National Mahila Kisan Diwas

On the eve of National Mahila Kisan Diwas, REDS, ATMA and Department of Agriculture, A.P., Anantapur have collectively organized an event with Women Farmers in the DPRC building in the premises of Z.P. Office, Anantapur.  

Mr. Veerapandyan, IAS, District Collector, Anantaur was the chief guest for the event. Other dignitaries present included Shri, Unnam Hanumantharaya Chowdary, M.L.A. Kalyandurgam,
Mr.  Habeeb Basha, Joint Director, Agriculture Dept., Mr. Venkateswarlu, Project Director, DRDA, Mrs. Padmamma, Joint Director, Sericulture, DDAs, ADAs, AOs, and MPEOs from allied departments of Agriculture. 

In addition to this, the staff of REDS, Members of different FPOs, i.e,, Anantha Grameena Mahila Raithula FPO, Atmakur Mahila Raithula, FPO,  Bhumatha Mahila Raithula fPO, Mallaiah Gari Palli Mahila Raithula FPO, and K. Kuntla Palli Raithula FPOs have participated making a total of 78 participants from REDS and its supported organizations.  The overall participants were around 400 members.

In his guest address, the District Collector said that the women farmers are staunch supporters to their families in the severely drought stricken district of Anantapur.  He appreciated the contribution of women farmers who are a part and part and parcel of agricultural activities in the rural context.  He praised their efforts in this field as they are working, progressing, and making equal contributions to the men in the farm works.  He appreciated the efforts of the organizers for making such successful efforts to bring all the women farmers on to one dais. He appreciated the efforts of the Joint Director Agriculture for this achievement.  He promised that the government will take initiatives to support and promote women farmers in the district. 

In his inspirational speech Mr. Unnam Hanumantharaya Chowdry, MLA, Kalyandurg said that he also comes from a farming family.  He felt sad that though the women play a great role in agricultural field, they have no recognition and respect for their commitment and services.  He expressed his happiness that being a participant in this meeting, attended by such large number of women farmers; he feels that these women have made their identity in their own style.  He shared that in his constituency, several women farm labours have formed into groups and got trained in farm related aspects.  He further said that now these women groups are working on their own without depending on male labour in agriculture.  He said that now women farmers are the leaders in the field of agriculture.

Continuing his speech he said that several farmers are getting losses for not getting minimum price for their produce.  It has become a regular happening that the farmers throw away their Tomato produce for not finding minimum price of Tomato.  He advised the farmers to get trained from KVK Reddipalli and get trained in food processing which will help them to process the through drying and using them whenever required.  He promised that he will make his best efforts to access support for the women farmers.

In her address to the participants, Mrs. Swarupa Rani, Mayor, Anantapur Municipal Corporation said that the government has brought light into the life of the women through DWCRA groups.  She felt that as the rural areas are thickly populated with farming communities, and the women are also involved in agricultural works the government is also taking needy steps to promote the women farmers.  She greeted all the women farmers on the eve of Women Farmers’ Day.

The cultural team from DRDA – VELUGU presented cultural shows in between the event. They sung folk songs and skits representing the roles of Women Farmers, Land and Soil fertility, the cheating done by the Middlemen and how the farmers are being the scape-goats for their tactics etc.  Their performance created an enjoyable and relaxing mood among the participants.

Mrs. Nagendramma, a women farmer from Talupuru village, and member of “Atmakuru Mandal Women FPO” explained about Natural farming.  She explained the participants about her training in natural farming aspects.  She further said  that she is illiterate and hence she cannot write any thing, but she represented her learnings in the form of drawings, and explained the members.  Another member of the FPO, Mrs. K. Rathnamma said that she is also involved and following Natural Farming in their village, and educating fellow members of her group about this system of farming.

Mrs. Suseelamma, representative of the “Anantha Rural Women FPO” explained that women farmers from 5 villages have formed into an FPO.  The main objective of the FPO is to ensure that the women farmers are also treated on par with the men farmers.  She informed that each of the women farmer member in these groups are contributing a share capital of Rs.500/-.  The amount that saved is utilized for the bulk procurement of seeds, tools etc., due to which the prices comes to less than the retail prices in the open market.  The FPO supplies them to the member farmers at a price less than the existing market price, thus benefiting the members, which helps them to save money.

