Why aadhaar based cash transfer is not a good idea for Poor

Last year when I was in my home town, I had met few people whom I know personally and they all work under the NAREGA. They make their livelihood not through that but yes it is a welcome thing for them to get an extra work and some extra income as well.

Most of them before this NAREGA thing didn’t have the bank account. As bank is around 8 to 10 KM away from our village. So every NAREGA benefiters has to go bank to open his or her account. They went with the pradhan and opened there respective account. Most of them are not able to read or write so they use their thumb as sign, but them our Mr. Pradhan ji decided that every passbook should be kept with him as he will guard it otherwise if they lose it they will not a get a penny. All of the believed that pradhan ji is saying right and deposited there bank passbook to him.

They kept working for whole of the NAREGA project. One fine day Pradhan ji said tomorrow be ready we will go to the bank and take your money from there. All of them became happy, finally after so much talk they are getting the benefit of government policy, their own hard earn money. Next day everyone went with pradhan ji to the bank. Everyone collected their money from bank, after that there was the surprise. Pradhan ji took the money from and there passbook, in return he given each of them the 50% of the total amount which was withdrawn from each person account. No one protested, they all gave up easily. You may ask question why? Because he is in the dominating position in the village, he is pradhan, he has power, man and other sources. Who will go against him in the village?

No one, it will be like the same in the village. They will take the benefit of villagers in lure of more money. And our corrupt system will always support them because they have the means and power to proof everything they want.

Well I am not sure why government wants to process ahead with the ADHAR related cash transfer to account, because it will never end the corruption. Which start from the top and end in the bottom? Yes certainly it will increase more fight and also more control over the villagers activity. \

 

I know it is good way to stop the leakage at the middle end but who will make sure that in the people who is the real beneficiary is getting the entire amount and nobody is harassing him. Well government has more intelligent people than to consider that thing, but sometime they forget the practicality of the subject. Creating some law is good, but implementing it and also to make sure it is implemented in right way is different thing. I hope this scheme be a game changer the way people receive the benefit from government. But with short notice that it might also increase more fight and corruption in the lower lever rather than in middle level.

The Village Diary (Part 3)

Have you ever thought what mobile did change in your life? Well apart from privacy there are few other things also. Because of mobile phone our grand old Mr. Landline died amateur death.

I was in 6^th standard when landline phone came in our home. My Dad told me it took them two year of marathon to get landline phone line in our village. They needed min. 10 connection to get the BSNL landline connection in our village. Somehow they got the magical figure number of application. It was really hard for us as a kid to believe that landline is in our home. At that time only one of my Aunts used to have landline. So after the landline connection was in home we used to think whom to call. We used to rush every time phone start ring to see who pick up the phone first. It used to be fun well these are now good old days.

In my area where my home is located there were only two connection of phone. One was in my home other was in our neighborhood. Well in early days of landline phone we used to receive calls only from relative, some friends and from my mom office. I still remember when first time our phone was dead. The complaint was made and in next day the linesman arrived and corrected the fault. For our surprise they even not demanded single rupees for it. We all were used to give bribe to electricity lines man to get fault corrected.

There were no free calls, no sms days and even caller ID phone was rare thing. We used to talk less and think about when next to talk on phone. My friend used to call me generally after 8 so I used to be on alert to pick up the call. Late night call rates used to be cheaper but it was harder to talk and at that time there were no Vibrate or silent mode on phone.

Well see the use of phone in black and while songs as well :)...

Well fault increased in the telephone line but the other thing that increased is calls for the people from your neighborhood. All sorts of calls in day and night time started to come. Some of them for messages and some call to give them message to talk to them on particular time. Well when someone used to come in our house for calls they used to talk. I don’t know why but it was weird for me to understand all those things at that time. I was just a kid. For me phone was just another medium of enjoyment and still it was the next big thing in our life at that time.

