1. Experimenting Swaraj…. by Pradeep Page 1
Experimenting Swaraj: Gram Sabha intervention at Ramkumarpura
By Pradeep,
A Gandhi Fellow at Khetri, Jhunjhunu
M.A. Development (Azim Premji University)
One of the main reasons behind my joining at Gandhi fellowship was to experiment the
governance model of Swaraj (self-governance) at rural areas. Community immersion (CI) was an
opportunity to practice the theory. My first and third community immersion were utilised for the
purpose. Some issues of the community intervened by conducting Gram Sabha at Likayatawali
hamlet (Ramkumarpura panchayat). Though there are a lot of stories to share, I would like to
share my experience and impact of one of the gram sabha conducted during third CI on 22nd
June, 2015 at the panchayat office of Ramkumarpura.
Background:
Dhani Likayatawali is an old hamlet of Ramkumarpura, a newly formed panchayat at Khetri
block (Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan). There are about 50 households and around 500 people

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lives in the community. One well known government school, GUPS, Likayatwali is situated in
the hamlet (140 students enrolled). The community members belong to Khati (carpenters)
community. And their main profession is carpeting, wood works and farming. Due to limited
employment opportunities, many of the adults of the families have been migrated to gulf
countries and different parts of India to earn better livelihood. The community has better sex
ratio; in fact there are more numbers of girls than boys in the families. Most of males are literate;
few women cannot read and write. Mrs. Jaipu Kanwar is the elected sarpanch of the panchayat.
But her husband, Mr. Sher Singh take cares of all the works. The Ex- MLA of Khetri and father
of current Pradhan, Mr. Dataram Gujjar is an influential leader of the block, he is a resident of
same panchayat area. Though, there are many positive aspects of the community, many big
issues are also there which hurdles development of the community. Those are:
Damage to houses, health, agriculture-crops and environment due to heavy blasting
and stone mining activities at the two nearby mines.
Low rainfall and scarcity of water.
Poor roads & no public transport facility in the village.
No government higher secondary school and computer centre nearby.
No big playground in nearby locality.
Conflict on proposed panchayat building’s location.
Lack of studious environment at the houses.
Lack of waste management and cleanness at public places.
Planning and Approach:
I was aware about the issues as I utilised my first CI (September, 2014) at the same settlement.
Some interventions were made with gram sabha on school’s development & the playground
issue. This time I made up my mind to intervene more and more issues of the community and to
try to solve them with the approach of Swaraj. Therefore, I planned to organise a gram sabha
within the first week of my stay. For the purpose first I requested to the Sarpanch’s husband, Mr.
Sher Singh with a small interaction. He agreed to have the gathering on 22nd
June, 2015, on the
second meeting of panchayat’s representatives. Timing was after 11 am, (temporary) panchayat
office was the venue.
On 21st
June, with the help of some kids, I prepared and pasted the handmade posters of the gram
sabha to invite the villagers. Adding to this, some the villagers were personally informed too.
Discussion about the issues was the mean and transforming the panchayat as a model village was
the end of the initiative. So, the agendas, steps and approach were thought by me with some back
up plans. Information about panchayat system and government schemes were collected with the
help of our resource person, Amilal ji. Resources like- projector system, camera etc. were needed
for the purpose therefore I requested my two of my teammates (Sanket and Manas) to support me
on the day. All these were planned in the limited time.

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Execution:
On the day, 22nd
June, 2015 again I visited to the houses of active individuals of the hamlet to
request them to join the meeting with more and more villagers. Around 11 am I reached to the
panchayat office, the formal meeting of elected panchs, sarpanch, ASHA workers and some
others were going on. Soon the common villagers gathered. 12 pm was the time in the clock yet
my teammates not arrived. Around 40 common villagers gathered including 10 women, I could
not wait more for my teammates. I had to start the discussion without the screening of
documentary of Hiware Bazar, the model village. The purpose & benefits of gram sabha were
firstly narrated by me, I utilised the success story of model villages as example. Then I proceed
for the discussion about the issues of the village. By the discussion, some of the villagers started
telling the issues of the village. Issues of proposed panchayat building & hospital, government
school’s issues, playground, scarcity of water, damages due to mining activities, cleanness
primarily pointed out by them. I listed those down and issue wise stated the detailed discussion.
As per plan and the demand, the first issue I voiced about the proposed panchayat & other
buildings in the meeting. It was a burning topic I got to know there is conflict between the
resident of Ramkumarpura and the sarpanch on deciding the place for proposed panchayat and

