Guest Lecture at MRTC, Giridih

07 January 2023, Giridih: Under NBJK run Young India Project with support of UTI Mutual Fund, Mission Rozgar Training Centre-Giridih has invited Prof. (Dr.) Balbhadra Singh, a renowned teacher of Hindi in Giridih College to deliver a guest lecture for the trainees.

Prof. Singh has greeted all in the beginning of New Year and expressed his happiness over representation of girl trainees. He said that presence of girls assure us for social transformation. Self-reliance, financial independence and the ability to get along are the values MRTC is inculcating among youths with its courses, Prof. Balbhadra Singh mentioned. He praised Ms. Rumana Azmat (Manager) with faculties of MRTC and encouraged the trainees to show their spirit. During his address, Prof. Singh said that curiosity, patience, focused approach and commitment are the keys to success in any field of knowledge. He conveyed best wishes to the youths and blessed them for a bright future.

Mrs. Roselin Tudu, Mrs. Poonam Thakur, Mr. Pramod Kumar Turi, Mr. Vishal Kumar (all faculties)  and around 60 trainees were present in the event.

It’s significant that MRTC-Giridih offers three months vocational courses to youths on Data Entry Operator, Tally Prime with GST, General Duty Assistant and Beautician-Bridal Makeup & Menhadi with moderate fee of Rs. 600 only.

Poverty Reduction through Self-Help Groups

06 January 2023, Hazaribagh-Ramgarh-Ranchi-Khunti-Patna: The very concept of SHGs was introduced in Jharkhand by NBJK with women of Hazaribagh in the year 1991 after intense survey and study. Initially the organization has invited some consultants from Bangladesh also to establish the programme.

Now it has been spread up to villages in 12 blocks of Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, Ranchi, Khunti districts and 15 slums of Patna in Jharkhand-Bihar.

NBJK works with men’s groups also and the programme is called as Poverty Reduction through Self-Help Groups. It covers formation & promotion of women’s SHGs as well as men’s Joint Liability Groups/JLGs, ensures their internal saving and encourages livelihood activities by group members.

PRTSHG offers small financial support for common people to strengthen their petty businesses and provides doorstep service. Currently it runs total 730 women SHGs with 16490 members and 570 SHGs with 5484 members have availed micro credit while 289 JLGs with 1258 male members are beneficiaries of the programme.

The service goes to total 6742 borrowers and some of them are engaged with new kinds of business like event management, beauty parlor etc besides traditional trades. Their cumulative repayment rate is 91% after two consequent years eclipsed by Covid.

Making Farmers Lakhpati

05 January 2023, Khunti: Lakhpati Kisan™ Smart Village project is being run by NBJK in Murhu and Khunti blocks of Khunti district with support of CInI-Tata Trusts. This is to ensure agriculture productivity enhancement and high value agriculture with integration of improved technologies, access to irrigation, animal husbandry, lac cultivation and Institution building for community engagement.

The project covers 7347 HHs from 32 villages and delivers through Murhu Nari Shakti Kisan Producer Co. Ltd., an FPO with a capital base of Rs. 44 lakh and linked to around 4000 farmers. MNSKPCL has 2986 shareholders with share capital of Rs. 24,71,700 and annual business worth above Rs. 03 crore 08 lakh with profit of Rs. 07 lakh plus.

There are 205 SHGs and 69 village organizations linked with the FPO that could engage 4042 families with secondary stable income source along with agriculture and promoted 31 entrepreneurs from farm & non-farm sectors. During Kharif, Rabi & Garma seasons of 2022-23, total 5606 HHs cultivated paddy, vegetables, watermelon etc on 2048.88 acres in Murhu block while 5298 HHs grew the same on 1955.77 acres in Khunti block. To support the farmers, 09 Nursery entrepreneurs have supplied 4068010 (Kharif), 1095064 (Rabi) and 1149159 (Garma) soilless saplings for quality vegetable crops to farmers through MNSKPCL as a pre-production input. Lakhpati Kisan project has promoted horticulture under MNREGA at 21 villages and now 136 families own 12576 mango plants on 128 acres.

Likewise 3666 HHs have opted lac cultivation as secondary activity and a Lac Handicrafts unit has been initiated in collaboration with ONGC Foundation. Under this project, NBJK has facilitated tribal farmers to go for allied activities as goat rearing for 1506 HHs, pig rearing for 265 HHs, backyard poultry for 951 HHs, backyard fishery for 342 HHs and supported them to become entrepreneurs as 09 with quality piglets’ production, 09 with AI services & vet health care services for goatry, 04 with spawn fingerlings production and 05 with chicks supply units.

