Citizen's Actions Research

Increasing People’s Participation through Good Governances:

The focus of Governance work at the State and National level is to increase accountability of the institutions of governance towards people in general and marginalized section in particular. This is done by identifying gaps in different policies affecting Decentralization of Governance processes; initiating and strengthening the Citizenry Watch Processes and strengthening Civil Society action. To promote transparency and make governance accountable, necessary policy reforms were suggested for the devolution of powers to Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Gram Sangathans:

CYSD promoted Gram Sangathans with a dictum to institutionalize grassroots monitoring to ensure entitlements to all eligible under various developmental schemes, strengthening village level institutions such as Forest Right Committees, SHGs, Youth Club members and Vigilance Monitoring Committee members for transparent and accountable grass root governance.

Promotion and Strengthening of Gram Sangthan Federation:

The Gram Sangathan Federations formed with a purpose of involving each Gram Sangathan as a member (excluding the Sarpanch and the members of the Panchayat Samiti) after discussions with each Gram Sangathans, involves at least two members from each Gram Sangathan, the Gram Sangathan Federations support the Gram Sangathans/SHGs in forming and strengthening the labour groups to claim works under NREGS, and apply for individual and community land under FRA. They also take forward the local issues like irregularities of PDS, MDM and wage payment under MGNREGS to the Block and District administration for appropriate solution.

Promotion of Panchayat Resource Centres:

The PRCs are well stocked with information in the form of booklets (Gaon Sathi, Ame O Ama Adhikar, Janile Jiniba, Ama Vikash Jojana), guidelines for Account opening at Post Office, Leaflets (on Social Audit, Gram Sabha, Palli Sabha, Power of Gram Panchayats), Training kits (flip books) on the Role of PRI members, Flex (on Bansudhara, Power Devaluation, Mo Jami Mo Diha), Posters (on Neta bachhiba kahaku, Ama Sambal), the bi-monthly Odia magazine Gram Swaraj, and with Job demand application forms, the PRCs in Ramgiri, Lima, Ghumar and Kundra of Koraput provide for a place for interaction among the community people.

Promotion of Rural Solidarity Groups:

The year 2011 saw its new innovative intervention gearing pace through a series of activities through Rural Solidarity Groups that brought in more unity among them, devising novel means of problem solving, demanding jobs collectively, for easy and regular access to due wages.

The Gram Sangathan as the apex body of the village was assigned the key role for the formation of the Rural Solidarity Groups in the village, through organised meetings, with the Programme Level Organiser (PLO) as the facilitator, and the job card holders as the key members. The appointed leader, also called the labour leader, takes charge of the Rural Solidarity Group after being trained on taking up Works under MGNREGA.