MOVEMENT TO INFORM RURAL WORKERS OF RIGHTS GIVEN THEM BY MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) AND UNIONISE THEM TO DEMAND AND RECEIVE THOSE RIGHTS.
In 1980 when analysis of the asset (land) based development model being implemented for farmers in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh by 'Young India Project' indicated that this model excluded landless or near landless peasants because of lack of assets, YIP turned to exploring other models of development which would be centered on SC, ST, and BC landless and small peasants.
Two interrelated approaches became unavoidable. One was to teach poor rural labourers various rights given them by the capitalist system because of political compulsions, and the second to organise them into unions (a rights given workers whether urban or rural by the constitution) to enable them to demand those rights.
Between 1980 and 1983 repossession of 1500 acres government land which were given illegally to friends of a local landlord by the revenue department became the objective of the first land struggle of an agricultural labour union formed in Chennah Kotapalli mandal of Anantapur district. Between 1983 to 2000 land struggles for government lands, temple lands, shotriam lands, land ceiling lands etc. were taken up and 78,000 acres were redistributed to landless union members in Anantapur and Chittoor districts.
Between 1984 and 2000 struggles for rights given under other government orders and Acts were also taken up:
1. 1984, G. O. Passed by Andhra Pradesh government ordered the revenue department to register lands or house site pattas given to the poor by the government either on joint names or on the names of women. 100.000 house sites were registered on the names of women.
2. Bonded labour Act.
3. Atrocities Act.
4. Child labour Acts.
5. Acts relating to violence on women.
In 1986 after having numerous meetings with our unions of agricultural labourers, it was decided to make their demand for right to work into a movement. We started the movement in Andhra Pradesh, but with demands from NGO’s of other states it was expanded to W. Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Orissa.
In 2005 National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was legislated . On 2nd February’ 2006 it was inaugurated in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh by P. M. Mr. Manmohan Singh and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. In September of 2006 Mr. K. Raju Principal Secretary of R. D. govt. of A. P. Asked Y. I. P. to organise the first social audit of NREGA works (now called Mahatma Gandhi NREGA), a detailed audit of 40 mandals surfaced two issues:
1. Frauds in some mandals
2. Total ignorance of rights given by MGNREGA among all of the MGNREGA job card holders in all mandals.
While government decided to focus on frauds, Y.I.P. decided to promote training of the MGNREGA workers in rights given by the Act followed by unionisation of the workers in order to enable them to demand & receive their rights. Between 2008 – 2010 YIP gave rights training to 1200 SSS leaders with government support in Anantapur district - admittedly a drop in the Ocean. But in those years Y.I.P.’s strategy to train – unionise – and demand started producing results.
In 2010 the government of A. P. under the leadership of the Principal Secretary R.D. Mr. Subramaniam brought into existence a Govt. – NGO organisation called APNA (Andhra Pradesh NGO's Alliance) which adopted YIP’s strategy as its working methodology. Andhra Pradesh is the first and the only state which is giving rights training to MGNREGA workers through NGO’s of APNA. It has also issued a memo accepting membership based MGNREGA workers mass organisations (e.g. unions) formed by APNA NGO’s.(Ms. Jayalakshmi Commissioner Rural Development memo 1283 dated 25/1/2011)
The government is making hard decisions to force MGNREGA machinery to honour the rights given under MGNREGA, with financial penalties to be imposed on those responsible for violation of rights given by the Act, e.g. payments to be made within a legally specified period of time, and delayed payments will earn daily compensations to be paid out of the penalties.
The next decision being considered is to bring concurrent MGNREGA monthly review and planning meetings under APNA - NGO’s. Andhra Pradesh is the only state, which is attempting to make MGNREGA into a rights driven Act.
Those interested to get detailed information on this movement can contact:
Narinder Bedi, Young India Project.
Email - youngindiaproject@yahoo.co.in
In 1980 when analysis of the asset (land) based development model being implemented for farmers in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh by 'Young India Project' indicated that this model excluded landless or near landless peasants because of lack of assets, YIP turned to exploring other models of development which would be centered on SC, ST, and BC landless and small peasants.
Two interrelated approaches became unavoidable. One was to teach poor rural labourers various rights given them by the capitalist system because of political compulsions, and the second to organise them into unions (a rights given workers whether urban or rural by the constitution) to enable them to demand those rights.
Between 1980 and 1983 repossession of 1500 acres government land which were given illegally to friends of a local landlord by the revenue department became the objective of the first land struggle of an agricultural labour union formed in Chennah Kotapalli mandal of Anantapur district. Between 1983 to 2000 land struggles for government lands, temple lands, shotriam lands, land ceiling lands etc. were taken up and 78,000 acres were redistributed to landless union members in Anantapur and Chittoor districts.
Between 1984 and 2000 struggles for rights given under other government orders and Acts were also taken up:
1. 1984, G. O. Passed by Andhra Pradesh government ordered the revenue department to register lands or house site pattas given to the poor by the government either on joint names or on the names of women. 100.000 house sites were registered on the names of women.
2. Bonded labour Act.
3. Atrocities Act.
4. Child labour Acts.
5. Acts relating to violence on women.
In 1986 after having numerous meetings with our unions of agricultural labourers, it was decided to make their demand for right to work into a movement. We started the movement in Andhra Pradesh, but with demands from NGO’s of other states it was expanded to W. Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Orissa.
In 2005 National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was legislated . On 2nd February’ 2006 it was inaugurated in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh by P. M. Mr. Manmohan Singh and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. In September of 2006 Mr. K. Raju Principal Secretary of R. D. govt. of A. P. Asked Y. I. P. to organise the first social audit of NREGA works (now called Mahatma Gandhi NREGA), a detailed audit of 40 mandals surfaced two issues:
1. Frauds in some mandals
2. Total ignorance of rights given by MGNREGA among all of the MGNREGA job card holders in all mandals.
While government decided to focus on frauds, Y.I.P. decided to promote training of the MGNREGA workers in rights given by the Act followed by unionisation of the workers in order to enable them to demand & receive their rights. Between 2008 – 2010 YIP gave rights training to 1200 SSS leaders with government support in Anantapur district - admittedly a drop in the Ocean. But in those years Y.I.P.’s strategy to train – unionise – and demand started producing results.
In 2010 the government of A. P. under the leadership of the Principal Secretary R.D. Mr. Subramaniam brought into existence a Govt. – NGO organisation called APNA (Andhra Pradesh NGO's Alliance) which adopted YIP’s strategy as its working methodology. Andhra Pradesh is the first and the only state which is giving rights training to MGNREGA workers through NGO’s of APNA. It has also issued a memo accepting membership based MGNREGA workers mass organisations (e.g. unions) formed by APNA NGO’s.(Ms. Jayalakshmi Commissioner Rural Development memo 1283 dated 25/1/2011)
The government is making hard decisions to force MGNREGA machinery to honour the rights given under MGNREGA, with financial penalties to be imposed on those responsible for violation of rights given by the Act, e.g. payments to be made within a legally specified period of time, and delayed payments will earn daily compensations to be paid out of the penalties.
The next decision being considered is to bring concurrent MGNREGA monthly review and planning meetings under APNA - NGO’s. Andhra Pradesh is the only state, which is attempting to make MGNREGA into a rights driven Act.
Those interested to get detailed information on this movement can contact:
Narinder Bedi, Young India Project.
Email - youngindiaproject@yahoo.co.in
VERY GOOD ACTION
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