Sarpanch puts an end to female foeticide in a Rajasthan GP
P J Joychen in Jaipur
Tara Devi receives a certificateMost politicians prefer to get elected
from reserved constituencies/ wards as they are considered safe. But
this Dalit woman is different. She not only contested from an
unreserved ward, but also emerged victorious. Now, it does not
surprise many as to how she managed to win the seat.
On becoming a sarpanch, she took up issues that have been long kept on
the back burner in Rajasthan. She has become a role model for others
by bringing the gender issues to the mainstream. She has addressed the
crucial issue of sex selection, infant and maternal mortality and
reproductive and child health by focusing on gender fostering.
Tara Devi is a household name in the region. Her leadership traits and
dedication to her panchayat have impressed not only the local people
but also the researchers and academics visiting the area for
developmental studies.
At a recent workshop on "Strengthening Gender Response of Panchayats
in Rajasthan: Successes and Challenges" in Jaipur, Tara Devi shared
her experiences. Society for Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA)
State Coordinator Krishan Tyagi says that he approached the gram
panchayat and the Village Health and Sanitation Committee (VHSC) to
improve the situation and organised orientation and capacity building
meetings for the panchayat members.
Tara Devi's long-drawn-out struggle and success in achieving women's
empowerment to a considerable degree are an inspiring saga for the
marginalised Dalit communities. Her story proves that the Dalit women
panchayat functionaries can perform better than their male
counterparts if given proper direction, training and guidance.
Samerdha Nosera is among the 20 GPs in the district included by the Sangam
Matri Mission Sansthan (SMMS) in a project for "Strengthening Gender
Response of Panchayats in Rajasthan" (SGRPR). PRIA has initiated the
ambitious project. The gender-specific data collected under the SGRPR
shows that the major reasons for drop in child sex ratio are
inadequate health facilities and negligence towards the female
newborn. A survey in Samerdha Nosera revealed a ratio of 57:35 between
the home deliveries and institutional deliveries, indicating that
women do not find the latter attractive.
The village is situated in a remote area and does not have easy
connectivity with the urban surroundings. Lack of basic amenities like
water, electricity and nutritious food earlier made the conditions
worse in the region.
During the orientation meetings, Tara Devi shot into the limelight as
a result of her sincerity for bringing about a positive change in her
village during the 10 years when she was elected as Sarpanch twice. By
participating in the SGRPR, she has got the crucial handholding
support for her work.
Dalit woman Sarpanch has successfully utilised her knowledge by
promoting and fostering gram sabha on gender issues. She has also
received support from the women community-based organisations of the
area and is mobilising the villagers with the support of these groups
to participate in the gram sabha meetings.
Tara Devi's sustained and consistent efforts made an impact on the
local community and facilitated the process to include gender issues
on the planning agenda. She also started regular inspections of the
local health sub-centre which was earlier devoid of proper
infrastructure, furniture, equipment, medicine, etc and constructed
the new building by
involving VHSC members.
In yet another significant step, Tara Devi improved the condition of
the anganwadi centre and made arrangements for water and power with
the help of the SMMS. She visits the centre regularly and checks the
quality of food served to children. The sarpanch has also taken steps
to enhance the standard of girls' education in the village and improve
the arrangements for drinking water.
Depicting her concern over immunisation and health check-ups of
pregnant women, Tara Devi makes arrangements for delivery and has
organised several blood donation camps. She is accessible to the women
in need and is available for any kind help. Recently, she saved an
anaemic woman referred to the hospital by the sub-centre in a critical
condition by arranging blood for her. She has invested Rs 47.15 lakhs
in the Indira Awas Yojana and Rs 3.85 crore for construction works in
the village and strengthened the gram sabha by ensuring people's
participation in the decision-making process.
Tyagi says that the sarpanch has ensured coordination among gram
panchayat, gram sabha and the upper tier of panchayat samiti.
As a result of Tara Devi's sustained efforts, the child sex ratio has
significantly improved in Samerdha Nosera with a recent survey
revealing the figures of 1,014 females against 982 males. The
instances of maternal and infant mortality have come to an end and
there is no case of girl child dropout from schools. Two new auxiliary
nurse midwives appointed in the village now regularly visit the area.
There is need to trust the abilities of women belonging to
marginalised communities and give them a little bit of support and
opportunity. With this approach, a number of Tara Devi's hidden
behind veils may appear in the mainstream development discourse and
make a big difference, says Tyagi.
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