CIVIC Bangalore worked to enhance governance efficiency in health services and the public distribution system. Their strategies included increasing community participation through grievance redressal mechanisms, right to information applications, and community oversight platforms to achieve transparency and accountability. These interventions led to improved access to services and entitlements under PDS, more inspections of PDS shops, and the establishment of grievance redressal processes. In the health sector, there is now increased awareness of services, regular visits from health workers, sanctioning of new anganwadis, and improved access to nutrition programs and health checkups for communities that previously lacked these resources.

1. Enhancing governance efficiency in health deliverables CIVIC Bangalore Rajarajeshwari Sowmya Bharadwaj. D.V. Ramamurthy K.V.

2. Facilitate better access to services among the urban poor Increase community participation to achieve transparency and accountability

3. Grievance redressal mechanism (To access services and Create a community- Govt interface for exchange) Accountability (Job chart/MPIC ) RTI as TOOL for Systemic Change in Health/Food Distribution Participation platforms (Empowerment – VC’s/BoV) Transparency (4.1.b/Public hearing) CIVIC’s strategies

4. No awareness on specifics of entitlements under PDS PDS shops functioned only two days in a month. No inspections of the PDS shops by the food inspector. No GRMs Condition of PDS before intervention

5. Accessing complete entitlements under PDS Grievance Redressal Mela - changed attitude of all stake holders- card holders, department & PDS shop owners. RTI application results: Inspection by Food inspector- penalization 7 GOs on GRMs Directive of DPAR - Separate grievance cell. Directive from Commissioner to conduct regular GRMs Impact on PDS after intervention

7. No awareness on health facilities No anganwadis Supreme court order in “ PUCL vs. Union of India & Ors., Civil WP No.196/2001, dated 13th December 2006 ”, a community can request for an anganwadi (pre-school) where there are more than 40 children in the age group of 0-6 years”. No Visits of ANM/LHV to the area No health check-ups

8. Condition of Health services after intervention Increased awareness on services and schemes in the communities Regular visits by the ANM/LHV from the Sub Center, for the first time in last eight years.

9. Sanctioning of Anganwadis Supplementary nutrition to Children, Pregnant and Lactating women. Pre school for children 3-6 years old Increased Bhagya Lakshmi beneficiaries Health check-ups Employment generation Coordination between Anganwadi and Sub-Center.

10. Children before Sanctioning of Anganwadi Children after Sanctioning of Anganwadi

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