SHILLONG, MAY 19: The Civil Society Women’s Organization (CSWO) on Tuesday sought further deliberation of the KHAD (Village Administration) Bill, 2014 passed by the KHADC, which it said has failed to take all stakeholders into consideration.
Extending its support to the Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR), who opposed the passing of Bill without ‘widespread consultation’ and ‘re-drafting’, CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing said, “It is known fact that headmen in most villages do not represent women and women are not allowed to sit in the Dorbar let alone elect a headman.”
Kharshiing alleged, “This is not a democratic process and a Bill empowering them would only give rise to more Human Right Violations, especially when there are many instances where headmen are depriving villagers of their basic rights, like right to live, right to food, right to nutrition for children, and right to education.”
Kharshiing said that it is also noticed that whenever there are complaints made against these headmen, or when information is sought on the implementation of schemes, the people are targeted and hauled up in the Dorbar. She said, “Women groups are being harassed and anyone close to them is also targeted.”
Meanwhile, the CSWO also questioned the government for hurriedly bringing in an Ordinance ‘Meghalaya Local Administration (Empowerment of Traditional Institutions, Traditional Bodies, and headmen in Governance Delivery System) Ordinance 2015’ with reasons for implementation of government schemes.
“This is a total hogwash when the Government schemes are meant for all and headmen in many villages do not represent women,” Kharshiing said.
According to her, many women till now are not paid the wages for the MNREGs scheme and many families do not get the benefit of the ICDS and for fear do not dare complain. She said, “Many single mothers do not have a ration card till date even when they have sought help from their headmen to recommend their names. Headmen in certain villages recommend names of rich people to avail the BPL benefits.”
“Even when identifying a project the deadman identifies the project to benefit him and a few of the executive members, and not the whole village, without letting the villagers know of the selected project,” Kharshiing said alleging that these are just a few of the vindictive acts by many headmen especially in the rural villages and they connive with the politicians to deprive many villagers of schemes as the said villagers did not support the MLA/MDC supported by the headman or his committee.
Kharshiing also alleged, in a constituency where the politician is holding a dual post the villagers are deprived of both MLA and MDC schemes.
Kharshiing was of the opinion that if at all there is a need for consent of the scheme in the village the whole village should be signatory so that government is sure the scheme reaches the beneficiaries and not siphoned off.- By Our Reporter
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