Jan Adhikar yatra Rally, the ten-day people’s march to campaign against Government policies and discrepancies in social welfare schemes, ended on Sunday. The partakers termed this to be a beginning of a ‘consolidated revolution against Government’s efforts to curb economic, social and cultural rights of the people’.
The Yatra was aimed at mobilising public on issues of inadequacy and non-implementation of national Food Security Act, irregularities and decline in jobs in MNREGA, land Acquisition Act, displacing forest-dependant populace from forests and insufficiency of social security schemes.
“The ten-day Yatra has been successful and will be taken to a more intense stage. With this, separate voices rising against the malpractices in system from far-flung areas of the state have got a platform to come together and collectively voice their dissent. It is only due to such people’s movement that Jharkhand’s culture has survived,” said social activist Dayamani Barla.
People from Palamu, North Chotanagpur and South Chotanagpur, areas which the Yatra covered, congregated at Morhabadi Ground and then moved towards Governor’s House. Here, a Jan Adhikar Sabha was held for people to share their experiences during the demonstration.
Speakers here pointed out loop-holes in several government schemes. The recently-introduced National Food Security Act (NFSA) was termed ineffective by some. “After missing several deadlines, State Government finally implemented the National Food Security Act. However, this is only a half-hearted gesture as most of the beneficiaries are still awaiting ration cards,” said Afzal Anis of United Mili Forum.
Speaking on MGNREGA, Shyam Singh of NREGA Sahayata Kendra Manika said, “The NREGA wages are being delayed by upwards of 18 months in Kolodhar village near Meral. This delay in payment is discouraging people from applying for jobs in NREGA despite dire need of work.”
“Forest lease right are not being given to those who depend on it, but are being cancelled on whims of middlemen. We will present the issues we discussed here and the things we learnt before the residents of our village, and if need be, protest to secure rights,” said Vijay Parhiya, a farmer from Garhwa attending the meeting.
“The Yatra has finished but it has been effective in mobilising and encouraging people. The greatest achievement has been in motivating people to struggle on their own to secure their rights. Now motivated, they will themselves raise their voices for their issues. And we will be there to support them,” said social thinker and Visiting Professor of Ranchi University Jean Dreze.