Rerport: Social audit in Behender block, hardoi district

Report

SOCIAL AUDIT
of
National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS)
in Behender block, Hardoi district, UP

Conducted by Asha Parivar during 29 May to 5 June 2007

(1) The common villagers are not quite aware of the NREGA. In most cases even the Gram Pradhans are not aware about the legal rights of the people under this Act.

(2) Even if the Gram Pradhan, Village Development Officer or the Panchayat Mitra are aware about the Act, they do not educate the people. For example, they do not encourage people to apply for the Job Cards or for seeking work.

JOB CARDS

(3) Most of the workers do not possess the Job Cards. They are normally with the Gram Pradhans or the Village Development Officers. Sometimes the villagers are not even aware of the fact that Job Cards exist in their names. In Village Panchayat Atuka people complained that even though they had applied for Job Cards they were not getting them. In Village Panchayat Hiya 12 villagers complained that their Job Cards were taken away from them. In Village Panchayat Bada Gaon 15 villagers have given a written complaint that inspite of asking they were not being given the Job Cards. In Village Panchayat Hiya 12 villagers gave a written complaint that their Job Cards were taken away from them.

(4) The photographs on Job Cards have been invariably affixed with people's own money even though the cost was to be borne by the government. Names of not all the adult family members desirous ofworking, especially females, have been mentioned on the Job Cards.

(5) In a number of Panchayats Job Cards have been issued to only families close to the Gram Pradhan. Often these families do not require work under the NREGS. Genuine job seekers are not given Job Cards. As a result there is no official demand for work.

MUSTER ROLLS

(6) The number of days mentioned on Muster Rolls, as can be seen from detailed reports from social audits in village panchayats, are often exaggerated, siphoning off wages in the name of ignorant and unsuspecting people by putting their fake thumb impressions. Muster Rolls are hidden from the people in violation of the NREGA. Similarly, the payment of wages is not done at the work site in violation of the law.

BIAS AGAINST WOMEN AND DIFFERENTLY ABLED

(7) There is clear gender bias in allotment of work. The names of adult female members of the family desirous of doing work are not mentioned on the Job Cards nor do they get work even if they demand it.

(8) Similarly, the physically and mentally challenged individuals were also being discriminated against in allotment of work.

MINIMUM WAGES

(9) Complaints were received from workers in Village Panchayats Bidaura, Birauli, Hasanapur, Raison, Kahchari about non-payment of minimum wages. Only Rs. 50 or Rs. 55 per day were paid.

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES

(10) According to the law the works should be chosen keeping in mind the developmental requirements and need for providing employment to the people. However, in reality, it is the people's representatives and government employees who arbitrarily decide the priorities
to suit their vested interests.

(11) In a number of cases, old works were shown as new performed under NREGS.

(12) The Panchayat Mitras who have been appointed to help in the implementation of the NREGS are not being assigned their task properly. Some of them have not even seen Muster Rolls. It appears that the Gram Pradhan and Village Development Officers are avoiding involving the Panchayat Mitras in the task of implementing the NREGS properly.

(13) Drinking water, shade and first aid medical facilities were missing at most of the work sites. So were the boards describing the work at site.

(14) Contractors are still playing an important role in the execution of works even though the NREGA has prohibited them.

(15) In Village Panchayats Akbarpur Talhu, Atuka, Bada Gaon, Gauri Damampur, Kudauni, Raison, Samodha the elected Gram Pradhan was not performing the duty. In most cases husbands, sons, former masters or some other closely related men of Gram Pradhans were seen to be acting on behalf of the actual Pradhan.To read complete report, click here


Jagdish Verma, Ram Sagar Verma, Neelkamal, Keshav Chand, Jaishankar, Ram Bharose, Bhagwandeen, Chandralekha, Suman Gautam, Rambabu, Gayadeen Bharti, Ashok Bharti, Yeshwant Rao, Virendra Singh, Karan Singh, Jitendra Dixit, Srinivas, Ram Naresh, Kamal Kishore, Vinay Kumar, Mahendra Yadav, Chunni Lal, Manoj, Ajay Patel, Usha, Mahesh, Arundhati Dhuru, Sandeep

Asha Parivar

A-893, Indira Nagar, Lucknow-226016

Ph: 0522 2347365, M: 9415022772,

e-mail: ashaashram@yahoo.com

*******

NREGS SOCIAL AUDIT – BEHENDER BLOCK OF HARDOI DISTRICT

29TH MAY TO 5TH JUNE 2007

Conducted by Asha Parivar

Report from field

1. Village Panchayat Akbarpur Talhu. The Muster Rolls for two works, link road from Pohkar’s orchard to Makka Kheda and from Babu’s house to Bahlolpur-Nasu road via Lord Shankar temple were found to be fake as these works have been performed earlier. Thus amounts spent on these works, Rs. 16,240 and Rs. 22,736, respectively, have been embezzled completely. All the Job Cards are with the Gram Pradhan. Chandra Kali Devi, the Gram Pradhan, doesn’t look after the Panchayat work herself. Gram Pradhan’s men terrified the workers so that no one was willing to speak out.

2. Village Panchayat Alawalpur. Because of lack of information not a single application for seeking work was filed by the villagers. No job cards have been made for women and disabled people. People have affixed the photographs on Job Cards at their own expense. Description boards about work, first aid medical facilities and Muster Rolls, in violation of the NREGA, were missing from the work site.

Name of work: Earth work from Sripal’s house to canal.

S.N. Name of villager No. Of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Ismail s/o Basheer 11 13

2. Nabbo s/o Rakho 12 14

3. Tejpal s/o Ayodhya Prasad 7 14

4. Jameel s/o Khursheed 10 12

5. Irfan s/o Muneer 11 13

6. Husseini s/o Mecca 10 14

7. Santosh s/o Cheda 7 14

8. Asharam s/o Chabile 11 14

9. Vasudev s/o Ramautar 7 13

10. Razzak s/o Mushahib 6 14

11. Shyam Sundar s/o Chabile 7 14

12. Vikram s/o Badlu 10 13

13. Ram Krishan s/o Bhikhari 12 14

14. Beche Lal s/o Param 14 16

15. Natha s/o Badlu 10 12

16. Bhagwandin s/o Raghuwar 11 13

17. Mahmood Ali s/o Mehboob Ali 12 14

18. Rudan s/o Choti 10 13

19. Sripal s/o Bhikhari 11 14

20. Makhan s/o Subba 12 14

21. Rohan s/o Bhudhar 7 11

Name of work: Link Road from Idgah to Gausapur.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Vikram s/o Narpat 10 20

2. Suresh s/o Sitaram 12 19

3. Niranjan Pal s/o Mulai 16 20

4. Karimullah s/o Rahman 10 13

5. Ismail s/o Wazeer 14 19

6. Minoo s/o Roshan 15 19

7. Om Prakash s/o Makhan 16 20

8. Hari Shankar s/o Makhan 12 18

9. Babu s/o Bahadur 14 20

10. Lal Mohammad s/o Raza Hassain 14 20

11. Nabbo s/o Rakho 14 18

12. Tejpal s/o Ayodhya 10 17

13. Jameel s/o Khursheed 15 17

14. Irfan s/o Muneer 12 19

15. Husseini s/o Mecca 14 19

16. Dwarika Prasad s/o Manohar 13 19

17. Santosh s/o Cheda 17 19

18. Asharam s/o Chabile 18 20

19. Vasudev s/o Ram Autar 12 18

20. Razzak s/o Mushahib 18 20

21. Babu s/o Bhabhuti 12 19

22. Shyam Sundar s/o Atar Chand 13 18

23. Vikram s/o Badlu 13 20

24. Chotkau s/o Khagga 15 17

25. Ram Kishan s/o Bhikhari 9 17

26. Beche Lal s/o Param 14 20

27. Bhagwandin s/o Raghuwar 14 17

28. Mahmood Ali s/o Mehboob Ali 13 20

29. Rudan s/o Choti 15 20

30. Sripal s/o Bhikhari 15 20

31. Makhan s/o Subba 18 20

3. Village Panchayat Asahi Azampur. People had given their photographs to the Gram Pradhan but most of them aren’t sure whether their Job Cards have been made. They have neither received the money for their photographs.

Name of works: Link road from Razzak Kheda to Pakhar Pati and link road from Razzak Kheda tri-crossing to Hasnapur.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Ram Gopal s/o Bihari 0 41 Inspite of giving his photo didn’t get JC. Thumb impression on MR even though can sign.

2. Rajaram s/o Makhan 0 41 Died in Sept. ’06 even then name shown on MR.

3. Ram Swaroop s/o Makhan 0 37 Wasn’t aware of a JC in his name.

4. Ghasite s/o Dhanna 10 39 JC with Gram Pradhan

5. Lokai s/o Dhanna 13 41 JC with Gram Pradhan

6. Ram Prasad s/o Dhanna 8 41 Son worked for 8 days. Got Rs. 50 per day.

7. Ratan Lal s/o Hemnath 0 41 Thumb impression on MR even though can sign.

8. Mansa Ram s/o Ranjeet 0 10 Wasn’t aware of JC in his name.

9. Munshilal s/o Prabhu 27 Inspite of giving Rs. 20 for the photograph didn’t get the JC.

10. Raju s/o Pritam 30 Inspite of giving his photo didn’t get JC.

11. Ram Naresh s/o Bhanu 15 Inspite of giving his photo one year ago didn’t get JC.

12. Rakesh s/o Shyam Lal 15 Doesn’t have JC.

13. Devendra s/o Bihari 30 Doesn’t have JC.

14. Shiv Prasad s/o Ramgulam 12 Doesn’t have JC.

15. Khageswar s/o Baktawar Has worked but JC has no entry.

4. Village Panchayat Atia. The workers did not have the Job Cards with them. They were with the Gram Pradhan. The villagers revealed that the only work for which Muster Rolls were made available to the social audit team was not done properly. Work shown has been construction of a road whereas in reality only repair of this road was performed.

Name of Work: Link Road from Atia culvert to Devnathpur border.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Phool Chand 0 21

2. Ram Avtar 0 19

3. Minnu 0 19

4. Rajesh 6 19

5. Rakesh 6 18

6. Afzal 8 21

7. Pramod 2 20

8. Munna 6 21

9. Patani 2 21

10. Shri Ram 7 21

11. Ramjivan 6 19

12. Arvind Kumar 1 19

13. Shri Ram 5 20 16 years of age.

14. Sobran 7 18 17 years of age.

15. Indraprakash 6 19

16. Vishambhar 5 19 Rs. 50 per day paid as wages.

17. Ramsahay 6 19

18. Chotey 6 18

19. Ramprasad 7 19

20. Nanahake 7 19

5. Village Panchayat Atuka. The workers did not have the Job Cards with them. They were with the Gram Pradhan. The Gram Pradhan Reeta Rawat lives in Lucknow with her husband and the panchayat work is managed her relatives. A number of people who are desirous of working are not being issued Job Cards. In the work of 1000 m. drain digging payment of wages have not been made. Sunil Kumar s/o Ram Nath worked for 11 days but hasn’t received his wages. His Job Card No. is 60178. Pramod s/o Ramu hasn’t received payment for 10 days. Similarly, Balram s/o Mahavir too hasn’t received his wages. There was no trace of work of tree plantation done from Primary School to Tikaram Khera.

Name of work: Link road from Tikaram Khera to Chandu’s house.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Rakesh s/o Jagrup 8 14 JC with Pradhan.

2. Guddu s/o Pyarelal 7 14 High School passed, can sign, but thumb impression shown.

3. Ramendra s/o Moolchand 8 14

4. Chota s/o Paragi 6 14

5. Pramod s/o Ramu 8 14

6. Kailash s/o Mitan 7 14

7. Balram s/o Mahavir 5 14

8. Mangu s/o Bhulai 8 14

9. Rampal s/o Chetram 6 14

10. Babu s/o Badlu 8 14

11. Rajesh s/o Raghuraj 6 14

12. Gangaram s/o Mohan 5 14 No entry on JC.

13. Niranjan s/o Ram Narayan 3 14 JC No. 60027.

Name of Work: Tree Plantation from Primary School to Tikaram Khera.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Gangaram s/o Bhagwati 6 7

2. Raju s/o Parsu 4 7

3. Pradeep s/o Shiv Kumar 3 7

4. Rakesh s/o Jagrup 4 7

5. Guddu s/o Pyarelal 6 7

6. Ramdas s/o Moolchand 5 7

6. Village Panchayat Bada Gaon. Instead of the work shown on MR a different work has been performed. The Gram Pradhan is Ramwati but her husband is in charge. Only 23 workers were willing to testify, remaining did not speak in front of the Gram Pradhan’s husband. When Mewa Lal s/o Ganga Prasad asked for work he was threatened. Most Job Cards have been kept by the Gram Pradhan’s husband. Genuine job seekers are not issued the Job Cards and neither given the work. 15 villagers have given a written complaint that their Job Cards are not being given to them.

Name of work: Drain desilting from Akbarpur to Jham Kheda.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Jaleel s/o Yaseen 8 17 Thumb impression on MR fake

2. Koon s/o Majeed 8 17 ,,

3. Khushi Ram s/o Lakshman 8 20 ,,

4. Chainu s/o Ghanai 8 19 ,,

5. Sundar s/o Chainu 8 18 ,,

6. Mahaveer s/o Ram Narayan 2 17 ,,

7. Prem Sagar s/o Babulal 3 19 ,,

8. Chandra Prakash s/o Raghunath 3 18 ,,

9. Jagatpal s/o Lakshman 3 19 ,,

10. Ram Khilawan s/o Jagnu 4 16 ,,

11. Jhaggu s/o Makhan 1 3 ,,

12. Beche Lal s/o Mede 2 16 ,,

13. Asharfi s/o Ram Bux 3 17 ,,

14. Munshi Lal s/o Chande 4 18 ,,

15. Sri Ram 0 19 ,,

7. Village Panchayat Bahlolpur. All the job cards were with the Gram Pradhan. It is an old work which has been shown as new.

Name of work: Earth work and brick road from Siddiquipur crossing to the door of Ram Lakhan.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Chatrapal s/o Hori Lal 4 8

2. Bhondu s/o Shivraj 5 30

3. Chailu s/o Pachcha 8 14

4. Sunil s/o Rajesh 1 4

5. Naresh s/o Ram Swaroop 5 37

6. Ayodhya s/o Keshav 0 2

7. Chandrapal s/o Prahlad 0 12

8. Awdhesh s/o Mishri 4 9

9. Girija s/o Munnilal 0 8

10. Tika Ram s/o Parsu 0 12

11. Rajesh s/o Pachcha 0 9

12. Pappu s/o Guru 0 12

13. Sushil s/o Raj Kumar 0 13

14. Suraj Pal s/o Murali 0 15

15. Ram Kishore s/o Ram Charan 0 16

16. Buddha s/o Badlu 0 16

17. Sone Lal s/o Maiku 0 13

18. Om Prakash s/o Ram Charan 20 24

19. Munne s/o Sukhrati 10 14

20. Suresh s/o Ram Charan 20 24

21. Shailesh s/o Surya Pal 18 22

22. Kallu s/o Keshav 0 22

23. Shiv Pal s/o Ram Gopal 0 22

24. Rakesh s/o Matai 0 22

25. Santu s/o Ganga 0 22

26. Ram Khilawan s/o Hori 8 22

27. Mushtaq s/o Shera 0 22

28. Ram Shankar s/o Ram Swaroop 15 22

29. Lalta s/o Raghubir 15 22

30. Sundar Lal s/o Siya Ram 10 22

8. Village Panchayat Behender Khurd. None of the villagers possessed their Job Cards. When they ask the Gram Pradhan for it, he says that the Pradhan is supposed to keep all the job cards. The Gram Pardhan, VDO and the Panchayat Mitra have done nothing to make people aware about the NREGA. Two women and four physically challenged persons have given a written statement that even though they were interested in working they have been denied Job Cards.

