The camp was conducted under the banner of Right to Food Campaign, an association of over 200 activists, mainly dalit men and women, including Self Help Group Members and Civil Society Organizations, led by Human Rights Law Network, to empower the rural citizens. 60 activists, consisting of equal number of dalit men and women attended. 

The camp was addressed by Mr. S. Balasubramanian, Project officer, DRDA, Mr. Elumalai, Rural People Sangam and District Convenor, Right to Food, Mr. Kannaiyan, State Coordinator, Right to Food, Mr. Gopinath, Research Scholar, MSSRF and Kris Dev, an ICT and e-Gov Consultant,

Mr. John, Dalit Land Rights Federation and Mr. Anandha Kuamar, Right to Food Activist and Lawyer at Tiruvannamalai coordinated the programme, held in the Danish Mission Carmel Primary School.

Many suggestions were made towards introducing transparency and accountability in the working of the various schemes. The camp helped the participants to understand and appreciate the various dimensions of implementation of such welfare schemes in thier true perspective.

Kris Dev, explained how biometric tracking and paperless office can be used to integrate the grassroot activities at the panchayat, block, district and state level, to introduce total transparency and accountability in every activity of the government and citizens.

The rural poor at the grassroot level were asked to use RTI, to demand the Government, to introduce total transparency measures, so that citizens' grievances are solved timely by the Government and projects having long term Community Centric Sustainable Development value to the local community alone are taken up and the funds meant for this are not diverted by middlemen in collusion with corrupt officials, to alleviate poverty and achieve UN MDGs.

The dalit women sang a song in chorus, created by them, to show the awakening in women of their rights and equality before men.

The Government must encourage conducting of such awareness programmes by Civil Society Organizations in all Districts to further sensitise rural people. The Government should provide funds for conducting such Awareness Camps, under NREGS Administration expenses.

Kris Dev
NREGS & RTI Implementation Consultant
B4, Ashok Suparna,
27/12, 3rd Main Road,
Kasturiba Nagar, Adyar,
Chennai-600020, India