Last Updated : 9th July 2008 |
4th Civil Society Review of the NCMP
22-23 May 2008, New Delhi |
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| The fourth annual Civil Society Review of the NCMP was held on 22-23 May 2008 in New Delhi. Over 400 people from across the country participated in this meeting in which the governance agenda as outlined in the National Common Minimum Programme was reviewed by experts, social activities and representatives of different political parties. The Civil Society Review Report on the NCMP (2008) was also released on this occasion. |
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| Leaders of marginalized group networks and initiatives – Ram Dayal Munda (Adivasi Rights), Paul Divakar (Dalit Rights), Annie Raja (Women’s Rights), Krishanbir Chaudhary (Farmers’ Rights) and Ashim Roy (Workers’ Rights) – reviewed the progress made by the government in addressing the needs and priorities of socially excluded groups in the inaugural session of the meeting. This was followed by assessments made by experts and social activists on the key areas of the NCMP, including Dr. Abhijit Das (Health), Prof. R Govinda (Education), Siba Sankar Mohanty (Budgets), Ramesh Sharma (Land Rights), Biraj Patnaik (Food Security), Subhash Lomte (Social Security) and Shabnam Hashmi (Peace & Security). A statement or ‘verdict’ on the NCMP based on these discussions was presented before members of political parties – Ramdas Athavale (President, RPI), Sudhakar Reddy (Dy. General Secy, CPI), Bashist Narayan (Former MP, JD-U), Dr. Karan Singh Yadav (MP, Congress) and Prasenjit Bose (CPI-M). |
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| The Civil Society Review culminated with the Launch of the ‘People’s Manifesto’ process – outlining the plan of action for local consultations to be held across the 545 parliamentary constituencies of India in the run up to the national elections due in 2009. The objective of this exercise is to determine the governance charter based on the grassroots realities and development priorities across the country, which should feed into the electoral manifestos of all political parties, and set the agenda for the government which will be elected into power in the coming year. |
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| >> Review Report | >> View Press Clippings | >> View Photographs |
| >> View Video | >> Outcomes |
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Policy Makers & Rights Groups Call for Joint Action to Uphold the Forest Rights Act
4 July 2008, New Delhi |
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| A National Consultation on FRA was organized on July 4, 2008 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The consultation was inaugurated by Shri. Kishor Chandradeo (the Chairperson of |
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the Joint Parliament Committee on Forest Rights Act) and was marked by the presence of K.B Saxena (the Convenor, Land Reforms Committee), M.D Mistry (Member of Parliament), Pradip Prabhu (drafting committee member of the Forest Right Act) and various experts and activists. They all shared serious concerns over the implementation of this well-intended Act and put forward certain recommendations for the effective implementation of this Act.
Close on the heels of the Fourth Civil Society Review of the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) and the Review of the Three Flagships Schemes of the UPA, the National Consultation, yet again reviewed one of the most laudable promises in NCMP fulfilled by the UPA, the Forest Rights Act. |
| >> Read More |
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Review of the Three Flagship Schemes
NRHM & Right to Health - Outcomes of
the Policy Dialogue
Health in the National Agenda,
09 April 2008, New Delhi |
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| Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, stated that the maternal mortality rate, |
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| infant mortality rate, declining sex ratio and under nourishment were still matters of grave concern. “The NRHM is the largest public health programme in the world, and to reduce even 1% of child mortality takes millions of personnel working together in cohesion,” he said. While outlining the imperatives taken by the government to ensure that public health in India is given its due, Dr. Ramadoss acknowledged that there is much more to be done and shared his own passion to ensure that Health becomes a first priority on the national development agenda. He also suggested that the introduction of an insurance program to cover maternal health could be an additional step to ensure health coverage for women. |
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| >> Download full report | >> View Photographs | >> View Video |
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SSA & the Right to Education-Outcomes of the Panel Discussion
22 April, 2008, New Delhi |
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| On April 22, 2008, experts from civil society, academics and government representatives met to discuss and inspect the national programme outcomes and the right to education. Insufficient resources, lack of political will, bureaucratic complacency and pervasive social exclusion have kept over half the country’s children from completing a meaningful basic education, experts felt. |
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| R. Govinda, professor from the National University of Education Planning and Administration, drew attention to the various zones of exclusion existing within the schooling system. “We don’t have schools in India, but social ghettos, each defined socio-economically. SSA has little to do with the right to education, as the latter is about entitlements and like most development programmes, SSA is input-oriented,” said
R. Govinda. |
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Wada Na Todo Delegation Presents Memorandum to HRD Minister on Implementation of the Right to Education Bill
3 May 2008, New Delhi |
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| On Saturday, 3 May 2008 Wada Na Todo members accompanied by Member of Parliament, D Raja met the Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh to present a memorandum urging the Government to adopt the Right to Education Bill. |
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| “This Parliamentary session is almost over but I assure you that we will table it in the next session, he told the delegation led by D. Raja, MP and National Secretary, CPI. I will present it at the Cabinet meeting next week so that it is approved for the Monsoon session, ¨ said the Minister. |
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| >> Download full report | >> View Photographs |
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National Consultation on NREGA and the Right to Work-Outcomes
Anti-poor, anti-rural lobby needs to relearn the NREGA lesson: says Minister
05 May 2008, New Delhi: |
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| Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh today said that only 15 paisa goes to the poor is disproved by the effective reach of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). |
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| “Wages for NREGA works now go directly into 1.4 crore bank accounts, belonging to the workers, to ensure transparency. However, there is a need to counter the myths propagated by the ‘anti-poor, anti-rural’ lobby in the country to ensure that NREGA succeeds.” |
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| Memorandum for Effective Implementation of NREGA submitted to the Rural Development Minister |
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| A Memorandum with recommendations emerging from the National Consultation on NREGA was submitted by members of Wada Na Todo Abhiyan to Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad during a National Seminar on NREGA held on 16th May 2008, New Delhi organized by the Ministry of Rural Development, GOI.More than 200 participants including members of the NREGA Council, officials responsible for the implementation of NREGA across states and representatives of the Union Ministry and State Departments of Rural Development were present on this occasion. |
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| >> Read the Memorandum | >> Download full report |
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