Adhikar: A Project to Ensure Entitlements to the Excluded

With the financial support of Caritas India, Navjeevan Development Centre,(NDC) New Area, Sasaram, implements the Adhikar Project for the socially and economically deprived groups in 17 villages under four Panchayats of Nokha Block of Rohtas District, Bihar. Sister Mary Ajita SND is the Coordinator of this project, assisted by four Panchayat level Animators and a Field Coordinator. The project focuses on ensuring Right to Food and Right to Work to the selected 1023 families who are landless agricultural laborers who belong to the ‘Below Poverty Line’ (BPL) section in society.

Since the implementation of the Project in April 2012 we have been able to ensure work for these families under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MNREGA). Moreover, the team has been able to obtain social security schemes like- Widow Pension, Old Age Pension, Pension for the Disabled and Integrated Child Development Schemes for the target group. They have also activated the Public Distribution System through mobilizing the focus group.

Navjeevan Development Centre,(NDC) has also created a network of Women’s Self Help Groups (SHGs) and MNREGA Workers’ Forums (MWF) at the grass root level  to act as pressure groups to activate the
Government Service Delivery System and keep vigilant contact with the Panchayats and Block Administration.

A field office, at the field centre called MNREGA Awareness Centre was set up to provide timely assistance to the families, to fill up application forms for job cards, jobs, opening of bank accounts, payment of wages on time etc.

After reviewing the project performance of 13 dioceses which Caritas India supports financially, the committed and result- yielding efforts of NDC was awarded by Caritas India at their Annual Meeting on Feb. 3rd, 2014 at Kotdwar, in the Bijnore Diocese.

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