Kudumbashree : Making Citizen Information Boards

Success Story of Enterprises making Citizen Information Boards

It was for the first time in the state that a Kudumbashree unit took up the charge of making Citizen Information Boards. The unit is making income from the opportunity they had in front of them. Kudumbashree Wayanad District Mission had extended all the support for the unit to move forward and helped them with all needed assistance. Let us see how the unit happened to get such an opportunity and how they made maximum out of that opportunity.

MGNREGA

Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (or, NREGA No 42, later renamed as the "Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act", MGNREGA), is an Indian labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the 'right to work'. This act was passed in September 2005. It aims to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

Another aim of MGNREGA is to create durable assets (such as roads, canals, ponds and wells). Employment is to be provided within 5 km of an applicant's residence, and minimum wages are to be paid. If work is not provided within 15 days of applying, applicants are entitled to an unemployment allowance. That is, if the government fails to provide employment, it has to provide certain unemployment allowances to those people. Thus, employment under MGNREGA is a legal entitlement.

MGNREGA is to be implemented mainly by gram panchayats (GPs). The involvement of contractors is strictly banned in the programme. Apart from providing economic security and creating rural assets, NREGA can help in protecting the environment, empowering rural women, reducing rural-urban migration and fostering social equity, among others. The law provides many safeguards to promote its effective management and implementation. The act explicitly mentions the principles and agencies for implementation, list of allowed works, financing pattern, monitoring and evaluation, and most importantly the detailed measures to ensure transparency and accountability.

Citizen Information Board

A Citizen Information Board is placed at every MGNREGA work site at the commencement of work. It is the basic source of information at the grass root level. And is the medium for enhancing visibility, transparency and awareness about the programme. The Ministry has been emphasizing on the installation of durable Citizen Information Boards preferably made of cement and concrete with all the requisite information at every worksite.

All worksites must have a Citizen Information Board. It is mandatory for all community assets to have a separate Citizen Information Board. The individual assets which have a wall space available at the front side (visible area) with the dimensions mentioned above, may have the option of displaying the contents of Citizen Information Board on the wall itself. The Citizen Information Board may be installed on or before the commencement of the work. The format as per content mentioned shall be displayed on the information board at the beginning itself, and the available information should be filled in. The remaining information may be filled in on availability of details on completion of the work. It should be ensured that the Citizen Information Board is placed in front/vicinity of the worksite, keeping visibility in mind.

As per Para 25, (a) Schedule-I of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005: Mandatory proactive disclosure of basic information to all common people and stakeholders using a ‘Janata Information System’ consisting of: Display at each worksite the ‘Janata’ estimate of the work – showing the details of the work, estimated labour days, quantities of materials to be used in local terminology and item-wise cost of the estimate.

Para 2.9.6 of the Master Circular (FY 2016-2017), Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, 2005 on Mandatory Proactive Disclosure states:  State Governments are requested to ensure proactive disclosure of information and records to all common people and stakeholders using a ‘Janata Information System’ consisting of disclosures at the worksite, wall paintings, Gram Panchayat Notice Boards and Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Website.

The front part of Citizen Information Board may contain the following:

• Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Logo on top left. State/ UT logo if available should be placed on top right.
• Programme name - MGNREGA written below the logos in bold letters.
• Details of location: GP name, Block name, District name
• Name/s of the implementing Agency/s:

• (in case of convergence mention cost break-up also)

• Name of the work:
• Project Estimate (in lakhs):
• Start date of work:
• End date of work:
• Labour component and Material Component (in Rupees):
• Number of Person-days generated:
• Unit of measurement (Dimensions/Area/Length/km etc.):
• Daily wage rate (in Rupees):
• Name of implementing agency:
• Name and contact of the Lokpal/ Ombudsman/ Social Audit Unit/ Toll free no for grievance

• Redressal (if available):

The Citizen Information Boards to be installed for all the works undertaken from April 2017. The Citizen Information Boards have stipulated shape, dimensions and layout as well.

Shape: Rectangular with the top edge of the board pointed upwards with sides inclined at 20 degrees with horizontal.

Size: Individual work- at least 0.6m (2ft) width X 0.9m (3ft) height (clear dimensions), Community work- at least 0.9m (3ft) width X 1.2m (4ft) height (clear dimensions)

Layout: Individual Work-Background YELLOW, border of the board and text in black color. Community Work- Background YELLOW, border of the board and text in blue color.

