FIGHTING CORRUPTION THROUGH LEGAL
LITERACY CAMPS

India, the largest democracy in the world, has an emergent need for generating awareness of rights to ensure good governance. Legal literacy refers to primary level awareness in law including knowledge on what the law has to offer its citizens; such that citizens recognize and challenge injustices in a more convincing manner.

The 'Good Governance Now (GGN)' program of the Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD) puts the villagers in the driver's seat of development and empowers them to access their entitlements. The program trains rural people to familiarize them with the scope of their rights under the law, build capacities from within communities so that they are in a position to educate others, and eventually assert their rights as a means to take action and bring in change.

Article 39A of the Constitution of India gives a directive to the States to ensure that the operation of the legal system does promote justice based on equal opportunity. It directs the State to provide free legal aid to the poor and to take other suitable steps to ensure equal justice.

IRRAD's GGN initiative supported by Jindal Global Law School and University of Baltimore School of Law organised three legal literacy camps in three blocks of Mewat to create awareness on citizen's rights and duties which develops into a transparent and accountable government.

The camps organised in the month of June imparted awareness on six flagship programmes of the government; the Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid Day Meal, Integrated Child Development Scheme, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), Right to Education (RTE) and Right to Information (RTI) and suggested how citizen participation can bring about a positive change. The camps succeeded in bringing the authorities and beneficiaries on a common platform and raise concerns.

The volunteers set up information booths, which also served as grievance redressal cells. Several complaints pertaining to non-functioning or inadequate functioning of government schemes were registered. The Governance Guides counselled the villagers and included them as action points to be followed up by the team. A signature campaign to showcase solidarity on the issues was also carried out.

The first camp held in Taoru block was attended by the Tehsildar, District Food and Supply Officer. Legal literacy material on various government programs was distributed to the villagers. Out of sixty complaints registered at the first camp, non-functioning of Anganwadi Centers and PDS came across as a main problem. The second camp was attended by the Sub Divisional Magistrate and the Chief Medical Officer, informing the villagers about the health facilities and government's efforts to provide healthcare at the doorsteps. Block coordinator for MNREGA also present at the occasion succinctly shared the provisions of the job guarantee act and how measures like social audit can bring in transparency in the system.

The camps also marked the launch of Sushasan mail (Good Governance mail), an instrument enabling the villagers to voice their concerns and suggestions to the Centre and State government, Commissions and Judiciary. A signature campaign to oppose and demand reduction in the high RTI application fee levied in the state of Haryana drew huge support. The RTI application fee levied in the state of Haryana often inhibits the applicants to seek information. The demand charter on reduction in the RTI application fee from Rs 50-Rs 10 was later passed on to the Chief Minister's office. Even though RTI application fee for BPL households is waived off in the state but it still restraints non BPL households seeking information. Also, the RTI application fee at the Centre stands at Rs 10. The Haryana state government had reduced charges for procuring copies of the government documents under RTI from Rs 10-Rs 2 owing to public pressure a few months back.

The third and the final in the series of camps organized in Punhana block witnessed participation from 765 villagers and various district level officials. The citizen demand charter and 300 complaints registered in the camps were submitted to the Deputy Commissioner's office and shared with the concerned government departments for action. The community members are extremely optimistic about the positive results that will follow.

For Further Details
Email: communications@irrad.org