SAMVAD
e - bulletin of MSRLM - issue October 2014
I have been working in this village since past 10 years
but for the first time I am seeing village women united
for a cause, raising their issues and concerns and
putting their demands in ‘Gramsabha’.
Gram Sevak of Anji village,
Block: Deoli, District:Wardha
th
Occasion: Gramsabha at Anji on 15 August 2014.
Preparatory Meeting of SHG members for
participating in the Gramsabha on 15th August
2014.
Village Ghoti, District Yavatmal. SHG women
discussing with ‘Umed’ field staff.
More than 160 women participated
in the Gramsabha at Pawnar,
District Wardha. . . .
. . .They insisted the Gramsabha be
conducted in open space..
.. . Demand for Construcion of
Toilets .. Repiring internal roads…
46 tribal women from Shiroshi village
Nandurbar District travelled as much as
5 kms to take part in the Gramsabha.
Women demanded constitution of
‘Anti – Liquor Committee’ in the
Gramsabha. . . .
These are some of the voices and experiences captured by ‘Umed’ team at different
villages. Undernethe it lies a process of realising and expreriencing the dormant power in oneself.
It is in a way a ‘Silent Revolution’, directly touching lives of around One Lakh Sixty
Thousand rural households in Maharashtra and impacting many more.
State wide facilitation of ‘Gramsabhas’ by ‘Umed’ on 15th August 2014.
On the occasion of 15th August 2014, when the Nation celebrated it’s 68th Independence Day, Umed
team undertook a State wide campaign to engage with the community to facilitate and further
strengthen the process of convergence. It was undertaken at Intensive (10) as well as Non Intensive
(23) Districts of Maharashtra.
Umed team implemented a unique strategy to mobilize the village community to participate in
effective implementation of Development Programmes and schemes, with special focus on
MGNAREGA.
District Jalna
District Thane
District Nandurbar
Umed team mobilized the community for their
greater ownership of Gramsabha on the occasion
of 15th August 2014. It was done in a campaign
mode.
District Wardha
The objective of the campaign was to engage with
the community for facilitating the process of
achieving their rights and entitlements with
special focus on MGNREGS.
Highlights of the Campaign:
 Almost all the District, Block, and the State team members were placed on a Gramsabha.
Everybody was made in charge of a Gram-panchayat.
 The District Anchors attended one of the Gramsabhas in their respective anchor district and
also ensured that all the team members in the District are given responsibility to attend the
Gramsabha.
 MGNREGS - NRLM convergence was targeted with focus on facilitating labor projection and
work identification before going into the Gramsabha.
 Formation of labor groups was helpful to get a fair idea of the labor projection on basis of
which work identification can be done and the labor budget post Gramsabha can be made.
Quick look at women’s active involvement in Gramsabhas:
Excerpts from the Documentation done by Umed District team members:
District Jalna: Village Daregaon
129 women from 13 SHGs in Vaibhav Laxmi VO actively participated in the Gram sabha. The women raised
issues related to ban on liquor, drinking water, internal road construction etc. The Village Panchayat has
provided office space to the VO. It’s inauguration took place at the hands of Mrs. Ashatai Bhutkar
(President ZP Jalana) and Mrs. Prerana Deshbhratar, (CEO – ZP Jalana)
District Thane: Village Gangapur
. . . The block level team organized one day training for women in SHGs about MGNAREGA in which the
community was sensitized about provisions in such schemes and programmes, the processes they should
follow to demand work in MGNAREGA. Women were so keen that they completed the necessary paper
work and documentation on the same day.
. . . 46 tribal women from Shiroshi village travelled as much as 5 kms to participate in the Gramsabha.
They insisted that the Gramsabha be conducted in open space and not to be conducted in a small room in
ZP school as per the earlier plan.
. . . They were successful to convince the Sarpanch (Village Head) and Gramsevak for constructing
approach road to different wells in the hamlet under MGNAREGA.
District Ratnagiri:Village Talni
. . . Women demanded constitution of ‘Anti – Liquor Committee’ in the Gramsabha. The Gramsevak
approved their demand and noted it in the proceeding book. Thus the men in the villages had to accept it.
It is a good thing happened due to the active participation of women.
Analysis of current trends in Gramsabha:
Umed team members from select villages (243 no.) throughout the State collected data on certain
predefined parameters to understand the current status. Some of the major parameters included: who
headed the gramsabha, participation of women, response to the issues and concerns raised by women, Level
of knowledge possessed by Sarpanch and Gramsevalk about the programme, Nature of issues discussed etc.
Some interesting observations: (data from 243 villages is analysed)
Women were not allowed
to speak
Women did not speak
Womens questions
not answered
Womens questions
answered
Women’s
participation
0
50
100
150
200
No Issues Raised
Ban on Liquor
School , Sanitaion, Health Insurance
Job Card
Water requirement
Nature of issues
raised
Work under MGNREGA
0
50
100
150
200