Ratlam's risky rides: The struggle for safe commute to remote villages

In the absence of public bus service to the remote villages of Ratlam, commuters are forced to rely on overloaded autos, vans and unregulated private buses to reach their destinationsRatlam, Madhya Pradesh: The sight of women from the Bhil community sitting on the rooftop of an overloaded van — hanging on to their luggage and dear life as the van ascends the hilly roads — is pretty common on the 50 km stretch of the Ratlam-Shivgarh-Bajna road, traversing a predominantly tribal area bordering Rajasthan.An old joke about an RTO officer telling an auto-driver that he will not levy a fine on him if he shows how he managed to accommodate 20 passengers in a seven-seater auto still makes residents of Ratlam laugh, even as they live this reality every day.The roads are damaged and steep, and covering 50 km takes over two hours. The private bus service that starts at nine in the morning ceases after five pm, the two villages of Bajna and Shivgarh being the last stops.Those who live in the villages farther away have to rely on the overloaded autos and vans. This includes government and private employees who have to commute to and from Ratlam every day for work. The hilly, potholed roads are frequented by these overloaded vehicles many times a day. Everyone, including women and children, boards these crammed autos, some sitting in the trunk while others even climb atop the mini-vans and sit on the luggage racks on the roof.Ahtesham Ansari, a supervisor with the Women and Child Development Department in Ratlam, commutes to Bajna to oversee the functioning of the village anganwadis every day. She catches the bus at nine in the morning, reaching the village a little before noon.She tries finishing off her work before five in the evening to take the last bus home.“This is a remote area so I cannot miss the five o’clock bus, else I have to shell out over Rs 2,000 to book a private cab or take the crammed autos or vans, which do not look safe,” she says.Capitalising on the situation, autos charge arbitrary prices whereas bus charges are capped at Rs 50.“When I have to go to the centres beyond Bajna, where the buses don't go, I have to pay Rs 100 per trip to the shared autos, even though the other villages are less than 10 km away. The anganwadi workers based in Bajna prefer to travel to these centres in the remote villages riding pillion on their husbands’ motorcycles as it is more economical for them,” Ansari adds.A worker commuting her daily up-down routine on the bus (Photo - S R Pareek, 101Reporters)Hakru, a resident of Kelkachh — the last village in Ratlam before the state border with Rajasthan — goes to Bajna to work as a daily wage labourer. To catch the bus to Bajna, she commutes to Gadkhange Mata area, 13 km away by a shared auto, and then boards another one to Bajna, 20 km away.“There are only two buses on this route and the ticket costs Rs 30. But we travel in the shared auto, even though it is crowded, as we can bargain with the drivers. When they see we are labourers, they charge us less. But in the bus, even if the fare is two rupees short, the conductor asks us to get off,” says Geni Bai, his wife.“Besides, the bus drops us at Bajna and we have to take another auto or van to reach the village where we find work. These shared vehicles drop us to the exact destination, eight or 10 km beyond Bajna,” adds Hakru.Also, some commuters even prefer these crowded vans and autos as they can ask the drivers to stop or slow down at random locations so they can spit out their gutka — a luxury they do not get while on the bus.The situation is even more challenging for the residents of 24 villages lying on the other side of the Mahi River. Residents in the dhanis (small cluster of houses) of Raipada and Jholi Chandragarh panchayat rely on boats to cross the river, and then catch shared vehicles to reach Bajna, from where they can avail of the private bus service. The lack of a bridge over the river makes the situation more challenging as boats are the only sources of commute to the other side. Paying Rs 10 for the boat ride and Rs 20 or above for the van, Anganwadi worker Kavita Dodiar says that it takes her around two hours to travel 15 km to Bajna. The boat ride from Raipada to reach Bajna (Photo - S R Pareek, 101Reporters)Raipada Gram Panchayat Secretary Babulal says that the Setu Nigam (Madhya Pradesh Rajya Setu Nirman Nigam Ltd) has sent a Rs 30 crore proposal for the construction of a bridge across the river but it is yet to be approved by the state government.No check on dilapidated busesAs per RTO records, over 20 private buses ply this route but the actual number is close to 35 as private bus operators run more buses than they are permitted to. There is no one to keep a check. Besides, there is no public transport on this route. The buses on this route are in a dilapidated condition and, according to locals, they do not even have fitness certificates. Running on hilly, uneven roads, these shabby buses pose a considerable risk to the safety of the passengers. Instances where passengers are asked to push the bus to the side of the road after a breakdown are pretty common here. According to sources, there have been over a dozen incidents of breakdown this year alone. In the last four years, three major accidents have taken place where buses have overturned and landed in a ditch, though there were no casualties.“It is not like the department and officials responsible for this are not aware. The district administration turns a blind eye to the issues barring once or twice a year when there is a state-level campaign. They confiscate some buses and levy fines on the drivers or the bus operators for the public eye and things go back to normal once the buzz dies out,” said a local of Bajna village on condition of anonymity.He adds that the overloaded autos and vans pass in front of the police station every day but no police personnel ever bothers to intervene.Speaking to 101Reporters, Ratlam District Transport Officer Deepak Manjhi said the Regional Transport Office (RTO) had confiscated and cancelled the license of seven buses on this route that were no longer fit for use.