Key results in Indore-Dhar JEEVIKA project villages in Jan 2013@JEEVIKA IDSSS Indore

After the orientation program on Forest Right Act (FRA) on 28/01/2013 in Khurda cluster, which was attended by forest officials (deputy ranger), the director of IDSSS, the local media, local leaders and selected farmers from both clusters who have penalty receipts (forest & revenue) of encroached land, has enhanced the process of obtaining land entitlement for the farmers. There are two lists of beneficiaries with the department, the one which is already passed but not allotted yet, and the second is the list of beneficiaries under process. This activity is the result of the orientation program on FRA.

One Gram Sabha meeting was organized at Balwari panchayat on 30/01/2013 at Dhani cluster. The purpose of the meeting was to highlight the need of extending the school building in the village and facility for providing drinking water to the children with in the campus in view of the increasing number of school going children. The meeting was presided over by the Sarpanch, Panches, four Govt. teachers, village leaders and 42 villagers. In the GS meeting the participants expressed their needs and problems. One issue was the irresponsible behavior of the Panchayat secretary who doesn’t attend any meeting of the Panchayat. The demand for extending the school building was accepted by the Pachayat authorities. Regarding the problem with the secretary, it was decided to inform the district authority for necessary action. Meanwhile VAT (Village Action Team) committee was formed in the village Balwari. VAT is formed with Panchayat leaders, teachers, community health worker and village larders. The roll of VAT group is decision making, planning, implementing and monitoring of development activities in the village. (List of VAT members)

An orientation program on Jeevika was conducted for the SVD Society brothers of Khurda seminary by the cluster and field coordinator

s. The orientation was quite successful because the participants volunteered to perform Nukkad Natak in the Jeevika target village at Kassi Kho on the topics of alcoholism and good governance. They have agreed to conduct more such awareness programs through Nukkad Natak in other target villages.

There was a public rally organized on 26th January, starting from village Kaparkheda to Khurda high school. Nearly 250 villagers including women, children, teachers, local leaders and farmers. The rally was taken out with banner and placards with massages on organic farming and environment protection. The rally was concluded in the school ground with great enthusiasm and the people have responded positively to the Jeevika project intervention in the area.

By JEEVIKA-IDSSS-Indore team