Thousands of tribals rally against paper-KYC burden in Madhya Pradesh

By A Representative
Under the banner of Jagrut Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (Awakened Tribal Dalit Organization), thousands of tribals in Barwani (Madhya Pradesh) organized a rally and a public meeting with the slogans "Stop the assault of paper-KYC! Stop the attack on ration, employment, education, and pension!". A memorandum addressing the problems of paperwork that tribals have been facing for a long time was submitted in the name of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shri Mohan Yadav. Additionally, memorandums were also given to the district's MLAs, Shri Rajan Mandloi and Shri Bala Bachchan.
Members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were invited to this program, but despite assurances, they did not attend. Expressing sharp questions about the absence of the MPs, the tribals declared that they would remind the MPs of their responsibility with full rights so that they raise this issue in Delhi.
Nasari Bai Ningwal stated that rights like ration, employment, and pension are being snatched away due to the demand for KYC and paperwork for the central government's schemes. Harsingh Jamre said that the government has made Aadhaar mandatory, but even today, many people have not been able to get Aadhaar. Hamjiya Rawat of the Tribal Students' Organization reported that birth certificates are being demanded for children's school admissions, which were never made in rural areas. Due to this, education is being seriously affected.
In the program, the angered tribals demanded that if the government needs so many documents and KYC, then it should first create its system in every village. In the current situation, an additional burden is being placed on the poor, due to which they are being deprived of the schemes.
Ration is a legal right under the National Food Security Act, 2013, but families without KYC are being threatened with the termination of their ration. In Parliament, the government has admitted that about 15.2 million individuals in Madhya Pradesh have not yet completed their KYC. The government has stopped the ration of millions of children and newly eligible individuals, which should be immediately removed.
The delay in wage payment under the Employment Guarantee Scheme is forcing thousands of people to migrate. This year, about 8400 children have dropped out of school in Barwani district. Hiralal Thakur said that the government has fixed the minimum wage rate at ₹466 per day, but only ₹261 per day is being given in the Employment Guarantee Scheme. Due to this, tribals are being paid less than the minimum wage.
In the program, former MP candidate Porlal Khärte drew attention to the irregularities in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Prime Minister's Housing Scheme) and health services. Barwani MLA Rajan Mandloi assured that he would raise the problems of the rural education system with the Madhya Pradesh government.
In the memorandum sent to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the tribals demanded the implementation of the Minimum Support Price under the Farmers' Commission. Along with this, demands were also raised to improve the minimum wage rate in the Employment Guarantee Scheme and to rectify the discrepancies in the revenue records under the Swamitva Yojana (Ownership Scheme).

Comments

Whither space for the marginalised in Kerala's privately-driven townships after landslides?

By Ipshita Basu, Sudheesh R.C. In the early hours of July 30 2024, a landslide in the Wayanad district of Kerala state, India, killed 400 people. The Punjirimattom, Mundakkai, Vellarimala and Chooralmala villages in the Western Ghats mountain range turned into a dystopian rubble of uprooted trees and debris.

From algorithms to exploitation: New report exposes plight of India's gig workers

By Jag Jivan The recent report, "State of Finance in India Report 2024-25," released by a coalition including the Centre for Financial Accountability, Focus on the Global South, and other organizations, paints a stark picture of India's burgeoning digital economy, particularly highlighting the exploitation faced by gig workers on platform-based services.

Gig workers hold online strike on republic day; nationwide protests planned on February 3

By A Representative Gig and platform service workers across the country observed a nationwide online strike on Republic Day, responding to a call given by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) to protest what it described as exploitation, insecurity and denial of basic worker rights in the platform economy. The union said women gig workers led the January 26 action by switching off their work apps as a mark of protest.

'Condonation of war crimes against women and children’: IPSN on Trump’s Gaza Board

By A Representative The India-Palestine Solidarity Network (IPSN) has strongly condemned the announcement of a proposed “Board of Peace” for Gaza and Palestine by former US President Donald J. Trump, calling it an initiative that “condones war crimes against children and women” and “rubs salt in Palestinian wounds.”

India’s road to sustainability: Why alternative fuels matter beyond electric vehicles

By Suyash Gupta* India’s worsening air quality makes the shift towards clean mobility urgent. However, while electric vehicles (EVs) are central to India’s strategy, they alone cannot address the country’s diverse pollution and energy challenges.

With infant mortality rate of 5, better than US, guarantee to live is 'alive' in Kerala

By Nabil Abdul Majeed, Nitheesh Narayanan In 1945, two years prior to India's independence, the current Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, was born into a working-class family in northern Kerala. He was his mother’s fourteenth child; of the thirteen siblings born before him, only two survived. His mother was an agricultural labourer and his father a toddy tapper. They belonged to a downtrodden caste, deemed untouchable under the Indian caste system.

Jayanthi Natarajan "never stood by tribals' rights" in MNC Vedanta's move to mine Niyamigiri Hills in Odisha

By A Representative The Odisha Chapter of the Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD), which played a vital role in the struggle for the enactment of historic Forest Rights Act, 2006 has blamed former Union environment minister Jaynaynthi Natarjan for failing to play any vital role to defend the tribals' rights in the forest areas during her tenure under the former UPA government. Countering her recent statement that she rejected environmental clearance to Vendanta, the top UK-based NMC, despite tremendous pressure from her colleagues in Cabinet and huge criticism from industry, and the claim that her decision was “upheld by the Supreme Court”, the CSD said this is simply not true, and actually she "disrespected" FRA.

Stands 'exposed': Cavalier attitude towards rushed construction of Char Dham project

By Bharat Dogra* The nation heaved a big sigh of relief when the 41 workers trapped in the under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel (Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand) were finally rescued on November 28 after a 17-day rescue effort. All those involved in the rescue effort deserve a big thanks of the entire country. The government deserves appreciation for providing all-round support.

Over 40% of gig workers earn below ₹15,000 a month: Economic Survey

By A Representative The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, while reviewing the Economic Survey in Parliament on Tuesday, highlighted the rapid growth of gig and platform workers in India. According to the Survey, the number of gig workers has increased from 7.7 million to around 12 million, marking a growth of about 55 percent. Their share in the overall workforce is projected to rise from 2 percent to 6.7 percent, with gig workers expected to contribute approximately ₹2.35 lakh crore to the GDP by 2030. The Survey also noted that over 40 percent of gig workers earn less than ₹15,000 per month.

Search This Blog