Name of work: Drain desilting from Chandela to Gaurela.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Ram Jivan s/o Bhikhari 25 28

2. Munna s/o Rajaram 10 12

3. Radhey s/o Bhikhari 4 12

4. Gangaram s/o Devi 5 7

5. Ram Autar s/o Kanhai 6 8

6. Raj Kumar s/o Shivram 9 12

7. Bhagwandin s/o Chedi 8 15

8. Kamlesh s/o Rajaram 18 28

9. Ram Bilas s/o Sriram 7 11

10. Sarvesh s/o Rajaram 6 8

11. Ram Balak s/o Bhikhari 15 27

12. Daya Shankar s/o Darshan 13 16

13. Gaya Prasad s/o Bhagirath 0 12

14. Devi Gulam s/o Bishambhar 0 12

15. Bode s/o Sarju 0 12

16. Vinod s/o Rampo 0 12

17. Ramu s/o Ram Bharose 0 12

18. Bhaiyya Lal s/o Bahadur 0 12

19. Nand Kumar s/o Raghubir 0 12

20. Putani s/o Sarju 0 12

21. Putti Lal s/o Ram Autar 0 12

22. Sarvesh s/o Rajju 0 12

23. Mahesh s/o Babulal 0 12

24. Mihi Lal s/o Bhagirath 0 12

25. Sharafat s/o Suleman 10 12

26. Mahipal s/o Maiku 10 12

27. Dhurv s/o Radheylal 8 20

28. Range Lal s/o Bhagwandin 6 16

29. Shravan s/o Chanda 6 8

30. Anil s/o Narayan 3 20

31. Khushi Ram s/o Mansa Ram 15 36

32. Sripal s/o Radhey 6 20

33. Suresh s/o Ram Gulam 6 28

34. Narayan s/o Fakire 13 20

Name of work: Brick road from the door of Sarju to north going outside village.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Shivdas s/o Chotelal 7 10

2. Narayan s/o Hiralal 0 10

3. Ramjeevan s/o Bhikhari 8 10

4. Gangaram s/o Devi 8 10

5. Ram Autar s/o Kanhai 0 10

6. Ram Sagar s/o Bhagwandin 5 10

7. Rajkumar s/o Shivram 4 10

8. Bhagwandin s/o Choti 4 10

9. Ram Bilas s/o Shriram 5 10

10. Sarvesh s/o Rajaram 8 9

11. Khalari s/o Rajaram 0 9

12. Ram Balak s/o Bhikhari 7 10

13. Bode s/o Sarju 0 10

14. Vinod s/o Rampo 0 10

15. Bhaiyya Lal s/o Bahadur 0 4

16. Nandkumar s/o Raghubir 0 9

17. Putani s/o Sarju 0 10

18. Mahesh s/o Babulal 0 10

19. Mihilal s/o Bhagirath 0 8

20. Dhruv s/o Radheylal 5 10

21. Mayaram s/o Moolchand 0 10

22. Khushi Ram s/o Mansa Ram 0 10

Name of work: Earth work and brick road from the door of Munish to the door of Shamshad.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Shivdas s/o Chote Lal 2 4

2. Narayan s/o Hira Lal 0 4

3. Suresh s/o Devi 0 4

4. Ramjeevan s/o Bhikhari 2 4

5. Munna s/o Rajaram 2 4

6. Gangaram s/o Devi 2 4

7. Challu s/o Jagatpal 2 4

8. Ram Sagar s/o Bhagwandin 3 4

9. Ram Bilas s/o Sriram 3 4

10. Sarvesh s/o Rajaram 0 4

11. Khalari s/o Rajaram 2 4

12. Ram Balak s/o Bhikhari 2 4

13. Manoj s/o Radhey Lal 3 4

14. Daya Shankar s/o Darshan 0 4

15. Sripal s/o Radhey 2 4

16. Mayaram s/o Moolchand 0 4

17. Khushi Ram s/o Mansa Ram 0 4

18. Suresh s/o Ram Gulam 0 4

19. Narayan s/o Fakire 0 4

9. Village Panchayat Bidaura. Villagers don’t have Job Cards. The Job Cards are with the Gram Pradhan. Wage payments were made at the rate of Rs. 50 per day.

Name of work: Link road from Main road to Rudra border

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Ramdutt 8 14

2. Changa 1 14

3. Ramdulare 12 14

4. Shivshanker 3 14

5. Santosh Kumar 8 14

6. Ram Prasad 6 14

7. Sanjay 5 7

Name of work: From Main road to Virendra Door

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Shivshankar s/o Sohanlal 0 7

2. Ramdutt 3 7

3. Changa 2 7

4. Ram Dulare 3 7

5. Ramprasad 3 7

6. Deshraj 6 7

10. Village Panchayat Birauli. The labourers have got Rs. 55 per day as wages. While labourers were being interviewed the Gram Pradhan and his father started threatening the workers as a result of which a number of them could not make their statements for record. All the Job Cards were with the Gram Pradhan.

Name of work: Road from the house of Kallu Pandey to Shiv Shankar.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Sajeewan 0 36

2. Nathuni 0 36 Works as tailor.

3. Bauwa 4 36 Literate.

4. Ram Sharan 3 36

5. Nokhai 8 36

6. Ram Dayal 5 36

Name of work: Road from Sarju’s field to Ballapur border.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Sajeewan 0 28

2. Ravindra 0 28 Literate.

3. Kallu 0 28

4. Vijay Pal 0 28 Lives in Ludhiana.

5. Baiju 15 28

6. Bal Krishna 22 28

7. Ram Kumar 20 28

8. Vishram 10 28

11. Village Panchayat Diwari.

Name of work: Desilting of drain from Kushal Khera to Gaudila Talab to Chamraha

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Ashok s/o Maiku 4 14

2. Bhahin s/o Kallu 0 14

3. Mannan s/o Moolchand 7 21

4. Kishanlal s/o Kushhar 6 14

5. Sonelal s/o Jagannath 8 14

6. Javed s/o Nanhe Hasan 7 14

7. Shravan s/o Maiku 8 14

8. Rambhajan s/o Hira 0 14

9. Bechelal s/o Lallu 0 14

10. Satnu s/o Nanhe 7 14

11. Shivkumar s/o Tulsi 4 14

12. Gangaram s/o Nanha 6 14

13. Suresh s/o Ramcharan 18 21

14. Sukhbir s/o Chandrika 10 14

12. Village Panchayat Gauri Damampur. Women are interested in working but because their names are not mentioned on the Job Cards they are not able to obtain work. No physically challenged person has got work either. The Gram Pradhan Shahrana’s son manages the village panchayat work on her behalf. His colleague Prakash Gupta has kept all the Job Cards with him and gives the work to his favourite people. Job Cards were with the Gram Pradhan. The work was being done by contractor. Attendance was taken on a register and not on MR.

S.N. Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Babu s/o Gajju 12 23

2. Naresh s/o Babu 12 16

3. Gaya Prasad s/o Nanha 6 14

4. Santosh s/o Angne 7 8

5. Irfan s/o Mangre 5 9 Got Rs. 50 per day as wages.

6. Mangre s/o Alaraju 6 21

7. Ram Singh s/o Vishram 9 21

8. Chandra Pal s/o Dhani Ram 3 14 Can sign but thumb impression put on MR.

9. Munshi Lala s/o Barati 10 18

10. Satti Prasad s/o Dhani Ram 16 18

11. Maiku s/o Sohan Lal 12 23 Got Rs. 50 per day as wages.

12. Virendra s/o Bihari 10 16

13. Bihari s/o Badri 5 9

14. Ghurai s/o Narayan 5 26

15. Sanjay s/o Ganga Ram 9 14

16. Uma Shankar s/o Ghurai 9 14

17. Bhagwandeen s/o Kehari 8 14

18. Rajesh Kumar s/o Shyam 9 Got only Rs. 200.

13. Village Panchayat Ghughera. The workers did not have the Job Cards with them. They were with the Gram Pradhan.

Name of work: Digging of drain from Maida Talab to Jusu Talab.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Hemraj s/o Maiku 12 18

2. Ramesh s/o Moolchand 10 20

3. Tula s/o Mulla 10 18

4. Manoj Kumar s/o Bechelal 10 20

5. Md. Shabir s/o Shabir 0 21

6. Navi Haider s/o Shakeel Haider 0 19

7. Raji s/o Allahrakhu 0 17

8. Parwan Kumar s/o Bharose 5 20

9. Suresh Kumar s/o Babu 3 18

10. Gangacharan s/o Khagesur 0 18

11. Kallu s/o Farnand Ali 0 18

12. Jakir s/o Hajari 0 17

13. Noorul Hasan s/o Maqbul Hasan 0 21

14. Anis Haider s/o Irshad Ali 0 20

15. Shafikul Hasan s/o Taqdeer Hasan 0 19

16. Shakir Ali s/o Bakar Ali 0 18

17. Ishtekhar s/o Karam Hussain 0 17

18. Shabbu s/o Kallu 0 18

19. Nadir Ali s/o Bakar Ali 0 21

20. Salamat Hasan s/o Allahrakhu 0 20

21 Ali Rehbar s/o Munne 0 17

22. Nabir Ali s/o Bakar Ali 0 20

23. Nadir s/o Hajari 0 21

24. Rakesh s/o Chaudhi 5 17

25. Hariprasad s/o Kadhile 8 14

26. Changaram s/o Khilawan 10 20

27. Deendayal s/o Amam 5 21

28. Ramprasad s/o Khagesur 0 18

29. Suhaib Haider s/o Quaiab Haider 0 18

30. Hemraj s/o Maiku 6 18

31. Mahavir s/o Maiku 10 18

32. Shivraj s/o Ramlal 0 17

33. Gangaram s/o Sarju 7 14

34. Dayaram s/o Banne 5 18

35. Maniram s/o Nandlal 0 12

36. Naresh s/o Moti 0 15

37. Ramcharan s/o Badlu 0 15

38. Ramkumar s/o Gayadeen 0 16

39. Banwarilal s/o Shivdeen 0 14

40. Ishrat Ali s/o Karam Hasan 0 19

41. Mauji s/o Deendayal 2 5

42. Harinam s/o Mihilal 1 3

43. Baldev s/o Ramprasad 0 4

Name of work: Drain desilting from Dubka Talab to Rithwe.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Ramesh s/o Moolchand 4 21

2. Tula s/o Mulla 18 21

3. Mansingh s/o Gangaram 6 22

4. Sunderlal s/o Bhagwandin 6 22

5. Lakshman s/o Mulla 17 21

6. Manoj s/o Bechelal 10 23

7. Mahender s/o Ramkishore 8 22

8. Ramlal s/o Maiku 10 23

9. Shri Ram s/o Cheda 0 21

10. Salman s/o Allahrakhu 0 23

11. Md. Razi s/o Allahrakhu 0 21

12. Anis s/o Irshad 0 23

13. Shakir Ali s/o Bakar Ali 0 21

14. Nadir s/o Bakar Ali 0 22

15. Istekhar s/o Karam Hasan 0 22

16. Ishrat Ali s/o Karam Hasan 0 22

17. Nandlal s/o Sarju 10 22

18. Nabir s/o Bakar Ali 0 23

19. Shabbu s/o Kallu 0 23

20. Jiohaider s/o Shafiq Hasan 0 21

21. Nankaunu s/o Bhima 8 22

22. Bechelal s/o Nankaunu 4 23

23. Kishan s/o Hajari 10 22

24. Hari s/o Bhagga 0 22

25. Ramvilas s/o Bhagga 0 21

26 Ramswarup s/o Chandrika 10 22

27. Babu s/o Chandrika 9 22

28. Thakur Prasad s/o Kalika 7 22

29. Vijay Kumar s/o Bhagwati 12 23

30. Vishveshwar s/o Ram Bharose 16 21

Name of work: Tree Plantation.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Chatarpal s/o Nanha 22 28

2. Pappu s/o Shyamlal 7 30

3. Shakir Hasan s/o Taqdeer Hasan 0 28

4. Anis Haider s/o Irshad Ali 0 30

5. Nurul Hasan s/o Maqbool Hasan 0 30

6. Ishrat Ali s/o Karam Hussain 0 28

7. Shakir s/o Hajari 0 27

8. Kallu s/o Harjung 0 29

9. Jagdish s/o Bhagga 0 28

10. Alok s/o Gokul 0 28

11. Hemraj s/o Maiku 12 29

14. Village Panchayat Ghuspahan. All the Job Cards were with the Gram Pradhan. The thumb impressions and signatures on MR are all fake.