“There is a shortage of staff here at the district office as there are just two people — me and a clerk — who manage everything from licence tests to renewal of licences and registrations etc. This makes it difficult for us to keep a tab on the situation and spare time to go out on the field for an inspection,” he says.He adds that while the route was unserviceable these run-down buses and overloaded vans are the only way residents of the remote villages could commute to work.“The proposal for transportation prepared by the gram panchayat has to be approved by the government as many private operators do not want to operate buses on these routes given the shabby conditions. We cannot start cancelling the bus licenses unless there are alternatives in place,” he says.Speaking about the allocation of routes to private bus operators, Manjhi explains that usually Panchayats, after assessing the demand from their constituents, send a proposal to the Zilla Panchayat which is then passed on the RTO. While the RTO may issue permits and allocate these routes to private operators, they may still refuse to ply these routes if the roads are bad or there aren’t enough passengers, he says. Further complicating the matter, it has emerged that certain groups of auto/van drivers may even pay off private bus operators so they can monopolise transport options along that route. Edited by Shuchita JhaCover Photo - Overloaded vehicle on the streets of Ratlam (Photo - S R Pareek, 101Reporters)

Ailing hospitals: No doctors, medicines in Ratlam’s AYUSH hospitals

Most village centres are run by one or two staff members; some housed in old buildings with leaky roofs  Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh: Sunita Patidar of Jaora town believes that regular intake of kadha (a herbal decoction) has kept her out of harm’s way when COVID-19 peaked. So impressed was she with the medication that she decided to rely only on ayurveda for any future treatment.So when she developed a cold and cough a few days ago, she headed to the AYUSH hospital in Jaora, located 30 km from Ratlam district headquarters, in hope of getting some relief. Much to her dismay, neither the doctor nor the compounder was present. Two days later, she managed to meet the compounder, who informed her that medicines were not available. She had to return empty-handed, still sick and coughing.As many as 39 AYUSH centres are present in Ratlam district, but most of them function in the same fashion as the hospital in Jaora does. In the state Budget for 2023-24, a total of Rs 342 crore was allocated for AYUSH hospitals and dispensaries. One look at any of the centres in Ratlam, and it becomes difficult to understand where all the money is going! ‘Fully-functional’ clinics are locked up or ‘ailing’, when the core idea of establishing them under the Central government’s National AYUSH Mission (NAM) is to promote and develop traditional systems of medicine and healthcare, including ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homeopathy. Compounder keeps dispensary afloatA compounder runs the AYUSH hospital in Jaora from a nearly 80-year-old building that leaks when it rains. The place has a musty smell and the frayed wires keep one in permanent fear of fire and electric shock.When 101Reporters visited the place, around 10 patients were at the hospital. As expected, the compounder attended to them one by one. She is the one and only person who works here, though the hospital has two sanctioned posts of doctors to cater to a population of 75,000 in the Jaora Assembly constituency.  Two sanctioned posts of women AYUSH health workers also remain vacant with one transferred and the other attached to the Collector’s office. There are two chemists at the dispensary, sitting before the empty shelves awaiting medicine stocks that never arrive.District AYUSH Officer Dr Balraj Singh Chauhan admits to 101Reporters that compounder Anita Vyas only treats the patients coming to Jaora hospital. “Yes, there is a shortage of doctors. But the compounder consults with the district doctors before giving medicines,” he claims.A medical compounder is like an assistant to a doctor with practical knowledge of dispensing drugs. They are health professionals, but do not have the power to prescribe medicines. Meanwhile, the patients treated by Vyas claim they have never seen her consult any doctor!As many as 39 AYUSH centres are present in Ratlam district, but most of them are locked up or ailing (Photos - SR Pareek, 101Reporters)Likewise, the AYUSH Department-run Ayurveda hospital in Hatnara village of Ratlam is also dependent on the compounder. “The hospital has approved posts of a doctor, compounder, women health workers, pharmacist and a part-time sweeper. Of them, doctor and health worker posts are lying vacant,” compounder Anil Mehta tells 101Reporters.The building is in such bad shape that the hospital now operates from two rooms of a village school, after the panchayat took necessary steps to shift the facility.   Having a building, however, does not mean everything will operate smoothly. When this reporter visited another dispensary in Nagra village, located five km from Ratlam city, it was empty.A woman rushed in after 15 to 20 minutes, saying she was in charge of cleaning. Two gunny bags found lying inside the dispensary had medicines in them. Those responsible for maintaining the stock had not even opened and sorted them. On the other hand, patients perennially complain about the drug shortage in this dispensary.As per the records, a doctor, compounder and chemist were appointed here. The out-patient department register did not have any entries after March 29, the last record was about the visit of 13 patients to the dispensary. Surja Ram, a villager, claims that doctors and compounders are mostly unavailable.37 needed, just seven availableAt present, only seven ayurveda doctors work under the AYUSH Department in Ratlam district against the sanctioned 34 posts. Similarly, only five of the total seven community health officers are in service.