Himachal Pradesh Village Common Land (Shamlaat)

हिमाचल प्रदेश ग्राम शामलात भूमि

हिमाचल प्रदेश  में पहले रजवाड़ा प्रथा थी और जमीने राजाओ की होती थी राजाओ ने कुछ जमीन को बड़े मालिको और अपने खास चहते  को जेसे नम्बरदार रस्लदार जेलदार आदि को दे दी थी जिससे राजाओ को कर मिलता था संविधान बनने के बाद 1953 में Big Landed Act बना जिसमे जो मालिक 125 रुपये उपर का मामला देता था उस मालिक से सरकार ने 125 रुपय से जयादा मामले की जमीन सरकार ने छुड़ा ली थी और इसे अपने पास रखा और इसकी रखवाली की जिमेदारी पंचायत को दिया | 1972 में सीलिंग एक्ट बना जिसमे 147 बिघा जमीन रखने का प्रवधान रखा गया जिसके कारण काफी जमीने लोगो की सीलिंग में चली गई | 1972 में मुजरा एक्ट के तहत मुजारो को कुछ जमीने मिली जितनी जमीने वह काश्त करते थे | 1974  में हिमाचल सरकार ने हिमाचल प्रदेश ग्राम शामलात भूमि निधान एंव उपयोग अधिनियम 1974 के तहत अपने पास  उस  जमीन को लिया जो पंचायत के  रख रखाव में शामलात के नाम से  रखी थी  और 1974 से 2000 तक सरकार के पास रही इस दोरान सभी वर्गो के लोग इस जमीन का उपयोग पशुओ के लिए चारा ईधन के लिए लकड़ी पशुओ के लिए चरान्ध, सामूहिक कार्य जेसे स्कूल आगनबाडी सडक समुदायक भवन  आदि के लिए भी  इस जमीन का उपयोग करते थे और इस जमीन से भूमिहीन को 5 बीघा के पट्टे भी दिए गये थे |

2001 में सरकार ने इस जमीन को आनन्-फानन में पारित हिमाचल प्रदेश ग्राम शामलात भूमि निधान एंव उपयोग संशोधन अधिनियम 2001 के तहत वापस उन मालिको को वापस किया  जो 26 जनवरी 1950 से पूर्व के मालिक थे जिसके कारण बहुत से गरीब व् अधिकतर दलित लोग इस से बंचित रह गए| हिमाचल प्रदेश ग्राम शामलात भूमि निधान एंव उपयोग संशोधन अधिनियम 2001 के अम्ल में आने से गरीव बंचित लोगो की आजीविका बुरी तरह प्रभावित हुई व् लोगों का जीना असम्भव हो गया विशेषकर दलित समुदाय के लोगो पर सबसे जयादा असर पड़ा उनकी आजीविका पूरी तरहे खतरे में पड़ गई यह सब राजनेतिक पार्टी ने अपने बोट बेंक बनाने के लिए यह कदम उठाया गया जिसका खामियाजा गरीब लोगो को भुक्तना पड़ रहा हे | अगस्त 2014 में पी ए पी एन संस्था अँधेरी जिला सिरमौर [हि० प्र०] के माध्यम से संगडाह विकास खंड के एक काकोग पटवार सरकल में 59 परिवार का सर्वे किया गया जिसमे सभी वर्गो को लिया गया  और एक रिपोर्ट तैयार की गई जिसमे निकल कर आया की आने वाले समय में इसके बहुत ही गम्भीर परिणाम होगे बन्धुवा मजदूरी एंव जमीदारी प्रथा को बढ़ावा मिलेगा दलित समुदाय के लोगो का पशु पालन खतम होने जा रहा हे जो तीन तीन गाय और बीस बीस बकरिया पालते थे अब वह बड़े मुश्किल से एक गाय और चार या पांच बकरिया बड़े मश्किल से पाल रहे हे जिनका चार चार लीटर दूध बाज़ार जाता था अब घर का गुजारा भी बड़े मुश्किल से चलता हे |