Name of work: Brick road ahead from Prabhu Pasi’s door.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Ram Lotan s/o Meharban 16 24

2. Ram Das s/o Ramai 15 24

3. Munna s/o Parmeshwar 14 24

4. Khushi Ram s/o Gulzari 13 24

5. Udan s/o Fakire 11 24

6. Chanderpal s/o Jairam 10 24

7. Parmai s/o Jhinguri 9 24

8. Gopal s/o Puran 8 24

9. Muninder s/o Shobhran 7 24

10. Shobhran s/o Lekhan 23 24

11. Ram Kumar s/o Ram Prasad 23 24

12. Ram Pal s/o Darshan 23 24

13. Putan s/o Parmeshwar 16 24

14. Rajesh s/o Putti Lal 23 24

15. Vinod s/o Ram Pal 5 24

16. Asharfi s/o Bhudhar 16 24

17. Purushottam s/o Bulari 23 24

18. Chote Lal s/o Dhana 23 24

19. Shivnandan s/o Gauri 0 24

20. Kallu s/o Shankar 23 24

21. Ashok s/o Ram Gulam 16 24

22. Pyare s/o Dhana 23 24

23. Ramesh s/o Bhikha 23 24

24. Balak s/o Kallu 23 24

25. Ram Khilawan s/o Jairam 23 24

26. Mithilesh s/o Shyam Bahadur 0 24

27. Snehi s/o Shyam Lal 0 24

28. Sheetla s/o Khemman 16 24

29. Naresh s/o Kallu 15 17

30. Mohan s/o Bele 15 17

Name of work: Tree plantation.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Shukla s/o Shiv Ratan 0 11

2. Mohan s/o Bele 10 11

3. Vimlesh s/o Shyam Bahadur 0 11

4. Snehi s/o Shyam Lal 0 11

5. Ram Singh s/o Jairam 5 11

6. Shobhran s/o Lekhan 10 11

7. Muninder s/o Shobhran 9 10

8. Gopal s/o Puran 5 10

9. Khushi Ram s/o Gulzari 9 10

10. Ram Das s/o Ramai 9 10

11. Bele s/o Shankar 9 10

15. Village Panchayat Hasanapur. The Panchayat Mitra, whose job it is to help with the NREGS work, has been kept out of the scheme. The Job Cards were distributed just a day before the social audit team visited the village. The issue date of one of the Job Cards has been mentioned as 26/4/05. In this Village Panchayat Ram Autar s/o Gajraj has been issued a blank Job Card. The workers have been made payment at the rate of Rs. 50 per day.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Mahipal s/o Mitan 13 27

2. Chandrika s/o Hori Lal 9 27 Has not signed or put thumb impression on MR.

3. Angne s/o Gulab 5 27 ,,

4. Rajkumar s/o Kadhile 10 27

5. Kamta s/o Sundar Lal 7 27

6. Sumit s/o Putti Lal 10 27

7. Santu s/o Lalta 5 27

8. Ram Chandar s/o Angne 5 27 JC issued on 26/4/05.

9. Kamal Kumar s/o Sundar 7 27 Work was performed by brother Raju.

10. Ramu s/o Khanjan 5 27 Fake thumb impression on MR.

11. Bhagga s/o Munna 13 27

16. Village Panchayat Hiya. The workers did not have the Job Cards with them. They were with the Gram Pradhan Mallan Devi. When the social audit team was interviewing the workers, the fair price shop owner Krishna Kumar and a contractor, acting on behalf of the Gram Pradhan, abused the workers and threatened them for speaking out the truth. Nanhe Lal complained that one day when he arrived 15 minutes late on work site he was asked to go back. Dilawar s/o Sumer denied that he has ever worker even though his names figured on the Muster Roll. Prabhu s/o Ghasite and Ram Pal s/o Ghasite worked for 13 and 12 days, respectively, but haven’t got either their wages or their Job Cards. A total of 12 villagers submitted a written complaint to the social audit team about their Job Cards being taken away from them. Some children were also found to be working at a pond digging site.

Name of work: Road from Karaundi Khera to Jariyari.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Sonelal s/o Guddu 0 20

2. Ramesh s/o Chotelal 0 22

3. Pappu s/o Chotelal 16 25

4. Gayaprasad s/o Munna 0 22

5. Chotelal s/o Sukuru 0 26

6. Munna s/o Gajju 0 18

7. Hannu s/o Gajju 0 21

8. Ramsagar s/o Gajju 0 20

9. Shyamlal s/o Ramdin 0 25

10. Shri Kishan s/o Budhai 0 23

11. Shiv Prasad s/o Shivlal 0 24

12. Badlu s/o Shyamlal 0 24

13. Thakuri s/o Pohkar 0 25

14. Rajender s/o Shyamlal 0 26

15. Makrand s/o Narpati 10 25

16. Shrupal s/o Siyaram 0 26

Name of work: Brick road from Lakshman Chaupal’s to Jodi Chaupal’s.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Kamta Prasad s/o Lekhai 0 5

2. Makrand s/o Narpati 0 6

3. Birendra s/o Mangali 0 5

4. Shyam s/o Ramdin 0 5

5. Md. Ali s/o Maula 0 5

6. Rasali s/o Minna 0 6

7. Ravi s/o Maiku 0 7

8. Ramesh s/o Ramdayal 0 5

9. Thakuri s/o Badlu 0 7

Name of work: Link road from Rajesh’s house to Subba Khera.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Rajpal s/o Ghaseete 0 10

2. Dilawar s/o Sumer 0 9

3. Nanhelal s/o Durjan 0 10

4. Kanhaiya s/o Mulla 0 11

5. Shri Pal s/o Ramlal 0 9

6. Rajesh s/o Subedar 0 10

7. Majnu s/o Ramlal 0 11

8. Laiku s/o Gajodhar 0 12

Name of work: Link road repaired from Shivpal’s field to Karaundi Khera.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Shri Pal s/o Reoti 0 31

2. Gajnu s/o Ramlal 0 28

3. Rampal s/o Ghaseete 0 29

4. Prabhu s/o Ghaseete 10 25

5. Phoolchand s/o Ghaseete 0 28

6. Kanhaiya s/o Mulla 22 29

7. Ramesh s/o Ramlal 15 32

8. Shri Pal s/o Ramlal 22 27

9. Rajesh s/o Subedar 13 29

10. Ramesh s/o Baldev 25 32

11. Ramswaroop s/o Reoti 18 29

12. Ramlotan s/o Moolchand 0 33

13. Rasali s/o Minna 3 32

14. Abbas s/o Minna 8 25

15. Ahmed Ali s/o Maula 0 29

16. Rishi s/o Maiku 14 27

17. Jagdish s/o Baiju 0 29

18. Kamta s/o Lekhai 10 29

19. Ramavtar s/o Gokul 0 30

20. Ghurai s/o Bhudhar 3 23

17. Village Panchayat: Jahidpur. The length shown in records is 1060 m. whereas in reality it is only 1029 m. out of which 410 m. has been constructed earlier with Block Panchayat funds. Of the workers interviewed only two possessed their Job Cards. People were fearful of speaking the truth because of the Gram Pradhan.

Name of work: Link road from Shankar’s house to the river.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual day No. of days on MR Comments

1. Virendra Kumar 0 27

2. Raghubir 0 27

3. Vinod Kumar 8 26 JC shows 19 days of work.

4. Balram 9 27 JC shows 20 days of work.

5. Harikaran 3 27

6. Ram Lal 11 27 Rs. 400 remains to be paid.

7. Mihi Lal 10 26

8. Kamlesh 10 27

9. Suresh 10 27

10. Ramu 10 26

11. Raghubir 11 27

12. Bhagirath 8 27

13. Basant Lal 11 22

14. Ram Khilawan 6 27

15. Ramesh 6 27

18. Village Panchayat Jaraha. About 20 villagers who are outsiders, have migrated to cities or are between 65 and 75 years of age were shown to have performed work on Muster Rolls. People were not informed by the Gram Pradhan of VDO that they have to formally ask for work.

Name of work: Earthwork and brick road from Prabhu’s house to Sriram’s house.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Ram Kumar s/o Maddar 10 14

2. Kallu s/o Nanhu 5 14

3. Hari s/o Chotai 6 14

4. Sadhari s/o Angnu 10 12

5. Sripal s/o Jagnu 10 14

6. Bhaiyya Lal s/o Churai 8 14

7. Nokhe s/o Bhagwati 9 13

8. Kallu s/o Sadhari 8 14

9. Chetram s/o Natha 6 13

10. Deshraj s/o Ramdeen 5 14

11. Puran s/o Mathura 10 14

12. Sundar Lal s/o Gangadhar 8 14

13. Putti Lal s/o Nanha 7 13

14. Jawahar s/o Bhabhuti 6 14

15. Jilal s/o Bhabhuti 6 13

16. Surji s/o Nanha 7 13

17. Bhoop s/o Bhabhuti 7 13

18. Moolchand s/o Mahaveer 6 13

19. Bablu s/o Motilal 6 13

20. Ramcharan s/o Baldev 0 13 80 years of age.

21. Jahur s/o Bahadur 0 12 Works outside as a driver.

Name of work: Earth work and brick road from behind Junior High School to Dr. Vijay Maurya’s house.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Sadhari s/o Angnu 6 16

2. Bhaiyya Lal s/o Churai 8 14

3. Kallu s/o Sadhari 10 14

4. Deshraj s/o Ramdin 10 14

5. Puran s/o Mathura 12 15

6. Jilal s/o Bhabhuti 6 14

7. Murali s/o Devidas 6 9

8. Mewa Lal s/o Lallu 0 10 Well off family.

9. Ram Swaroop s/o Maiku 0 5 Works at a brick kiln.

10. Kamlesh s/o Shivlal 0 16 Works in a factory.

11. Mukaddar s/o Bagulibaaj 0 19 Doesn’t live in village. Roams around.

12. Raju s/o Maiku 0 10 Works at a brick kiln.

Name of work: Earth work from Raghuwar’s field to Matru’s field.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Ram Kumar s/o Maddar 10 14

2. Kallu s/o Nanhu 6 13

3. Sripal s/o Jagnu 5 17

4. Bhaiyya Lal s/o Churai 10 13

5. Nokhe s/o Bhagwati 9 13

6. Chetram s/o Natha 6 13

7. Putti Lal s/o Nanha 6 9

8. Jawahar s/o Bhabhuti 7 13

9. Bhoop s/o Bhabhuti 7 14

10. Moolchand s/o Mahaveer 7 13

11. Bablu s/o Motilal 10 14

12. Chote s/o Girija Shankar 0 14

13. Ram Kumar s/o Mishri Lal 0 13

14. Raj Kishore s/o Ram Swaroop 0 13

15. Baburam s/o Gurudeen 0 12 Possesses 10 bighas of land, tractor, motorcycle

16. Dhyan Das s/o Rampal 10 14

17. Mahendra Singh s/o Mardan Singh 0 14

18. Uday Pratap Singh s/o Bachan Singh 0 13 Cousin of Gram Pradhan

19. Ram Kishan s/o Devideen 0 14 Works as carpenter in Mumbai

20. Shiv Charan s/o Sundar Singh 0 11 Possesses land, gun, motorcycle

21. Sageer s/o Bagulibaaj 0 11 Doesn’t normally live in village

22. Jaleel s/o Bagulibaaj 0 11 ,,

23. Anees s/o Bagulibaaj 0 10 ,,

24. Gurucharan s/o Sukha 0 10 Works at a brick kiln.

19. Village Panchayat Kahchari. All labourers received only Rs. 50 per day as wages. In this village the maximum number of work given to any labourer is for 7 days as against the guarantee of 100 days in the year. Only 8 villagers out of 150 who have been issued Job Cards have got work for 55 person days only. As a result the average work given to a worker in this panchayat during the year is 0.3. The Job Cards have been issued to only people who are close to the Gram Pradhan, most of whom do not need work under NREGS. Hence there is no demand for work. Genuine job seekers have been denied Job Cards.

Name of work: Soling lying from Lalta’s house to Chatrapal’s house.

S.N. Name of villager No. Of actual days No. Of days on MR Comments

1. Balak s/o Mulla 7 7 Received on Rs. 50 per day as wages.

2. Tulsi Ram s/o Cheda 7 7 ,,

3. Shiv Ratan s/o Moti 7 7 ,,

4. Suraj Pal s/o Prakash 7 7 ,,

5. Kanhaiya Lal s/o Kalika 7 7 ,,

6. Rajneesh s/o Ram Sewak 7 7 ,,

7. Ram Gulam s/o Moti 7 7 ,,

8. Mulhe s/o Durjan 6 6 ,,

20. Village Panchayat Kakendua. All thumb impressions and signatures on muster roll are fake. Job Cards were with the Gram Pradhan. Not a single woman’s name listed on the Muster Rolls. Muster Rolls contain names of close relatives of Gram Pradhan who have not worked themselves in reality. Genuine job seekers have not been given Job Cards or work.

Name of work: Drain desilting from Chapuruwa to Harchala.

S.N. Name of villager No. Of actual days No. Of days on MR Comments

1. Ram Khilawan s/o Dullan 17 21

2. Jagdish s/o Jagan 8 14

3. Bharose s/o Dagru 11 12

4. Naresh s/o Nokhe 12 14

5. Bhailal s/o Chhotelal 14 21

6. Putti Lal s/o Prasad 11 14

7. Chhanga s/o Kheman 9 14

8. Ganga Ram s/o Jugga 13 21

9. Rakesh s/o Ram Autar 7 10

10. Jiyalal s/o Bhikhari 9 14

11. Gauri Shankar s/o Vijay Pal 7 21

12. Lekhai s/o Nanhu 17 21

13. Jagan Narayan s/o Chhotta 17 21

14. Rakesh s/o Kanhaiya Lal 15 28

15. Lal Bihari s/o Parmeshwar 17 21

16. Raju s/o Rachla 17 21

17. Ekbal s/o Amzad 21 28

18. Shyamu s/o Nattha 15 21

19. Nand Kishore s/o Nattha 20 21

20. Siyaram s/o Dullu 12 21

21. Raj Kumar s/o Balak 13 28

22. Hori s/o Prasad 13 20

23. Jodhi s/o Parmeshwar 13 21

24. Khusi Ram s/o Hirai 13 28

25. Ramesh s/o Ballar 5 7

26. Bablu s/o Shyamu 5 7

27. Kallu s/o Ratan 5 7

Name of work: Earth work from Canal to Diwan Khera.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Balak s/o Jhodha 0 17

2. Hira lal s/o Prasad 0 17

3. Nand Kishore s/o Nattha 14 17

4. Lalta s/o Teja 7 17

5. Shilu s/o Pappu 0 25

6. Pappu s/o Jagdish 0 24

7. Munne s/o Dulle 0 24

8. Irfan Ali s/o Sirdar 0 24

9. Nafis Ali s/o Nakhat 0 24

Name of work: Brick road and earth work from Jamalu’s house to the road going east.

S.N. Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Shilu s/o Pappu 0 10

2. Angnu s/o Nanhu 0 10

21. Village Panchayat Karlawan. The workers did not have the Job Cards with them. They were with the Gram Pradhan. Only one woman was given employment at a work site to provide drinking water to the remaining workers.

Name of works: Drain digging work from Rohi pond to Bada pond and earth work and brick road from Haji’s house to Jiman Kheda.