With convergence of Johar-JSLPS, local farmers avail many facilities including irrigation like Solar based micro lift irrigation units (135), micro lift irrigation units with drip & mulch technology (30), micro lift irrigation units with solar fencing for crop protection from animals (05) and solar based cold storage for long time preservation of farm products (01).

Such initiatives by NBJK & CInI-Tata Trusts have made nearly 2100 farmers as Lakhpati in villages. MNSKPCL is performing well and bagged “Samunnati-The Economic Times Best FPO Award” and “Vijayalakshmi Das-Friends-of-Women FPO Award” earlier.

The Masters Moving their Villages Forward

03 January 2023, Chakai (Jamui, Bihar): Under SBI Foundation supported SBI Gram Seva project by NBJK in Chakai block of Jamui district in Bihar, five villages as Heth Chakai, Paatjori, Chhachudih, Mamtadih and Garahi of Ramchandradih panchayat are going through transformation silently.

At each village, Community Information Centre imparts digitalization of villages with computer education, internet connectivity, photo copy-printing of documents, news updates, instant information on Govt. schemes etc. Remedial Coaching Centres offer extra classes of Science, Math & English to students of class VIII, IX & X and the project provides SBI OJAS Rural Talent Scholarship to students.

For livelihood support, SBI’s Rural Self-Employment Training Institute (RSETI), Jamui provides vocational training to women & youths on different trades. Also some private agencies visit at villages to recruit youths.

As empowering activities for rural youths, events like cricket tournament & others used to be held at operational villages. Likewise to make people aware and to involve them with issues of wider concern, celebration of special days is a routine activity in these villages.

To enhance farmers’ income through allied activities, cows have been distributed among farmers and farmers’ groups have received electric motor pumps with accessories. SBIGS ensures construction, renovation and repair of ponds, wells-hand pumps, bathrooms, sitting platforms etc in these villages. It arranges knowledge sharing sessions with villagers over new schemes for farmers and innovative agriculture.

It’s significant that there are Village Development Committees at each target village and NBJK-SBIF handed over all created assets & infrastructures under SBIGS to the community. Here the villagers are not merely recipients rather they are masters to move their villages forward.

SBI Gram Seva strives for Integrated Rural Development at Deoghar

02 January 2022, Deoghar: With support of SBI Foundation, the CSR wing of State Bank of India, NBJK carries out SBI Gram Seva project at Ramaldih, Sahari, Barsatiya, Gaadi and Navadih villages of Andhrigadar panchayat in Deoghar Sadar block under Deoghar district.

SBIGS strives for integrated development through education for children as well as skill development, livelihood support, profitable agriculture with youths, women and farmers. The initiatives like community’s access to banking service and digitalization of villages add an extra edge to the project. Across all these five villages, the main occupation of inhabitants is agriculture and SBIGS caters 1073 households with 6300 people.

There are Community Information Centres with facilities like internet connectivity, print & xerox facilities, villagers watch TV, informative videos, daily news etc. Village Development Committees maintain previously created assets like hand pumps, wells, bathrooms, soak pits, pot cleaning/meeting platforms, crematorium shed, plantation, medical equipments at CHC etc.

Krishi Vigyan Kendra-Deoghar have encouraged the villagers for oilseeds farming and provided training to women on nourishment & nutritional foods as well as through the project, 600 Papaya plants have been distributed among 66 farmers and 17 farmers got Electric Motor Pumps.

Likewise women learn tailoring skill at SBI Prerna Kendra, Ramaldih. They formed Pooja Ajeevika Sakhee Mandal and installed an Incense stick making machine to raise income. Another women group as Laxmi Ajeevika Sakhee Mandal of village-Barstiya is engaged with cow rearing.

SBIGS arranges extra tuition for school children in subjects like Science, Maths & English at Remedial Coaching Centres, provides SBI OJAS Rural Talent Scholarship and involves people in celebration of various Special Days.

Activities of Remedial Coaching Centres

31 December 2022, Hazaribagh-Ranchi: Under Girls’ Education Programme by NBJK with support of Action Village India, the girl children of Remedial Coaching Centre, Kanchanpur got an opportunity for Educational Tour and they have visited Hundru Waterfall, Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park and Aqua World Machhli Ghar at Ranchi on 30th December. This was a great learning as well as enjoyment for the girl students from rural background those never found such exposure.

Before this on 28th December, the teachers of all 17 RCCs scattered at villages in Hazaribagh Sadar, Katkamsandi and Katkamdag blocks of Hazaribagh district have participated in an Orientation Training to overhaul their teaching skills & strategy to meet contemporary needs of more than 600 girl students of class 8, 9 & 10 enrolled at these RCCs where they get tuition of Science, Maths and English almost free of cost. It’s noteworthy that the board exam of class 10 will commence in February next year.