इसका असर बच्चो की शिक्षा एंव महिलाओ पर कार्य का भोझ एंव दलितों की आर्थिक सिथति और उनके मान सम्मान पर भी पड़ा है | आज भूसा हरयाणा व् पंजाब से खरीदना पड़ रहा है जो सह्भी दलितों के लिए संभव नहीं है | पिछले तीन वर्षो से इस क्षेत्र में दलितों के अत्याचारों की समस्याए बढ़ रही है | कुछ परिवारों के घर भी शामलात जम्में पर बने है आज उनके उपर उस मालिक का दबाव बढ़ रारहा है | दलितों को नहीं इस क़ानून से सरकारी योजनाओं जैसे स्कूल,आगंवाडी भवन,रस्ते,सामूहिक भवन,मेले तथा बच्चो के लिए खेल के मैदान आदि सामूहिक कार्य के लिए आने वाले समय में जमीन नहीं मिल पायगी | संस्था द्वारा इस क़ानून के बारे में समुदाय के स्तर पर जागरूकता बढाई गई | सिरमौर के दलितों को संगठित किया गया | शामलात क़ानून के बारे में अध्ययन व् रिपोर्ट बना कर सरकार को भेजी गई | इस बारे में तीन वर्षो से राज्य स्तर पर कार्यक्रम व् जन सुनवाई की गई |  इस के अलावा पूरे प्रदेश के सामजिक संगठनों के साथ इस मुद्दे को शासन व् प्रशासन के समक्ष रखा गया तथा विधान सभा तथा लोकसभा के सदस्यों के साथ इस मुद्दे पर पैरवी की गई इतना ही नहीं प्रदेश व् देश के हर मंच तक इस बारे चर्चा परिचर्चा की गई तथा हिमाचल सरकार को सुझाव भी भेजे गए |

एक तरफ जहाँ हिमाचल प्रदेश भूमि सुधार कानून को देश में मॉडल के रूप में प्रयोग किया जाता है वहीँ पर आज ऐसे  कानूनी संशोधन हुए है जो संविधान की मूल भावना तथा प्रस्तावना के खिलाफ है | आज इस क़ानून के क्रियांव्यन्न से जम्मेदारी प्रथा को जिन्दा रहने का स्थान मिला तथा अमीरी व् गरीबी की खाई को और बढ़ने में मदद मिली है |   

Sunder Singh and Birbal Singh

papnbirbal@gmail.com                                        

स्वास्थ्य व जेंडर के मुद्दों पर कार्यशाला

              स्वास्थ्य व जेंडर के मुद्दों पर कार्यशाला

दिनांक 21-24 जुलाई तक पी.ए.पी.एन अँधेरी में जागोरी हिमाचल तथा पी.ए.पी.एन के सहयोग से शिल्लाई तथा संगडाह विकास खंड के सबसे पिछड़ी पंचायतों की किशोरियों की जेंडर व् स्वास्थ्य के मुद्दे पर समझ बढाने के लिए प्रशिक्षण किया गया जिसमे लड़कियों ने शारीरिक व् मानसिक परिवर्तन के अलावा जेंडर के पहलुओं को समझा | इस में 35 लड़कियों ने भाग लिया | आशा का कहना है कि "मेरी जिन्दगी में यह पहला अवसर जहाँ मैंने स्वतन्त्रतापूर्वक तथा भयमुक्त होकर अपनी बातों को रखने की जगह मिली | सिर्फ इतना ही नहीं मुझे तरह तरह के खेल से मेरा बच्चपन वापस मेरे अंदर आया | आयोजकों का तथा कार्यक्रम को मदद करने वालो का मै बहुत बहुत धन्यबाद करती हूँ |"

Every action is important in whole life

Every action is important in whole life:

I am Sunpa Devi 70 years old woman of Manal-Dochi village of Sangrah block. In this village 90% dalits are living in 28 households. I have one room house which is made by stone and wood. There are nine members in my family. My son, daughter in law and six their children are living in this house. My son can’t do any work because of knee problem and her daughter in law has to work at home and at their land. Because of this situation they are all depended on agriculture in hilly area where water availability is very poor. Agriculture is based on rain. I visited in the Panchayat many times for support. But all the efforts were in vain. At last I shared my problem with PAPN volunteers.