“We will appoint more doctors across the state soon. The recruitment process to select 710 doctors is on,” said Dr Chauhan, when asked about this severe staff shortage.During a recent visit to Ratlam district for audit purposes, Divisional AYUSH Officer Jyoti Panchal had ordered that drugs should not be dispensed without consulting a doctor. Ironically, most of the dispensaries in the district — Khajuri Deora, Semliya, Madhopur, Asawati, Upalai, Naugaon Kala, Riyawan, Rattagarh Kheda, Umran, Malwasa, Birmawal, Talod and Kelkachh, to name a few — are run by Class IV employees who do not have the authority to prescribe medicines.Patients perennially complain about the drug shortage in the dispensary and drugs that do come are not sorted and stored properly (Photos - SR Pareek, 101Reporters)“The district AYUSH officer says if the patients are not treated, then class IV will not get any salary. If we give medicines, action will be taken against us. If we do not, then also our fate remains the same. The shortage of doctors is really affecting us,” a Class IV employee tells 101Reporters on condition of anonymity.Budget allocation  The AYUSH Department does not seem to be in need of funds, if the state Budget announcement is taken into account. Of the total Rs 5,608.63 lakh provided under the NAM in 2020-21, the government spent over 90% (Rs 5,142.49 lakh). Of the Rs 3,123.80 lakh sanctioned in 2021-22, Rs 2,575.19 were utilised. The allocation rose to Rs 11,441.78 lakh in 2022-23, of which 82% was utilised. Ratlam district too allocates a quarterly budget for the AYUSH Department. Recently, the department organised special camps for women, with a set budget of Rs 40,000 per camp.Not just the local dispensaries, even the AYUSH wing in Ratlam city has been sequestered in such a way that most of the patients are unaware of its existence.Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaCover photo - The AYUSH Department-run Ayurveda hospital in Hatnara village of Ratlam is in such bad shape that the panchayat shifted the hospital to two rooms in the village school (Photo - SR Pareek, 101Reporteres)

Ratlam farmers still await insurance payouts for crop loss incurred years ago

Their inability to properly follow directives, official apathy and issues in bank payments have made the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana an inconvenienceRatlam, Madhya Pradesh: In 2018, when heavy rains destroyed his soybean crops, Sunil Patidar of Shivpur was not worried as he had insured his crops under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). He filed for mid-seasonal crop loss claim immediately, expecting to use the money for the next crop cycle. Four years on, he still awaits the insurance amount.“I had taken a loan to sow soybean on my six bighas, but rains destroyed everything. The Patwari (revenue officer) surveyed the place and sent a report to the insurance company. Subsequently, my compensation of Rs 4,500 per bigha was approved. In total, I was to receive Rs 27,000,” Sunil tells 101Reporters.Everything was in order, but the ICICI Bank allegedly misnamed Shivpur village as Sevria while submitting the claims information to the insurance company. Result: Sunil is yet to receive his money.“The input cost of my soybean crop was around Rs 5,500 per bigha, but the insurance amount will barely cover it,” laments Sunil, who has moved the consumer court in Ratlam to get the insured amount. “They keep asking us what the compensation was for when there was no loss in Sevria,” he adds.For Ramesh Patel of Dhamedi village in Ratlam, the payout for 2018 crop loss came to his bank account. But when it came to 2019 crop loss, the insurance company said the claim amount will be deposited only in the account of the land owner. “Our family owns a total of 35 bighas in the names of my wife and father Badrilal. When the insurance claim for 2019 was processed, my father’s Aadhaar number linked to his bank account was used. The claims money was apparently sent to his ICICI Bank account, but it was returned as the account was blocked due to KYC non-compliance,” says Ramesh.Completely damaged soybean crop in Dharod (left) and Piploda (right). (Images sourced by SR Pareek)"Now, I have opened a joint account with my father to avoid further delays," he says.Speaking on the issue, ICICI Bank's Ratlam branch manager Satyanarayan Dangi tells 101Reporters that the land belonged to Badrilal, but the premium was deducted from Ramesh's account. "In the first place, the insurance company should tell why it deducted money from Ramesh's account. Not just that, Ramesh's name is registered as Rameshchandra Patidar with the bank. We can give compensation only to the bank account of the land owner, so the matter got stuck at our Ratlam head office. Their new account is now ready, so I will release the money in two to three days."Ramesh, who has also not received the insurance payout for crop loss in 22 bighas for the year 2020, says he initially hoped to sell his small stock of soybean spared by rains for a higher price later. However, due to the non-receipt of the claim amount, he had to sell it at a low price for arranging seeds and fertilisers for the next crop cycle. “Otherwise, jewellery would have to be mortgaged with the moneylender at high interest rates.”According to reports, 38 complaints related to the 2020 kharif season remain unresolved till date.How PMFBY worksLaunched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 13, 2016, the scheme aimed at reducing the insurance premium burden on farmers who take loans for their crops, besides protecting them from the vagaries of weather.A uniform premium of only 2% for all kharif crops and 1.5% for all rabi crops will be paid by the farmers and the remaining premium will be paid by the government, so that the farmers are provided the full sum insured for crop loss in the case of natural calamities. There is no upper limit on government subsidies. Even if the remaining premium is 90%, it will be borne by the government.The PM-FBY website serves as a one-stop platform for all stakeholders of the insurance scheme — farmers, insurance companies, banks.Premiums are automatically deducted from farmers’ bank accounts and non-loanee farmers pay them in cash. Farmers can inform the insurance company on its toll-free number when they incur losses due to unseasonal weather. The company then will send a representative to the site for damage assessment and filling up of an intimation form. Patwari is also expected to be present at the site. Based on the uploaded form, the compensation amount is processed.According to guidelines, after receiving the claim amount from the respective insurance company, the financial institution/bank should transfer