Mr. Abhay Kumar (Program Supervisor) has informed that within the period of 14-27 December, all the RCCs have organized Parents-Teacher Meeting that ensured a live communication over issues like children’s academic performance, gender mainstreaming, child marriage etc among parents, teachers and NBJK.

Outreach Screening Camps & Training to ASHAs by VRKB Eye Hospital, Deoghar

30 December 2022, Deoghar & Giridih: NBJK run Vimla RamKrishna Bajaj Eye Hospital, Deoghar has organized 17 outreach eye screening camps and 01 training event for ASHAs during the period of 9-28 December.

Some camps have been supported under Netra Vasant Rural Eye Health project by Sightsavers, some under Rashtriya Netra Yagna by Vision Foundation of India while Christian Fellowship of India has supported one camp.

These screening camps have ensured free of cost eye checkup and facilitated free Cataract surgeries at VRKBEH. There were total 579 OPD with 243 cases of Refractive Errors, 223 of Cataract, 21 with Pterygium and 11 others. Medicines have been distributed among 63 eye patieints; glasses given to 72 and 15 have been referred to base hospital for proper treatment including Baby Manisha, a girl from Rohini (Deoghar) with Cataract in her both eyes.

The camps have covered many villages like Charghara, Nawaser, Jaridih, Jaruadih, Barbadiya, Kadodoh, Naitand, Bhanudih, Bholapur, Parsan, Nimadih, Salaiya, Pichhri etc of Jamua, Rajdhanwar, Tisri, Deoghar Sadar, Palojori blocks of Giridih and Deoghar districts.

ASHAs’ training upon Cataract Detection was held at Karon CHC (Deoghar) with support of Sightsavers.

SPBP School’s Student Baggs Bronze Medal in National Gatka Championship

29 December 2022, Hazaribagh: Navneet Kumar, class 9th student of NBJK run and CBSE affiliated Surekha Prakash Bhai Public School, Bahera (chouparan, Hazaribagh) won Bronze Medal in National Gatka Championship held at Chandigarh.

Navneet has defeated participants from Tamilnadu, Maharashtra in the category Under 14 and made Jharkhand proud with his bronze medal. He is already the gold medalist of state level Gatka competition in Jharkhand.

Ms. Reena Pandey (Principal, SPBPS) said that Navneet is a promising student and his achievement has enriched the identitiy of SPBPS. The school will honour Navneet separately, she added. Mr. Rakesh Ranjan, Mr. Santosh Chaurasia and Mr. Umesh Bhagat (Sports Teachers, SPBPS) have expressed their happiness over this success.

Also Mr. Girija Satish (President, NBJK) and Mr. Gandharv Gaurav (Programme Director, NBJK) have conveyed their congratulations to Navneet as well as SPBPS Family for the feat during national championship of Gatka.

Gatka was one of basic technique of self-defence for Sikh warriors during the martial period of great Sikh Gurus.

Family Counselling Centre Organizes Sub-Committee Meeting

26 December 2022, Hazaribagh: Family Counselling Centre by NBJK under the aegis of Central Social Welfare Board, New Delhi and Jharkhand State Social Welfare Board, Ranchi, has called it’s Sub-Committee meeting at Anupam Mahila Chetna Samiti, Ravindra Path, Hazaribagh.

The meeting was chaired by Mrs. Usha Devi (Secretary, AMCS) who said that family disputes can be solved effectively by active co-operation from PRIs.

The advocates like Mr. Tulsi Dubey, Mr. Arvind Jha and Mrs. Poonam Gupta have mentioned that keeping view of rising incidents of women atrocity, a vigilance campaign should be launched at schools, colleges by organizing awareness meetings there.

On behalf of PRIs, Mr. Dinesh Kumar (Mukhiya, Rola panchayat) and Mr. Ashok Kumar Yadav (Sarpanch, Oriya panchayat) have assured for full support. They stated that many disputes can be tackled at community level so that poor people can avoid complex legal or police process.

Mr. Umesh Kumar Sao, Mrs. Sheela Kumari (Secretary, Stri Shakti) and Sharda Devi (Sashakt Nari Utthan) have advised for distribution of leaflets and posters for the promotion of FCC’s activities.

Informing the Sub-Committee members  about cases of family disputes reached to Family Counselling Centre within the quarter of October-December’22, Mrs. Meera Gupta (Counsellor) said that during this period, total 32 cases including 9 of husband-wife dispute, 7 of alcohol-related domestic disturbance, 4 as problem with In-laws, 8 like negligence from son & daughter-in-law, 2 related to extra-marital relation by husband and 2 cases of land dispute have been registered here while FCC has reconciled 18 cases by agreeing concerned parties.

Dr. Sanjay Kumar (Counsellor) has contributed to organize the meeting.