PAPN volunteer identified the 13 dalit persons which are not getting the entitlements. They met with Deputy Commissioner of Sirmour regarding their problem. People also met with member of the State Legislative Assembly Member of Renuka Constituency. He marked their application to District Welfare Officer and after three month my house is sanctioned by welfare department. I got the first installment of 37,500 out of 75,000 in April 2017. After completion of house I will be getting the 2^nd installment of 37,500.Now my family is very happy to get this support. We are now collecting the house material wood, stone etc for making a new house. In future our family children get the separate space for their studies. In this like me 13 other person got the housing rights with the support of Action aid and PAPN. Thanks for all which are working for poor and dalit community development.

महिलाओं का भूमि पर अधिकार व पहुँच

पृष्ठभूमि-: पीपल्स एक्शन फार पीपल इन नीड़ (PAPN) अँधेरी संस्था जिला सिरमौर के ट्रान्स गिरी क्षेत्र में पिछले ३२ वर्षो से वंचित समाज, महिलाओ व् बच्चों के विकास व् सशक्तिकरण के लिए कार्य कर रही है | जिला सिरमौर देश के पिछड़े जिलो में से एक है| यह जिला सामजिक, आर्थिक, राजनैतिक व् सांस्कृतिक रूप से काफी पिछड़ा होने के कारण महिलाए अत्यधिक पिछड़ी हुई है | जिसके कारण उनकी अदूरी शिक्षा होना, विकास के समान अवसर न मिलना, जागरूकता की कमी, कार्य का अधिक बोझ आदि होने के कारण समाज में उनका दर्जा पुरुषों की अपेक्षा और ज्यादा कम है | महिलाओं की राजनैतिक भागीदारी पंचायतों तक भी सही रूप से नहीं है | आज भी आधे से ज्यादा उनकी शक्तियों का उपयोग उनके पति अथवा ससुर द्वारा किया जाता है | जिसके कारण वे स्वतंत्र रूप से काम नहीं कर सकते है |  2011 की जनगणना के अनुसार हिमाचल में 90% महिलाएं खेती का कार्य करती है | लेकिन फिर भी उन्हें किसान (कृषक ) का दर्जा प्राप्त नहीं है | सरकारी रिकार्डों में आज भी उन्हें ग्रहणी का दर्जा ही दिया जाता है जो उनके साथ गैर इंसाफ है |

हमारे सविंधान द्वारा प्रदत्त अधिकारों में हमें समानता का अधिकार दिया गया है परन्तु यह  व्याव्हारिक रूप से यह देखने को नहीं मिलता है | महिलाएं अपनी किशोरावस्था से ले कर पूरे जीवन का उत्पादन का समय उस परिवार को देती है | लेकिन इसके बाबजूद भी वहां कोई भी समानता व् बराबरी नहीं है | आज विश्व में हर तीसरी महिला शोषण का शिकार हुई /होती है | अध्यनों से प्राप्त आकड़ों के अनुसार 90% हिंसा हमारे घरों में होती है | इस जिले में  आज भी बहु पति प्रथा, बहु पत्नी प्रथा, बाल विवाह तथा औरतों के खरीद फरोक्त (वोमेन ट्रैफिकिंग) जैसी कुरीतियाँ है | महिला को एक मानव की जगह आज भी उसको देने की तथा उपयोग की वस्तुओं के रूप में देखा जाता है| सभी मानव अधिकार महिला के अधिकार भी है | देश में बहुत से कानून महिलाओं के संरक्षण के लिए बने जरूर है लेकिन यह सभी गुजारे भत्ते पर ही अटक जाते है |

