Lok Samiti (People’s Group)

India is the largest democracy open for all of her citizens belong to different cultures, climates, faiths, languages and regions like any rainbow but at the same time she faces dark clouds looming large over here as sluggish governance, violation of human rights and discrimination for common people. Lok Samiti, a non-political and non-religious people’s group founded by the veteran Sarvodaya leader Jai Prakash Narayan and further strengthened by NBJK and likeminded VOs is working like an advocacy platform active upon issues like local self-governance, women empowerment, rights of PWDs & PWMIEs, community awareness for disaster management, environment, agriculture, government schemes and their delivery mechanism in greater interest. It is active in 26 districts of Jharkhand and Bihar with around 15000 members.

Lok Samiti has many feathers in its cap which brought major changes in our policy set-up like right to work, establishment of women police stations, panchayat election, initiation of outreach mental health camps and entitlements for PWDs etc. Many public figures like Kuldip Nayar, Acharya Rama Murti and V M Tarkunde have supported Lok Samiti due to its strong ideological base, rural linkage and commitment for common people.

Considering social deterioration, Lok Samiti has decided to advocate with people against Liquor and Superstition while promoted Communal Harmony and Policy Reform. This activism resulted as liquor prohibition in Bihar from April’16 and mobilized SHG women as well as women representatives of PRIs in Jharkhand to oppose liquor. Lok Samiti has expanded organizational structure in Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Chandigarh also and proposed a comprehensive 24 points suggestion for policy reform during it’s Executive Committee meeting at Sarnath on 16-17 January, 2016.

Family counselling

Family is an important institution developed by humanity in course of making this race more civilized and women have played crucial role in this process indisputably. But with increasing crime against women and children in families, the very string to harmonize our social milieu is losing its tone gradually. As per a report by The Jharkhand State Women Commission, about 40% women in the state are affected by physical, emotional or sexual violence committed by their husbands. This trend reflects here with 7,563 cases of rape and 3,398 cases of dowry atrocities during the decade of 2001-10 as per Jharkhand Human Rights Report.

NBJK run Family Counselling Centre at Hazaribag has intended to check the situation within its limitation and provides specialized service to women and children. Counselling, home visit, social mobilization, police help and reconciliation are some features of this centre which are proved trustworthy for the victims of marital conflicts and domestic violence. This centre could save a number of families from break up and made them united by using preventive measures. FCC has handled 2016 such cases till this year with support from the government owned Central and State Social Welfare Boards.

Small group support

In rural development, the voluntary sector plays a vital role, both in organising the people and filling the gaps in service delivery where the government does not reach. There are large numbers of NGOs at the village level, which are new and need support to develop. NBJK has been the only VO in Jharkhand and Bihar that has been working to strengthen the new and small VOs and supporting committed social activist so that they can work to improve the social-economic development of marginalised communities. It supports for a strong voluntary movement and has promoted a number of good organizations.

NBJK is the only VO in Jharkhand and Bihar that has been working to strengthen new/small VOs and supporting committed social activists. Under the network of “Swaichhik Manch”, 520 NGOs have found a common platform to share and raise their voice. To improve governance, transparency and accountability, NGOs are being promoted to get accreditation from Credibility Alliance. Currently with support of BFW, Germany, 29 social activists/voluntary groups are being capacitated to work smoothly for marginalized community. The capacity building program includes training on project planning, mental health, food security, new legal procedures and government schemes for poverty alleviation. Under Small Group Support program, NBJK associates partner NGOs for other programs too and encourages these to go among people with agenda of income generation through SHGs, local self-governance, access to forest/land rights and improved agricultural practices that benefitted more than 23000 people in need.