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SAMUHIK MARUDI SAMUHIK MARUDI PRATIKAR UDYAM-PRATIKAR UDYAM-BALANGIRBALANGIR (SMPU)(SMPU)

interprets interprets the maladies of the the maladies of the

DeprivedDeprived

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the highly saleable product of Balangir

 HUNGER OF THE

POOREST 

…. and it happens to be the epicenter of ‘Poverty’ and ‘Hunger’ for decades

 

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‘Hunger’ in Balangir – The ‘A’ Factor

Affordability Purchasing power

Availability Public distribution

Accessibility People’s participation

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Why chronic hunger ?•Breakdown of traditional coping

mechanisms - ‘reinventing grain banks’

•Changes in agro practices – 100 above traditional drought resistant seeds lost !!

•Loss of access and control over natural resources….by the poor and marginalized

•Bankrupt Policy Imagination without people’s participation and inefficient

implementation of the programs by an unaccountable bureaucracy and political

structure at all levels.

 

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Insecure livelihood resources

15%

25%

40%

20%

50%

30%

20%

0%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Population Land holding

Source: Lok Yojana in 326 villages in Balangir

Cultivable Lan d Holdin gs Big farmer

Small farmer

Marginal farmer

Landlesslabourers

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However, The Truth is that :

We have Poverty, but we are not a poor district.

We have illiteracy but we are not an illiterate district.

We have Problems but Balangir as a district is neither a problem nor a burden on the State.

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Restoring the Confidence of the

Marginalized Sections    CADMB attempts to reverse the “Brand Balangir” of the Past.

CADMB counters the perception of ‘POVERTY’ as an asset to be exploited and not a problem to be solved. Presenting the people of Balangir as poor has been de-emphasized under CADMB intervention.             

CADMB vigorously confronts the claim of the administration and of different charitable agencies that Balangir as a poor district needs and wants aid and help.  

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Our Perspective…• To Consider each and every

poor and marginalized as an active agent in the process of change rather passive recipient of dispensed benefits.

• Organizing and sensitizing the poor and deprived and excluded sections for the assertion of their rights through ‘Rights-Based Approach’ for involving them in a politicization process.

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BALANGIR : BASIC FACTS

Area : 6575 Sqkm ; 14 Blocks ; 285 GPs, 1792 villages

Population: 13 lakh ( SC: 15%, ST 23%)

Total cultivable land: 3.9 laks Hec.

Literacy : 55% Small farmers : 25%

Marginal farmers 42%

Agricultural labourers : 25%

One of 100 poorest districts

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The Paradox• Avg. Land Holding - 1.69 hect. (state avg.

1.34; yet 25% agricultural workforce is labourers

• Avg. annual rainfall 1200 mm ; yet only 3% land has protected irrigation

• Per capita food production 274 kg ; yet 90% people are below poverty line

• 6th largest food producing district ; yet 30% population is undernourished and 10% is seasonal migrants

• Multiethnic communities ; yet majority migrants are STs & SCs

• 2000 primary schools ; 1 teacher per 35 students ; 5 years of DPEP ; yet 45 % dropout

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Pauperising Issues • Frequent Droughts (1899, 1965,

1996,2000,2001,2003) • Migration : bonded labour, child labour• Social disparities - caste , class and

gender• Chronic Hunger : Starvation

& Distress Migration has remained as a

major form of Deprivation

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WHY DO THEY GO ?Impact of recurring droughts

•1899, 1965, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2003

Lost traditional coping mechanisms•Forest & NTFP, Irrigation, Agriculture

Deprivation from entitlements•Employment, wages, emergency relief, social/food security schemes

Exploitative money lending•Land alienation

FOOD INSECURITY

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Migration Map of Balangir

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To sum up…• Drought is man-made and the apparent

results are…• Lack of Land Rights• Lack of Access to and Control over Land and

local Resources leads to ……

• Food Insecurity• Food Insecurity Leads to…

• Distressed Migration• Distressed Migration Leads ‘Distress in

Migration’ and Violation of Fundamental Rights as well as Human Rights…

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Distress Migration : A Journey that begins in

‘Dark’ and ends in ‘Dark’

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WHO MIGRATE

•Dalits & Tribals

•Women & children

•Marginal & Small Farmers

•Landless Agricultural labourers

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FAR FROM THE LAND FAR FROM THE LAND THAT FEEDS ....THAT FEEDS ....

