9.3. Interim Report of NREGA Sahayta Kendra June 2009

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8th June 2009

INTERIM REPORT OF NREGA SAHAYTA KENDRA,

CHATTARPUR

NREGA Sahayta Kendra was opened in Chattarpur Block, Palamau on the 22nd of May 2009

in the Block office compound. The Kendra manages complaints related to NREGA works

and workers from all the panchayats of Chattarpur. Acting as a facilitator the Kendra begins

proceedings at 8a.m. everyday (except Sundays) and continues into the evening till 5p.m.

I. How NREGA Sahayta Kendra works

Duties at the Kendra are performed by student volunteers and local volunteers working

together.

Filing System: In order to efficiently receive complaints the Kendra operates with 4 counters

dedicated to -

Complaints

Job Card Applications

Work Applications

Others

Correspondingly 4 different files are maintained for recording the above by the Kendra and

receipts copy sets are also maintained for the same. There is a unique code for each

complaint/application. 4 Index Registers are maintained with information regarding the code,date of receiving, etc.

Receivings: At the time of drafting the complaint/application a carbon copy is made for the

complainant/applicant. All complaints are duly taken receipts of the following day from the

Block Programme Officer on photo copies of the same and recorded by the Kendra in the

receipt copy sets of the above mentioned files.

Campaign Activities at the Kendra: The Kendra is well furnished with pamphlets, posters,

primers, etc. which give primary information about the Act, workers' entitlements under it,

Bank and Post Office Accounts, etc. For this purpose the Block Office provided the Kendra

with 3000posters, pamphlets (bank parcha) and primers each.

Queries and questions regarding NREGA are appreciated and entertained at the Kendra. The

Kendra also maintains a helpline number through which workers can reach it directly and

avoid any delays.

II. Summary of Complaints and Applications Received:

Workers from 30 out of 35 panchayats in Chattarpur approached the Sahayta Kendra. The

Kendra has received Job Card Applications, Work Applications and various kind ofcomplaints related to wage payment, PO accounts and Passbooks hoarding of Job Cards and


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Passbooks, etc. Some complaints were also received pertaining to non-payment of

unemployment allowance applications (See Enclosures).

No of Job Card Applications received: 431 from 25 GPs (till 3rd June 2009)

No of workers who applied for work: 599 from 17 GPs (till 3rd June 2009)

No of complaints received: 65 from 18 GPs (till 3rd of June 2009)

III. Action Taken by Block Office(In accordance with Action Taken Report (ATR) for the week 23-05-09 ro 28-05-09. See Enclosures )

Job Cards: The process of verifying the action taken is underway. In most cases it has been

found that Job Cards have been made but are yet to be distributed. Some GPs have failed in

even doing so.

Work Applications: No new works have reportedly been opened. Most labourers have beendeputed on old worksites.

On the basis of ATR, 482 out of 517 workers have been deputed. On verification it was found

that out of 342 workers only about 30 (approx.) have actually got work. Reasons for this

being:

Deputations at disputed worksites (See case of Kalapahar and Sushiganj

panchayats, Enclosure no )

Workers being asked to ferry across to far away villages when sanctioned

works are available in and around their own village

Complaints: It is clear that only in very selected cases decisive action has been taken by the

concerned authority. (E.g. Delay in payments in 2 GPs - Dagra, Charai 1 amd FIR in case ofJob Card Hoarding in GP Dali).

This makes it clear that there is a lack of pro-activity on the part of the concerned authorities

and the tendency to be defensive to the new system being put in place. The situation implies

strict orders from the District Administration for swift and decisive redressal.

No of days taken by BPO to provide the ATR for the said week - 15

Complaints were received on a daily basis (as mentioned above) from 24th May 2009 but

action was taken only after the team handed over Panchayat wise compiled monitoring forms

to the respective GPS and GRS on the 31st of May 2009. Some report are still pending from

Panchayats Saraidih, Shahpur and Naudiha. This clearly illustrates the inefficiency and

tendency of the BPO to try and dispose off matters instead of making an effort to take

decisive action and resolve the serious grievances of the already troubled NREGA workers in

Chattarpur.

