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Ongoing
activities of SNS
i. Using information to assess performance of elected representatives (MPs, MLAs, and Municipal Councillors)
SNS builds peoples’ understanding of the roles and responsibilities of their MPs, MLAs and Councillors and help them use tools like the RTI Act to access information on the performance of their representatives. People use this information to interact with their representatives to ensure that the development needs of their constituency are addressed.
In 2006, prior to the Municipal Councillor elections in Delhi, SNS assisted people access information on how Councillors had used their discretionary development funds (Rs. 1 crore per year) during their 5 year term. Information camps and social audits were held across Delhi. In addition, SNS partnered with the media to disseminate this information widely.
Read More...
Since 2007, SNS has been focusing on accessing information on the performance of MLAs. We have been mobilizing people in Delhi to interact with their MLAs to ensure that the development needs of their constituency. To make these interactions meaningful and effective, SNS used the RTI Act to access the information on the performance of all 70 MLAs in Delhi like their role in the legislative assembly, how they have utilized their Local Area Development Funds (MLALADS).
SNS is currently in the process of disseminating this information widely and helping people use the information to approach their MLAs. Read More....
ii. Reforming the Public Distribution System (PDS)
SNS is working with residents of five slum settlements - Jagdamba Camp, Malviya Nagar, Begumpur, Lal Gumbad and Swami Nagar - on their problems related to the PDS. In meetings with the slum dwellers, SNS discovered that they were not being given their share of food grains and kerosene oil by the ration shop keepers – in fact there were many shops which had not distributed ration and kerosene oil for years.
Interactions with slum dwellers indicated that most people did not have even basic information on their entitlements and rights under the PDS. In response to this, SNS has started disseminating information on the PDS (such as quantity and price of ration the poor are supposed to get) through street corner meetings and distribution of pamphlets and posters in the slums.
The SNS team is also helping residents of these settlements organize themselves into a pressure group to demand their entitlements of food grains and kerosene oil at the correct subsidized prices.
There have been encouraging results of the exercise, wherein ration shop keepers who were notorious for not distributing any ration for several years have been pressurized by the local women and SNS workers to distribute food grains at the right prices. An article on this was published in the Business Standard.
SNS is also exerting pressure on the Food and Civil Supplies Department to make requisite policy changes to correct the situation systematically.
54 complaints were lodged with the Food Commissioner on March 11, 2004 by local residents against two kerosene oil depots, which are known for not giving oil to people in the correct quantities and for not opening their shops for more than two days in a month. SNS is following up with the Food and Civil Supplies Department to ensure that action is taken on the complaints.
SNS workers have helped several slum dwellers file applications under the Delhi RTI Act to seek detailed relevant information about their Fair Price Shops (FPS). Information sought includes photocopies of stock registers, daily sale registers and inspection books of the FPSs. This information can potentially expose the pilferage of ration by the FPS and can be an effective tool to pressurize the ration shop keeper to distribute food grains properly.
iii. Helping Resident Welfare Associations
SNS is helping interested RWAs use the Delhi Right to Information Act to obtain information on civic works, such as road maintenance, laying water and sewage pipes, sanitation and cleaning drains. It is encouraging RWAs to seek detailed information on Government works undertaken in their areas, including name and place of work undertaken, amount of funds sanctioned, date of start and completion and other details of the work. The Sangathan is also mobilizing RWAs and interested local residents to organize themselves to use the information obtained to monitor on-going Government activities in their respective areas.
iv. Encouraging citizens’ participation in allocation of public funds
The SNS team is encouraging local RWAs and citizens groups to decide their development priorities and formally communicate them to their local elected representatives like MLAs and Councillors to ensure that MLA and Councillor funds are spent on the welfare of local residents.
Every year, each MLA in Delhi is allotted Rs 2 crore and each Councillor Rs 70 lakh, to spend on the welfare of citizens in their constituency. Experience in Delhi suggests that these funds are not always spent on essential development works. Funds are often spent on non-priority activities such as construction of fountains and waterfalls, while local residents do not have even basic facilities like adequate water supply, sanitation and roads. An article was written by Geetanjali Krishna in the Business Standard on the issue.
SNS has appealed to RWAs and citizens groups in the area to develop a priority-wise list of works they need in their localities and submit the list to the area MLA and Councillor before the elected representatives allocate their funds for the year. The objective of the exercise is to ensure that elected representatives are formally made aware of the requirements of members of their constituency and can later be held accountable for the manner in which they spend their funds.
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