the claim amount to the beneficiary account within a week. A farmer getting insurance payout on time is dependent on every official completing his/her task properly at every step. Poor management, negligence of officials and lack of accountability have all led to the insurance scheme becoming an inconvenience. Farmers complain that they do not get the desired response from the insurance firm. They also claim there is no official at the local level to help them. Online submission is an insurmountable barrier for many.Most farmers in the district resorted to the CM helpline number to air their grievances. There are several farmers who got the amounts two to three years later. Manvendra Rajendrasinh Jodha from Lunera got Rs 5.20 lakh this year for the crop loss he suffered in 2020. Similarly, Rahul Mohan Patel of Dharad received Rs 90,000 in May for the 2020 loss. All these involved persistent lodging of complaints with both the CM helpline and agriculture department.Farmers of Ratlam district with their damaged crops (Images sourced by SR Pareek)Delay in surveys, portal entryFarmers complain that crop loss surveys are not conducted on time. Often, there is a delay in updating information on the insurance portal also. “Floods damaged my soybean crops. Patwari came on time to survey the loss, but the insurance company employee did not reach out for verification. I complained to the tehsildar and he contacted the insurance company. Subsequently, an employee came and assured me that verification will happen soon. Fifteen days have passed, nothing has happened,” says Rameshwar Lal of Sejavda village in Ratlam district.Banshilal Patidar of Bhimkheda village says banks are the main cause of contention. “They neither update Aadhaar nor share information with farmers on time. They also delay uploading of information online.” However, Mahendra Singh Dhanpal and Shantilal, both from Alot Tehsil, say they were inconvenienced by the agriculture department staff’s action of delaying online entry of claims.“We staged a dharna at the Collectorate under the banner of Bhartiya Kisan Sangh. That did get us an extension in 2020 from March 1 to March 10 to make online portal entry. But even then, the insurance amount was not received,” the farmers say.Since they are transferred every two years, the bank officials in question could not be reached for comments. Meanwhile, Vijay Chaurasia, Deputy Director, Agriculture Department, says, “After the banks deduct premium amounts, the information has to be uploaded on the Union government’s portal. If not done, the claims cannot be processed.”Acknowledging that 38 farmers in the district have lodged a complaint with the CM helpline, he says the amounts were not received mostly due to closure of bank accounts. “In such cases, banks return the amount to the insurance company. We are making efforts to get the money back.”Loss in soybean crop in Ambah, Madhya Pradesh. (Image sourced by SR Pareek)Errors and negligence have led to many farmers opting out of the PMFBY. In 2021, 1,58,229 farmers got their crops insured, but the numbers dropped to 1,42,476 in 2022. To this, Chaurasia says they have decided to solve issues that farmers face with insurance by holding workshops from time to time. A kisan rath will also be taken out through villages to exhort people to adopt Fasal Bima Yojana. Farmers, however, say there is a need to decentralise the functioning of insurance companies by launching offices or help centres at the local level.Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaThe cover image is of crop damage assessment being carried out by insurance company officials and patwari in Birmawal village of Ratlam.

Ailing PHC: No place for institutional deliveries in this MP village

The PHC in Sukheda used to conduct 20 deliveries a month almost three years ago, but has no trained staff to deal with such cases now. Vacant posts, lack of trained staff force pregnant women to travel 60 km for medical aid Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh: Sukheda Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Ratlam's Piploda block stands for everything that is wrong with the rural healthcare services in Madhya Pradesh. The six-bedded PHC, which used to manage 15 to 20 deliveries a month almost three years ago, sees none at present, all thanks to the transfer of the lone trained Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) in 2019.Now, the village women have to travel 60 km to the district headquarters, or 20 km to Jwara or Piploda villages for even basic healthcare. Sukheda has a population of almost 7,000.Anita (26) of Sukheda shivered as she relived the ordeal she underwent before her second child’s delivery. “I was in the eighth month of my pregnancy. One evening, I suddenly began to experience pain. My family members got worried, and they rushed me to Sukheda PHC. Much to our dismay, the staff there redirected us to Ratlam citing lack of facilities.”“I was in extreme pain. Though my family repeatedly called 108 ambulance to take me to Ratlam, the service was not available. They then began to frantically search for a private vehicle. Finally, we got one for Rs 2,000, and just as we crossed 10 km, the baby came out. We then decided to return home,” Anita told 101Reporters.The old Primary Health Centre at Sukheda (Photo: SR Pareek)Essential services missingMedical services at Sukheda PHC are in a disarray not just due to the lack of trained ANMs. The posts of lab technician, pharmacist and male supervisor are also empty at present. In short, lab machines are useless as no tests can be done in the absence of trained manpower. Even something as common as medicine for high blood pressure is mostly unavailable here.As per the National Health Mission guidelines, outpatient department service, 24-hour emergency, inpatient service, antenatal and postnatal care, newborn care, medical termination of pregnancies, laundry and food services for indoor patients are among the essential services that the PHC should offer. However, Sukheda PHC does not have even a provision for food supply!A source linked to the PHC said that food was not being provided as the PHC saw no deliveries. “No delivery means no admission. For those who come to get small ailments treated, hospitalisation is not prescribed. That explains the non-availability