S.N. Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Raju s/o Shyam Lal 28 29

2. Gulzari s/o Kallu 15 51

3. Gangaram s/o Devi Prasad 28 29

4. Hanif s/o Sukhdeo 28 30

5. Om Prakash s/o Gangaram 15 51

6. Manmohan s/o Kallu 20 32

7. Makka s/o Sewa 20 21

8. Dipu s/o Girija Shankar 30 31

9. Gende Lal s/o Mohan 20 45

10. Mushtaq Ali s/o Abdul 20 21

11. Ghasi Ram s/o Bal Kishan 20 21

12. Ambar Pal s/o Dan Chand 20 33

13. Hemnath s/o Hira 20 33

14. Puttilal s/o Kallu 20 21

15. Naresh s/o Balak 20 34

16. Rambux s/o Baiju 20 34

17. Saroj s/o Ram Karan 20 23

18. Shayam Lal s/o Maiku 20 22

19. Kamlesh s/o Hira Lal 20 21

20. Sunder s/o Tula 20 44

21. Girjashankar s/o Chandrika 20 21

22. Bhagwandin s/o Dwarika 20 21

23. Munish s/o Subedar 20 38

24. Mangu s/o Kallu 20 26

25. Budha s/o Chotle Lal 20 28

26. Mahavir s/o Pachcha 15 51

27. Inderpal s/o Sohan 20 39

28. Radheylal s/o Kallu 20 49

29. Shivram s/o Fakire 10 11

30. Manohar s/o Lakshman 10 11

31. Shivratan 10 11

22. Village Panchayat Kharika.

Name of work: Link road from Rajepal’s house to Nabiapur.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Munnilal s/o Udil 0 14

2. Bodhlal s/o China 0 14

3. Raj Kumar s/o Kallu 0 14

4. Manna Lal s/o Lalla 0 14

5. Kallu s/o Zalim 0 14

6. Shailendra s/o Shyam Lal 12 14

7. Rakesh s/o Lalta 12 14

8. Mangu s/o Jodhi 0 14

9. Ashok s/o Pancham 0 14

10. Jagroop s/o Ramnath 0 14

11. Deshraj s/o Sitaram 0 14

12. Manohar s/o Ram Swaroop 13 14

13. Vijay Pal s/o Sri Ram 0 14

14. Ram Kumar s/o Guru Sahai 0 14

15. Ram Asre s/o Ganga Ram 0 14

16. Khushi Ram s/o Ram Swaroop 0 14

17. Ram Balak s/o Bhagwati 0 14

18. Chedi Lal s/o Vishwanath 13 14

19. Raj Kumar s/o Guru Sahai 0 14

20. Bhagwandeen s/o Madari 0 14

21. Balak Ram s/o Nanda 0 14

22. Premchand s/o Raghuwar 0 14

23. Sanjay s/o Khemal 0 14

24. Gaya Ram s/o Shiv Ram 0 14

25. Ram Pal s/o Shiv Ram 0 14

26. Gaya Prasad s/o Devi Gulam 0 14

27. Chote Lal s/o Chetram 0 14

28. Sujit Kumar s/o Devi Gulam 0 14

29. Bramha s/o Chote Lal 0 14

30. Babu s/o Badlu 0 14

31. Matole s/o Babu 0 14

32. Jairam s/o Kadhile 0 14

33. Rajesh s/o Pancham 0 14

34. Chote Lal s/o Mangu 0 14

35. Ranghunandan s/o Sukhlal 12 14

36. Vimal Kumar s/o Gajodhar 0 14

37. Shravan s/o Hari 0 14

38. Uma Shankar s/o Ram Sahai 0 14

Name of work: Link road from Hiya road to Jariyari.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Sant Ram s/o Ram Dayal 12 14

2. Chandra Pal s/o Natha 0 14

3. Ram Khilwan s/o Chotu 0 14

4. Kamta s/o Kewal 12 14

5. Dulam s/o Natha 0 14

6. Nanhakke s/o Moolchand 0 14

7. Roop Chand s/o Bhagwati 0 14

8. Ram Nath s/o Sita Ram 0 14

9. Rajesh s/o Ram Swaroop 0 14

10. Amar Pal s/o Rajaram 0 14

11. Dashrath s/o Lala 0 14

12. Maheshwar Prasad s/o Vishram 0 14

13. Jagjeevan s/o Ram Nath 0 14

14. Rajendra s/o Lalta Prasad 0 14

15. Vishram s/o Sita Ram 0 14

16. Mansoor s/o Gani Ahmad 13 14

Name of work: Link road from Hiya main road to Jariyari.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Mangu s/o Hazari 0 25

2. Ramesh s/o Kishan 0 26

3. Ram Sewak s/o Dubari 0 26

4. Shivraj s/o Maiku 0 26

5. Siya Ram s/o Nanhakke 0 26

6. Sirdar s/o Hazari 0 26

7. Chote Lal s/o Sukhru 0 25

8. Rakesh s/o Ram Sewak 0 27

9. Ram Pal s/o Rupan 0 26

10. Gajodhar s/o Sripal 0 26

11. Chandrika s/o Angnu 0 26

12. Izahar s/o Mangu 0 25

13. Santosh s/o Ram Sahai 0 27

14. Beche Lal s/o Subedar 0 26

15. Bhullu s/o Sukhru 0 27

16. Babu s/o Gobare 0 27

17. Dayaram s/o Sriram 0 26

18. Ram Kishore s/o Kedar 0 25

Name of work: Brick road from the house of Suresh to house of Raheem.S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Shiv Raj s/o Maiku 0 8

2. Ram Kishore s/o Hazari 5 8

3. Daya Ram s/o Sri Ram 0 8

4. Santosh s/o Ram Sahai 0 8

5. Izahar s/o Mangu 0 8

Name of work: Brick road from the house of Moti to house of Raghunandan.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Uma Shankar s/o Bhola 0 7

2. Chote Lal s/o Mangu 0 6

3. Hemraj s/o Mangu 0 6

4. Makarand s/o Chaudhary 0 6

5. Dulam s/o Parasu 0 6

6. Mishri Lal s/o Mulla 0 6

7. Mihi Lal s/o Chauhary 0 7

Name of work: Brick road from Arjun’s house to the north of village.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Vishram s/o Sita Ram 0 7

2. Subhash s/o Lalchand 0 6

3. Rupendra s/o Bhagwati 0 7

4. Ram Nath s/o Sita Ram 0 7

5. Ram Balak s/o Bhagwati 0 7

6. Kishori Nanda s/o Bhagwati 0 7

7. Khushi Ram s/o Ram Swaroop 0 7

8. Chote Lal s/o Chetram 0 7

9. Ram Pal s/o Shiv Ram 0 6

10. Gaya Prasad s/o Devi Prasad 0 7

11. Kallu s/o Zalim 0 6

12. Shailendra s/o Shyam Lal 0 6

Name of work: Link road from Chamrahia to Godwa Bhoop.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Surendra s/o Hazari 0 14

2. Heera Lal s/o Prasadi 0 14

3. Kamlesh s/o Prasadi 0 14

4. Ram Kumar s/o Kallu 0 14

5. Shiv Kailash s/o Bhola 0 14

6. Chandar s/o Hulasi 0 7

7. Ram Prakash s/o Khanna 0 14

8. Chandrika s/o Minna 0 14

9. Tika Ram s/o Bedil 0 14

10. Arbi s/o Hazari 7 14

Name of work: Link road from Wazirabad to Alahar.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Jaipal s/o Gayari 0 14

2. Ram Kumar s/o Illa 0 14

3. Gajraj s/o Pancham 0 14

4. Kishan s/o Munnilal 0 14

5. Madari s/o Kadhile 13 14

6. Amarpal s/o Rajaram 0 14

7. Arabi s/o Hazari 0 13

23. Village Panchayat Kudauni. All thumb impressions and signatures on muster roll are fake. The Job Cards are with the Gram Pradhan. Gram Pradhan Ganga Dei’s husband Gaya Prasad, who runs the show here, revealed that because of dispute over sharing of ‘commission,’ the VDO and other officials were not preparing the work estimates. The present and the immediate past Gram Pradhans have been from village Hussainpur, hence the development works in Kudauni village have been neglected.

Name of work: Drain digging from Palia bridge.

S.N. Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Moolchand s/o Mohan Lal 20 24

2. Sukh Lal s/o Kalika 20 24

3. Jilal s/o Nanha 20 24

4. Ram Swaroop s/o Nanha 18 22

5. Ram Swaroop s/o Shivram 21 23

6. Chotai s/o Mathuri 20 24

7. Mangu s/o Hirai 18 24

8. Munna s/o Mathrui 20 22

9. Rakesh s/o Ram Autar 19 22

10. Kallu s/o Kalika 20 21

11. Rajendra s/o Fakire 20 22

12. Jagrup s/o Maiku 21 23

24. Village Panchayat Madar. Muster Roll is filled not at the work site but later by the Pradhan of the Village Development Officer. The entries of MR, JC and actual testimony of workers are all different from each other. In the drain desilting work only grass was removed superficially. Most of the villagers were not willing to speak out because of the fear of Gram Pradhan.

Name of work: Drain desilting from Usraila pond to Madar culvert and link road from habitation to Baiju’s field.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Rohan 4 13

2. Rajkumar 12 24

3. Ashok 11 16

4. Surendra 5 13

5. Sri Ram 9 16

6. Ram Pal 5 11

25. Village Panchayat Pilakhni.

Name of work: Link road from Asahi road to Pancham Khera.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Ashok s/o Jairam 10 14

2. Jaipal s/o Gulzari 6 14

3. Putai s/o Mehmood 0 14

4. Ramdas s/o Lallu 0 14

5. Radheylal s/o Lakshman 0 14

6. Chotte s/o Jagannath 0 14

7. Moolchand s/o Lokai 0 14

8. Mahesh s/o Bhogai 0 14

9. Ashok s/o Shanker 7 14

10. Ahibaran s/o Bhabhuti 8 14

11. Dubar s/o Kallu 12 14

12. Jeje s/o Horilal 4 14

13. Ramchandra s/o Nandlal 4 14

14. Daulat s/o Radhey 0 14

Name of work: Brick road between main passage to Natha’s House.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Bateshwar s/o Nandu 0 7

2. Vinod s/o Ramprasad 0 7

3. Brijlal s/o Rambaksh 0 6

4. Ramcharan s/o Pohkar 0 6

Name of work: Brick road from Asahi road to Chotte Maurya

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Shivpal s/o Sukhe 0 3

2. Jodhi s/o Baksh 0 3

3. Suresh s/o Pohkar 0 3

Name of work: Link road from Padari to Asahi road.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Suraj s/o Saharey 0 14

2. Rajkumar s/o Bhupat 0 14

3. Pappu s/o Nandlal 0 14

4. Chander s/o Babu 0 14

5. Kadhile s/o Mahadev 0 14

6. Prakash s/o Tilak 0 14

7. Ramsewak s/o Puttilal 0 14

Name of work: Link road from Asahi road to Govind Khera.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Raju s/o Shivprasad 0 8

2. Jagnu s/o Bhup 0 8

3. Rajesh s/o Kudari 0 8

4. Kamlesh s/o Shivram 0 8

5. Khushiram s/o Kishori 0 8

6. Ramsagar s/o Kundali 0 8

26. Village Panchayat Raison. The Gram Pradhan, Mulla Maurya, is not in control of the Panchayat which is actually controlled by his employer former Pradhan Kiran Gupta. The wages were paid only at the rate of Rs. 50 per day. The workers have affixed the photographs on the Job Cards at their own expense. Names of women are not mentioned on the Job Cards. In a pond digging work two supervisors were appointed for 15 workers. Some children were also found to be working. There are no boards with description at work sites.

Name of work: Link Road from Nanhakke’s house to Bandhua Mau road.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Tejpal s/o Jurakhan 0 13

2. Ramesh s/o Bechan 0 7

3. Shishu Pal s/o Hari Ram 0 16

4. Mahendra s/o Sripal 0 9

5. Chote Lal s/o Bechan 0 7

6. Chote Lal s/o Bhagwandin 0 16

7. Sher Singh s/o Bhagwandin 0 7

8. Satti Ram s/o Sita Ram 0 9

9. Bablu s/o Lalta 0 9

10. Ramdeen s/o Sripal 0 10

11. Kiran s/o Bechan 0 7

12. Rajendra s/o Jurakhan 0 7

13. Ashok s/o Ram Sewak 0 13

14. Nanhakke s/o Bechan 0 16

15. Vijay s/o Jurakhan 0 16

16. Gangaram s/o Diggaj 0 8

17. Jagdish s/o Tote 0 9

18. Shankar Lal s/o Gajodhar 0 7

19. Panchu Lal s/o Lalta 0 16

20. Chandra Gupta s/o Shyam Manohar 0 9

21. Babu s/o Deva 3 9

22. Manoj s/o Gulli 0 9

23. Chandrika s/o Lekhan 0 9

24. Rakesh s/o Gokaran 0 8

Name of work: Link road from Chetai’s field to Thakur Prasad’s field.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Ramdeen s/o Sripal 25 31

2. Radhey s/o Bechan 20 31

3. Kiran s/o Bechan 0 31

4. Jairam s/o Mangu 8 31

5. Anand Kumar s/o Ram Swaroop 6 31

6. Mahesh s/o Ram Bilas 18 31

7. Ashok s/o Ram Sewak 25 31

8. Nanhakke s/o Bechan 28 31

9. Vijay s/o Jorakhan 18 31

10. Chetram s/o Makka 25 31

11. Jagdish s/o Tote 21 31

12. Sushil s/o Rupan 8 31

13. Tejpal s/o Jorakhan 15 31

14. Ram Naresh s/o Madhai 20 31

15. Ramesh s/o Bechan 15 31

16. Shishupal s/o Bechan 8 31

17. Mahendra s/o Sripal 25 31

18. Raju s/o Panchu 25 31

19. Chote Lal s/o Bechan 25 31

20. Dilip s/o Ram Sewak 25 31

21. Chote Lal s/o Ramdeen 15 31

22. Sher Singh s/o Bhagwandin 25 31

23. Panchu s/o Lalta 20 31

24. Bablu s/o Lalta 22 31

Name of work: Road from the field of Om Prakash Deewan to the house of Mansa.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Tejpal s/o Jorakhan 0 16

2. Ram Naresh s/o Madhai 0 7

3. Ramesh s/o Bechan 0 7

4. Shishu Pal s/o Hari Ram 0 7

5. Mahendra s/o Sripal 0 7

6. Raju s/o Panchu 0 7

7. Chote Lal s/o Bhagwandeen 0 16

8. Ram Charan s/o Bechan 0 16

9. Panchu s/o Lalta 0 16

10. Bablu s/o Lalta 0 7

11. Ramdeen s/o Sripal 0 7

12. Kiran s/o Bechan 0 16

13. Rajendra s/o Jorakhan 0 6

14. Jairam s/o Mangu 0 5

15. Keshav s/o Lalta 0 7

16. Mahesh s/o Ram Bilas 0 7

17. Ashok s/o Ram Sewak 0 16

18. Nanhakke s/o Bechan 0 15

19. Vijay s/o Jorakhan 0 16

20. Cheta Ram s/o Makka 0 14

21. Jagdish s/o Tote 0 7

22. Anil s/o Rupan 0 15

23. Shankar s/o Gajodhar 0 7

24. Radhey s/o Bechan 0 7

Name of work: Link road from Lalta Pasi’s field to the house of Sundar Pasi.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Tejpal s/o Jorakhan 5 33

2. Ram Naresh s/o Madhai 8 26

3. Ramesh s/o Bechan 20 33

4. Shishu Pal s/o Hari Ram 25 35

5. Chote Lal s/o Bechan 25 31

6. Dilip s/o Ram Sewak 20 33

7. Chote Lal s/o Bhagwandeen 20 33

8. Sher Singh s/o Bhagwandeen 25 31

9. Ram Charan s/o Bechan 22 33

10. Panchan s/o Lalta 22 33

11. Ramdeen s/o Sripal 20 33

12. Radhey s/o Bechan 20 33

13. Rajendra s/o Jorakhan 22 33

14. Jairam s/o Mangu 0 33

15. Anant Kumar s/o Ram Swaroop 0 7

16. Keshav s/o Lalta 10 33

17. Mahesh s/o Ram Bilas 12 26

18. Ashok s/o Ram Sewak 23 33

19. Nanhakke s/o Bechan 18 33

20. Vijay s/o Jorakhan 15 33

21. Chetram s/o Makka 0 14

22. Jagdish s/o Tote 0 7

23. Shankar Lal s/o Gajodhar 15 33

27. Village Panchayat Rasulpur Aant. None of the provisions of NREGA are being followed neither do the villagers have much knowledge about the scheme. Some of the Job Cards were with the Gram Pradhan.