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other buildings. The sarpanch has been intended to establish the panchayat and other building at
her locality which is about 10 km far from the village headquarter. When I questioned to Sher
Singh (sarpanch’s husband) about the current status of the proposed panchayat building, his
behaviour changed. He stopped me to raise this topic. Surprisingly an opposition came from an
active villager’s side too that this topic is not related to me. I replied them politely that being a
temporary resident of the village family, this issue also related to me; it is my duty to find
solution of my own community members. My argument was supported by a local Panch and
some others. Then Sher Singh has to reply about the current status of proposed panchayat
building. He answered that the construction work shall started at allotted headquarter area
whenever funds allocated. Updates about construction of the village’s road, water facilities and
mining activities were also taken. Afterwards awareness about schemes under panchayat system
(e.g. MGNREGA works, watershed development, grievance redressal etc.) and watershed
development were detailed by me. Some questioned of the villagers were answered in between
about the schemes and the initiatives. The ladies raised their voice with their Ghoonghat.
Around 60 villagers have participated as far now. Meanwhile Sher Singh and the Gram Sevak
started avoiding the meeting as questioned raised to them about developmental works. My
teammates also joined me in between with camera.
The next issue was raised about the educational condition of the kids. Some of the villagers were
concerned about teaching and other facilities at the government school. I detailed them about the
role of school management committee (SMC) and motived the concerned & active villagers to
join in. 15 men & women shown their interest and volunteered their names. Two individuals
took responsibility of levelling the school’s ground. On the issue of government school’s
upgradation, with common consensus, a proposal was written and signature by the villagers.
At the last minutes I proposed two initiatives, one is to organize a plantation drive and another is
to establish a community library at the hamlet. Fortunately, the villagers supported the proposal
and I started planning about that. The sabha ended with thankful note at 2:10 pm. Later, I was
told by Sher Singh that I should not conduct any such meeting at the panchayat office.
Impact:
This informal Gram Sabha impacted the environment of the hamlet, government school and my
relationship with different persons. After this sabha, few more meetings held which led to many
successful interventions. Those were:
 Grand plantation drive at Likayatawali dhani, 500 plants planted.
 Active SMC formed at GUPS, Likayatawali, an active lady elected as the president.
 Use of dustbins started at 45 houses, 3 places identified for garbage dumping.
 Application/ proposal for upgradation of GUPS, Likayatawali handed over to the Pradhan
at her resident by the villagers.

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 Villagers are utilising the benefits of the schemes under gram panchayat. Five villagers
applied for water conservation project at their land under MGNREGA, about all villagers
applied for constructing toilets at their houses.
 Protest to regulate the mining activities initiated and application submitted to the concern
authorities.
 A room for community library cum study room allocated by a villager.
 Faced disappointment of and unpleasant relation with Sarpanch’s husband (Sher Singh)
and Gram sevak for some days.
Learning & Reflections:
Form this and some other Gram sabha meetings I would able to find out these points;
 Organising Gram Sabha meetings and mobilising villagers for social & political
(uneconomic) purposes is a big challenge in rural areas too.
 To realise the vision of Swaraj, there is a need of dedicated, capable and ethical leaders at
local levels too.
 People are yet to connect with government; most of the schemes are not reaching to the
people as those should be due to stakeholders’ lack of intension & awareness.
 The modern villagers are lacking in community sprite. People of rural areas are also self-
centric.
By the learning, the question raised, if there are challenges in rural areas too then, “what can be
done to implement Swaraj in India?” I have been thinking to find the answer. And realised we
will have to intervene in four dimensions- personal, social, economic and political. I shall
explain about the possible intervention model in the next document.
Thank you!