Regarding the material usage also, there are some stipulations. The material used should be durable such as bricks masonry, concrete block masonry, RCC, precast RCC units, ferro-cement, stone slab, etc. It should be durable and be able to withstand at least a period of 10 years. It should be locally available material such as Kadapa slab, marble stone, tandoor slab etc. are encouraged depending on the availability, durability, cost of the material and the ability to paint/ engrave the prescribed details on the material. Also, oil paint or other material that is available locally and will remain permanent or for a longer duration may be used. The boards made of marble stone or similar materials may be engraved with details. Most importantly the use of materials such as tin, iron, flex sheets etc. are strictly prohibited.

The cost of the Citizen Information Board has to be part of the work estimate. The cost of the Citizen Information Board shall not be more than Rs. 3,000 in case of individual work, and Rs. 5,000 for community work. The cost is suggestive and payment shall be made as per actual work done based on relevant Schedule of Rates (SOR) ensuring that the upper limit is not exceeded. The Gram Rozgar Sahayak (GR) has the prime responsibility to install the Citizen Information Board at every work site before the commencement of the work.

Muttil Panchayath CDS’s initiative

Muttil is a village in the Wayanad district in the state of Kerala.  As many works had been ongoing in Muttil Panchayath as part of the MGNREGS programme. It is mandatory to install Citizen Information Boards in every worksite. Smt. Leena, who is the CDS Chairperson of Muttil Panchayath had an idea. Why can’t Muttil Panchayath take up the charge of making the Citizen Information Boards?  She thought of helping the ADS in getting an income.

The Muttil Panchayath CDS approached the MGNREGS showing their interest to be the vendor. And as a result, they were approved to be the vendors. It was during 2018-19 financial year.  Ward Number 16 of Muttil Panchayath was entrusted with the same and a group consisting of 4 women were formed.  And they have started taking up the charges of making Citizen Information Boards. The unit was named as ‘Excel’ and Smt. Jameela, Smt, Bushara, Smt, Nadeera and Smt. Khadeeja were the members of the unit.

They had completed the work of 177 Citizen Information Boards until now.  The boards are in two sizes. 4x3 and 2x3. Out of the 177 Citizen Information Boards they made, 25 numbers are in 4x3 size and the remaining 152 numbers are in 2x3 size. They had submitted their bills to MGNREGS and their bills are yet to get processed. They would get a profit of Rs 50 per piece of the Citizen Information Board of 4x3 size and Rs 35 per piece of the Citizen Information Board of 2x3 size.

 The training for making the Citizen Information Boards was given to the unit by MGNREGS and Kudumbashree Wayanad District Mission.  They are yet to get trained in writing in the boards. As of now, they are outsourcing the same from their acquaintances nearby. They had received an average work of Rs 4 lakhs until now.  Citizen Information Board of 2x3 size costs Rs 2977 and Citizen Information Board of 4x3 size costs Rs 4379.  They had made Citizen Information Boards for various activities viz., pond making, land development activities, water irrigation projects, canal renovation, conservation of coffee plants, farm bunding activities, plant nursery making etc. held in Muttil Panchayath.  They are planning to apply for the post of vendor this financial year as well.

Scope

Muttil Panchayath CDS is the only Panchayath CDS in the state that had identified the scope of such an initiative. No other CDSs have realised the scope of this opportunity. As MGNREGS activities are occurring all across the state, the other CDSs may also take up this opportunity by showing their willingness to make Citizen Information Boards and help the NHG members in their CDS to earn an income of their own. As the MGNREGS programme is ongoing and is sustainable, the unit could ensure a regular income of their own as well.

Kudumbashree Wayanad District Mission had extended their relentless support to the Muttil Panchayath CDS in all possible ways and by extending them training for making the Citizen Information Boards, Wayanad District Mission played its part really well. This model could undoubtedly be a best practice that could be replicated by the other CDSs and Kudumbashree District Missions. The other CDSs inside and outside Wayanad district may make an exposure visit to the Excel unit of Muttil Panchayath. This could be replicated by the other CDSs and a regular income could be ensured for some women.