•About 40% of total migrants are landless agri. labourers

•28% are marginal farmers

•30% are small farmers

•2% are big farmers

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WHERE DO THEY GO•Andhra Pradesh

•Uttar Pradesh

•Maharastra

•Chhatisgarh

•Brick Kilns

•Carpet Industry

•Construction Sites

•Rickshaw Pulling & Gardening

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WHAT HAPPENS IN MIGRATION

•Distress sale of labour

•Unhygienic environment

•Restriction of Movement

•No-care for Left-behind relatives

–Old/Destitute, Children, Women

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VIOLATION OF RIGHTS•Inter-state Migrant Workmen’s Act 1979

•Bonded Labour System (abolition) Act 1976

•Child labour Act 1986

•Contract Labour Act 1970

•Minimum Wages Act 1947

•Workmen Compensation Act 1923

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And the SMPU intervenes And the SMPU intervenes ……

•Vision

Reduction of poverty through drought mitigation

•Mission

Enabling poor and marginalized people to exercise their rights on social justice, equitable sharing and optimal utilization of available recourses

•Goal

Checking chronic hunger

Reducing distress in migration

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• Institutionalising Lok Yojana (MLP) and REFLECT Processes

• Creating replicable sustainable drought mitigation models in the district

• Access to and Control over Resources • Checking Distress Migration• Strengthening people’s organizations

at micro and macro levels and facilitating network

• Ensuring participation of the marginalized in decision making of Gram Sabha

Scaling up in 2000

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Marching Ahead…Marching Ahead…Strengthening Migrants’ organizations

Formation of Migrants’ Labor Societies.

Ensuring education to migrant children

Providing legal literacy to migrants

Land for all landless

Increasing household food security

Institutionalizing micro level planning

Incorporating ICT in REFLECT

Strengthening local governance

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Existing StructuresVDAC (GMPC)

INEACH VILLAGE

CLC (AMPC)

INEACH

BLOCK

CDAC (KMPC)AT

DISTRICT LEVEL

Reflect Circles

&Circle level

Info. ResourceCenters (CIRCs)

Block ResourceCoordinators in

place&

Cluster Resource

Centers (CRCs)

PARTNERORGANIZATIONS

District Resource

Center (DRC)

PARTNERORGANIZATIONS

SMPUNETWORK

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NEED OF THE HOURLIVELIHOOD

•Land-based (Land for all Landless Poor)

•Forest-based (Control Over NTFP collection and Marketing)

•Non-exploitative Credit

•Employment Guarantee by State for all (Effective Implementation of NREGA)

ENFORCEMENT

•Migrants’ Organization

•Legal Literacy

•Legal Aid & Justice

•Inter-District Joint cell

•Children’s education

•Effective Implementation of RTI

•Transparent utilization of KBK grants / funds

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Fighting Poverty Together…

• Building Alliances of the Poor and Marginalized

• Larger Collaboration amongst the Development Actors and Groups

• Alliance Building among the members of the larger Civil Society

• Collective efforts towards eradicating ‘Capability Deprivation’ and ‘Entitlement Deprivation’

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How can we go ahead…• Greater Collaborations among

the intra and inter District Networks and Organizations

• Regular Sharing and exchange of ideas

• Extending solidarity concerning all issues affecting the lives and livelihoods of the poor and deprived cutting across the geographic boundaries

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Let us Fight Together…

• From TO-DAY onwards and as long as the last person

standing in the row has not been heard and has not asserted her / his basic

RIGHTS to Live Long and to Live Well…. Our struggle will

continue….