Recasting Citizenship for Development - File UPI

332 MANDAKINI PANT
against the sarpanch, he bowed to this pressure, and now attends the
gram sabha meetings regularly.
In many villages, the gram sabha meetings often took place without a
quorum. The women members from the groups would return from meetings
that were deemed cancelled, after which the sarpanch would conduct
the proceedings. He would then send the women the register to record
their presence in the meeting. The members refused to sign the register
as holding a meeting without the required quorum was illegal. Yielding
to their resolve, the sarpanch mobilised the required number of villagers
needed to ensure and maintain the quorum.
Developing Linkages with the Sarpanch: Over a period of time, a
healthy relationship has developed between the sarpanch and the group
members. Three factors seem to have contributed towards the development
of this relationship: the role of the intervening agency, the aspiration
level of the sarpanch and the motivational level of the women members.
The Pradhan of Kotyal panchayat, Naugaon block, Uttarakhand, collaborated
with the SHGs and approached the Block Development Council
to demand a full-fledged dispensary with a woman doctor for general and
reproductive health care, an immunisation drive for women and children,
and an adequately staffed anganwadi. The panchayats in Naugaon Block
entrusted the SHG with rakeet bandhaan through which a person would
be hired to guard the crops, and the decision on the terms of payment for
the construction of a kitchen for the school.
The sarpanch of Khamliya, Sehore Block, Madhya Pradesh, regularly
supported the SHGs in all their endeavours. The SHGs in the village were
an important vote bank, representing 40 families. The meeting of the gram
sabha was scheduled at about 11 a.m. to suit the women, and would not
begin until all women members were present.
Interviews with Pradhans in Uttar Pradesh have revealed that the participation
of SHG members in gram panchayats has ushered in some
positive changes. Employment opportunities have increased. Migration
has been reduced. The village Pradhans wanted the SHGs to raise the issue
of allotment of pattas (title deeds), ration cards and hand pumps in open
meetings of the gram sabha. They looked forward to the cooperation of
the SHGs in local resource development and the other developmental
works of the gram panchayat. They said that SHGs were important for
panchayat development as both charted similar developmental roles.