THE

PEOPLE’S ORGANISATION BRANCH

FORMATION OF SOCIAL ACTION GROUPS / ORGANISATION

Efforts were made to form some of the action groups / organisations to achieve specific aims and objectives that are as follows as at a glance-

BHARAT JODO CAMPAIGN

Sankalpa Divas observed at martyr memorial at Patradevi

In 1989, Peaceful Society was the coordinating agency in Goa for Baba Amte’s national level campaign for national unity, Bharat Jodo. PS was firm that this should not be one-day affair with no sustained impact. There were a series of programs across the state and for a sustained follow-up in the form of “Sankalpa Divas”, where people took joint pledges to work for national unity. PS was instrumental in forming a permanent body, the Navnirman Abhiyan to sustain the impact of the campaign and the pledged support of the people. This was later registered as a society and is even today active in Goa on civic issues.

ANDDHA SHRADDHA NIRMULAN ABHIYAN (1990)

This was another broad based campaign in which PS played a major role. It organized 22 mass meetings consisting of lectures and demonstrations in almost all the talukas of Goa. Here again a permanent body, the Andhhashradhha Nirmulan Samiti was set up to sustain the effects of the Abhiyan

THE WESTERN INDIA FORUM FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ (1995)

The Western India Forum for Panchayati Raj or WIFPR is one of the major regional achievements of PS. It is different from all the other forums and campaigns described earlier, in which PS participated or promoted. Shortly after the 73^rd Amendment in April 1993, PS in

collaboration with the Gandhi Peace Centre organized a national level workshop of like-minded activists and thinkers at Sevagram Ashram (founded by Gandhiji). This was followed a state level workshop organised in the PS Campus to build consensus about the Goa Panchayati Raj Act. This exercise took concrete

Group discussion during regional workshop

shape in 1995 when PS organised a regional workshop for like-minded groups and individuals from Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat to discuss how the opportunities for empowering rural communities in the new Act could be best developed. It was decided there to form the Western India Forum for Panchayati Raj, a network of over 100 organizations, academic institutions and individuals, including members of the PRI, to work on all relevant aspects of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) and in particular on empowering village level panchayats and ensuring the effective participation of women.

(For detail please refer SWARAJ Panchayati Raj-WIFPR)

· Vanavasi Sanghatana in Cotigaon;

· Gram Vikas Kendra in Savoiverem to undertake sustainable development activities

· Save the Western Ghat Movement; Nav Nirman Abhiayan to take the task of national integration;

· Eco Forum for sustainable development of Goa, an umbrella organisation of all environmental in Goa;

· Wildlife Protection Group (WPG) to undertake environmental training programme;

· Koshi Consortium to protect the life of victims of dam and conserve the ecology of the Koshi river basin in north Bihar;

· Gandak Consortium to protect the life of victims of dam and conserve the ecology of the Gandak river basin in north Bihar;

· Ganga Consortium to undertake educational and developmental activities and fight against environmental destructions in the Ganga region of Bihar;

· Save Damodar Campaign to save the river Damodar from pollution and people from exploitation;

· Salt producers Association at Agarwada / Pernem;

· SWARAJ – a forum for Gandhian societal perspective and action;

· Indian River Valley Network, Rural Women Front to undertake problems of rural women;

· Forum for Peaceful and Secular India.

<< >>