Name of works: Desilting of drain from Kudia pond to Mehndi pond, link road from Ram Singh’s field to Ram Sahai’s field, link road from Shubhan Kheda to Haroon’s field and drain and brick work from Ibabul’s house to Musharrat’s house.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Munshi Lal s/o Lachcha 13 36

2. Mahaveer s/o Lachcha 18 43

3. Keshav s/o Lachcha 0 21

4. Toteram s/o Jodhe 1 17

5. Uday Chand s/o Jeje 5 22

6. Raj Kumar s/o Chetram 16 21

7. Jagdish s/o Gayari 32 42

8. Rajkumar s/o Puran 1 21

9. Kallu s/o Bhopai 4 28

10. Ram Charan s/o Jilla 2 28

11. Ramu s/o Munni Lal 15 35

12. Ram Kumar s/o Shimma 18 35

13. Chandra Pal s/o Rupan 15 35

14. Pappu s/o Bhagwandeen 0 14

28. Village Panchayat Rasulpur Bamhnan. The workers did not have the Job Cards with them. They were with the Gram Pradhan. Fake Muster Rolls have been fabricated. The bricks used in road from Gopali’s house to Mahavir’s house are used ones whereas 18,000 new bricks purchased for Rs. 37,500 have been shown. This brick road has merely been repaired.

Name of work: Earth work from Balna culvert to Sirauli culvert.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Kamlesh s/o Jugnu 0 13

2. Rambahadur s/o Ramdayal 0 13

3. Nanhake s/o Ramdayal 5 13

4. Lalji s/o Mitan 5 13

5. Atul s/o Nanhe 0 13

6. Munnilal s/o Sri Kishan 3 13

7. Mahesh s/o Bhanu 5 13

8. Shri Kishan s/o Bandi 3 13

9. Jhabban s/o Ganeshi 4 13

10. Chandrapal s/o Babu 5 13

11. Changa s/o Ganeshi 3 13

12. Ramai s/o Lalta 5 13

13. Kunwar s/o Ganeshi 0 13

14. Deviprasad s/o Udda 0 13

15. Puran s/o Sukuru 0 13

16. Ramavtar s/o Guru 0 13

17. Gende s/o Horilal 10 13

18. Chandrapal s/o Babu 0 13

19. Sarvesh s/o Bhagwati 0 13

20. Kamlesh s/o Kalika 10 13

21. Kamlu s/o Gopali 10 13

22. Ganga s/o Shyamlal 10 13

23. Gayari s/o Birju 10 13

24. Shivprasad s/o Chetram 10 13

25. Rampal s/o Sukuru 1 13

26. Manoj s/o Maniram 10 13

27. Jagrup s/o Diggaj 0 13

28. Mahendra s/o Ghaseete 8 13

29. Mangu s/o Natha 10 13

30. Kamlesh s/o Banke 0 13

31. Sheetlu s/o Dwarika 9 13

32. Guddu s/o Mohkam 10 13

33. Chetram s/o Horilal 10 13

34. Vishnu s/o Tilak 10 13

35. Shailendra s/o Shivlal 10 13

36. Gayaram s/o Kalika 10 13

37. Radhe s/o Prabhu 10 13

38. Ramdevi s/o Hans 10 13

39. Amber s/o Mohkam 10 13

40. Shravan s/o Jakhu 0 13 Lives in Delhi.

41. Guddu s/o Cheda 10 13

42. Nanhe s/o Ramlal 10 13

43. Shivkumar s/o Bandi 5 13

44. Raju s/o Natha 10 13

45. Ramsingh s/o Basant 0 13

46. Naresh s/o Surajbali 4 13

47. Sunderlal s/o Chote 10 13

48. Jagdish s/o Nanha 10 13

49. Guru s/o Maiku 10 13

50. Guddu s/o Babu 0 13

51. Kesar s/o Diggaj 10 13

52. Madhav s/o Jakhru 10 13

53. Ramkhelawan s/o Bhagwati 0 13

54. Mahdeen s/o Rupan 10 13

55. Brij Bhushan s/o Chetram 10 13

56. Satish Kumar s/o Inder 10 13

Name of work: Brick road from Gopali’s house to Mahavir’s house.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Kamlu s/o Gopali 5 7

2. Jagrup s/o Diggaj 5 7

3. Mayaram s/o Kalika 5 7

4. Munni s/o Buddha 0 7

5. Guddu s/o Chedda 5 7

6. Radheylal s/o Prabhu 4 7

7. Satiprasad s/o Indal 5 7

29. Village Panchyat Samodha. All muster rolls were not made available. The muster roll for a pond digging work was not made available at all. Husband of the Gram Pradhan runs the show here. The payments of wages is done not at work site but at Gram Pradhan’s house.

Name of work: Brick road from the house of Dilla Gaddi to the house Babu Gaddi.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Siya Ram s/o Ram Swaroop 0 3

2. Gauri Shankar s/o Munni Lal 4 5

3. Ram Bilas s/o Munni Lal 3 4

4. Saddique Ali s/o Ali Mohammad 8 11

5. Sri Kishan s/o Mahadeen 4 5

6. Chote Lal s/o Ram Asre 5 7

7. Moti Lal s/o Ram Kishun 5 7

8. Shakeel s/o Zakir 4 6

9. Sripal s/o Bihari 5 7

10. Birender s/o Babu 2 4

11. Suresh s/o Ram Bharose 3 5

12. Munagu s/o Shiv Ratan 5 7

13. Islam s/o Jabir 5 7

14. Shravan Kumar s/o Bansi Lal 4 7

Name of work: Road from the field of Babu Pasi to the field of Ramesh Maurya.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on Muster Roll Comments

1. Juggi Lal s/o Gayari 8 14

2. Siya Ram s/o Ram Swaroop 8 13

3. Govind s/o Nanhu 8 14

4. Lalta s/o Sobaran 0 12

5. Inderpal s/o Nanku 8 12

6. Sita Ram s/o Sukh Lal 9 14

7. Ram Khilavan s/o Munni Lal 4 12

8. Daya Ram s/o Makhan 6 14

9. Saddique Ali s/o Ali Mohammad 10 13

10. Ranjeet s/o Ram Sewak 5 14

11. Sri Krishan s/o Mahadeen 8 14

12. Ram Lakhan s/o Dulari 7 14

13. Raj Kumar s/o Rameshwar 0 4

14. Chandrika s/o Gurudeen 6 13

15. Ram Gulam s/o Sukhlal 7 12

16. Beche Lal s/o Shyamu 9 13

17. Munagu s/o Shiv Ratan 8 14

18. Kamta s/o Anantu 8 14

19. Chatarpal s/o Chote Lal 9 14

20. Sone Lal s/o Bechu Lal 6 14

21. Telpal s/o Mahaveer 0 2

22. Shakir Ali s/o Malangu 8 14

23. Ramu s/o Rajaram 8 12

24. Pachcha s/o Fakire 6 12

25. Lalla s/o Becha 6 14

26. Anees s/o Siddiqui 8 14

27. Prem s/o Bachchu Lal 8 14

28. Narayan s/o Hari 9 13

29. Ikrar s/o Shamsher 6 14

30. Bhai Lal s/o Ramdeen 8 12

31. Sant Ram s/o Sundram 8 12

32. Hasmat Ali s/o Ali Sher 7 12

33. Kripali s/o Rajaram 5 11

34. Mansa Ram s/o Kishenu 7 11

35. Fatima w/o Ali Sher 4 9

36. Mohur Ali s/o Sabir Ali 8 14

30. Village Panchayat Sarehari.

Name of work: Brick road from the house of Gaya Prasad to the corner of Shambhu’s house.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Rajaram s/o Shankar 4 7

2. Sudheer s/o Sant Ram 3 7

3. Mukesh s/o Shiv Dayal 3 7

4. Ajay Kumar s/o Putti Lal 5 7

31. Village Panchayat Serwe. 200 m. long link road was constructed out of which 80 m. has been damaged because of dispute. The width shown in records is more than actual. The Gram Pradhan has given Job Cards to his favourite people and genuine job seekers have been denied Job Cards. Therefore, true demand for work cannot be assessed. On an average only 3.9 days of work has been given to people who have been issued Job Cards. Out of about 700 person days of work the share of women and physically and mentally challenged is zero.

32. Village Panchayat Shahpur Chamraha.

Name of work: Drain desilting from Danna Kheda pond to Sai river.

S.N. Name of villager No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Naresh s/o Ram Swaroop 5 16 Sign on MR fake.

2. Anil s/o Raghuvande 5 13 ,,

3. Mahendra s/o Jagatpal 7 16

4. Kallu s/o Mohan Lal 8 16

5. Gayari s/o Parmeshwar 3 16

6. Suresh s/o Beche Lal 12 16

7. Mahendra s/o Mohan 12 16

8. Mayaram s/o Ghasi 5 16

33. Village Panchayat Sidhwal Malihabad. Gram Pradhan Sarnam confessed that in the road construction work between Natwar Baba and Sidhwal Malihabad he had saved Rs. 3000 out of which he shared Rs. 1600 with the officials. He said that for 9 years he had provided his tractor free of charge to villagers and for the last 3 years his Bolero vehicle in order to win the election. Now he was reaping the benefits of his investment. Sushila Devi, physically challenged daughter of Dwarika Prasad, was denied work by the Pradhan saying that he didn’t have any work to offer for her. In this village panchayat Job Cards have been issued to Ram Chandra s/o Beche Lal as well as Beche Lal s/o Maiku, whereas the age of Ram Chandra has been shown as 35 years and Beche Lal as 48 years. The difference between the ages of father and son is merely 13 years.

S. N Name of villagers No. of actual days No. of days on MR Comments

1. Guddu s/o Noor Mohammad 23 JC with Gram Pradhan.

2. Ram Krishna s/o Chedalal No other family member’s name on JC.

3. Horilal s/o Bihari 5 9 JC with Gram Pradhan

4. Munshilal s/o Lakshman 17 23 Photo on JC with own money

5. Ram Babu s/o Ganga Prasad 11 Photo on JC with own money

6. Ghura s/o Cheda 11 9 days’ work shown on JC

7. Dala s/o Ram Charan 10 JC with Gram Pradhan

8. Rajkumar s/o Maiku 11

9. Ghanshyam s/o Maiku 15 JC with Gram Pradhan

10. Pallu s/o Dayaram 3 Was not allowed to work on fourth day.

12. Vinod s/o Tikaram 40 Photo on JC with own money.

13. Sarwar s/o Abbas 14 26 JC with Gram Pradhan.

34. Village Panchayat Sirauli. The Gram Pradhan Ram Asre Dixit has given a written statement that he was not given any money to meet the expenses for photographs of workers to be affixed on the Job Cards, hence workers had to spend their own money for this purpose.

Jagdish Verma, Ram Sagar Verma, Neelkamal, Keshav Chand, Jaishankar, Ram Bharose, Bhagwandeen, Chandralekha, Suman Gautam, Rambabu, Gayadeen Bharti, Ashok Bharti, Yeshwant Rao, Virendra Singh, Karan Singh, Jitendra Dixit, Srinivas, Ram Naresh, Kamal Kishore, Vinay Kumar, Mahendra Yadav, Chunni Lal, Manoj, Ajay Patel, Usha, Mahesh, Arundhati Dhuru, Sandeep

Asha Parivar

A-893, Indira Nagar, Lucknow-226016

Ph: 0522 2347365, M: 9415022772, e-mail: ashaashram@yahoo.com

Contact CNS

National Knowledge Commission: Notes before the meeting

Important note circulated by
National Knowledge Commission
before its meeting on 10 dec., 2007 in Delhi

Summary based on NKC consultations on School Education

The Prime Minister has repeatedly emphasised that ensuring quality school education to all is one of the most important priorities of this government, and the National Knowledge Commission has also recognised the crucial significance of this as the foundation upon which any further advances must be based. NKC has held a series of workshops around the country, addressing issues of quantity, quality and access in school education, and tried to involve a very wide range of stakeholders in the consultations.

There was a wide recognition that the primary responsibility for school education is borne by the state governments, and therefore any policy changes must be with the full participation and involvement of the states. Also, there is wide diversity across states in terms of progress towards achieving universal elementary education, and also diversity within states with respect to the quality of school education. Nevertheless, positive changes in systems of schooling that will ensure universal access to elementary education, wider access to secondary education as well as better quality and greater relevance of all schooling, will require the active involvement of the central government. Such involvement is necessary not only in the matter of providing resources but also in promoting organisational and other changes.

I. Quantity and resources

1. Substantially increased public spending is required for both elementary and secondary education.

There is a need to strongly endorse the speedy enactment of a central legislation that will ensure the right of all children in the country to good quality school education up to Class VIII. This should be extended to cover universal schooling up to Class X as soon as possible. A vibrant, good quality and universally accessible government school system is the basic foundation upon which the schooling system in the country must rest.

Therefore this must be supported with a financial commitment of the central government, in such a way as to ensure that the right to quality school education is provided to all children of the country, regardless of which state they are resident in. This necessarily requires a significant expansion of the resources to be provided to elementary school education. While the government has increased allocations for school expenditure, the amounts are still far below what is required to achieve universal school education of reasonable quality for all. This is even truer because of the need to upgrade the “Education Centres” that are operating in many states to proper schools that meet all the norms in terms of trained teachers, minimum facilities, etc. Therefore there is a substantial increase in central government allocation, including funds to be provided to state governments for elementary education, especially in those states where the gap is still very large.

At the same time, the importance of increased spending on secondary education is greater than ever before. There is a huge shortage of middle and secondary schools, which is one of the important reasons for the low rates of retention after Class V. Currently, secondary education is massively under-funded, which in turn creates not only absolute shortages but also problems of inadequate quality in many government secondary and higher secondary schools. The aim should be to reach universal secondary school education within a maximum of ten years. Given the demographics, this implies that expenditure on secondary schooling must be increased by several multiples within the next two years, indeed by seven times the current level if the CABE estimates are used. Currently, many primary schools are being upgraded to secondary school status, without provision of sufficient teachers, rooms and other pedagogical requirements, which severely comprises on the quality of such secondary education. The norms for secondary schools, which do include not only provision for specialised subject teachers but also for science labs, counselling etc., must be strictly adhered to when new schools are created and when primary schools are upgraded.

2. The norms for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan funds and other central schemes for school education are too rigid and must be made more flexible.

The current system of funds transfer and the accounting rules create unnecessary rigidities that often do not allow the state governments to use the money in the most efficient or desirable way, and also lead to less than complete utilisation of the budgetary allocation.

