By Debabrat Patra and Naba Kishor Pujari
Phailin and its subsequent flood in the last year washed away almost everything of the sea coast side villages of Astaranga block of Puri. The trail of its damage and destruction impacted badly to the fisherflok communities as well as the beetelvine farmers who havelost maximum in terms of their livelihood. The cyclone left a deep scar in their minds but it could not block their path for recovery.During these six months of Phailin response programme, the women led community of Tandahar village of Sisuo Gram Panchayat have set example for others to make MGNREGA implemented in their village. Cyclone Phailin may have caused severe damage to their lives and properties but ultimatelycreated aspace for the community to rebuildand renovate village resources. The women with the male members from their families spared no efforts to solvelong standing crisis of water in their village through MGNREGA that they were cherishingyears before. ActionAid with its local partner Young India did a need assessment in the affected villages and looking at the severity of damage and destruction, they initiated Cash for Work programme to provide cash income of 50 days for the Phailin survivor families to meet their basic family needs. It is evident here to mention that the civil society consortium led by ActionAid and comprising PLAN, OXFAM, Christian Aid and ADRA with the financial support from European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO); providing early recovery support for the vulnerable populations who are affected by Phailin and its subsequent flood. As part of the project implementation, village disaster response Committee,comprised of seven members in the village was formed. Out of seven, at least four to five members were women. Physically challenged, single women were given priority to be in the committee. The role of the committee was to monitor Cash For Work, take decisions and to become active participants in all the processes that is being undertaken in their village through Phailin Response programme. The entire background of formation of such committee was to empower the women to come into fore and take decisionon what affects their lives. Soon after the committee formed,the beneficiaries were identified taking into account the severity of damage, loss and coping capacity to come out from that losses. Then, steps were taken immediately to provide humanitarian and early recovery support to the villagers. The villager committee decided to renovate water bodies with those 50 days Cash for Work. However, the villagers needed some more workdays to complete all water bodies renovated in their villages. It was then decided that the community can demand jobs under MGNREGA and complete the rest of the renovation work. The entire process of linking the Cash for Work beneficiaries to MGNREGA was facilitated by the agencies. The social mobiliser, who is being appointed to ensure facilitation of the early recovery support programme in the village created all groundwork so that the people can be linked with the scheme. The villagers were educated about provisions of MGNREGA. Subsequently, the village disaster response committee took the responsibility to start process to demand jobs under MGNREGA. They organized a village meeting a passed a resolution to demand jobs of hundred days for allthe job card holder of the village. The villagers had forgotten the last work they did under the Scheme. They have neither demanded for work nor were provided work; although they hold the card with them since last eight years. Earlier, it was a bit challenging for the staff to convince Panchayat officials for initiating NREGA work in the village. However, looking at the efforts of the community; especially the women members of the village, they were impressed and extended all their support so that NREGA work can be started as early as possible. All the seventy one applicants have got work withinfifteen days (as mandated in the Act to provide work against the job demanded) and now they are renovating the village ponds to solve water crisis for bathing and drinking purpose. The community has completed fifteen days of work, earned an income around two lakhs which enables them to start their lives afresh. “It’s worth working when the community takes such ownership and decides to create community resources. The role of the Gram Rojagar Sewak and other panchayat officials was also instrumental to make this work happen in the village,” said Mr. Bichitrananda Kalia, social mobiliser for the village. It’s good to see that the villagers could be linked to MGNREGA soon after the completion of Cash for Work which was our ideas to implement. The linking of Cash for Work Programme with the social safety net schemehas helped us to work in the community towards resilience in the aftermath of Phailin. Our involvement with the community was nothing but to facilitate all the process and create awareness among the villagers about the Act as part of our project. “It is these women who deserve all applause for theworkthey have accomplished. We are at least happythat women are coming to front anddemanding jobs under the Act. The role of women seems highly needed at a stage where participation of women in MGNREGA has gradually declined in Odisha said Mr.Debabrat Patra, who oversees thePost-Phailin disaster response programme in the state. While immediateimpactsof Cash for Work willimprove the food intake of the cyclone affected households, there are also great possibility of building