It was till the time mobile phone arrived we used to have landline phone in our home. It came to end but still we have our landline set in our home. It is still placed in same place where it was originally places. Funny thing is now there are no more landline connection is there in our village and at one time our villagers have to struggle for almost 2 year to get the connection.  

The Village diary...(Part 2)

I looked at my watch it was about 12 noon yet there was so much calm here. I got the mixed feeling in my heart. It has been about 6 months since I visited home. Crossing the road seemed easier as traffic chaos was missing of big city. Everyone seems to be familiar face in the small town.

Usually form road to my home the distance is of about 1.5 Km. either my dad or Jija ji used to pic me up from the outside of the Village. This time it was different as I have decided to give surprise to all of them by reaching on my own. Nobody knew about my arrival apart from my Sister. While walking to the side of road I can see the difference in the village. The biggest change I have seen was to see lots of educational institute around my village. Well from engineering to management and even law college is now in walking distance of village. It feels strange to see these things happen in outside of my village. This was the same village where not a single school used to be there apart from Madarsa (It is place where Muslim student take education usually of religion and also now days it turn out to be full school with all facilities).

I and my sister used to go At least 25 KM for our college and even to 35 KM daily (Don’t think we used to walk that much. We used to take public transport). I had a luxury of bike when I was in college but my elder sisters used to go by public transport. This thing seems to have so little relevance today but it taught me so many things. I never complained in my life that I live in village so I will not be able to that or I am this because of that. Education is one thing only which can change the life and dynamics of villages. Nobody in village used to go to college from here till my sister first started it (I am biased toward praising her). People used to stay either in city or do it by correspondence. She was the one who gone against the trend and started the new trend. Nobody will remember her as first lady to be Graduate from his generation but she broke the barriers that were there in the village. Girls can study and even the higher studies. Well matter of fact in my village girl’s ratio of Graduate is higher than the boys. Maybe because they all know how hard they have to work to go for the education. It could not have been possible if two main points where not there:

College fees: It is quite less compare to what all big college charge to student. I graduated from Allahabad University in less than 5,000 Rs. And it is combines fees of all three years. It gives them option of dreaming that they can also take the education.

College status: Co College may be in trend in big city but if you go in small city there you find all girls and all boys colleges. Well it might be seemed backward to people here in big city. This is only hope for lots of girls whose parents might not allow them to go for college if it is Co College. This is truth but who cares if we can educate one generation we hope next will be more liberal and free in his/her thoughts.

I received the best education that my family can provide me. But when I see there are talented child’s out there but they can’t do anything. They don’t know what to do with life.

Well moving on I just imagined how things can be changed with little effort but will be helpful. I have seen city grow and villages turn into city just because of this education industry. I Hope same will happen with my village. Someday we might get to know it as a education hub of Allahabad.

A noise broke my thoughts. It was horn of car. Well I have given them way as I was walking in the middle of the road. Well walking carrying a big bag filled with all dirty cloth was not easy. I was smiling at every change I can notice. From trees to new homes in the village, new holes in the road and yet it seemed so much the same old like nothing has changed since I was the kid.

P.S.: Well education is one thing which can change your life. Even my grandmother used to take classes from me when I was in school. If she can try I think ever body can. She can write her name in Hindi and English yet she has not seen the face of school (only time she was in school to listen my compliant from teachers).

 By:  Saifi Shahid

The village diary…. (Part 1)

Well usually I write about lots of my current life and lot about my friend life in this blog. When I was at my home in small village in Allahabad I decided to write about that place from where I belong to and where my roots are. The village diary is a collection of my small memories about my village and life over there, which made me what I am today.

My village is almost 25 KM away from main city of Allahabad. The Village name as HATWA, I don’t know about the story behind the name of my village but I found that name unusual. If you will try to find my village even on Google map, it will be really hard because it does not show over there. Well my village has nothing especial to talk to about. Nor we have any special monuments or nor village has any special talent to talk about but yes if I can say something about my village it has some pure heart people living over there. It is located around somewhat 1.5 KM away from the main road, and to reach my home from main road either take a long walk or have your own vehicle.