Some of these problems include:

• very rigid norms on unit costs and what is allowed in terms of spending, that do not recognise the diverse requirements of different states or particular regions;
• inadequate provisions for infrastructure such as buildings etc, especially for some states and cities, which leads to the creation of poor quality infrastructure;
• an inflexible accounting system that does not allow transferring funds across heads to meet particular or changing requirements, and therefore inhibits full utilisation and also prevents synergies from developing;
• insufficient allocation for repair and maintenance of infrastructure;
• treating rural and urban schools in the same manner even though the requirements are often very different (for example, urban government schools may require different infrastructure and facilities in order to attract students);
• treating all districts and geographical areas in the same manner regardless of the degree of backwardness, topographical conditions, etc. (This is especially a problem for schools in hilly or heavily forested areas or those with poor physical connectivity, for which per capita allocations are the same as for other more accessible areas);
• problems in the timing of fund transfer, as well as uncertainties in fund provision created by the insistence on matching funds and the fact that plan ceilings keep changing every year.

A less rigid and more flexible system of funds transfer and accounting that will allow for regional and other differences as well as changing requirements over time, and thereby allow state governments to use the resources in the most effective way is necessary. This recommendation is both for the SSA and for the planned SUCCESS programme for secondary education, and also for other centrally sponsored schemes relating to school education.

3. Illiteracy remains a major problem, and therefore literacy programmes cannot be ignored or given less importance. Expenditure on the National Literacy Mission must be expanded rather than reduced, and given a different focus.

The shift in policy focus from the National Literacy Mission to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has led to a declining emphasis on the need to ensure universal functional literacy. However, according to the 2001 Census, a significant proportion of the population - nearly half of all females and one-quarter of males - remains functionally illiterate.¹ This is a particular problem among women and those in backward areas and from marginalised social groups. Nor is the problem confined to older people. Around 30 per cent of the age-cohort of 15-35 years is functionally illiterate, since they were too old to benefit from the SSA and also slipped through the net of the literacy programmes. This is of great concern because such people will continue to be active citizens for the next half century and therefore must not be denied the capacities that come from being literate.

The following measures for improving literacy were discussed:

• Ensure greater funds for the NLM.
• Encourage the NLM to shift to creating Continuing Education Centres in both rural and urban areas that impart functional literacy that is of relevance and interest to those who are currently illiterate.
• Orient the post-literacy and continuing education programmes to the emotional, physical and psychological needs of adults rather than children, incorporating issues regarding citizens’ rights, human rights, sex education, health and livelihood;
• Use a variety of methods to ensure functional literacy, which combine more centralised schemes based on ICT and other new technology with continuous work at the local level based on a clear institutional structure. While new technologies such as ICT provide important new methods for imparting literacy in a short time, they necessarily have a limited role. They cannot be seen as stand-alone quick-fix solutions, but must be combined with other methods.
• Move to a sustainable system of literacy generation that does not rely on underpaid “volunteer” labour alone, which therefore involves budgetary provision for better remuneration for literacy workers.
• Create synergies between NLM and the proposed Skill Development Mission, while taking local needs and field requirements into account. For example, in some primarily agrarian economies, undue emphasis on industrial skills in ITIs may be incongruous horticultural and animal husbandry skills may be more relevant.

4. Early childhood education is extremely important and must be universalised. This requires either systematic extension of balwadis with trained staff to handle child pedagogy, or provision for one year of pre-schooling in all institutions of elementary education.

5. The collection and speedy dissemination of accurate and current data on schooling must be made a priority. It is necessary to create a complete database on schools and school-age children so as to track the actual coverage of schooling at different levels. Such data collection may be made an essential part of the fund allocation for school education, with appropriate institutional mechanisms.

India has an extensive and regular mechanism of data collection for primary education. However, its methodology and use leave much to be desired. For example, at present there is no reliable method for establishing which children are in schools. Data collection is too extensive, time-intensive and done almost entirely by teachers, rather than independent and specialised personnel. There is minimal cross tabulation, coordination and cross referencing of data. Results are revealed to administrators, schools etc. too late to be relevant - often several years after the survey takes place. It is immensely difficult even for stakeholders, as well as other concerned citizens, to access data lying with official sources, despite repeated requests.

It is necessary to have a system to provide reliable school education statistics which must be transparently formulated and freely available to all. It is necessary to incorporate into the funding for all school education, at central and state government levels, mechanisms for ensuring and streamlining data collection and use, make it more relevant for planning and implementation and more accessible for everyone. The following goals are relevant in this context:

• The process of data collection must be streamlined, made less time consuming and more relevant.
• A comprehensive mapping of schools and school children, so as to have accurate information on which children in which localities are enrolled, and attending which schools. This would also map out localities where there are high rates of dropout and/or non- enrolment.
• A tracking mechanism for all school children should be set up, to track their individual school going status, and progress in school. This would reduce problems such as no government schools available for particular localities or girls. A tracking mechanism will also facilitate checking for drop-outs and related problems, and allow for speedy interventions.
• Data collected for the purposes of planning must provide all the relevant information – for example, the number of rooms should also mention whether these are electrified; where availability of toilets is described, there should also be information on the availability of water in the toilets.
• Safeguards must be instituted against "creative readjustment" of data, which is a common problem given the structure of incentives and the fact that the data are most often provided by the teachers or school management.
• ICT must be integrated for data collation and management, wherever required. A local area network with digital entry provisions could be set up to make it easier for the teachers.
• The data thus collected must be freely available and easily accessible, provided on dedicated websites in addition to the usual means of publication.
• More specialized micro-level surveys and research should be commissioned. There should also be attempts to bring together other relevant research for easy access by practitioners.

II. Quality and relevance

1. Currently school education is highly segmented, even in government-run institutions, as a result of the parallel track of “education centres” in some states. These separate systems must be integrated to give all children access to schools of acceptable quality. This will require additional spending.

In a number of states, funds under various schemes (SSA, EGS and AIE) were used to create "Education Centres" (Shiksha Kendras) rather than proper schools. These typically involve "teachers" who are essentially local women who have just passed Class VIII (or even Class V in some cases) and are paid between Rs. 1000 to Rs. 3000 per month in the different states. They typically receive no training or a 2-week training at best, and may have to teach multi-grade classes often in single rooms. The proportion of children in such schools varies very widely, but the all–India average amounts to around 16 per cent of total enrolment in primary education. All such children are described in the official statistics as enrolled in schools, even though going to an Education Centre cannot be treated as school enrolment on par with the proper schools, and such instructors do not meet the required norms for teachers. Currently state governments allow these parallel (and deeply unequal) systems of schooling to continue to be run by different departments – “proper schools” by the Education department, and education centres under the panchayats and therefore by the Panchayat Department.

The need to integrate these two parallel systems must be explicitly recognised. This requires special budgetary allocations for upgradation and quality improvement of the Education Centres through better infrastructure, as well as intensive training of existing teachers and additional employment of adequate numbers of qualified teachers - all of which will have financial implications.

2. At the same time, planning for school education must take into account the ecology of education – the need to adjust school systems to agro-climatic and other local variations. This requires flexibility with respect to school timings, vacations, teacher recruitment – but without sacrificing quality. Norms for schools must recognise the possibility of regional and local differences as well as the particular requirements of certain communities, such as nomadic groups or tribal communities.

3. There is a multiplicity of management structures and government departments which creates confusion, unnecessary replication and possibly inconsistent strategies across different schools. There must be greater co-ordination between different levels of government on school education policy.

Currently schools are run or funded and monitored not only by the central and state governments, but also by different departments within state governments – the Education Department, the Panchayat Department, the Department for Tribal Welfare, the Department for Minority Welfare, etc. This creates overlapping and conflicting structures of authority, an excess of bureaucratic tangles, unnecessary replication of some activities (and even replication of enrolment in some cases!), different guidelines and differential standards for acceptable quality and other sorts of confusion. For example, in the rural areas of several states, the local Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) run parallel to the SSA-run Village Education Committee (VEC). The exact remit of each is not clear and the policy intentions of both become diluted in the process.

It is necessary to make systematic efforts to integrate or at least co-ordinate the activities of these separate management structures. The precise roles and responsibilities of each local level and state level department should be clearly specified, but even more than that, there should be some sort of pressure for these different bodies to work together as far as possible and provide a common and equal schooling. Education policy must be part of the integrated framework of decentralised planning.

In the day-to-day management of schools, it is also necessary to work towards segregating teachers from managers in the school administration.

4. There is need for a national body to monitor the quality of both government and private schools, to ensure that minimum standards are met.

Currently there is no systematic and continuous feedback on the actual impact and outcome of various educational schemes and initiatives, or the actual quality of education imparted in schools. There is a strong case for a testing body at the national level for quality assessment of schools. A results-based monitoring framework with due process indicators and outcome indicators needs to be evolved. This should be based on a short list of monitorable criteria. These should include fixed infrastructural requirements, enrolment and attendance, as well as outcome indicators such as learning levels achieved in certain basic areas such as language skills and numeracy, etc. Such a process of assessment needs to be applied to all schools – both public and private. However, the testing of students must not involve topics or questions that provide any incentives for rote-learning.

Since school education is largely a state subject, but it is also important to achieve minimum schooling norms at the national level, the institutional framework for this should be at the national level with state subsidiaries. The role of this testing body will simply be to provide information on the results of its assessments, with the state governments free to act upon this information.

The monitoring of private schools, in terms of ensuring a transparent admissions process, regulation of fee structures, as well as meeting minimum set standards for quality of teaching and infrastructure, also requires attention. There is currently no exact data on the numbers and enrolment of unrecognised private schools in the country, their fee structure or admissions policy, or their standards of infrastructure and quality. Private schools should become the subject of regulation and inspection within a set framework which is universally applicable.

5. The system of school inspection needs to be revamped and revitalised in most states.

The current inspection system is overburdened and inadequate, with a small number of inspectors required to cover a large number of schools, often spread over wide physical areas. The solution does not lie in simply expanding the system – rather, we need to develop systems to ensure meaningful monitoring. The strategy for the revitalisation of the school inspection system should include the following:

• The number of inspectors needs to be increased in many states, and they must be provided the facilities to undertake their activities properly, such as transport, communications devices, etc.
• The monitoring and inspection of schools must be separated from school administration, as the two functions require completely different orientations.
• Local stakeholders should be involved in the monitoring of schools, whether in the form of Village Education Committees, parent associations, or other such bodies.
• The criteria for inspection should also include minimum standards for quality.
• The inspectors themselves must be accountable in some way to the stakeholders of the area.

6. The dignity of school teaching as a profession must be restored, and at the same time there should be transparent systems for ensuring accountability of school teachers.

Teachers constitute the basic foundation of the school education system. However, there is a general decline in morale among school teachers, especially those in primary schools, and consequently it is no longer seen as an attractive profession for qualified young people. Two types of public perceptions, also propagated in the media and among officialdom, contribute to the low morale among school teachers: first, that anyone can teach and no particular pedagogical skills or training are required; second, that in any case most teachers do not work much, are frequently absent from school, etc. While the latter may be the case for a relatively small minority of teachers (as is the case also for most other professions) most school teachers are committed to their profession even if they have to function under very difficult conditions. However, they are also subject to many other pressures, in terms of political pressure, obligations to perform non-teaching duties, etc., which can prevent them from fulfilling their teaching duties adequately.

It is essential to ensure that qualified teachers are hired and provided with the necessary incentives to enable them to work better. The professional status of teachers should not be diluted, and all drives at recruiting untrained teachers must be checked, although it is important to allow for flexibility in recruitment of teaches for specific subjects such as art, craft and livelihood skills. The use of para-teachers must be treated as a strictly transitional measure until proper schools are established.

The imposition of a wide range of non-teaching duties, such as that of manning poll booths and collecting data for surveys etc., cuts into the available teaching time and also undermines the professional status of teachers. These activities should be shared out among a wider range of public employees or even those hired specifically for the purpose, and the burden of such work on teachers must be reduced. Specifically, unemployed local youth and recently retired people may be considered for such activities as far as possible.

The recruitment of teachers from the locality has many advantages, as they can become accountable to the community, and have added stakes in improving the quality of education in their schools. In cases where local language or dialect is different from the state language, teachers familiar with the local language are likely to make better teachers.

A major problem cited by many teachers in the government school system is that of frequent transfers. School teachers should be appointed to a particular location for a minimum fixed term of at least three years. (The specific case of attracting teachers to remote and backward areas is considered below under Access.) There should also be attempts to improve public recognition of the contribution of school teachers, through various incentives such as more local, state-level and national awards, etc.

It is also necessary to monitor the emoluments and working conditions of teachers in private schools, which vary substantially, and prevent exploitation of teachers by private school employers as far as possible.

However, in addition to improving the working conditions of teachers, it is also necessary to institute measures to provide greater accountability of school teachers not only to their superiors, but to students, parents and the local community. Currently, any mention of increasing teacher accountability is viewed with hostility and suspicion by teachers themselves. Such an outlook needs to be changed, and blame should not be placed on the shoulders of teachers, for faults of the system as a whole. Greater accountability of teachers to the community and the school, should be accompanied by a recognition of the concerns of teachers and allowing them more space to be active in school management and school activities. The actual administrative arrangements whereby this is done should be left to be decided at the state and local level. Systems of self-evaluation and peer evaluation of teachers should be encouraged.

7. The training of school teachers is extremely inadequate and also poorly managed. Pre-service training needs to be improved and regulated, while systems for in-service training require expansion and major reform in all states.

Both pre-service and in-service teacher training programs face major problems at present, at the national level and in almost all states. With respect to pre-service training, there is a proliferation of private colleges awarding the B.Ed. degree, and these are inadequately monitored or regulated. A significant proportion of those who receive B.Ed. degrees do so through correspondence or distance learning courses, which involve absolutely no practical exposure. In any case, classroom experience is underplayed in standard B.Ed courses. At the same time, the employment of ad hoc teachers and those without even high school diplomas as teachers in the parallel stream perpetuates the notion that it is not necessary for school teachers to have systematic and prolonged pre-service training.

In-service training shows problems of inadequate quantity, uneven quality, outdated syllabi, and poor management. A very large proportion of school teachers in the country have received no in-service training at all. In any case, many DIETs are currently understaffed, demoralised, and incapable of giving good quality training to teachers. In part, this is because teacher training positions are often occupied by those who have not themselves been school teachers. In many states the administration of DIETs is left to bureaucrats who view this as a punishment posting and have no pedagogical experience. Further, DIETs typically lack adequate infrastructural facilities. Even when in-service training is regularly held, there is no mechanism which can monitor the impact of in service teacher training courses on the subsequent teaching-learning process in the classroom. Most SCERTs themselves hire contract teachers since there are very few qualified and regular teachers and lecturers. These therefore find it difficult to supervise functions at the block level unless their numbers are greatly increased. Funds are needed from the central government for human resource development at this level.