the village infrastructure. These benefits seem to accrue more to beneficiaries of the marginalized and Dalit communities, as well as to those who would elsehinge oncasual labor, Mr.Patra added. It’s equally evident to mention the progress of implementation of MGNREGA in our state. The implementation of NREGA is challenging in some perspectives and needs to improve in order to meet the aspirations of the people. The Physical performance report of the state government reveals that, out of 1383897 households in Odisha demanded for jobs under NREGA, the percentage of households completed 100 workdays is only 3.72. It is low in comparison to Andhra Pradesh (8.5per cent), Bihar (4.4per cent) and Chhattisgarh (9.58per cent). The district level performance is also not encouraging in terms of 100 days completion of work. The Districts affected by the Phailin and its subsequent flood such as Ganjam (2.91per cent), Mayurbhanj (7.92per cent), Puri (8.5per cent) and tribal populated districts like Koraput (2.6per cent), Kandhamal (7.46per cent), Malkangiri (1.96per cent), Sundergarh (7.31per cent) and Nabarangpur (1.7 per cent) have also been not very impressive.The report also says that the expenditure in Odisha under MGNREGA in 2012-13 was Rs 1,181 crore and expenditure estimated for 2013-14 was Rs 1,515.79 crore. In this case, the effort of women of Tandahar village is praiseworthy. The women have broken the myth that they cannot take decisions at crucial junctures and challenged that their productive roles must be recognized in the society. During the disaster response programme, the idea was to bring women to the leadership position. Not only, should they participatebut also take decision in restoration of community resources which would bring power balance between males and females, said Mr.N.A.Ansari, social activist and President, Young India who has been fighting for the villagers’ rights from a long time. “It’s a beneficialschemein terms of securing livelihood basically for the poor, unskilled labourers and disadvantaged communitylike us. We would not have known about this Act unless Cash for Workwas started here. The implementing agencies helped us to realize the dream.We proved that nothing is impossible if we stand ahead for a good work to implement.This success will feed us to do more for the community as and when we catchthe scope,” cheeredMrs. Kanaka Behera; who needed it the most to run her family. The village story of Tandahar brings hope for many other neighboring villages who are now thinking of getting MGNREGA in their villages. In many villages like Chhenua, Katakana, Udayakani, people have started the process to demand job under the Act.
See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=50523#sthash.3vZDNJ3c.dpuf
Phailin and its subsequent flood in the last year washed away almost everything of the sea coast side villages of Astaranga block of Puri. The trail of its damage and destruction impacted badly to the fisherflok communities as well as the beetelvine farmers who havelost maximum in terms of their livelihood. The cyclone left a deep scar in their minds but it could not block their path for recovery.During these six months of Phailin response programme, the women led community of Tandahar village of Sisuo Gram Panchayat have set example for others to make MGNREGA implemented in their village. Cyclone Phailin may have caused severe damage to their lives and properties but ultimatelycreated aspace for the community to rebuildand renovate village resources. The women with the male members from their families spared no efforts to solvelong standing crisis of water in their village through MGNREGA that they were cherishingyears before. ActionAid with its local partner Young India did a need assessment in the affected villages and looking at the severity of damage and destruction, they initiated Cash for Work programme to provide cash income of 50 days for the Phailin survivor families to meet their basic family needs. It is evident here to mention that the civil society consortium led by ActionAid and comprising PLAN, OXFAM, Christian Aid and ADRA with the financial support from European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO); providing early recovery support for the vulnerable populations who are affected by Phailin and its subsequent flood. As part of the project implementation, village disaster response Committee,comprised of seven members in the village was formed. Out of seven, at least four to five members were women. Physically challenged, single women were given priority to be in the committee. The role of the committee was to monitor Cash For Work, take decisions and to become active participants in all the processes that is being undertaken in their village through Phailin Response programme. The entire background of formation of such committee was to empower the women to come into fore and take decisionon what affects their lives. Soon after the committee formed,the beneficiaries were identified taking into account the severity of damage, loss and coping capacity to come out from that losses. Then, steps were taken immediately to provide humanitarian and early recovery support to the villagers. The villager committee decided to renovate water bodies with those 50 days Cash for Work. However, the villagers needed some more workdays to complete all water bodies renovated in their villages. It was then decided that the community can demand jobs under MGNREGA and complete the rest of the renovation work. The entire process of linking