In his concluding speech, Mr. Habeeb Basha, the Joint Director of Agriculture recalled that he too hails from an agricultural family.  He remembered his childhood when his father used to go for farm works in their own lands, and his mother used to take care of the family along with helping his father.  He reiterated that agriculture cannot be imagined without the involvement and support of women.

The best women farmers have received awards from the Member of Legislative Assembly of Kalyandurgam

Vocational Training Center

Convergence meeting with line department and Inauguration  of Vocational Training Center

          Venue Detail            :   REDS Office

          Date                           :   09.05.2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following personnel are attended the meeting:

Sri Kandikunta Venkata Prasad, M.L.A., Kadiri Constituency.
Sri  Chakrapani, A.L.O., Kadiri.
Sri Ravindra Babu, President, Bar Association, Kadiri
Ms Anitha, PLAN INDIA
Sri Umasankar, Plan India
Sri S.Narayana Swamy, Plan India
Smt C.Bhanuja, CF, REDS

Smt C.Bhanuja, CF, REDS presided the meeting and invited the guests into the dias. She explained that the REDS has been implementing CCL project with the support of Plan India in 16 slums of Kadiri Municipality. Under this project REDS has identifying the child labour and enrolled them into the schools. She explained that REDS has formed Child Forums with 80%of girl children and 20 % of boys and also formed CPC’s.  The children issues was discussing in CF meetings and solving their problems. In this juncture REDS has providing vocational training to the adolescent girls who are in Beedi rolling work.

Kum Ayesha, CF Leader stated that they are identified and rescued Child labour and enroll them into the schools. In their regular meetings they are discussing about the child rights.

Sri Narayana, CPC member stated that so many families are depended on Beedi Rolling work to continue their livelihood. Taking advantage of their poor financial status the   Beedi Factories Management are not providing ID cards and not providing any facilities to the workers. He expressed that it is very essential all the workers are demand united to the management to get their legitimate rights.

Sri Chakrapani, ALO explained that the workers are not utilizing the benefits which are provided by the Govt. due to lack of knowledge on labour acts. He stated that it is the responsibility of the Beedi Factory management to provide the ID cards, but in our town there is no management. Because, the mediators are supplying the leafs and they are collecting the beedies from the workers. He further stated that as per act the children between 6 to 14 years shall move into the school. If anyone engage the children as labour in their shops they will be punished severely.

Ms Anitha, Plan India explained that Plan India working on child rights for the past 35 years throughout the world. In Andhra Pradesh it is working in 5 districts to eradicate the child labour. She said that the main objective of the programme is every child between 6 to 14 years to be in school. Further, she explained the Beedi Rolling workers problems and how it is hazardous to the health of the workers. She said that Plan has started Vocational Training center to the adolescent girls who are in Beedi Rolling work. She requested all the participants to cooperate with the REDS to build the Kadiri Mandal as Child Labour free mandal.

Sri Kandikunta Venkta Prasad, MLA delivering his speech stated that the REDS has implementing the Child Labour Project with the support of Plan India to prevent the child labour in our area. Each and every one should cooperate with the REDS to reach the goal of the project. The development of the nation is depended on the hands of the children. Your future is in your hands, the parents should send their children into the school. He further stated that we must fight to avail our rights which were provided in our constitution. He assured his full cooperation to the REDS to reach the goal of the project.

Vote of thanks by the PC.