of meals,” she explained. The PHC does wash bed sheets and covers regularly, for which it gets funds from the patient welfare committee.Sukheda PHC got its medical officer only a month ago, after a gap of one year. Talking to 101Reporters, Medical Officer Dr Seema Chouhdari said, “It is true that women have to travel 20 km to Piploda community health centre (CHC). I have already notified my senior officials about the issues affecting the PHC’s functioning, though I have taken charge here only a month ago. I have been told that an ANM will be appointed soon, which may help restart delivery services here.”Sukheda has two ANMs at present, but they are not trained in dealing with deliveries. One of them is under training for maternity care at Piploda CHC. As of now, the PHC is handling vaccinations, intravenous therapy, and treatment of viral and seasonal diseases. According to Dr Seema, about 55 pregnant women coming under Sukheda PHC limits now depend on Jwara and Piploda health centres.The new Primary Health Centre at Sukheda (Photo: SR Pareek)While many village women are anaemic, five have low haemoglobin count. All of them have to go to Piploda to get iron injections. As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 7.9% of women in Ratlam district need medication for BP. They also have to rely on Jwara and Piploda centres.It is the same case with family planning advice and services. Parvati (36) (name changed) and her husband had visited the PHC seeking family planning information, but were redirected to Piploda. "Considering the distance and time to commute, we decided not to go there for a vasectomy."The condition of the washrooms in the PHC is beyond unhygienic (Photo: SR Pareek)Officials feign ignoranceFormer medical officer Dr RC Verma claimed the facilities were satisfactory during his tenure. “Now, almost 20% of pregnant women prefer to go to private hospitals," he said, adding that a trained ANM’s presence was crucial to ensure the PHC’s functioning.“Patients and their families bear the brunt of staff crunch. We are ready to support the health department to improve the situation. But they have to start first,” said sarpanch Mahavir Mehta.Claiming that he was unaware of the situation on the ground, MLA Dr Rajendra Pandey assured of action after speaking to the health officials concerned. Block Medical Officer Dr Yogendra Gamad said except for a trained ANM, Sukheda had all facilities. He, however, refused to comment on the non-functioning of the lab. “Soon more resources and trained ANMs will be appointed,” he said. Edited by Tanya Shrivastava

To-be mothers wilt as water crisis worsens in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam

The problem impacts everyone but is more personal for pregnant women, who are mostly anaemic and distressed.Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh: Parvati Parmar goes out to fetch water three times a day — and it is just enough to meet the daily needs of her family of six. In total, she walks around 3km every day, carrying two pots of water from a nearby hand pump every time. Parmar (26) lives in Mangrol village, located 7km from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, and is expecting her third child. She has to do the chore regularly, and her two children are always in tow.“If I do not fetch water, work at the household will come to a standstill. Both my in-laws are aged, and my children are three and two years old. After their birth, water consumption in our household increased, and so did my trips to the hand pump,” says Parmar.Pregnant Parvati Parmar walks back after fetching a bucket of water from the handpump near her house in Mongrol, Ratlam, Rajasthan (Photo: SR Pareek)She wakes up at 6 am and rushes to the pump, located 400m from her house. The two pots of water that she brings back are used for activities related to making breakfast and lunch. In the afternoon, she is back at the pump to fetch more for washing clothes. Another trip ensues in the evening for cleaning utensils. If the family needs more water, she takes more trips.Parmar is anxious about the child in her belly. “I get tired easily, and my body is weak. There were no complications when the first two were born. But this time, I was told during a check-up at the Anganwadi centre that I am anaemic.”Sometimes, she has to stop to catch a breath midway; sometimes, she takes a break at the hand pump to gain her strength before starting her walk back home.Bearing the bruntNot only Mangrol, other villages and development blocks — Dharad, Sailana, Bodina, Bajna and Dhabaipada, to name a few —  in Ratlam district have the same story to tell.According to Urmila Pal, an auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM), around 200 women go through pregnancy annually in Dharad. Of them, 80% are anaemic.In rural Ratlam, pregnant women are over-burdened by the monotonous task of fetching water (Photo: SR Pareek)In Mangrol, for example, 20 anaemic women walk to hand pumps, and queue up for two to three hours to fetch water. This, when pregnant women, especially in the first trimester, are advised against carrying heavy loads.Satyendra Rajavat, the medical officer at Dharad’s primary health centre, however, does not see it as a problem. He says a pregnant woman may find it difficult to fetch water, but it still serves as an exercise.“If she has to carry around five litres of water every day, it is not that much of a problem. Pregnant women need to be cautious during the first trimester, but they are also advised to exercise regularly,” says Rajavat, while warning that lifting more than 50kg elevates the risk of a miscarriage.ANM Pal, however, says carrying heavy pails of water every day, while not getting enough rest and nutrition, exposes women to an array of pregnancy-related complications.Rest and relaxation, a luxuryRanu (25) from Bodina had to walk to a nearby tube well every day to get water, while also taking care of her family and performing daily chores. She suffered a miscarriage, according to accredited social health activist (ASHA) worker Madhu Goyal.Another pregnant woman in the village, Kajal Nat’s haemoglobin has never gone beyond 9 gm/dL, despite taking iron tablets and injections. Her doctor has advised rest, but she still walks to the hand pump, though takes multiple breaks.But neither