पीपल्स एक्शन फार पीपल इन नीड़ अँधेरी संस्था द्वारा जिला सिरमौर के ट्रांस्गिरी क्षेत्र में महिलाओं के गैर बराबरी व् पिछड़ेपन के कारणों को गंभीरता से समझते हुए 50 गावं से WOMEN LAND RIGHT CAMPAIGN की शुरुआत की गई जिसमे महिलाओं व् पुरुषों की इकट्ठी बैठके की गई तथा महिला मंडलों द्वारा प्रस्ताव हिमाचल प्रदेश सरकार को दिए गए | इसके साथ साथ संस्था द्वारा पूरे प्रदेश में महिलाओं के मुद्दों पर कार्य करने वाले संगठनों के साथ इस मुद्दें को व्यापक बनाने की कोशिश की गई | जिसमे प्रदेश भर में महिलाओं के ऐसे मुद्दें सामने जहा पर पूरी जमीन पर कर्ज लेकर  उसे मोडगेज करवाया गया तथा घर को बेचा गया तथा परिवार को बहार निकला गया | इन सब मामलों में महिलाओं को कार्यवाही होने पर पता चला क्योंकि उसका उस सम्पति पर नाम नहीं है इसलिए उसकी सहमती की आवश्यकता नहीं पडी | राजस्व मंत्री हिमाचल प्रदेश व् सामजिक न्य्याय मंत्री को महिलाओं द्वारा प्रदेश स्तर पर अपना मांग पत्र दिया गया कि भारतीय उतराधिकार कानूनों में संशोधन करने की मांग करते हुए विवाह पंजीकरण के साथ साथ उनका ससुराल की भूमि पर अधिकार सुनिश्चित करने के लिए राजस्व रिकॉर्ड (जमाबंदी ) में उनका नाम दर्ज करके उन्हें भी पति के जिन्दा रहते हुए किसान होने का दर्जा तथा अपने अधिकारों को उपयोग करने का मौका मिल सके | इससे पति द्वारा दूसरी शादी विना तलाक के करने पर रोक लगेगी तथा पुरुषों द्वारा बिना सहमती के जमीन को बेचना तथा उस पर ऋण लेने पर रोक लगेगी तथा महिलायें अधिकार व सम्मान से तथा बिना हिंसा किये अपने जीवन का निर्वाह कर सकेगे |

आवश्यकता -:

भूमि बहुत ही महत्वपूर्ण संसाधन है क्योकि उस पर हमारा भोजन, आर्थिक व् सामजिक सुरक्षा जुडी रहती है | भूमि का अधिकार होने से महिलाए सामाजिक,राजनैतिक तथा लेंगिक गैर बरब्रियों को कम कर सकती है महिलाए खाद्य सुरक्षा में अपने परिवार में अहम् भूमिका निभाती है | भूख जैसे ज्वलंत मुद्दों को भी भूमि पर उनकी पंहुंच व् अधिकार से कम कर सकते है | भारत में 87.3% महिलाएं खेती पर निर्भर है | 2010-11 के कृषि जनगणना के अनुसार देश में 10.34% महिलाओं के पास ही भूमि का हक़ है | महिलाओं का जम्में पर अधिकार का मुद्दा केवल उनके आत्म सम्मान से नहीं अपितु मानव  अधिकार (पानी, आजीविका, काम, स्वास्थ्य तथा सुरक्षा) से जुड़ा है |ग्रामीण महिलाएं देश की आय को तभी बढ़ा सकती है जब उसके पास व्यक्तिगत व् सांझे रूप से भूमि का अधिकार हो |महिलाओं का भूमि पर अधिकार होने से केवल महिलाएं किसान होने का हक़ नहीं बल्कि वे सुरक्षा, बेहतर स्वास्थ्य, आत्म गरिमा तथा बेहतर जीवन भी जी सकते है | इसलिए महिलाओं का ससुराल की संम्पति पर अधिकार अति आवश्यक है |