NPM

ఆ క్షణాలు మరవలేనుమహిళలు నాగలి పడితే వూరికి అరిష్టమని భావించే ఆ గ్రామీణుల నమ్మకమే ఈ మహిళల్లో తెగింపు తెచ్చింది. అరక పట్టి వ్యవసాయం చేయడానికి నడుం బిగించారు. సేంద్రియఎరువులు ఉపయోగిస్తూ పర్యావరణాన్నీ పరిరక్షిస్తున్నారు. ప్రధాని ప్రశంసలు అందుకున్నారు. చిన్న ఆశతో మొదలైన వారి వ్యవసాయం… నేడు రైతులకే సలహాలివ్వగలిగే స్థాయికి చేర్చింది. అనంతపురం జిల్లా అమడగూరు మండలం మహిళలకు ఇదెలా సాధ్యమైందంటే..

వ్యవసాయపనులు పురుషులే చేయాలనేది వారి గ్రామంలో ఆనవాయితి. దాంతో మగతోడు లేని కుటుంబాలకు ఎంతో ఇబ్బందయ్యేది. ఆ కష్టం నుంచే మేమెందుకు వ్యవసాయం చేయకూడదన్న ఆలోచన మొదలైంది. ఈ నేపథ్యంలో స్వచ్ఛంద సంస్థలు, ఇందిరా క్రాంతి పథకంవారు చేసిన ప్రచారం వారిలో స్ఫూర్తి నింపి, ముందుకు నడిపించింది. కొత్తపేట గ్రామంలో కొందరు మహిళలు సంఘంగా ఏర్పడి నాగమ్మను అధ్యక్షురాలిగా ఎంపిక చేసుకున్నారు. రెడ్స్‌ స్వచ్ఛంద సంస్థ సహాయంతో వ్యవసాయానికి శ్రీకారం చుట్టారు. ఇలా 2005లో 21మంది రైతులు 21 ఎకరాలలో సేంద్రియ సాగు ప్రారంభించారు. ప్రస్తుతం వెంకటనారాయణ పల్లి, కొత్తపేట, సజ్జలవాండ్లపల్లి, తుమ్మల గ్రామాల్లోని 90 మంది రైతులకు చెందిన 200 ఎకరాల్లో వివిధ పంటలు సాగు చేస్తున్నారు. సాయంకాలంలో మహిళలు, రైతులు ఒకచోట చేరి వ్యవసాయ సంబంధ విషయాలు చర్చించుకునేవారు. గ్రామసంఘంలో ఉన్న రూ.47 వేలు విత్తనం కొనుగోలుకు పెట్టుబడిగా ఇవ్వటంతో వేరుశెనగ పంటసాగు చేశారు. రసాయనిక ఎరువుల వాడకంవల్ల నష్టాలగురించి తెలుసుకున్నారు. స్వయంగా సేంద్రియ ఎరువులు తయారుచేసుకున్నారు. చీడపీడల నివారణకు పురుగు మందుల బదులు కషాయాలు పిచికారీ చేశారు. దీంతో పంటపై పెట్టే పెట్టుబడులు తగ్గి దిగుబడులు పెరిగాయి. పండించిన పంటలను మహిళాసంఘాల వారే కొనుగోలు చేసి నిల్వ ఉంచారు. వీరు సేకరించిన విత్తనం నాణ్యంగా ఉండటంతో ప్రభుత్వం రాయితీతో రైతులకు అందజేసింది. క్రమంగా సేంద్రియ ఎరువులతో పండించిన కాయగూరలకు మార్కెట్లో డిమాండ్‌ పెరిగింది. పంట దిగుబడులను మహిళలే స్వయంగా మార్కెట్టుకు తెచ్చి విక్రయిస్తారు. వీరి ఆసక్తిని చూసి ప్రభుత్వం రూ.10 లక్షలు రుణం కింద అందజేసింది. ఈ గ్రామాన్ని ఆదర్శంగా తీసుకుని, సాగు చేస్తూ ఇతర గ్రామాల రైతులు అప్పుల వూబి నుంచి బయటపడగలిగారు. బ్యాంకులు సైతం ఇంటికి రెండు పాడిఆవులు చొప్పున ఇవ్వడానికి ముందుకు వచ్చాయి.రసాయన ఎరువులు, క్రిమిసంహారకాలు వాడకుండా సాగు చేసేవిధానం గురించి పలు సదస్సుల్లో ప్రసంగించిన నాగమ్మ ఒకసారి ప్రధాని పాల్గొన్న సమావేశంలో మాట్లాడాల్సివచ్చింది. అప్పుడు ప్రధాని ఆమెను ఎంతగానో కొనియాడారు. అనంతపురం జిల్లా కలెక్టరుగా పనిచేసిన అనురాధ నుంచి ప్రశంసాపత్రాలు సైతం అందుకున్న నాగమ్మ అవి తన జీవితంలో మరపురాని సంఘటనలని నవ్వుతూ చెప్తుంది.

