NGOs provide lifeline to villagers in Bihar, ease rural distress (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 2:National 
Prelims level: NGOs 
Mains level: Role of NGOs and SHGs reducing rural distress 

Context:

• Thousands of migrant labour are stuck in camps in Mumbai, Delhi, Surat, Ahmedabad and several other cities.
• In Village India there is an urgency to put cash in the hands of women and others for their daily needs as well as provide transport support to take vegetables and harvested crops to district markets. 
• There is need to provide information and motivate villagers to protect themselves from the corona virus.

Problems observed by the NGOs:

• NGOs with deep insights and bonding with communities at the grass roots.
• They have already begun work to cope with rural distress. 
• Food is not such a big problem since the public distribution system is functioning and most villagers have ration cards. 
• Some do not have ration cards and the AKF is assisting them to get one. 
• Many continue to live off vegetables and home grown crops. 

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Increasing awareness: 

• The AKF has been working in Bettiah, West Champaran, Bihar, for several years now. 
• When the lockdown was announced, with the help of its field partner, Samagra Shikshan Evam Vikas Sansthan (SSEVS), the AKF activated the SMS service to SHGs, farmers groups, Farmers Producer Company and others. 
• Six messages in Hindi were prepared on social distancing, the need to wear masks even during harvesting, availability of super grain bags free of cost for safe storage of harvested grain/pulses till they reached market, and the service of four-wheelers to transport crops directly from field to the markets. 
• Since villagers could not step out of their villages and the middlemen who normally bought their crop from their doorsteps could no longer enter the villages, there was urgency to market harvested crops.
• In addition to the scaled up messaging service followed by phone calls, posters were created and pasted at village chowks, on school walls and public buildings to decimate the fear of the virus and share information on measures provided by the NGO to make life easier.

Not a single positive case: 

• The good news is that not a single positive case of the virus has been reported in the 49 villages (population 2.5 lakhs) of West Champaran where the AKF is working. 
• About 2,500 of the 4,000 plus migrants who were quarantined on coming back have also been cleared and have returned home. 
• The return of the others is anxiously waited, since March and April are the months when the zaid crops are sown and the rabi harvested.

Initiatives taken towards to ensure cash in hand:
Earning money through making masks: 

• To ensure cash in the hands of the home-makers, the SHGs (Self Help Groups) at Jogapatti and Nautan blocks were activated to make masks using cotton cloth, based on the design given to them. 
• Some 5,000 masks were made and sold to the Atmanirbhar Farmers’ Producer Company, also a partner of the AKF and SSEVS, at Rs 20 each with the women earning Rs 5 on each mask. 
• Currently, they are working on an order for 50,000 masks. The masks are picked up from the SHGs by the Company and distributed door to door to some 2500 families.

Provided vehicles to sell their crops: 

• An important lifeline of the villages are the four four-wheel vehicles provided by the AKF and partners, that transport the harvested crops and vegetables to the bigger mandis. 
• Four volunteers have been given passes by the local administration to ferry crops without hindrance from Nautan and Bariya blocks of Bettiah. 
• By evening, the money is in the hands of the villagers without they having to step out. Going to the bigger markets, also ensures a better price for their products.

Introducing the cultivation of pulses:

• The AKF re-introduced cultivation of pulses with women taking the lead. 
• The Farmers Producer Company is now negotiating purchase of six tonnes of lentils from 162 farmers at market price. This is expected to put at least Rs 3 lakh cash in the hands of farmers. 

Way forward:

• •    NGOs, who have helped village communities with enhanced livelihoods, schooling for children, best practices in farming and in a myriad other way, have earned their trust. 
• •    So, when they tell them about social distancing or wearing masks they listen. 
• •    In the queues at the ration shops and even on the fields, social distancing is maintained. 
• •    However, there is anxiety and scramble at markets where shops are open for a limited time, and in the queues outside banks because people are desperate for cash.

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General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Prelims Questions:

Q.1)With reference to the Cytokines, consider the following statements:
1. Cytokines are inflammatory immunological proteins that are there to fight off infections and ward off cancers.
2. Cytokine Storm Syndrome is characterised by the overproduction of immune cells and the cytokines themselves because of a dysregulation in the process.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer...............

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Mains Questions:
Q.1)Describe the measures taken by theNGOsand Self-help groups to enhance the livelihood among village communities?