Sumitra

People’s Action for People in Need, Andheri, Sirmour, HP

Email: sumitrasharma.papnsirmour@gmail.com

The process of learning

The process of learning: And it continues…

The four weeks of internship (1-30 June, 2017) in one of the most backward places in Himachal Pradesh facilitated by Peoples’ Action for people in Need was a remarkable one. It was a platform to understand the intensity of caste based discrimination prevailing in this region. I could find that there is a propagation of the ideologies specified in Manu Smriti at the higher degree. It states that “For the furtherance of the (good of the) world, he created Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Shudra from his mouth, arms, thighs, and legs.” The degree of public acceptance for the lower caste people is much lower in the public arena which includes the areas of politics, local self governance systems, access to different Government schemes and its benefits, support to attain the basic needs such as roads, housing, food, water etc. Water is

considered as the elixir of life for which the village people struggle on a daily basis. The financial stability and water accessibility play a tremendous role here. There are no proper irrigation facilities and the agricultural produce does not generate sufficient income. The produce and milk products are not even sufficient to meet the domestic consumption levels. Hence facing hurdles of this sort to lead a descent life have become routine for the village people here. The geographical pattern is another constraint to have a wider outreach. The intensity of ignorance is to be examined first. The ignorance flows from the Government authorities and different members in the community and would ultimately suppress the under privileged. Revamping the social structure where gender insensitivity plays a dominant role has also to be evaluated. Change may not occur positively at a faster pace. But such initiatives can be taken from the part of Government, NGOs, and Corporate systems to stimulate the pace. The disadvantage stage being faced by various NGOs particularly small NGOs related with the provisions of FCRA also have an impact in their active involvement in the development process. A flexible environment is to be created where different stakeholders can work in cooperation with each other and thus the bogus entities to get benefits can be regulated. It is still a long way to go.

RAJESH M, MA in Development Policy and Practice
Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development 
Sriperumbudur (Chennai), Tamil Nadu

Collaboration with PAPN

The Director

People’s Action for People in Need

Andheri, Sirmour, HP

Dear Sir, 

Greetings from Department of Social Work at RGNIYD !

This is to thank you and your esteemed organization for giving us an opportunity to place our student(s) for completion of their four weeks Internship. The faculty at Department of Social Work, RGNIYD has interacted with the student and took the feedback on their four weeks Internship. We are so happy to state that the student (s) has/have learned as prescribed by the Department and enhanced their skill sets. 

Once again, we thank you for your kind cooperation in making us to successfully complete the Internship. 

We look forward to have more collaboration with your esteemed organization/Institution in future.

Dr. S. Kumaravel (9943060496)

Assistant Professor and Head

Department of Social Work

Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development

Dr.Rambabu Botcha,

Assistant Professor

8527537803

My MSW Internship with PAPN

I, Harkrishan Singh,  along with my classmates joined PAPN, Andheri for one month internship on 1^st June, 2017. People's Action for People in Need is a non-profit Voluntary Organisation. It was established in 1982. It is working to uplift the marginalized and oppressed sections of the hilly and rural area, it's working in collaboration with CRY-Child Rights and You, Action Aid Association, Childline India Foundation and JAGORI Himachal in different blocks of Sirmour and Panchkula. I found staff members very cooperative while interacting with them. Locals were

also very helpful. I interacted with Dalit Community, Bal Panchayat, MNREGA Workers through meetings, which was very interactive and beneficial for intern as it helped in improving my social skills. It never seemed easy to us because of the distances to be covered on foot, unending need for water, lifts to be taken because of limited bus service. Exploring new destinations and people through this internship with PAPN was awesome experience.

