Palamau Chapter

AID -Jharkhand

             MIGRATION FOR SURVIVAL

PALAMAU Districts in Jharkhand is known as “Somalia of India” . the area is besieged with multi faceted socio-economic problems. Tribals and ex-untouchable community form the larger part of the population in the region. Around 15% of the population are rich land owners and are virtually ruling the majority of the population in the region. Feudalism persist inspite of the abolition of the Zamindari system. The indigenous and the ex-untouchable communities work as bonded labour for the land lords. As the region is drought prone, migration is also very high in the region.

Since, centuries the dalit families [untouchable people] are submerged into debt traps with sometime the last generation have taken meagre loans. These loans are taken for fulfilling the social obligations during birth, death and marriage ceremony.

Unfortunately even the present generation is trampled in the name of debt and the resulting bondage. The father is bonded labour automatically implies the wife and children would be in bondage to the feudal families. The illiterate parents are sometimes not able to find out who of their forefathers would have taken the loan.

This is not a narration about the past centuries but the present day stark reality which is existing to the core in the region. The uneducated parents are not able to send their children to school, since children are also utilized as cow boys, cutting fire wood in the forest and collection of minor forest produce. These are sold in the distant market of the block head quarters which is 16 km and approachable from this village only by foot. The only approachable and communicable road is a mud path leading to 16 km which takes you to this village.

The small farmers inspite of land holdings have to necessarily migrate atleast 6 months in a year along with the family in search of job in the neighbouring districts and states due to ravaging drought conditions. Naturally the education if at all rendered to children leads to complete drop outs. There have been instances where in certain villages, no single soul is available as all of them would have migrated.

But there are number of such nameless villages in India- what is the significance of this particular village may be the fore thought which will strike the reader thoughts

EDUCATION WITH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

A Demonstration Plot is being set up for dry land farming, horticulture in which the children will be trained to implement back in their own field.

Mulberry sericulture has been introduced for the first time in the region

Tassar worm rearing is being encouraged which will enable the children to work closely with the ‘Van Bachao Samithi’ from the early years and as well as environment education would be imparted.

The other vocational skill training components being:

·        Lac processing

·        Carpentary

·        Kitchen gardening

·        Bee keeping

·        Needle and craft work

·        Embroidery

·        Dress designing

·        Stationery items [Envelope, Covers etc]

·        Mushroom

·        Agricultural extension

·        Horticulture

·        Animal husbandry

·        Weaving

·        Knitting

·        Tailoring

·        Energy conservation through solar energy

The child to child learning strategy is being adopted.
The curriculum is being formulated in order not to over burden the child but to enthuse interest with topics on environment, pollution, tribal rights and their deprivations, secularism, health and general knowledge apart from the regular curriculum. To bring in practical life oriented education vocational skill training is being imparted.