Well the road, it has not been repaired for almost a decade. Last time I saw the road to be repaired was when I was in school. This time when I saw the road it has more holes in the road then in the field. And yet nobody ever complained about it. I was about to land in my hometown Allahabad in the railways station and it was little bit weird feeling that how long has been away from the city and yet it seemed like the same. One famous poet said about Allahabad that if you put one basket of fruits in the street of Allahabad and after one year you will find that fruit basket in the same place because this city never changes. Well that was about 50 year ago; only thing that not changed in the city from that time was city name and Sangam.

I walked outside of the railway station from Platform No. 1 to take auto or tempo to reach home. Well if you don’t know Tempo is other name of Shared auto. Allahabad has not changed much I can think on my mind. It was same crowd, people talking to each other about politics even though they might not know each other apart from taking a sip of tea with each other in a shop. Every one asking me about me what I need tempo or taxi, It puzzled me because being lived in Allahabad for so long it was strange to be asked for auto and taxi. I responded in a confused state of mind, “Sorry I don’t need that”. I was looking for the tempo stand from where I can find the right transportation for my home and that to in cheaper way. Well who mind to travel 20 KM in shared auto and that to in 10 bucks? Well surely I don’t.

Some pan shop wala helped me to know from where I can find the auto for my destination. In Allahabad if have to ask for a route usually I ask the Pan wale Bhaiya because they are the best resource to get the right information. For me there were few more surprises over there. The entire autos were standing in the straight line and in arranger manner. It was new thing for me as they never used to stand still few months back and more so fight with each other for getting more and more passengers. But this time they all have formed a union or something in which they all get to take passengers by their number. It helps them to at least make sure all of them get proper business at the end of day. I got myself in the auto which was about to leave and have seat for two passengers. I decided to sit in the right of the driver this was only place where seat was available. This was only my second auto ride in Allahabad in last 7 years. After school my Mom gifted me bike, so I never ever traveled with auto or public transport after that.

From my past experience in Allahabad and what I have heard from my Sis on phone that it will not be easy ride because of two reasons. One was that I was sitting in auto and second was the roads of Allahabad are not in a good condition at this time. My journey started in next 5 min. and it was new experience for me. I was looking after the every change I can notice in the city whether it was in the color of the city or the traffic chaose or the new building and the new shops that I could see. Well for me the journey was getting better and better but not for others. They started complaining to the driver about the slow driving and he could only say, “ Sahab dheeme chalaoob tabhoo log kahaiye aur tej chaloob to jeka lagi osse mar kaaab. Humka to adat ho gaiyi hai, tabhai to itni tej gana chalait hai hum”. He was seemed to big fan of Bhojpuri song and that to Nirhuwa rikshawala. For a change I was aslo enjoying that song.

He asked me again, “Sahab aap naye ho ka sahar ma ki bahut dinawa baad laute ho”. I could only give only slight smile to him and replied. “Nahi humao yahi ke rahe wale hai par aaj kaal bahar raahat hai kaam se”. He was more that amazed to see that I too can speak this language which I think he was not expecting from me. 

“Sahab aapho bahut achi bolat ho apni bhasaa, chala bahar raahat ho par apan bhasa to bol leet ho”. I was faltered by his compliment and by the time I reached to my destination I could say to him, “Bhaiyaa tohar ganwa humka bahut acha laag baa, kehke tu sunat rahoo ba aur paisai kitna bha ihya tak ke”. Now that was the finest I can speak this language.

“Paisa to 10 rupiya bha Sahab aur ganaa to niruhawa ka raha, tohka to kahoo b mil jai”. He said in cheerful voice. I was just thinking well I can get some of these songs from Raj bhaiya but thinking about hearing this song in our room was just not the option I can think off. I gave the amount to bhaiya and just started to my journey to home and I am still 1.5 Km and small distance away from my home.

 P.S.: Well being in village always help you to learn without all the Gadgets. As Electricity is found only for hours over there.