
Project area: Bindol GP of Raiganj Block of Uttar Dinajpur District.
Duration: 2 years
Target group: Marginalized people, mostly women and youth groups.
Rationale and background of the project:
Uttar Dinajpur is one of the most backward districts of West Bengal in terms of economy, health, education and social development. The marginalized community in this district consists of SCs, STs, minority community, refugees, agricultural laborers, landless farmers, seasonal migrants, disabled, child labors and women. Marginalized labors with smaller land do not get adequate support from government departments. Thus, unable to take care of their families, they migrate to different states to look for alternative employment. To support the families, even children are engaged in hazardous jobs leading towards ailments.
Experience of SMOKUS in the area:
- Movement for livelihood rights- SMOKUS organized women’s groups in the Maheshpur village of Rasakhoa 1 GP in the Karandihgi Block, to mobilize the Panchayat, to set up two tube wells to get safe drinking water for all. Currently, SMOKUS has undertaken a survey to find out the rate of kidney trafficking in the area. 29 cases have already been found. The organization also has been able to control the rate of early marriage among the tribal communities. Efforts have been made to mobilize both by educating the people and mobilizing the government departments to take an active role in preventing such things.
- Bharati Mardi, a marginal labor, lives at Bajbindal. Due to severe economic hardship, she decided to arrange the marriage of her 12 years old daughter Pipi Kisku, a student of Class V. Adolescent and women’s groups of the village took initiative and educated Bharati and her community on the evils of early marriage. They sent a deputation to BDO on the issue, who in turn sent an official to talk to the family. This whole process led to the realization on the part of both Bharati and her community that early marriage is a social evil and it is also a crime.
Goal of the project:
- To empower the Women’s groups to ensure women’s participation in the decision making process and ineffective delivery of services.
- To make women aware of their rights on various issues.
- To strengthen the local self-governance mechanism/ Gram Panchayat through sensitizing the system and the people who are running the system.
Objective |
Justification |
Strategy |
Activities |
Output |
To incorporate village community in PRI |
Participation of elected members in the Panchayat is not adequate for the development, representation of the marginalized community can ensure holistic development. |
Providing information and mobilizing the marginalized community on livelihood issues so that they can represent their views in Panchayat. |
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To form a new self help group and uniting various SHGs under one umbrella. |
Increased productivity in agriculture has not been able to completely eradicate poverty. Landless poor need to be organized to earn their livelihood. Marginalized people united under SHG can be organized to build an effective Panchayat system. |
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To engage CBOs in village development. |
People usually depend of CBOs as they are not politically biased. The CBOs can play important role in the holistic development of the village. They can also represent marginalized people in various forums. The CBOs play important role in organizing people’s movements for their rights. |
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Formation of a ‘General forum’ with all social organization of Panchayat during the 1st year. Increase in participation level by the CBOs in Panchayat. |
To involve people in the process of decentralization of Panchayati Raj Institution. |
The success of the PRI system lies in more and more people’s participation in the decision making process. People’s participation is necessary to bring planning at the grassroots level. |
Strengthening GUS through regular meetings of Gram Sansad Sabha and Gram Sabha. |
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30% more people will be aware about GUS and Sansad Sabha. The GUS will hold at least 2 meetings in a year in every GP. The attendance in Sansad Sabha will be at least 20% after 1 year of intervention. |
Staff required:
- 1 project coordinator, to look after the overall functioning of the project.
- 3 supervisors will look after field work and the accountant will look after the financial side.