the Cash for Work beneficiaries to MGNREGA was facilitated by the agencies. The social mobiliser, who is being appointed to ensure facilitation of the early recovery support programme in the village created all groundwork so that the people can be linked with the scheme. The villagers were educated about provisions of MGNREGA. Subsequently, the village disaster response committee took the responsibility to start process to demand jobs under MGNREGA. They organized a village meeting a passed a resolution to demand jobs of hundred days for allthe job card holder of the village. The villagers had forgotten the last work they did under the Scheme. They have neither demanded for work nor were provided work; although they hold the card with them since last eight years. Earlier, it was a bit challenging for the staff to convince Panchayat officials for initiating NREGA work in the village. However, looking at the efforts of the community; especially the women members of the village, they were impressed and extended all their support so that NREGA work can be started as early as possible. All the seventy one applicants have got work withinfifteen days (as mandated in the Act to provide work against the job demanded) and now they are renovating the village ponds to solve water crisis for bathing and drinking purpose. The community has completed fifteen days of work, earned an income around two lakhs which enables them to start their lives afresh. “It’s worth working when the community takes such ownership and decides to create community resources. The role of the Gram Rojagar Sewak and other panchayat officials was also instrumental to make this work happen in the village,” said Mr. Bichitrananda Kalia, social mobiliser for the village. It’s good to see that the villagers could be linked to MGNREGA soon after the completion of Cash for Work which was our ideas to implement. The linking of Cash for Work Programme with the social safety net schemehas helped us to work in the community towards resilience in the aftermath of Phailin. Our involvement with the community was nothing but to facilitate all the process and create awareness among the villagers about the Act as part of our project. “It is these women who deserve all applause for theworkthey have accomplished. We are at least happythat women are coming to front anddemanding jobs under the Act. The role of women seems highly needed at a stage where participation of women in MGNREGA has gradually declined in Odisha said Mr.Debabrat Patra, who oversees thePost-Phailin disaster response programme in the state. While immediateimpactsof Cash for Work willimprove the food intake of the cyclone affected households, there are also great possibility of building the village infrastructure. These benefits seem to accrue more to beneficiaries of the marginalized and Dalit communities, as well as to those who would elsehinge oncasual labor, Mr.Patra added. It’s equally evident to mention the progress of implementation of MGNREGA in our state. The implementation of NREGA is challenging in some perspectives and needs to improve in order to meet the aspirations of the people. The Physical performance report of the state government reveals that, out of 1383897 households in Odisha demanded for jobs under NREGA, the percentage of households completed 100 workdays is only 3.72. It is low in comparison to Andhra Pradesh (8.5per cent), Bihar (4.4per cent) and Chhattisgarh (9.58per cent). The district level performance is also not encouraging in terms of 100 days completion of work. The Districts affected by the Phailin and its subsequent flood such as Ganjam (2.91per cent), Mayurbhanj (7.92per cent), Puri (8.5per cent) and tribal populated districts like Koraput (2.6per cent), Kandhamal (7.46per cent), Malkangiri (1.96per cent), Sundergarh (7.31per cent) and Nabarangpur (1.7 per cent) have also been not very impressive.The report also says that the expenditure in Odisha under MGNREGA in 2012-13 was Rs 1,181 crore and expenditure estimated for 2013-14 was Rs 1,515.79 crore. In this case, the effort of women of Tandahar village is praiseworthy. The women have broken the myth that they cannot take decisions at crucial junctures and challenged that their productive roles must be recognized in the society. During the disaster response programme, the idea was to bring women to the leadership position. Not only, should they participatebut also take decision in restoration of community resources which would bring power balance between males and females, said Mr.N.A.Ansari, social activist and President, Young India who has been fighting for the villagers’ rights from a long time. “It’s a beneficialschemein terms of securing livelihood basically for the poor, unskilled labourers and disadvantaged communitylike us. We would not have known about this Act unless Cash for Workwas started here. The implementing agencies helped us to realize the dream.We proved that nothing is impossible if we stand ahead for a good work to implement.This success will feed us to do more for the community as and when we catchthe scope,” cheeredMrs. Kanaka Behera; who needed it the most to run her family. The village story of Tandahar brings hope for many other neighboring villages who are now thinking of getting MGNREGA in their villages. In many villages like Chhenua, Katakana, Udayakani, people have started the process to demand job under the Act.
See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=50523#sthash.3vZDNJ3c.dpuf
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