Harkrishan Singh

Student MSW

Punjab University, Chandigarh 

Life @ PAPN Andheri, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh

Being in the hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh for the last few weeks (1^st to 30^th June, 2017) was a different experience for a person who hails from the plain regions of south India. The pattern of social life in the rural areas of Himachal Pradesh is different in terms of the same in the southern parts. The geographical factors have a tremendous influence on the effectiveness of access to the basic facilities for the people. The walk on the road leading to the lower part of Ranfua Jabrog village was difficult especially during the rains. The empathetic view induces me to correlate the hardship involved in the daily lives of people living in the lower parts of the villages.

The villages are structured in such a way that the upper part is for the upper caste and the lower part for the Dalits. There is no pattern of mixed housing in neither of the villages visited. Here comes the dominant role of caste which again hinders the entire process of development. Development cannot be simply confined to delivering the financial benefits through various Government programmes. Such initiatives become futile when the shift in perception with respect to the caste hierarchies do not happen at a reasonable pace even after 70 years of Independence. Majority of the respondents are comfortable having a caste system. Discrimination does undertake in schools, community and during marriage functions. The Dalits are separately seated while having food during marriage functions of upper caste people. The Dalit students are seated in a separate queue during the mid day meals in schools. The level of reluctance from the part of the villagers was very high when questions with respect to caste discrimination were asked. Somewhere down the line there is an element of fear instilled among the dalits caste to express the difficulties faced by them. Applicability of this analysis cannot be restricted to the villages surveyed here.

There was screening of a documentary titled “Kakkoos” directed by Divya, a law graduate, in our college a couple of months ago. The documentary focuses upon the extent of manual scavenging in Tamil Nadu and the caste dominance in this arena. The representation of inhumane treatment of lower caste people (Dalits) is depicted clearly in the documentary. Caste is an epidemic which is rooted in the mindsets of people and community as a whole. Still den, some of the villagers were feeling free enough to express their discomfort zone towards the existence of caste system in the society. Gender disparity is another aspect which could be observed throughout the visits. There was only one post graduate in Ranfua Jabrog village and she is unemployed. She stated that she has to take care of the children and family and it would be difficult to go for job in such a situation. But I could figure out an attitudinal shift in her with respect to caste. She said that all human beings have to be treated equal irrespective of the caste they belong to. The villagers commented on the drama which often takes place during the time of elections. The ultimate result after the elections would be utter negligence. The intensity of issues varies according to different regions. But the issues are in effect one and the same. There is a need to attract more people into the development sector to stimulate the process of making positive changes in the society.

PAPN was indeed a platform to explore a smaller version of the ground realities in the villages within a short span of time. The life at PAPN was pretty work friendly and motivated me to think independently. I end this learning note with a deep motivation to know the social realities and its influence on people and community. The willingness to take part in addressing and resolving the social problems have to be strengthened among people so that there can be a well acceptance for the initiatives taken by the development sector and organizations working at the grass root levels.

Silpa P, MA in Development Policy and Practice

Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development

Sriperumbudur – 602105

My Learning in Sirmour Himachal Pradesh-Priyanka

"As an intern at PAPN, Andheri it has been a continuous learning experience which has made us able to interact with people from different communities. The connection that the organization has formed within the community has revealed its working and successive growth over time. Along with community organization the NGO is working for child welfare and growth and has enhanced the local youth and women a lot for their personal growth and development for a better living. The active volunteers working in different areas of Sirmour linked with PAPN has also worked brilliantly to best of their skills. The only need now seems here is for more awareness generation in more areas of Sirmour."

Priyanka Tanwar

Student – MSW

Punjab University, Chandigarh

Internship Experience at PAPN in the “Land of Gods”

While choosing People’s action for people in need(PAPN)  in Andheri as the destination for my Internship one major thought that I had in mind was to observe and learn about the lifestyle, culture and the general attitude of the hilly folk. I had been pre informed by people who have visited Himachal Pradesh that the people there are generally much nicer than here in the plains but I set out to Himachal with my doubts, probably caused due to my experiences in an “every man for himself” city like Delhi.  But my doubts where set aside long before I reached Andheri as throughout the journey I met people who were way nicer and open than any I’ve  met .