IV. Critical Issues

1. Very Low Scale of NREGA work: On thoroughly surveying 4 GPs and

travelling through more than 18, the team came across only 3 active worksites (2 ofwhich were 7-year afforestation schemes being run by the Forest Department). On


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verification it was found that the list provided by the Block Office for on-going

NREGA works in block Chattarpur was highly inaccurate with only one case out of

the listed 25 where work was in progress.A look at the Yojna Vivran varsh 2007-08,

2008-09 provided by the Block Office Chattarpur shows that in only 10 out of the 78

mentioned schemes half or more than half of the sanctioned amount has actually been

utilized.

2. Irregularities in Wage payments:

Delay in Payment: The team did not come across a single worker who

claimed to have been paid on time. This is a major reason for disillusionment

with NREGA works in Chattarpur. Delays of 2-14 months have been reported

from various GPs. (See Enclosures).

Non-Payment/Partial Payment: Many cases of said grievance have

been reported and continue to be reported by the day. Telling examples in this

respect are cases in Panchayats Dagra, Charai-1 and Hutukdag where action has

formally been taken. (See Enclosures).

3. Post Office Malfunction:

Delay in opening accounts and issuing Passbooks: Due to said delay the whole

process of payments gets stalled. See example of delay in payment in Panchayat

Hulsum (See Enclosure no- ). Also such irregularity leads to complete

isolation (of pockets), where accounts have not been opened or passbooks not

issued, from the NREGA ambit.

Stuck Mechanism: Huge time lapses in getting cheques cleared from Head

Post Office, Daltonganj and in getting that amount to the worker. Usually this

delay amount to more than 15 days - an effective breach of workers' rights

under the Act. A very serious case in point is that of a literate person required by the PO

(Chattarpur) to testify for an illeterate person that she knows the person who is

to be paid. Effectively an illiterate citizen is debarred off her right to testify for

another citizen. Workers from Rajbandh village, Panchayat Charai-1 were faced

with this erratic demand of the Post Master on 7th June in order to receive their

already delayed wages.

4. Schedule of Rates:

The team didnt come across a single worker/Mate/Rozgar Saathi (ground level

supervisors) who knew the revised rate of 54cft as a day's task. Nearly all workers

(from current and stalled worksites) reported having to complete 100cft as a day'stask. This shows a complete failure of the administration in Chattarpur due to

which workers are exploited as a matter of practice.

V. Proposed Plan of Action:

1. Realising the potential of Rozgar Divas. Practically make Rozgar Divas a

forum for:

publicly discussing the complaints received in the Panchayat and action

taken on the same

conducting Job Card, Work Application, Account opening drives, etc Awareness building (E.g. SoR)


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2. Complaint regarding corruption charges (E.g. bribery), fraud, siphoning off of

NREGA funds, etc. to be dealt with directly and strictly by the District

Administration.

3. Strict Observance of documentation norms at all level, especially includingATRs. Defaulting authorities to be routinely penalised as per norms of Section 25

under NREGA.

4. Complaints and Applications to be dealt with the purpose of effectively

resolving the matter rather than disposing off the current task at hand by the

concerned authorities. On verification of the ATRs it was evident that some

complaints were not even properly verified on the field by the concerned

authority.

VI.URGENT ACTION REQUIRED FROM THE DISTRICTADMINISTRATION

1. Issue circular to the blocks to open new works in the panchayats.

2. Issue circulars to immediately conduct drives for opening accounts, issuing

new Job Cards and Passbooks and collecting work applications.

3. Swift action on due payments. Immediate clearance of payment back log in all

NREGA works.

4. Defaulting authorities to be regularly and effectively penalised. Please take

strict and immediate action on authorities who are found to be unable to perform

assigned task in prescribed timeframe in accordance with Section 25 of the

NREGA. (See last paragraph of Section III above)

NREGA Sahayta Kendra, Chattarpur1

1 This Interim Report has been prepared by Navjyoti Jandu and Usman Javed (NREGA Team Members,

Chattarpur 2009) under the guidance of Prof. Jean Dree and Dr. Reetika Khera.

Documents

9.3. Interim Report of NREGA Sahayta Kendra June 2009