Nat nor others have the luxury of rest. It is more important to quench the thirst of the families than to worry about probabilities.Bodina ANM Sudha Rathore says neither illness nor pregnancy stops these women from doing their daily chores. Many women are taking care of the households alone as their husbands are out-of-station for work.While richer families have tube wells, the marginalised women continue to bear the brunt. The scourge of malnourishment“It is my responsibility to ensure their well-being. But I can only do so much with the unavailability of basic resources like water. Even if you tell them not to, they will have to walk and exert themselves to fetch water. I still try to spread awareness on the importance of proper rest and care,” says Goyal.The health indicators of women in the district are poor and, on top of that, there is a lack of basic awareness. “They do not boil water or strain it before drinking,” she informs, adding that most women in the village have low haemoglobin levels, which tamper with the body’s immune system and make them more susceptible to diseases.In addition to the distance-induced troubles, women are also bound to consume the flouride-contaminated water, worsening their hemoglobin levels (Photo: SR Pareek)Bodina’s ASHA worker Sangita says most among the 12 pregnant women and four breastfeeding mothers who registered last month at the Anganwadi centre have low haemoglobin.Social worker and gynaecologist Padma Shri Leela Joshi, who has been working for women’s health for the past 30 years, says, “There is no direct link between water crisis and malnourishment. But, a pregnant woman walking long distances for water, that too in an anaemic condition, is definitely not right for her body.”Professor Rekha Gupta, a gynaecologist at Ratlam Medical College, states that 80% of the outpatient women are anaemic. As per the National Family Health Survey, 77.2% of children in the four to 59 months age group are stressed due to low haemoglobin. Also, 72.7% of pregnant women are anaemic in rural Ratlam.Cascading effects of stressIn addition to physical stress, women facing water crisis also face mental stress. Result: hypertension, blood sugar and blood pressure are common ailments among them, which is more harmful to would-be mothers.NFHS-5 conducted in Ratlam district found that 7.4% of the participating rural women had high blood sugar.Also Read: So near, yet so far: Village near nature’s cradle Kokernag suffers without waterIn addition, excess fluoride content in water triggers bone-related diseases and anaemia in Ratlam. As per the standard specifications, fluoride content in drinking water should range from 1 to 1.5 mg/l. However, in Bajna and Sailana development blocks, it is 8 to 9 mg/l. Not just Ratlam, another 43 districts in the state have recorded high fluoride content.Dharad gram panchayat secretary Jeetendra Singh Chouhan says only 35 to 40 out of the 110 hand pumps are functional in the village.While acknowledging the crisis, sarpanch Vijay Kunwar Rathod maintains that the panchayat polls have just concluded and “the newly-appointed team will ensure that water crisis does not hit us in the coming summer”.“Though tube wells were installed in Rateetlai, Nyaykheda and Nyaypura, in addition to six new hand pumps, water problem got aggravated as the former stopped functioning,” claims Dinesh Gehlot, the former sarpanch of Dharad.In Sailana development block’s Bodina village, efforts to bring tap water were made twice, and lakhs of rupees were spent, but in vain. “Now, we are forced to fetch water from Sailana,” rues Kanhaiyalal Patidar, a villager.Earlier, a well was dug and a supply pipeline of one km length was laid under an irrigation project. Now, under the Jal Jeevan Mission, projects worth Rs 1.56 crore have been okayed, work for which is presently on.Bodina’s sarpanch Badri Meena exudes confidence that the water crisis would end once the pipeline installation is complete.Edited by Tanya ShrivastavaThe cover image is of Parvati Parmar, who is pregnant and anaemic but is forced to fetch water multiple times in a day from a handpump 400 metres away from her house, captured by SR Pareek.

High accident rate, no emergency care: Madhya Pradesh healthcare reels from insufficient facilities

Pregnant women, children and critical accident victims in Ratlam endure substandard health centres that desperately need a facelift.Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh: "June 10 was a dreadful day for us. My nephew, niece and daughter-in-law were injured in a bus accident at Dudh Talai, near Nipania village. We frantically dialled 108 for an ambulance, but none were available. Hours later, we finally managed to rent a private vehicle for Rs5,000 and took them to Ratlam. But my niece Maya Bai (26) died due to excessive bleeding," says Badrilal, a resident of Palasia village, breaking down as he recounts his family's horrendous ordeal.Abysmal health centres with inadequate testing facilities, shortage of medicines and non-existent ambulance services are the bane of many villages in the district of Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh.Four accidents a week, zero paramedic assistanceThe Lebad-Nayagaon four-lane national highway became an accident-prone zone due to heavy traffic density, since train connectivity in Indore, Ujjain, Ratlam, Jaora and other parts of northern Madhya Pradesh were affected due to the pandemic. There are three to four accidents on the highway weekly; yet, there's  no arrangement to rush the injured to nearby Primary Health Centres (PHC). In most situations, they are referred to the district hospital. Piling onto the misery of the accident victims is the near 15km to 50km distance between ambulance services and the healthcare centres. For instance, ambulances are 30km from the Kalukheda PHC, 25km from the Birmaval and Berda PHCs, and 35km from the Bajna Community Health Centre (CHC). Recently, Chief Medical and Health Officer of Ratlam Dr Prabhakar Nanaware wrote to the mission director of the National Health Mission in Bhopal to take some positive action.  (Above) A lab in Kharwa Kalan, Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh lies vacant. (Below) The Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Birmawal village, now a Community Health Centre (CHC) has just 6 beds at the moment. Inadequate amenities, lack of trained medical personnelThe CHC in Kharwa Kalan village, built on an exorbitant budget, lacks even the most basic facilities. This centre is the only government hospital in the vicinity, and the people of 25 villages and dhanis depend on it for all their health needs. However, there's neither a doctor to take up the sanctioned post nor a competent testing facility here. Ironically, even though an ambulance was procured through the MLA fund, a driver and diesel fuel were denied due to lack of funds. There's no X-ray or ultrasound machine here either.Kharwa Kalan, a shorter route to Indore and other cities, sees more than average traffic, resulting in more road accidents. The CHC, however, is only equipped to provide first-aid as there are no ICU wards for critically-ill patients. The hospital also has a solar panel worth around Rs40 lakh for electricity purposes, but it remains unused."A total of 26 ambulances are approved in Ratlam district. Of these, 11 vehicles are under 108 and 15 vehicles are under Janani Express. Now, 21 more ambulances have been demanded. For the ambulance bought from the MLA fund, a driver and diesel were not arranged due to lack of budget. We've instructed the transfer of seven such ambulances from 108 call centres to Kharwakalan," says Dr Nanaware.The PHC in Birmawal village, about 40km from the Ratlam district headquarters, which was only a six-bed hospital, was recently upgraded to a CHC. A separate building is under construction near the existing structure. Here, Kiran, a nursing staff, told 101Reporters, "This PHC has the highest inflow of women, who come in for antenatal consultations. On average, we see more than 500 patients every month. Anaemia is a common complaint. Iron is administered through injections if the haemoglobin level is above 7mg. But if the levels are below 7mg, then blood transfusions are required. We have no choice but to refer the patients to another health centre as we are ill-equipped for such treatments." "Earlier, the blood tests were done here in the lab. But after the lab technician was transferred, the testing equipment was put away and locked up. A technician from another PHC visits our centre every three days and takes samples. The reports take another three days. This defeats the purpose of an emergency healthcare centre, as every check-up, test and report has a long waiting period," the nurse explains the state of affairs. There are two vacant posts for doctors, two for operators and sweepers, and one each for a pharmacist, pathologist and ward boy Birmawal. The medical officer here, Dr Rohan Kanthed, says that a letter had been written to the district headquarters regarding the shortage of medical staff and a budget for a driver and diesel for the ambulance. Six doctors were sanctioned, of whom three posts for a surgeon, gynaecologist and paediatrician are still vacant. There are three junior doctors, of whom two are on contract.  (Above) The way to restrooms for Dharad Primary Health Centre (PHC) is loaded with garbage and dirt. (Below) Ambulances without diesel and a driver stand's outside the Kharwa Kalan CHC. (Below) Birmaval has now been upgraded to CHC, a new building is being constructed for CHC in the hospital premises.Pregnant women bear the bruntMany PHCs do not have sonography and diagnostic facilities, leaving women with no choice but to travel 10km to 50km to the district headquarters. Even for prenatal check-ups, patients are forced to travel back and forth to different health centres.There are 27 to 30 sonography centres in the district, including at government and private labs. However, there are only three at the government level. One is in the district hospital at Ratlam, where ultrasounds are conducted daily on 80 to 100 women. There's a waiting period of a week since patients from across the district come here for scans performed free of charge; private centres charge between Rs900 to Rs2,200. The other two government hospitals are in Alot and Jaora, but Alot has no ultrasound machine installed, and Jaora has no radiologist. Therefore, the burden falls on the district hospital."With a population of 37,000, the number of anaemic women and malnourished children in this region is markedly higher than in other areas. Despite these statistics, there are no competent diagnostic facilities available," says Dr Mahendra Singh Panwar, Medical Officer, Bilpank Health Center. "Patients must go to Ratlam, 20km away, for an ultrasound. There's also no gynaecologist or paediatrician available. The lab technician comes to the Dharad, Namli, Birmaval and Bilpank PHCs thrice a week, and the reports are available only when he returns."For the past 23 years, social worker and Padma Shri awardee Dr Leela Joshi has worked for the health of tribal women and girls in Ratlam. She has organised free camps in villages for health checkups and treatment. "Although the problem is prevalent in the whole of Ratlam, women from rural areas are more prone to anaemia," says Dr Joshi. "If they are not given proper medical attention and care during delivery, it puts the health of both the mother and child at risk. One of the main reasons for the number of malnourished children here is that prenatal and postpartum care for mothers is lacking. The situation hasn't improved without proper sonography centres and the absence of gynaecologists and paediatricians.""The affluent somehow find a way to get an ultrasound at private centres, but women of lower means are left to fend for themselves. Sometimes, in villages, women are offered glucose bottles for weakness. This is dangerous, especially during pregnancy, because the likelihood of gestational diabetes increases, affecting the unborn baby's health."Birmaval is on its way to upgrade the original PHC into a CHCHealth centres on paper vs realityA population of 5,000 warrants a sub-health centre. However, in the tribal belt, the limit is 3,000. The government opens PHCs for a population of 20,000 to 30,000, while CHCs are sanctioned for a population of 80,000 to 1.2 lakh.CHCs in Madhya Pradesh have a staff section of 17 members, including five doctors, surgeons, paediatricians, gynaecologists, anaesthesiologists and a medical officer. Yet, most healthcare centres do not have the services of a gynaecologist, paediatrician or anaesthesiologist.  Currently, Ratlam has six CHCs — Namli, Sailana, Bajna, Piploda, Tal and Kharwa Kalan — 24 PHCs and 220 sub-health centres.At present, hopes rest on the formal opening of a CHC in Birmaval. A 30-bed health centre is being set up at the cost of about Rs5.74 crore. Ratlam District Incharge Minister OPS Bhadauria performed the bhoomi pujan on May 17.Edited by Grace Jayanthi