– ఎస్‌. మనోహరరెడ్డి,
ఈనాడు జర్నలిజం పాఠశాల

NREGS, impressive but complaints pour in by THE TIMES OF INDIA

Hyderabad

NREGS, impressive but complaints pour in
21 Mar 2009, 0452 hrs IST, Roli Srivastava, TNN
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HYDERABAD: Job guarantee for 100 days and assured wages for lakhs of poor people may appear like the most impressive election pitch. Also
impressive are figures of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), telling a story of 54.4 lakh households that it has reached out to in Andhra Pradesh alone. But unlike the meticulously done statistics, the implementation is not half as impressive, say those who are in the know of things.

Lurking behind the reams of data are allegations of poor implementation of NREGS. Complaints ranging from the real needy people being sidelined due to “political involvement” in NREGS to under-payment or even delay in payments, there are issues responsible for the well-intentioned scheme going wrong in more ways than one. Officials too admit that these are not mere bickerings and that complaints are indeed significant in number.

For starters, the beneficiaries of the scheme are not always those who are eligible for it. “Those who have five acres of land, a monthly income cannot avail of the scheme since it is meant for those who do not have any livelihood. But people who are not eligible get this benefit,” says Savio Charles of Rayalaseema Prajadhwani, who rues the heavy “political involvement” in the scheme’s implementation due to which the needy have got sidelined.

As per official data, 54.4 lakh households have benefited from the scheme at an expenditure of over Rs 2144 crore. The works accomplished since the scheme’s launch by Sonia Gandhi in Anantapur in February, 2006, are completion of 7,000 minor irrigation tanks that can irrigate 6 lakh acres of land, 5.6 lakh acres of `uncultivable land turned to cultivable’ and 1.44 lakh acres utilised for horticulture. Activists, however, say NREG technical staff are not trained in work measurement.

But some households have clearly benefited. Activists share stories of young boys in districts going to college now, using the money earned through NREG to fund their education. “One family in Anantapur’s Kadiri mandal, that earlier migrated to Bangalore for work, completed 200 days (of work under NREGS). Their daughter, a Class VIII dropout, could join school and they cleared a Rs 8,000 loan
they had taken and even managed to purchase a cow,” says M S Chandra of Reds, an Anantapur-based NGO, who has been studying child rights issues in NREGS.

But complaints about payment delays and even inadequate payment, lack of facilities at the work site such as shade and safe drinking water are piling up. A social audit conducted by NGOs on the scheme revealed loopholes such as “benami names in the roster, duplication of work, wage difference and in some places even blackmail by field assistants”, according to activist J Lalitamma. She says in many cases people were shortchanged, handed only Rs 80 as against the promised Rs 100. “There have been fights and dharnas in districts such as Chittoor but the government is not responding to these allegations,” she says, adding that even the Dalit land development, which is part of the NREG Act has not been executed.

While admitting the string of complaints are significant in numbers, A Murali, director, NREGS, says that 70 per cent of payments have been made on time but in 30 per cent cases there has been a spillover because of the coordination required between the NREGS block office or the post office and banks. While activists even allege the role of middlemen, Murali says they would have limited presence here, given that the scheme doesn’t pay anyone without a bank or a post office account and for a middle man to manage so many accounts is an `impractical possibility.’

In addition, the poor work site facilities such as no shade or poor supply of safe drinking water. “Shade is an issue in 50 per cent cases,” says Murali adding that drinking water issue is more or less sorted.

