Recasting Citizenship for Development - File UPI

Restructuring the Employment Guarantee Scheme 161
the agriculture officer about why the women should be trusted more
than the men farmers. In the past, the men farmers had taken money by
showing false records of hiring labour, but had not nurtured the trees
and had simply explained that the plants had dried out. Women were
shocked to hear the dirty ways of corruption. But they were convinced
that if the officers came to make payments every month, the women could
not cheat them. At one point, they indicated that there might be connivance
between the officer and the farmer. Their argument was that if
this is the scheme under EGS, then it should follow the rules of EGS
payments.
On the one hand, women expressed keen concern about the agreement
to be made in their names but, on the other, some were afraid that their
men would not appreciate this idea. Some women were looking forward
to getting the piece of private land in their own name so that they would be
eligible for the scheme. Women’s desire for land could be noticed through
these discussions, although they are still far behind when it comes to
upholding the demand of the women’s movement elsewhere for the
inheritance of land rights.
Most disturbing was the lack of collective spirit among the women.
Only in Keshewadi and Ansurda was the idea of land to be given to the
SHG appreciated, and they talked of taking turns in working in the orchard
and getting wages. Some agreed that those who needed work would be
allowed to work for wages; while others would participate in decisionmaking
and would share the profit when it was earned. Many of these
women had been engaged on EGS work on percolation tanks, roads and,
sometimes, the nurseries of the Forest Department. None of them had
been a member of any union or organisation, but at least they had been
associated with the NGO for some time and had been part of SHG activity.
However, the SHG activity does not appear to inculcate the spirit of
collectivity among them. Indeed, it sometimes encourages competition
among members with regard to accessing loans. The strongest voice was
for individual activity.
Moreover, very few women had a long-term view of the business and
its advantages. Except the women of Keshewadi and Ansurda, very few
were aware that risk-taking is important to increase income, not just
through wages, but also through assets, that is, through investment. The
Dalit women, who were all landless labourers, were only concerned about