Hingoli, one of the most backward districts in Marathwada region of Maharashtra, is witnessing a great step forward as people are holding the inefficient and corrupt local government accountable during last four months.

The struggle entered yet another phase when 6000 villagers marched Kalamnuri Block office in Hingoli district recently, questioning the  inaction by administration to implement National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). The protest continued for 6 hours in Block Office premises. The protesters demanded   immediate issue of NREGS job cards and beginning the work in villages, so that the unemployed families of poor villagers could get the minimum employment as NREGS act promises constitutionally.

As 6000 villagers from 35 villages began shouting slogans, the tempers went beyond control. The Block Officer, Pawar, was under severe pressure from people as well as Police. He came out and publicly apologized for indifferent & sometimes rude behavior by administration towards individual job seekers & agitating organizations. Block Development Officer, Sahu, confessed that he had received 27000 applications for job cards; the major chunk is coming through villages which are part of ITforSocialChange. Only 1100 job cards were issued within six months of scheme notification and no work was carried out in Kalamnuri. Sahu failed to give any further details.

This agitation was lead by ITforSocialChange volunteers, who awakened Hingoli by arranging Gram Sabhas in 12 villages. The young local leaders have strongly withheld the demand of IT enabled NREGS implementation in villages ever since. They believe that information and knowledge exchange within social networks of people is right way of assuring the delivery of minimum employment to people. They are creating mirror images of village problems by filling the databases of unemployed people and arranging laptop shows to get more and more people involved.          

This movement started on 1^st May, when the road before Kalamnuri Admin office was blocked by irritated agitators and police had to intervene to maintain law and order. Minimum 100 days for family and Rs 60 minimum wage became buzzwords in this arid area of non-irrigated agriculture. The laborers and unemployed youth are two sections of society, which are hit most in several months of non-occupation. On 15^th May, people became more aggressive against government officers and were not ready to leave them without fulfilling demands with due diligence, police had to arrest and detain 265 volunteers, and they were released after eight hours.

The administration buckled a bit after this much embarrassment, they invited Harshavardhan, the leader of organization; to share, educate and help them with implementation. The meeting was held on 17th May at Kalmnuri Block Office. BDO, Elected Block Representatives, Technical Committee Members and 60 Gram Sevaks (Village level Govt officer) representing 120 villages were present.

Various community leaders briefed the meeting on the rules of the scheme and rights of the people. It was found out, that Gram Sevak, most important node in villages for knowledge exchange on anything new, is in clout of power politics. Gram Sevaks needed stronger lobby to support  them. Some Gram Sevaks openly discussed systemic nexus of admin with feudal political powers. In addition, the indecision at the top level admin affects all implementation processes. Even the small issue like taking photographs for job cards can not be resolved. The district engineer, who was present in the meeting, was the one who makes and approves the plan; he had loads of other works to take care of.  The meeting recommended hiring retired engineers and young assistants – creating better technical support; also Gram Sevaks could appoint the temporary assistants to take care of additions in documentation.

In interaction with the press after this meeting, Harshavardhan told that the whole administration in Hingoli needed reforms to really take advantage of the big NREGS fund allocations, which have almost doubled the planned budgets of district. The lack of change management strategy is one of the biggest hurdles in empowering people through ambitious plans like NREGS. The administrative systems have almost become 'Knowledge Proof' and it needed to accelerate by speedy sharing of success stories in similar geographical and societal conditions elsewhere, network and replicate them across the district. Rajastan and Parbhani Success stories of NREGS implementation are arranged by ITforSocialChange as constructive majors. 

On lighter side, An American volunteer of Asha for Education, Rebecca Lakey,  who was the odd woman out in ITforSocialChange squad, received great attention and love by villagers. She began every meeting in the area by Marathi / Hindi words "Rashtriya Gramin Rozgaar Hami Yojana" and the crowds cheered her. She was invited as chief guest in marriage ceremony of grand daughter of reputed veteran leader and the propagandists of ITforSocialChange took this opportunity to convert this marriage ceremony into NREGS publicity. Rebecca was intimidated at times but her sincerity convinced and inspired women villagers to think positively about social action and "Rashtriya Gramin Rozgaar Hami Yojana"

Hingoli, flooded by torrential rains in last month, is again looking at NREGS as savior till the next harvests can bring the dead agriculture yet another life. Will –India, the Nation of 8% growth- be able to deliver remains to be seen!

- Harshvardhan may be contacted at mumbaikar100@gmail.com