Speaking about Andheri, the small village lies hidden among the various mountains and hills of Himachal Pradesh, a village where the entire colour palette of nature is on display with Blue Mountains, lush green trees, crimson sunsets, and the occasional white fogs. PAPN has been working here for decades for social welfare, child rights and caste issues. As part of the internship I had to visit various villages for observational visits as well as to conduct surveys and studies. During the field visits the one thing that always astonished me was the inexhaustible hospitality of the village folk. Every household that I visited offer me tea and biscuits and asked to have lunch with them. I noticed a genuineness in the way they interacted with me, a stranger, something that is absent in the town dwellers. Yet even with such nice people it was interesting to note that castism was prevalent in these villages to the extent that the villages are usually divided into two with the upper section consisting of the upper castes and the lower section of the Dalits. Apart from the castism the major issues the villagers faced were water crisis and the nuisance caused by monkeys. If these were sorted out then we would be the happiest people in the world claims the ever smiling 80 year young villager who spoke with us.

Overall the internship was a really different and enriching experience, one that I will remember for a long time. Thank you PAPN for this opportunity

Atul Krishna

M.A. Social work

Rajiv Gandhi National Institute for Youth Development

Business Ideas from the Internship

Myself,  Kurian S. Kurian from Rajiv Gandhi National institute of Youth Development, Chennai. I am doing my Masters in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Social innovation is an emerging field. It is where we find innovative solutions for the most pressing problems in the society. Being in the class I was able to grasp the theoretical aspects of being a social entrepreneur. Practically, is there any problem faced by the society and how I can find solutions for it. These were the questions that would be always in my head.

My 1 month internship at People’s Action for People in Need (PAPN) helped me to find answers to my questions. Going to field, interacting with the people all helped me to find opportunities to become a social entrepreneur. Being the student of Social innovation I was able to identify various gaps in the society which I can find ways to solve it. As I am finishing my internship at PAPN I was able to find as much as 3-4 business ideas from this internship.

Being at PAPN was an eye opener and it was great to be here.

Kurian S. Kurian

Rajiv Gandhi National institute of Youth Development, Chennai

My Experiences at PAPN Andheri, Himachal Pradesh

            One month in Himachal, that was the only thing which passed through my mind when I got in People’s Action for People in Need (PAPN), for a month’s internship. But my experiences at PAPN

turned to one of the best times in my life.

            Andheri is one of the most beauteous and remote villages in Himachal Pradesh. Apart from all the noises of civilization, Andheri stood on the top of Himalayan Mountains, elegantly like a queen. The villages were magnificently arranged like a coniferous tree. It was beautiful but later I realized the houses are arranged like this because of the extreme caste hierarchy which still prevails among the community. All the lower caste communities are living in the lower parts of the mountains, which restricts them from getting all the basic facilities like, water, transportation, communication etc. And the higher caste on the upper part of the mountains, near to the road and enjoys all the facilities.

            PAPN is an NGO which works for social welfare, caste issues and child & women rights. The important thing to be mentioned is that no burden was laid on us regarding the activities and works to be done on behalf of internship. Instead it was up to each one of us to decide what we can learn and do according to our area of interest.

            Considering this immense caste discrimination we interacted with two of the villages i.e. Sainj and Ranfua, some of the govt. institutions such as Anganwadis, schools, and primary health centres etc. and made a detailed report on the same.

            Most of the days we took a walk through this beautiful place and learned how human race have tied themselves on some lunatic chains of religion, caste, race etc.. Time went really fast and the same mountains looked very different each of the times I see them. One month went quickly.

            Thanks to PAPN for such a great opportunity. And dear Andheri, hopefully I may come and visit you again. J
                                                                                                                                    
Rose Mary
Pursuing MA in Local Governance
Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development
Sriperumbudhur – 602105

PU Chandigarh Interns in People's Action for People in Need

A short video by the students of MSW of Punjab University, Chandigarh, prepared by them during their one month internship (1-30 June, 2017) with People's Action for People in Need, Andheri