings with government officials like, BDO,

MO they were able to claim what was rightfully theirs.

2. Getting BPL electricity rates for the eligible: The BPL families were charged with electricity rates

which were as high as the regular rates. The group again aired their voices and after a struggle of

2 and ½ years they succeeded in their efforts. The BPL households were able to get electricity at

the BPL rates.

7.0 Concerns for the Community

• Lack of employment opportunities

• High interest rates on loan from the banks

• Rising transportation costs

8.0 Contribution of SEEDS within the Community

8.1 Women Empowerment by setting up SHG:

SEEDS have helped the poor villagers to secure subsidized loans from Banks which formed the starting capital for their small scale business. The villagers have setup SHGs – Self Help Groups – which form the backbone of the village economy. Each group comprises of 12-13 women members from different household. The businesses that are setup are of following types:

1. Goat farming

2. Poultry farming

3. Pig rearing

4. Making dishes and bowls made of leaves


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5. Making baskets from cane

8.2 Setting up of schools

SEEDS have also helped setting up of schools for the children of the families that are below the poverty line. These schools started with a single teacher who was the most educated among the village people. The Schools have now been expanded with the support of the Government and have been established as Primary and Middle Schools. We had an opportunity to visit two such schools. The Students are provided with Mid-Day meals under the scheme. SEEDS have helped identify the teachers for such schools. In one case, the teacher was a 5

th class student of the same school.

8.3 Empowerment of the poor:

SEEDS played a vital role in passing on the information about the various government schemes to the people of the village. SEEDS has been able to enlighten the villagers by explaining the eligibility of each individual from the various schemes of the state and central government. For example, the people were not aware of the eligibility of the amount of the monthly ration of 35KG of grain at PDS.


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8.4 Empowerment of the Youth:

SEEDS played an important role in channelizing the youths’ energy to constructive work. SEEDS has provided sports kits to the youth groups. SEEDS is promoting the employment of youth through training and development by the help of schemes from PAN-IIT.

8.5 Fight against corruption:

SEEDS constantly seek feedback about the functioning of the components of the village machinery like Panchayat Pradha, Mukhiya etc. to eliminate corruption and increase awareness.

9.0 Suggestions:

• To bring in more transparency and accountability to the newly implemented Gram Panchayat

System so that it is more robust and corruption free.

• To create more awareness about the ill-effects of alcohol consumption and other addiction among

the villagers.

• Sensitize the rural population about the importance of having smaller families.

• Encourage villagers to send their children to school and continue further education.

• Setting up facility for the youth to learn computer skills.

• To make available more books, magazines and journals for the competitive examinations, higher

studies to the Youth groups through proper distribution of donated books.

village exposure report

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