WORK SITE FACILITIES

Worksite facilities in NREGS
National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (NREGS) is a legislation passed by the Indian Parliament, which guarantees wage employment to any adult who is willing to do unskilled manual work. The Act recognizes ‘right to work’ as a fundamental right of the Citizen. In the era of globalization where it is feared that people without basic literacy will slip into deeper poverty, the scheme guarantees at least 100 days work to the unskilled labour at the statutory minimum wage. The objective of the act is to enhance the livelihood security of the people. It not only provides wage employment through works, but also develops the infrastructure base. The choice of works addresses causes of chronic poverty like drought, deforestation, soil erosion etc. The employment it generates has the potential to transform the geography of poverty.

NREGS also provides worksite facilities, which includes provision for the following:

• Safe drinking water : it shall provide one person (water person) for every 25 labourers at every work site and every work site and shall have required number of pots/drums/cans/jugs with proper lids/covers/garatas and water person shall be paid Rs. 80/- per day.

• Medical kit and first aid : The local staff have to ensure that every work site in every habitation have the first aid kit with full first aid material and have to refill immediately

• Shelter or sunshades for children who are breastfed, children who cannot be left alone at home, for dining at lunch intervals, to take rest if it is too hot and sunny or even if it is drizzling or raining.
• Crèche / aya : If there are 5 or more children (below the age of six) accompanying their mothers who are working at any site, then one of the women workers shall be engaged to look after the children and she shall be paid Rs.80/- per day.

The most ambitious programme with good objectives has been designed and implemented which guarantees not only employment, minimum and equal wages is successful in checking migration to at least 25-30% in many places, people who have migrated in search of employment have even come back to villages and benefited through NREGS.

The NREGS helped people in the villages to develop their own lands and also permanent assets for the community. It would have been more successful and beneficial if it had also focused on providing basic worksite facilities, which helps more women to participate and exercise their right to work and food with dignity.

Field experiences

Water

Generally, the work places are 3 to 4 kms away from the villages, bringing the water from the village is very painful job especially for aged or women, in most of the areas water persons are not coming forward because of the non availability of the water nearby, if not they are arranging from ponds, small lakes or agriculture bores wich are available nearer to the work sites, the water is either not safe or contaminated or of floride.

The wage seekers are facing inconvenience because of non availability of water person

It is observed that, the wage seekers in most of the worksites are deprived of safe drinking water and children also fall sick by drinking the water.

First Aid Kits

There is no good first aid box in most of the places where NREGS works are going on. The First Aid material which needs to be placed and stored in a safe & hygienic place, but in reality it not being stored in an acceptable methods and places. The first aid material which includes cotton, bandage and other material is supplied in a plastic cover, the field staff either hang the cover to the branch of a tree or keep it on a pebble, as it cannot withstand the wind, it falls down on the ground and catches dust and germs and gets dirt and if that used, it may also be a cause of infection.

The first aid material and medicines can be supplied in a recommended closed, safe box.

Shades

It is observed that, local officials are not arranging the shades in most of the worksites. In some areas, children are playing under the trees, if there are no trees, the wage seekers have made their own arrangements. The Department has supplied polythene sheets / plastic sheets for total Grama Panchayat. The supplied quantity is not sufficient for some panchayats where there are 6 to 9 hamlets / habitations and the plastic sheet generates more heat. We have obsereved that the existing practices are neither safe nor good, we also observed that in some places, the children are affected with sun stroke, snake bites and Scorpion bites, and they fall sick due to the non availability of safe shades. Mothers also don’t feel comfortable if they have to breastfed the children.

As mentioned the shades with plastic covers generates more heat than a shade, children are also affected with sun stroke hence daily wage seekers in most of the places cut the trees and make temporary arrangement for shade/ shelter. This is not only painful but results in cutting the trees, or else they have to leave the children to rest under the tree or or any thing which is available.

Creche / Aya

Low economic status forces both wife and husband to work and it is definitely a problem if they have small children. if they have elders to look after the children it will be fine other wise they have to leave their children in the house or they have to bring their children to the work site or they have to stop working.

