Community Empowerment Facility Profile

  BACKGROUND

The Manikpur block falls on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh States of India , hence it is perceived that the inhabitants are generally neglected by both States' government departments. The struggle for subsistence and equal access to the productive resources has been ongoing for a long time. In particular, the demand for natural rights to land, water and forest is of primary importance to the assetless, poverty-stricken people of this region.

As agriculture and forest produce is their only source of income, their livelihoods are directly affected. However, there is growing assertion for their land rights, as land means dignity and social status for them. Helping the rural populations of this region, victims of rich landlords and moneylenders, is an important challenge which can only be faced when people become enlightened about their land rights and are given equal opportunities to grow and participate in their socio-economic development. Sharing knowledge, favouring equal opportunities, and enhancing the ability of the rural poor to gain and protect their access to land, water and common property, may lead to increase in their socio-economic status, hence the realization of the goal of self-reliance and a progressive society.

The main obstacles of the block hindering its development are: low awareness of land rights, unemployment, crimes - especially related to atrocities concerning children and women, prostitution, physical handicaps, alcohol abuse, family conflicts, lack of drinking water, and illiteracy. These problems are causing a deterioration in the inhabitants quality of life.  

Land issue
People lack awareness of their land records or land rights. This is evident from the fact that, whilst 75% of the people have lands recorded in their names, only 40% people have control over those lands. During the last few years, 5191 miscellaneous files have been found in the Chitrakoot district for which public interest litigation has been filed in Allahabad court, Uttar Pradesh. The case is still going on in the court.

Eighty per cent of people do not have correct information regarding their land records; this in itself gives rise to conflict. They spend their lives either making the rounds of the police stations or to the courts. This exacerbates their economic conditions by causing indebtedness towards the big landlords, resulting in bonded labour. In Hanua Panchayat the big landlords, who have illegally transferred the land to their names, have left landless 300 families of Kol tribes.

Land is the only asset of these downtrodden people, but due to lack of knowledge, corrupt revenue officials or dominance by the upper caste, they are working as bonded labourers on others people's land, even though they have land in their name. In addition, the landlord has access to politicians, who further exploit the situation and the people. Thus, acquisition of land affects them not only economically, but also socially. In this context government has taken the initiative to form Land Management Committees (LMC), under the Panchayati Raj Act. These Committees have rights to take decisions regarding lands; unfortunately these LMC's are passive due to lack of knowledge related to land issues.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES  

Project purpose
To sensitize people, train Panchayat bodies, and with their support strengthen and expand access and participation of the poor in the control and management of land, water and common property resources.

Objectives:

• Generate awareness on land rights issues;
• Enable Panchayats to promote, control and manage natural resources;
• Access information related to land issues;
• Advocate the use of written rules and procedures as well as non- discriminatory practices by Panchayati raj institutions and government bodies.

Activities:

1. Listing of members of LMC and SHG: As a first step a survey a will be conducted regarding the Land Management Committee of revenue villages of the block. Simultaneously a list will be drawn up of five members from each self-help group.

2. Awareness generation among the beneficiaries: The organization will arrange groups of 50-gram panchayats to achieve an understanding of the project by disseminating related information, as well as basic land-related issues. This effort will be assisted by the meeting, camps and audio-visual aids.

3. Establishment of Land Resource Centre:
   A land resource Centre will be established at the district level. Their functions are as follows.
   
• Provide platform for people to settle land tenancy rights cases. To facilitate people-to-people exchanges and conflict resolution by giving legal advice within and between communities.
• Develop initial contact with revenue officials working at district level, from whom all the land records i.e. Maps, Khasra, Khatuni will be collected.
• Transfer all records a computerized system for easy retrieval and long-term maintenance. Information to be disseminated to people inthe concerned villages.
• Provide to the centre literature related to land.
4. Capacity-Building Programmes

• Capacity-building of members of LMC and active youth: A three-day training course will be organized for members of land management committee (500 members and active youths) as a first phase of the first year. The purpose of training is to educate members of LMC on land rights for effective implementation of land rules, procedures and related land issues.
• Capacity-Building of members of SHGs: Women in the target villages bear all responsibilities related to agriculture, thus their participation in the project must not be ignored. On the other hand, their participation in the programme would help in the materialization of efforts, since they are organized. A group of women (150) SHG of the target village will be given training (four days in two phases yearly) related to land rights. The aim of building up the capacity of SHG members is to encourage women to promulgate this information to other rural women.

5. Listing of Land related problems and working for its solution - A document will be prepared, comprising details of the land related problems faced by target villages. This work will be initiated at the rapport-building and training stages. Systematic advice and direction will be given to those affect after the preparation of document.

6. Networking and Capacity-building of other NGOs: A two-phase, four-day workshop, will be organized for 30 NGOs with one representative each. The participating NGOs will come from both Uttar Pradesh and Madhya, both of which form the target area. The objective of the training is to increase the NGOs knowledge regarding land issues in order to form a network to combine forces to fight for land rights. Advocacy activities like dharna, rallies and meetings will be organized in collaboration with these NGOs, SHGs members and rural youth.

7. Publishing of a Newsletter - A three-monthly newsletter will be published by the organization giving information on all aspects of land issues, especially those concerning legal matters. This newsletter will be made available at nominal cost.

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WHO WILL BENEFIT?

The target area of the project, 105285 hectares, is Manikpur block, the most Pathari area of Chitrakoot district. The block has a population of 115355, out of which 62111 are male and 53244 female (Census, 1991). The hilly region covers 30,025 hectares and the major water source of the region is a pond situated in 890 hectares. A total of 11919 hectares is the irrigated land while 24348 hectares is the non-irrigated. Some, 29081 inhabitants are farmers, while 14214 are agricultural labourers. There are 416 people engaged in cattle rearing, forestation and 178 are mine labourers. There are 752 family workers and 250 non-family workers.  

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CONCLUSION

The strategy aims to promote participation, especially that of women, to create awareness and hone-in on hidden resources. The project implementation will be carried out with the active participation of the target community. We have also envisaged the involvement of LMC and SHGs.

• Selection of 50-gram panchayats based on the set guidelines (these guidelines may be reframed to suit the situation and needs of the target community and subsequent to the common decision-making.).
• Project management and execution of programmes and activities.
• Contribution in a form of human and financial resources, as well as material, such as venue for conducting various camps and training, donation of land for resource centre etc.
• Sustainability/continuity of core project activities.

Apart from this, government officials (district revenue officials and other organizations having expertise in the area) would be constantly sought out to obtain support and guidance. Moreover, prior to the commencement of the project, an introductory meeting is envisaged with the target community in order to apprise them of the arrangements.

This project represents an innovative effort to cater for real needs. Once the land management committees are sensitized and take up responsibility, the trick-down effect will be seen in the 12-gram panchayat of the Manikpur block. In the 5-gram panchayats of Ramnagar block the project will be replicated in order to render the region free from land related injustices.

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