The following steps may be undertaken for teacher training:

• Institutions providing pre-service teacher training and granting B.Ed degrees should be subject to the same higher education regulatory authority, and there should be adequate monitoring of the training provided by private organisations.
• The budgetary allocation for teacher training needs to be enhanced and made explicit, and central government provisions are required for this.
• State-level teacher training needs to be revamped in most states. The system of DIETs needs to be restructured. In some smaller states, there is a strong case for one state-level institution for teacher training. In other states, the DIETs need to be strengthened and undergo structural changes. The faculty of SCERTs, SIEs and DIETs must be expanded, and include experienced school teachers. The use of contract teachers must be kept to a minimum. In addition, the link between university departments and school teaching needs to be strengthened.
• The administrative hierarchies within DIET and SCERT have to be restructured, so that there is a clear separation of personnel engaged in administrative and academic activities. (This distinction is currently blurred in most states.)
• The teacher training course should not be seen in terms of a finite period of time, but as a process by which the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom can be regularly improved. Therefore there should be a mechanism for feedback and subsequent interaction between teachers and the training institutes, especially for pedagogical techniques that are new or require more continuous innovation from the teacher.
• In service teaching courses need to be incentivised, possibly by making attendance at and completion of such courses pre-requisites to professional advancement.
• There is need for curricular reform in both pre-service and in-service teacher training. The curriculum should be framed in ways that are directly relevant to teachers and the requirements of particular classroom situations, such as multi grade teaching, special needs of first-generation learners, etc. This means that curricula should be framed with greater inputs from teachers themselves, and their practical requirements in the classroom.
• ICT must be incorporated more fully into teacher training programs, which in turn leads to ICT being used more freely in the classroom.

8. Curriculum reform remains an important issue in most schools. School education must be made more relevant to the lives of children. There is need to move away from rote-learning to understanding concepts, good comprehension and communication skills and learning how to access knowledge independently.

Successive Commissions and Committees set up by the government have emphasised the need to make the curriculum more interesting, relevant, creative and useful for students. The National Curriculum Framework 2005 also clearly articulated such an approach. Nevertheless it appears that in a majority of schools across the country, a significant emphasis on rote-learning and memorising facts remains the norm. Also, there is evidence of children being overburdened with too much detail and an excess of scholastic requirements at the elementary level.

It is essential to make greater efforts to change the attitude to learning and knowledge. It has been noted in several states that learning results have improved considerably upon providing inputs for communication and comprehension in language and basic mathematical skills using activity-based and imaginative pedagogical strategies. The focus of primary schooling in particular must be on good language and communication skills, basic foundation maths and inculcation of self-learning and critical examination through innovative teaching methods. For language teaching in particular, there should be much greater emphasis on communication skills at a practical level.

It is also important to ensure that the curriculum contains locally relevant content that children can relate to their own lives. For example, in certain parts of the country (such as, but not only, the Northeast) the curriculum at both primary and secondary levels could also include training in disaster management, especially for floods, while in other parts of the country responses to earthquakes may be more relevant. In rural areas, horticulture and pisciculture techniques should be included in the syllabus.

To make secondary school education more relevant, and also address the problem of drop outs, Livelihood centres in secondary schools that would impart practical employable skills need to be established. These should not be treated as catering to a parallel stream, but should be provided to all students and integrated with the overall syllabus.

9. Changes in the examination system are required, especially at Board level but also earlier, to ensure that the pressure for rote-learning is reduced.

The current over-emphasis on details, memorising of facts and similar abilities rather than on understanding and accessing knowledge independently is reflected in the pattern of examinations. Board examinations in which marks are awarded based on the ability to recall lots of details or on rapidity of response or on the ability to do large numbers of sums in a limited period through practice in pattern recognition, are not sufficiently discriminatory and may end up providing misleading results. They also put pressure on schools to ensure that memory and pattern recognition skills are developed at the expense of genuine understanding.

This is also reflected in the pattern of annual examinations which many schools continue to run even at very junior classes such as Class III and Class V. Performance in such examinations then becomes the basis for choosing students who will be eligible for scholarships or gain entrance to Navodaya Vidyalayas and similar schools. Forcing children to undergo a large number of examinations in different subjects, with an emphasis on memory rather than understanding, must be discouraged at the primary level.

For curriculum reform to be successful, it is necessary to make major changes in the examination system. This applies equally to some of the national school boards (such as CBSE) and the state-level boards. It is also crucial to push for such reform in the annual examinations held by schools, where the testing must be focussed on language and comprehension, numeric and quantitative skills, and ability to use knowledge creatively.

10. New technologies, especially but not only ICT, should be used as much as possible to reduce costs, enable more effective use of resources, and provide wider exposure to students and teachers.

The use of ICT as a teaching and learning device needs to be more firmly incorporated into the classroom. Both teachers and students need to be far more familiar with ICT, and get practical experience of web based research. For this purpose computers need to be provided for on a much larger scale in schools, as well as connectivity and broadband facilities.

11. There is need for a web-based portal for teachers to exchange ideas, information and experiences.

A forum for teachers needs to be developed where they may interact, share experiences and ideas. This needs to be incorporated into teacher training programmes, and also provided generally for in-service teachers. A web-based teachers’ portal can play an important role as such a networking forum.

III. Access

1. Special strategies are required to ensure greater access to schools in backward regions, remote locations and difficult terrains.

There is a tremendous shortage of teachers and also great difficulty in ensuring minimum schooling infrastructure in some areas that have been historically deprived or have difficult topographical conditions. Distance and difficulty of physical access are important reasons for school dropout, especially in such areas. Sometimes it is also the case that such areas are inhabited by particular communities with their own language or dialect that is different from the state language. In order to ensure access to schools for children in such areas, special measures must be taken.

The following measures are necessary for such areas:

• Financial norms for schools in such locations must be different from those in more accessible areas, as they will require additional resource allocation based on particular conditions.
• Special incentives, including a financial incentive (such as a “hardship bonus”) need to be provided for teachers to take up jobs in such areas. Two different models may be considered – one based on recruiting local teachers on a permanent basis for a job in a particular school without transfer; and another based on a transfer policy that divides locations into hard/middle/easy categories and allows teachers to rotate among them at specified intervals. Ideally, there should be at least one local teacher and one non-local teacher to ensure some variation, local acceptability and quality.
• Residential arrangements must be made for teachers in such locations, by providing quarters next to or near the school. The cost of building such quarters should be factored into the costs of the school building.
• There are some geographical zones especially in mountainous regions, that are plagued by unique problems due to vast tracts of land, difficult topography, and a sparse and nomadic population. In such areas, well equipped residential schools should be set up instead of insisting on a school in every habitation. These schools must be equipped to look into the needs of very young children living away from their families.

2. Measures are required to ensure greater enrolment and retention of girl students.

The high dropout rate of girls especially from Class V onwards is a matter of great concern. One major reason, as noted above, is the sheer lack of secondary schools nearby, as parents are reluctant to send girls to travel long distances to school. However, social conditioning and other constraints also play a role. Some policies to address this include:

• Special incentives for girls in secondary education where these are required (they are not required everywhere), in addition to free textbooks and uniforms, such as bicycles.
• Girls-only schools especially in particular areas.
• An enhanced scholarship scheme especially for girls, with particular emphasis on girls from socially deprived groups.
• The need for separate and functional toilets for girls in all schools, with access to water, is very important, especially but not exclusively in urban areas.

3. Language issues must be explicitly taken on board in designing school curricula and methods of pedagogy.

Language has been found to be a highly alienating factor in the education of many school children, particularly amongst minorities, tribal communities with languages without a script, as well as linguistic minorities in most states. Many children resent the imposition of the state language as the medium of instruction, or as second language in school.

More teachers for teaching minority languages must be appointed in government schools to increase intake of children from minority language communities. Qualified teachers from the local community and therefore speaking the same language must be recruited on a larger scale, as a means of encouraging retention amongst those who feel marginalised, as well as a means of bringing greater community control in the school. This would also act as a boost to confidence, and provide role models to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

At the same time, some teaching of and in English seems to be universally desired, as it is seen an avenue for employment and upward mobility and enables the pursuit of higher education.

4. There is need to re-orient official strategies for ensuring better access of Muslim children to schooling.

Areas with Muslim majority population have tended to be overlooked in the implementation of government educational schemes. In addition, with a few exceptions, there has been less private initiative in this regard. As a consequence, Muslims as a community, fewer government schools, girls schools, and higher educational institutions. It is important to rectify this gap and ensure adequate public expenditure to ensure that the physical and social infrastructure for schooling is made available. This means that the government should have a minority component in all its school development schemes and budget outlays, which should be in proportion to the minority population.

The strategy cannot be based solely on more public resources provided to madrassas for their modernisation, as 96 per cent of Muslim children do not attend madrassas for schooling. Indeed, if the modernization of madrassa education is the only policy for increasing access for Muslim school children for a modernized education, it will only result in their being further isolated.

It is important to ensure that children from all minorities and socially deprived groups are not discriminated against in the process of attending school. This must be an active and concerted campaign, in which syllabi and curriculum are checked to avoid prejudice, teachers are sensitised and instances of discrimination are punished. This also requires grievance redressal mechanisms at the school level and also at higher levels.

5. The access of children from Scheduled Tribes requires more flexible and sensitive schooling strategies.

Tribal children face problems of inadequate geographical access, discrimination at school and issues of language, which have been discussed earlier but are especially relevant in these cases. All of these must be addressed at the local level as well as at the district and state level.

Every state should have an education policy for tribal and minority education, with a long term vision of eventual integration into the mainstream.

Tribal students have to compete with SC students, often at a disadvantage to the former.

Vocational education and training is doubly important in tribal areas, and efforts must be made to impart this at a larger and more mainstream scale in these areas in particular.

Rather than setting up separate schools for those who had dropped out because they felt discriminated against, teachers should be better sensitised to the needs of students from such communities, as well as the particular needs of first generation learners.

The issue of language is particularly important, and care must be taken to find and train teachers who can deal with children in their own language, rather than forcing them to adjust to the regional language.

6. Education of SC children must be a priority, but with the required flexibility and avoidance of discrimination.

The points made earlier with respect to discrimination are especially valid also for SC children, and must be addressed in similar ways.

In addition, scholarships should be increased and provided to much larger numbers of Dalit children, along with other provisions such as free textbooks up to Class X and other incentives.

7. Children of seasonal migrants require special conditions and efforts to ensure continuous access to schooling.

Seasonal and short-term migration is a major cause for early drop outs and non enrolment. In order to ensure that such children have access to a quality and complete education, their economic insecurity has to be taken into account while formulating educational schemes. Tent schools and mobile schools must be made a part of the urban landscape for migrant children, while rural school also have to be made aware of the need to admit migrant children. This requires a significant change in the way that school admissions and enrolment are carried out, as well as greater sensitivity, flexibility and effort on the part of the school administration, all of which require hard and soft resources. It is necessary to identify good practices in this regard which can serve as a model to be emulated elsewhere.

8. Labouring children require incentives and bridge courses.

Some sort of monetary stipend may have to be paid to labouring children to bring them into schools. In addition, synergies must be created with NREGA to look into school education concerns of labouring children. Pre-school systems like balwadis and anganwadis must be strengthened, so that a school going habit can be ingrained, as well as providing a space for small children to be cared for, while their elder siblings may go to school. Alternative Centres for Education must be utilised specifically to provide bridge courses aimed at different age groups and classes for drop outs. However, the use of Alternative Centres for Education must be no more than in a transition capacity. AIE should not become the only option for access to poor school children for a school education.

Study Centres must be provided for first generation learners and seasonal migrants as a space which is more conducive to learning than what may be available at home. These may also be used as community centres, libraries, etc.

9. Needs of physically disadvantaged children, as well as teachers, have to be factored in more thoroughly in provisions for school education.

School buildings must have provisions for access and navigation for the visually impaired, wheelchairs for the physically handicapped, etc. Residential schools for special needs students may also be established in remote areas.

There is a perception that government mechanisms may not be best suited to provide sustained and sympathetic support for learners with special needs and severely disabled children (such as the blind). In this context, it may be better to identify appropriate and willing institutions outside the government who may become partners.

¹ There is even a significant share of households which do not have any literate member. According to the NSSO, in 2004-05, in rural India 26 per cent of urban households had no literate member above the age of 15 years, and 60 per cent had no literate female member above 15 years. The corresponding figures for urban areas were 8.4 per cent and 19.5 per cent.

Open-letter-to-The-Hindu: Credibility at stake

OPEN-LETTER-TO-The-Hindu
Credibility at stake


We are writing this open letter to the editorial board of "The Hindu" to express our dismay at your coverage of recent events at Nandigram.

Most of us are regular readers of your paper. We have appreciated your balanced coverage of topics such as the Narmada Dam, Gujarat or the Agrarian Crisis. At least in our eyes, your principled reportage of these issues (and numerous others) has lent your newspaper an unusual
degree of credibility. We believe that your paper's articles carry enormous weight in moulding public opinion and policy.

It is therefore a cause of collective concern when this credibility gets damaged. We are particularly disturbed by the editorial titled "The Challenge of Nandigram" (12th Nov. 2007) which displayed a marked slant. Even granting merit to the editorial's contention that the
state government had to take steps to restore governance in the area, it seems beyond dispute that the methods adopted to do so were inherently incompatible with the rule of law in a democracy.

We cannot comprehend how a full length editorial could completely fail to take note of the unchecked violence by the CPM cadres, the curbs that were placed on independent reporting, the attacks on reputed activists like Medha Patkar, all of which seem to have been facilitated – or at least condoned - by the state. None of these well documented events have any place in a society governed by law, and should have occasioned strong comment.

We failed to see any critical editorial acknowledgement of these events, even after the chief minister had practically admitted having operated outside the law through remarks such as being "paid back in their own coin".

This stands in marked contrast to the way the governor has been singled out for supposedly impolitic remarks. This selective silence opens the Hindu to the charge of being partisan in
its outlook.

We also notice that, unlike many other issues of similar gravity, there has been a marked absence of centrepage articles on this topic.

One would have expected The Hindu to flesh out the differing points of view on this issue as well as the dimensions of the human tragedy.

By choosing not to do so, The Hindu abdicates its responsibility to its readers for fair and balanced reporting.

We would hate to see The Hindu be identified as a newspaper purveying party propaganda. It is important that the integrity of the newspaper be above all question. An erosion of The Hindu's credibility would be an immeasurable loss for journalism and for society.

Your Sincerely,

Academics from Harish-Chandra Research Institute Allahabad, Indian
Institute of Technology Bombay/Kanpur/Madras, Institute of
Mathematical Sciences Chennai, Jawaharlal Nehru University Delhi, Tata
Institute of Fundamental Research Mumbai.

(A complete list of signatories is given below.)

CC:
1. N. Ram, Editor-in-chief
2. N. Ravi, Editor
3. K. Narayanan, Readers' Editor
4. N Murali, Managing Director
5. Board of Directors

List of Signatories:
1. Prof. M Suresh Babu, IITM
2. Prof. Rahul Basu, IMSc
3. Prof. Enakshi Bhattacharya, IITM
4. Prof. Milind Brahme, IITM
5. Prof. Dhiman Chatterjee, IITM
6. Prof. Supratik Chakraborty, IITB
7. Prof. Om Damani, IITB
8. Prof. Rukmini Dey, HRI
9. Prof. Avinash Dhar, TIFR
10. Prof. Raj Gandhi, HRI
11. Prof. Debashis Ghoshal, JNU
12. Prof. Rajesh Gopakumar, HRI
13. Prof. Purushottam Kulkarni, IITB
14. Prof. P B Sunil Kumar, IITM
15. Prof. Arul Lakshminarayan, IITM
16. Prof. Shiraz Minwalla, TIFR
17. Prof. Sunil Mukhi, TIFR
18. Prof. Ram Puniyani, retired, IITB
19. Prof. Sudhir Chella Rajan, IITM
20. Prof. Mahendra Verma, IITK
21. Prof. Spenta Wadia, TIFR

Contacts:
1. Prof. Om Damani, ompdamani@..., 9323003401
2. Prof. Rajesh Gopakumar, gopakumr@... , 532-2567732
3. Prof. Shiraz Minwalla, shiraz.minwalla@...