If at all, they have to bring their children to the work site, some times they have to travel 3 to 4 Km by walk, in spite of all these with great difficulty if they reach to the work site, they will not have security for the children, there is no trained aya, no safe drinking water, no proper shade and medical facilities

It was observed that in most of the places this facility is not provided under the pretext that mothers are not bringing their children and mothers say that they are not bringing the children because of non availability of an aya, no proper shade and care facilities at the work site for the children to protect children from hot weather conditions at the worksites.

Shades

4 types of portable tents are designed and developed using different material. One person can easily carry the tent to any of the worksite. It can be easily assembled and erected in just 20 minutes by a single person.

GreenNet Shade                                                 Hard Canvas Shade

Material Used

Different shapes of tents are deigned and different materials like green net, hard cloth, tarpaulin and hardcanvas are used. ¾” dia MS pipe of hard quality is used for the strong structure of the shades / tents. Simple nuts and bolts are used for assembling and erecting the structure, Well crown tape is used to fasten the material used for shade.

Hard Cloth Shade                                                              Taurpalin Cloth Shade

All the models are tested in different worksites and observed the difference of temp by 12o C and can accommodate from 20 to 40 persons depending on the model. Wageseekers especially women feel safe, privacy in feeding (breast feeding) their children, convenient to dine under the hot sun in a worksite.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               The shades cost between Rs 3,700/- to 5,000/- depending on the models.

Water Trolley

Developed two types of trolleys to transport the water from village / safe source point of water to the worksite.

Material used

Tyres of 12” diameter and good ball bearings for free movement of wheel, and one person can easily push the trolley for 5-6 kms, on uneven roads with pebbles, sand and soil. It has a good platform of 24’’ x 30’’ base is arranged to accommodate and carry the load of a water tank with a capacity of 100 litres.

If a spare water tank is also filled and carried to the worksite, it shall suffice the drinking water requirement of nearly 70 wage seekers,

The trolley can be used for multi purposes, to carry tents, water and with little modifications, this can also be used to water the plants. The manufacturing cost of the trolley is approx. Rs.5000/-

On 24th Nov 2008 Ananthapur District Collector Sri Anil Kumar has inaugurated the trolley, Sri K R Venugopal, Retired IAS and former Secretary to the Prime Minister, Sri G Gopal PD. DWMA, Sri Balaramaih DMHO; Smt. Muthyalamma PD (ICDS),
C Bhanuja REDS were also present on the occassion. Later, the Collector has enquired with DWMA PD about the NREGS developments and also the work site facilities and assured to scale it up in the district.

Medical Kit

Developed 6 types of medical kits. These are very convenient to store the required first aid material and easy to carry it to the worksite, like dust froof, hegenic and conivent to store the medecins.

Among the 6 model, the model 9 x 11 x 8 (10.5 L TR) suits the purposes.
like other models, a transperant plastic box size was selected for visibility of medicines and the lid with two side clamps are used to lock the box avoid dust. A black nylon strip with plastic loop and hook is used to adjust the length of the kit to suit the height of the person who carries the kit.

MDF plank with holes is used to place and fix the bottles (iodine, hydrogen peroxide) in its place to avoid leakages and spoiling other medicines in the box.

The box costs around Rs. 125/- without the medicines.

The medical kit is inaugurated by Dr Kadapala Mohan Reddy, MLA, Nallamada of Ananthapuram District and also a qualified doctor. He examined each item in the box and appreciated the innovations and services. On request for upscaling the models, he assured to take the matter to the notice of the Government.

Creche / Aya

Link the Child care provision in NREGS with ICDS. Following are the process steps were taken in pilot in 48 panchayaths of 4 mandals of Anantapur district.

