Success Story of MNREGA : Khatra,Bankura,West
Bengal
December 24, 2013
My recent
visit to Khatra Subdivision is a windfall to my experience.
The panoramic views of Mukutmanipur and surroung hills .hillocks and dam has
undeniably smoothened my mind. However I got much more than
expectation while visiting success of MNREGAs here. On other days
whenever I roamed Jungle Mahal I had been skeptic as well as pessimistic
about MNREGA. I saw scattered ,unplanned and unproductive works done with
the support of this mega project. Community as a whole harvested little
from it. Sporadic ventures failed to make it sustainable and productive.
Multiple positive buds from MNREGA did not come out. Seldom people felt
it their project. This very impression pained me every time.
However, after visiting orchard rearing under the umbrella MNREGA in
Khatra sub-division changed my mind set. Now I am hopeful with the inherent
power of the project on seeing some of those brilliant works.
The sole
objective of the project is not to give jobs to the odds in any way but
to create social assets simultaneously. It must be productive and
bear fruits continuously. Community must share fruits equally. Another point is
important to its mission is of social participation, social inclusion and
social resource preservation. Equally important is of incorporation of
bio-diversity, which is economically, ecologically vibrant.
One of
the poor blocks in Khatra sub-division is Indpur. The block is dominated by
tribal and scheduled castes. Those low-order people are landless or owner
of a bit of lands. Topographically the entire area is undulating, rain-fed and
terrain of infertile soils. Paddy is the single crop of the region barring some
patched areas. Vast barren lands are there with out greens. The
poor groups have to migrate other parts in search of jobs. Poverty and misery
made them depressed and cynical. Tribals and other SCs lost their confidence
burdened with shocks and stress all the time.
Under
above situation Dr.Babulal Mahato- a young block level administrator of Indpur
block saw hope within MNEREGA project. With his agricultural
background he wanted to experiment his earned technology blending with
administration and people’s participation. He wanted to make them involved
in mango orchard farming. Initiall it was not an easy job. However,
ultimately he managed to bypass negative thoughts. Landowners of the community
agreed to his ideas of leasing lands to the SHGs teamed by tribal and SCs.
Under Mnrega he flowed funds for best utilization of
fallow lands with potential ventures. He has shown Orchards prospects in many
parts of the block. I have already written the success story of Lipidiri. He
has already set up 130 gardens. The new venture is now at Brahmandiha,gram
panchayat, in Bhalukbhasa village in Phhlkhusma mouza.
Under
Babulal’s stewardship seven SHG-groups have been formed. One of those
group is of Sardars who are tribal. These seven groups have taken lease land of
250 bighas of in a compact block. Groups have been tied with local panchayats.
Input costs like fertilizer,compost,saplings and other contigent materials are
supplied by the Panchayats. Lease sharing is on the basis of 40:50:10
among SHGs, Landholder and Panchayats . Landholders and Panchayes
will receive share after the garden starts harvesting. This project
came into operation from 8th August 2013. They have already sown
abot 10000.00 plants. Works is on full swing. Groups have cultivated
seasonal vegetables. We were offered tasty cucumber while on the
field. Priyotosh Pathak a rural youth is monitoring the whole
program. Pathak’s sacrifice moved me. I apprecaiate his challenge change
in this drought prone area.
Babulal
accompanied me the spot. We shared and discussed a lot. We came to conclusion
of refinement of the project incorporating diversification of crops and adding
non-crop segments.
Unbelievale
experience I got in Indpur.
This
model is best suited in Junle Mahal. Institutional arrangements of the
project can be developed in other parts of India.
MNEREGA
is a sharpen weapon , it can weed out all evils if properly used.
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