Women of Talabaitarini village in Odisha set an example of tenacity, battling bureaucratic hurdles to finally receive the wages due to them under the rural employment scheme with the help of a mobile app.
In the heart of the dense forest-covered region of Gonasika lies a quaint village named Talabaitarini. It is ensconced within the serene beauty of Banspal administrative block in Keonjhar district. The hills and hillocks that surround Gonasika seem to guard its natural treasures, including a picturesque old pond. But the pond was in dire need of restoration.
Among the villagers, there were 18 determined women who decided to come together for a noble cause – to revive the old pond through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme as a part of the village perspective plan. With a united spirit, they embarked on the task of desilting the pond, investing their sweat and time to bring it back to life.
After completing the work, the women had to overcome many hurdles to get paid for their MGNREGA work, but their resilience paid off in the end.
As their diligent efforts came to fruition, a new challenge emerged. When the time came for the women to receive their hard-earned wages, the money was nowhere to be seen.
Confused and concerned, they turned to the gram sathi, the village functionary responsible for MGNREGA matters. He however professed ignorance and directed them to the gram rojgar sevak (village employment assistant), another government-appointed official.
Hopeful that their ordeal would soon end, the women approached the gram rojgar sahayak, but the latter brushed off their concerns, advising them to file a formal complaint.
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The villagers then took their grievance to the block development officer (BDO) but they were once again met with disappointment. Refusing to back down, they reached out to local print media outlets, sharing their story far and wide. However, even the spotlight of media attention failed to spur necessary action from the officials concerned.
In the midst of their ongoing battle, a ray of hope emerged from an unexpected source. Jhili Nayak, a panchayat resource person supported by the Foundation for Ecological Security, a development organisation, was well-acquainted with the village’s challenges.
Leading regular women’s meetings, Nayak provided a platform for the villagers to voice their concerns. During one such meeting, the issue of unpaid wages took centre stage. Nayak proposed a solution.
She guided the women through the process of filing an online grievance directly to the state government using a mobile messaging app. With her assistance, the villagers typed out their complaint and sent it through the app.
They received a response within just 15 days. The state government acted swiftly upon their complaint. The women of Talabaitarini finally received their long-awaited wages – a testament to their unity, resilience and the power of collective action.
The story of their struggle and triumph spread throughout the region, inspiring neighbouring communities to stand up for their rights as well.
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The lead image at the top shows villagers working towards restoring the pond in Talabaitarini. (Photo by Biswabijayini Mohanty)
Saswatik Tripathy is senior project manager at FES, Keonjhar. Kartik Chandra Prusty is team leader at Foundation for Ecological Security, Keonjhar. Biswabijayini Mohanty works as a field supervisor.