• Survey is conducted in 48 panchayaths of 4 mandals Kadiri, Nallamada, Amadaguru and Gandlapenta to find out the number of children (below 6 years of age) and feasibility of the crèche.
• Mothers are motivated in 30 villages, conducted several meetings with mothers and labour committees to bring their children to worksite.
• Reds has approached the mandal officials to make arrangements of crèche but Mandal officials have not cooperated to appoint the aya because they are not aware of the procedure of master roll and formalities.
• Reds have cleared in the Monday Review meetings that how to enrol Aya attendances in the master roll, in spite of that they have not started the crèches.
• Bhanuja has explained the situation to the Principal Secretary and Sri Murali, Director Technical NREGS, Sri Murali has arranged circular and he instructed the mandal official to cooperate with REDS.
• Ms C.Bhanuja met the District Collector with the circular and requested to instruct the line departments for linkages, Collector has called both PDS of DWMA and ICDS to implement the programme.
• Met the District officials, Sri Gopal PD, DWMA and  PD, ICDS of Ananthapur.
• Met the Mandal officials MPDOs, CDPOs for convergence of the programme.
• Organised orientation programme in sector meetings of ICDS to the anganwadi staff
• After a lengthy process REDS started running 35 centres in 24 villages, covering 263 children. 35 ayas have been recruited.

Process
• Based on the survey centres have been identified and AYA are selected through a labour committees.
• Aya wages have to be paid by NREGS funds and linked with Anganwadi centres
• Centres have opened at 6:00 am and she has worked with existing anganwadi staff
• Where the anganwadi centres exist the crèches organised in the same premises
• Where the anganwadi centres do not exist, organised in mini centres or at ayas residence.
• On request of the wage seekers (who are having breast fed children) some the Crèches were organised at work sites with sunshades.
• Linkage of nutritious food for the wage seekers’ children with special permission of District Collector.
• Where the anganwadi centres do not exist, REDS has arranged the nutrition food, such as Ragi malt and other local available traditional food.

After facilitating and running the crèches, we have observed that there is an increase of 22 % of women wage seekers.
REDS has organised crèches at work place with sunshades, Medical kit, Safe Dirking Water and portable cradle facility.

Sri K R Venugopal, Retired IAS and former Secretary to the Prime Minister has visited some of the crèches running at anganwadi centres and work sites, he has appreciated the efforts of REDS and advised the District officials to provide two times of nutrition food instated of one time, and he also discussed with the District collector after that the local officials of ICDS has provided two times of nutrition food.

Sri K R Venugopal also suggested the REDS to identify the educated youth to look after the crèches instead of old age women so that the children will get the pre school education where the anganwadis do not exist.
Smt Shantha Kumari, Commissioner of Rural Development Government of Andhra Pradesh and Sri Gopal PD, DWMA, Ananthapur have visited the crèches.

Demostrations

 

 

 

Demosstration to the wage seekers                                                                                           Trolley demonstration to the                                                                                                                                                                         Collector Ananthapur and other officials

 

Medical Kit demonstration to Collector
and Sri K R Venugopal fromer
Secretary to PM

Upscalling

Models of Tents/ sun shades, Water Trolley, Medical Kit & Cradle demonstrated at Hyderabad

 

 

 

 

Demonstration to Sri K Raju, Principle Secretary of  Rural Development                                        Government of Andhra Pradesh by C Bhanuja-REDS

Demonstration to Smt. Shantha Kumari, Commissioner of Rural Development, Government
of Andhra Predesh by Ms C.Bhanuja

Keeping in view of the field situations and worksite conditions, the officials were finding it to difficult to provide the worksite facilties, the models were designed, developed and demonstrated the need for the worksite facilities and uses of the models with the pilot projects and also convinced the officials to accept and assurance to replicate.

Wassan and Upadhi hami hakkula Amulu committee extended their support in the process of advocacy and lobbying.

Sri K Raju, Pricipal Secretary of Rural Development observed the demonstration of all models has appreciated the efforts of REDS and he assured that the Government would adopt the model 1 sunshade and will be supplied to the wage seekers throughout the state.

Smt Shantha Kumari, Commissioner of Rural Development announced in the meeting that the Government is going introduce the REDS Pilot initiatives and run the Crèches in all Districts.

Smt. Y V Anuradha Director Women and Child welfare has principally accepted to link up supply of SNP (single or double ration) of WD&CW Department to these Centres.