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The root of violence

The root of violence
Dr Sandeep Pandey

(Published in The Indian Express, 4 December 2007. To read click here)

"In the biggest terrorist incident of UP so far, with the active participation of the government of the day which had decided to abdicate its constitutional responsibility that day, the demolition of Babri Masjid, judgement is still awaited"


In a press release issued from the CM office a day after the serial blasts in Faizabad, Lucknow and Varanasi there is a mention of unconfirmed speculation among the people that the blasts targeted the advocates as they have refused within the last three years to defend individuals accused of terrorist actions in these three cities. Lawyers have assaulted five men in Faizabad arrested after the attack on disputed site of Babri Masjid-Ram Janambhoomi in 2005, Maulana Waliullah in Varanasi arrested after the attack on Sankat Mochan temple in 2006 and the thee men arrested recently in Lucknow on charges of plotting an attack on Rahul Gandhi, when produced in local courts.

While no lawyer was willing to plead the case of accused in Faizabad and Varanasi and they had to be moved to distant courts, the hearing continues in Lucknow inside jail premises. In addition to these instances UP has been witness to unruly court room scenes where advocates raise slogans and manhandle people who they don't like. Acharya Jugal Kishore Shashtri of Ayodhya and colleagues arrested in January 2006 from a programme of Shudra Mahasabha on Periyar's birthday, charged under section 153A for having caused disrespect to some Hindu religious symbols, spent 3.5 months in jail merely because the sessions court was stormed by `Jai Shree Ram' shouting lawyers' brigade every time the case for their bail would come up for hearing.

Similarly, in the case of Hindu-Muslim marriages the lawyers, in various instances, have not been very kind to the couples. The lawyers in UP are in the habit of conducting trials even before the court can give its verdict. The indiscipline of lawyers is not just limited to courts. It is not long back when because of a minor traffic incident on a major crossing the lawyers brought the city to standstill. Although nobody would support the mindless violence unleashed on 23rd November, which also took the life of a 12 year old in Varanasi, and even considering these blasts have nothing to do with the behaviour of lawyers in and out of court rooms, it must serve as a grim warning to the community of lawyers that they cannot consider themselves to be above the law.

The question of terrorism is complicated. When I was asked by veteran socialist leader Surendra Mohan to join a citizen's defence committee for Syed Abdul Rehman Geelani, projected by the Delhi police as mastermind behind the attack on parliament in Decemebr, 2001, and already pronounced guilty by the media, I agreed to become part of the committee, even though I did not know Geelani because I knew that a number of people in this country are falsely implicated. I trusted Surendra Mohan ji's judgement. Geelani, sentenced to death by a POTA court based on a flimsy piece of evidence, was acquitted by High Court and Supreme Court.

The High Court judgement said there was no evidence to even remotely link him to the attack on parliament. I was happy not because our stand was vindicated but because Geelani was able to go back to his young wife and two little children. If it was not for the hard work of people like Nandita Haksar and Geelani's lawyers he would have probably been facing the same destiny as Mohammad Afzal. Moreover, Geelani also got the support of the teaching community of Delhi University. Now, how do we know that people mentioned above arrested as suspected `terrorists,' already indicted by the lawyers, are not innocents like Geelani?

Most of them are young Muslims, probably not very educated and hence not likely to get the kind of support that Geelani got, and if they do not get proper legal support how do we ensure that justice will be done to them? The lawyer friends in UP forget that it is their moral and professional responsibility that no innocent must get punished. In a landmark order passed on 26th November, 2007, by Hon'ble Judges Amar Saran and Vijay Kumar Verma, taking suo moto cognizance of the recent blasts, they have sought explanation from the government for security lapses as well as from the Bar Council of U.P. for professional misconduct by their errant members.

Somehow, unfortunately, only bomb blasts and Muslims have gotten associated with the notion of terrorism. In the biggest terrorist incident of UP so far, with the active participation of the government of the day which had decided to abdicate its constitutional responsibility that day, the demolition of Babri Masjid, judgement is still awaited. Actually, all the terrorist attacks – of the bomb blast kind – post date the Babri Masjid demolition in UP. And we never consider large scale corruption, scuttling of law, illegal encounter killings by police and military, violence against children and women, forcing people to live in situations of malnutrition and hunger as anti-national and criminal activities.

The kind of intolerance that the lawyer community has exhibited in the past, although the disease is symptomatic of the state of mind of larger society, is resulting in more violence in society. Mayawati may have ordered very strict security measures for court premises but it will not be sufficient for stopping future violence. We will have to introspect about the cause of this mindless violence. A society in which people are becoming intolerant of each other cannot be a secure place for anybody. We'll have to examine the politics which believes in spreading hatred based on religious and caste lines, socio-economic policies which ensure the divide between the rich and the poor and help it grow only bigger every day and the rampant corruption which denies people even the most basic rights like subsidized food grains as part of PDS or an old age or widow pension.

We'll also have to examine the philosophy of life in which relationships have ceased to matter less than the material things. In fact, material things have stated defining our relationships. A society which will not respect an individual as a human being cannot hope to exist as a peaceful society.

Dr Sandeep Pandey

(The author is a senior social activist, leader of National Alliance of People's Movements and recepient of Ramon Magsaysay Award for the year 2002)

The Indian Express
4 December 2007

The dual danger-1

The dual danger~I

Dr Sandeep Pandey

I was in Kolkata on 14 February 2007, to attend a meeting of the Anti-Nuclear Forum organised against the proposed nuclear power plant at Haripur in East Midnapore. Not as much in the news as Singur and Nandigram, Haripur had also thrown up a challenge to the Left Front government. Officials from the Atomic Energy Commission were not allowed to visit the area for inspection by the local people.

Shyamali Mitra, an artist, who spoke at the meeting in Kolkata talked about the state having become fascist in West Bengal. It was a jolt to me. I could not visualise a Left party or government as fascist. So far, I had associated the idea of fascism only with Right-wing politics.

But people in Kolkata were talking about a government with fascist tendencies. We were told that the proceedings of every citizens’ meeting was reported to the government. Punitive action was taken by the CPI-M cadres against anybody seen as acting against the interest of the party. Trinamul Congress activists were facing oppression at the hands of CPI-M cadres.

I returned from Kolkata with a feeling that my state UP or probably Bihar too, even with their highly publicised state of lawlessness, provide more democratic space for dissent than West Bengal. Not too long ago, Mulayam Singh Yadav’s police also lathicharged the farmers whose land was being taken away for a SEZ in Dadri where Reliance was supposed to set up a power plant. When Mulayam Singh faced bitter criticism for his anti-farmer stance, he decided to put things in cold storage. But the overconfident West Bengal government persisted with their project in Nandigram.

We saw a face of Left fascism as we had never expected to see. Even though only 14 people were killed on 14 March and about 30 went missing, which is much smaller compared to the figures of Gujarat after the Narendra Modi patronised violence in 2002, one cannot but help compare the two unfortunate incidents. Whereas in Gujarat the police turned a blind eye while the Hindutva brigade went on the rampage, killing and raping Muslim citizens, in West Bengal the police was directly used to fire upon people and CPI-M cadres were reportedly wearing police uniform and firing alongside. A CBI investigation had revealed some police helmets along with the CPI-M flag and literature at one place. Did we hear of any RSS or BJP worker wearing a police uniform and killing a Muslim in Gujarat?

The idea of fascism is associated with a group which has a sectarian thinking and doesn’t believe in democracy. It thinks of itself as superior to others. The Right-wing Hindutva group clearly fits the definition. It is unfortunate that they have used the freedom and flexibility offered by Indian democracy to capture political power through the backdoor.

Kalyan Singh, reneging on his promise given to the nation just before the Babari Masjid demolition, has also demonstrated that they have scant regard for the Constitution. Ideally, no party or group believing in sectarian ideology (catering to only one segment of the population at the cost of other) should be allowed to operate in a democracy. However, for the time being the Hindutva brigade gets to use emotional, nationalist and religious issues, which are potentially explosive, to further its politics.

The CPI-M, also by its actions, has increasingly begun to fit the description of a fascist force. They have come to believe in the infallibility of their ideology, so much so that they do not care about any other viewpoint. They did not feel the need to undertake a democratic consultative process with the people either in Singur or in Nandigram before deciding on the projects which were proposed there.

It remains mysterious why, going against the proposed National Rehabilitation Policy which suggests that developmental projects should be initiated at places which will either cause no displacement or minimum possible displacement, projects were conceived in Singur and Nandigram which are agriculturally very fertile lands and would have resulted in very painful and large scale displacements. Although the Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has accepted the mistake of his government in Nandigram, we are still waiting for an apology from him, just like we are waiting for an apology from the US government for using nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and from the BJP for what it did in Gujarat. Only Sonia Gandhi has apologised for the Operation Bluestar.

Moreover, in Kerala, we saw how blatantly disregarding the opinion of their Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan, the CPI-M party decided to get the cabinet approval by ‘consensus’ for an ADB loan. The party seems to be losing its tolerance for democracy. This is why it is now betraying fascist tendencies.

The people of India now face the dual danger of fascism ~ one from the Right and another from the Left and they’ll have to confront both.

On 22 March Medha Patkar and 61 other activists belonging to Action-2007 ~ a forum against the anti-people policies of the government ~ went to the Planning Commission and were lathicharged and arrested. The Deputy Chairman, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, has sent a message to those who protested against the arrest of Medha Patkar, saying that these activists had arrived unannounced without a prior appointment and had forced their way into the Yojana Bhawan. They were first politely requested to disperse but they continued to create disturbance. The security personnel informed the local police and the police took action as they thought fit.

If Montek Singh Ahluwalia were to put himself in the position of people of Singur, Nandigram, Dadri or any of the places where development projects or SEZs are being imposed unannounced, he would face the same set of grievances against the government as he has expressed against Medha Patkar and the activists. And this is when the Yojana Bhawan is not even his permanent home and the activists were not taking away his land or causing a threat to his job.

The cold logic of development combined with the fascist attitude of governments is resulting in insensitivity towards the people, in whose name exist the political parties as well as the Planning Commission.

(To be concluded)

The Statesman
Sunday, 2 December 2007

The dual danger - II

The dual danger~II
Dr Sandeep Pandey

Unfortunately, much blood has flowed in Nandigram this year accompanied by rape and humiliation of many women. Members of families are separated, not knowing whether the separated ones are alive or dead.

At the last count ten to twelve thousand families are scattered, mostly living with their relatives, after the CPI-M activists armed to the teeth stormed Nandigram, accompanied by wanted criminals like Tapan Ghosh, Sukur Ali and Salim Laskar.

This time they did not even feel the need for taking the police along with them. The CPI-M) has regressed into a more fascist force and has displayed political arrogance not seen since the time when Indira Gandhi imposed the emergency. Important party functionaries do not like the interference of the High Court or the Governor in their attempts to terrorise the society into subjugation.

Muscle power

It was expected that after the decision to withdraw the SEZ, the Chief Minister would apologise for the March action. However, as it turns out now, he allowed his cadres to gain muscle power to retaliate with a vengeance. That he had lost both political and administrative control over Nandigram was something which had become a matter of prestige for his government and the party. But we must remember that Midnapore, along with Ballia in UP and Satara in Maharashtra, had responded to the call of ‘Quit India’ given in 1942 by the Congress convention in Mumbai. It had liberated itself from British rule. The British recaptured the three areas later.

As the CPM-led Left Front government had lost its credibility in the area and did not have the face to carry out a negotiated settlement of the dispute, it had to engineer a recapture in much the same way as the British would have done by bringing in an army.

But let us accept the fact that the CPI-M cadres who were forced to leave the area were the ones who had been threatening people to agree to give up their land for the proposed SEZ and were involved in beating, killing and raping the people of Nandigram.

Rather than trying to resolve the dispute by bringing the culprits to book, the Chief Minister supported the policy of paying back the ordinary villagers ‘in the same coin.’ It has been alleged that Maoists had infiltrated the area. And as proof, some arms and Maoist literature published in Telugu was shown to be confiscated.

The common sense question that comes to mind is: What relevance can Telugu literature, believed to have been published 20 years ago, have in West Bengal? There is no other proof of Maoist presence in the area. But the Chief Minister’s statement implies that violence was used in response to violence. Can a democratically-elected CM justify the use of violence by a non-state actor?

The fact of the matter is that violence was used on both occasions, March and November, by the CPI-M cadres. The violence unleashed by the Bhumi Uchched Pratirodh Committee, the organisation formed by villagers to resist the land takeover by the government, was in self defence. The CPI-M cadres had the backing of the government whereas the villagers associated with BUPC had to fend for themselves.

The police is believed to have looked the other way while the CPI-M cadres accompanied by the hooligans went on the rampage, in a manner reminiscent of Gujarat 2002.

The targeting of women by the CPI-M cadres is simply beyond comprehension. It is not clear what ‘coin was being paid back’ when women, some of them pregnant, were raped. Unofficial figures put the number of rape cases at more than 100. Even after the CRPF has entered the area, news about one or two rapes everyday continues to filter in.

Brinda Karat says that no rape has taken place in Nandigram. Either she is completely unaware of the ground realities or her transformation into an opportunist politician is complete. In a culturally more advanced state like West Bengal the indulgence of the CPI-M cadres, who are supposed to be sensitive, ideologically groomed and prepared to fight all manner of injustice, crimes against women has come as the most shocking aspect of the Nandigram violence. The All India Democratic Women’s Association, the women’s organisation associated with the party, will now fund it difficult to raise its voice against injustice to women.

Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee should resign taking moral responsibility for the manner in which women have been made victims by his party cadres. But that is not going to happen. Neither will the UPA government dismiss him.

Unholy alliance

The turn of the events has resulted in a very unholy alliance between the UPA and Left Front. The Congress has decided to ignore the incidents in Nandigram in exchange for the much sought after support of the CPI-M and its allies on the Indo-US Nuclear Deal.

Immediately after the Nandigram recapture the Left Front gave its approval to the UPA government to proceed with its negotiations with the IAEA. Thus the two political groups, for their respective vested interests, are completely jeopardising the people’s interest.

The West Bengal government has given rise to a constitutional crisis by subverting the democratic functioning of the state and virtually handing over of the state to its party cadres. It has also created a political crisis for the people of this country.

Post-Nandigram, the Left parties have been bracketed with parties that rely on criminalisation of politics to win elections and are fascist in their thinking. With the essential character of all parties, from the political spectrum of the Right to the Left, having become anti-people and anti-democratic what choice do the people have in this democracy? Is it the end of democracy as we know it? Or is the civil society’s protest in West Bengal, backed by large number of common people, intellectuals, artists, writers and social activists going to provide a solution?

(Concluded)

Published in:

The Statesman
3 December 2007