The Musahar community is one of the most economically and socially ostracized communities among scheduled castes in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Though they are listed as scheduled caste, they are socially even relegated to the lowest rung among Dalits. Their social exclusion is so pronounced that they cannot enter those parts of the villages that are inhabited by upper castes, unless they are called.
They are eligible for several government welfare schemes, but the Musahars are either unaware of them or too timid to avail of them. Most of the Musahar communities are not provided ration card that prohibit them to get grains from public distribution shops on fair rate.
So the workshop aimed to encourage Community based Organizations (CBOs) in their efforts and promote their role in the development process. It further provided an atmosphere for active interaction between government bodies, NGOs, CBOs and academic professionals.
Participants of the workshop were, amongst others, the District Commissioner from Gorakhpur Shri Mohanty, representatives of the NGO MSS, academics from relevant fields and members of the Community based Musahar Organizations from Nichlaul.
Taking the critical situation of the Musahar into account, members of the NGO MSS highlighted the importance of the formation of Community Based Organizations of the Musahar Community that can function independently as pressure groups in fighting for their rights and receiving benefits of relevant government schemes.
Professor Shri Ram Krishna Tripathi explained that there are government schemes for backward communities announced, but the Musahar have yet to identify these schemes for themselves and implement them for their own betterment.
The chief guest Shri Mohanty, District Commissioner Gorakhpur, added to this that till date there haven’t been any remarkable improvements in accessibility and quality of government schemes and thereafter promised to support the project through:
- Tuberculosis Camp
- Midday Meal Program for children in the Anganwadis area, carried out by the CBOs
- Distribution of “Land Pattas”, starting from April 2010
The Commissioner further promised to look into the Musahar issues more thoroughly and instruct the block and Panchayat officials accordingly.
Through this workshop it was possible to bring together the respective government bodies with the grassroots level of the needy Musahar Communities. It gives hope that the government will enhance the accessibility of government schemes on one hand and that grassroots efforts of the Musahar Communities are encouraged on the other hand. Therefore the workshop was a very important step on the way to increased inclusion of the Musahar.