In the dark zone: Bhopalgarh’s ongoing groundwater crisis

In Jodhpur's Bhopalgarh region, the acute shortage of water in over 70 villages has residents struggling for sustenance.Jodhpur, Rajasthan: There's no water to drink and none to irrigate the fields. The animal farms are dry. A desperate bid to dig a tubewell also turned futile as not a single drop of water was found even at 900ft. Some villages have not received any water supply for three days, while some others have not got water for almost 15. There's barely any water in the ponds, and in desperation, people have begun to consume brackish water from whatever meagre is available underground. This is the current state of Bhopalgarh block of Jodhpur district, with a water crisis crippling life in over 70 villages.This dire state of Bhopalgarh was caused by the over-exploitation of groundwater resources. The entire region falls in a dark zone (areas demarcated by the government where the over-exploitation of groundwater is acute), additionally burdened by the problem of naturally available saline water . The lack of water for irrigation has drastically reduced the scope of cultivation, as well.Then and nowBut this wasn’t always the state of affairs. Till about a decade and a half ago, the fields were lush, farmers were prosperous and had ample produce, all due to the underwater reserves in the region. There were only a few tubewells, which were used to cultivate 100 to 150 bighas (one acre = 1.6 bighas) of land. To maintain cultivation, villagers began to dig many tubewells, which led to the over-exploitation of groundwater and consequently, the current situation.Rajesh Jakhar, a farmer in the area, revealed that he used to cultivate 60 bighas of land through tubewells, but now, there is not that much water left in the land. “Our cultivable area has reduced to 20 bighas, and all our agricultural work is dependent on rainwater,” he said. Bhopalgarh is the first region in Jodhpur to be categorised under the dark zone. The groundwater level here fell by 1.92m annually. There's a drinking water crisis in the majority of the villages in the district. Although the water in the pond in Bhopalgarh town is not potable, people still use it as it's the only available source. Gradual drop in water levelsAccording to data released by the Groundwater Department of Jodhpur in 2011, the 36m-deep well in Hingoli village was dry before the monsoon, but after the rains, the water level rose to 24.3m. In 2021, the well dried up entirely, as did the wells in Rarod and Birani villages.The average annual rainfall in the region is 325mm. On average, the groundwater level here remained between 20m and 95m, but it has now fallen to between 145 and 175m. In 1984, only 63% of the available water in the land was used every year— 48 million cubic meters (MCM) being extracted for agriculture and other uses, but today, the amount exploited is at 310% with the extraction of  261 MCM.While a person needs 50l of clean water per day on average, most people in western Rajasthan, have access to no more than 10l per person per day.The tubewell mistakeThe over-exploitation of water in the area is further evident from the fact that in each field, eight to 10 tubewells have been dug, one installed deeper than another. Almost 80% of them have fallen into disuse in rural Bhopalgarh.In front of farmer Omaram’s house in Narsar village, Bhopalgarh, there are two non-operational tubewells and empty water cisterns. The tubewell was once used to irrigate more than 50 to 60 bighas of land. When water was scarce, Omaram dug about 10 tubewells and eventually ran out of water. Now, they need to get tankers for drinking water, too. This is the situation for most farmers, who depend on rainwater for agriculture.Nirmal Mehta, a farmer laments over the past mistakes, “We went on extracting water without recharging it. This is the result today. Cultivation has reduced and so has income.” According to Prakashchandra, assistant engineer of the Water Supply Department, a tubewell was dug in an emergency situation in Bhopalgarh town, but water was not found up to 900ft.Ponds and canals to the rescueFarmers here are now forming community groups to dig ponds to suffice irrigation for large cultivable areas, financially assisted by grants from the Agriculture Department.Rafiq Ahmed Qureshi, assistant agriculture officer, Bhopalgarh, said that for rainwater conservation in the area, two types of grants are being given. The first is for ponds, in which a subsidy of Rs 63,000 is granted per farmer for a 1200 cubic meters pond, at a depth of up to 3m. To conserve rainwater through community farm pond for irrigation, a grant of up to Rs 20 lakh per farmer's group can be availed for a minimum of 10 hectares.Currently, the water supply system in most villages is entirely dependent on canal water, which is their only source of drinking water. At present, 67 villages of the area are connected with the Manaklao-Osian-Bhopalgarh water supply scheme. Water arrives at Manaklao from Kaylana Lake in Jodhpur, from where it reaches the villages.Dr Prakash Tyagi, executive director of Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti, an organisation working towards water conservation, said Bhopalgarh wasn't alone in its plight; the whole Jodhpur district was facing a water crisis.“Instead of exploiting water that's left, it's important to take care of traditional water sources. In Jodhpur, for many years, we were constructing khadins (embankments ) to prevent surface runoffs in fields,” he said, adding that ancient methods of water collection, like roof and groundwater catchments, should be preserved and old ponds should be cleaned.Back to the basicsGRAVIS has extensively worked with communities in other blocks of Jodhpur, like Bap, Osian, Phalodi to revitalise the ancient water conservation structures and revive ponds in these arid regions. In Bap, Tyagi recalls how building khadins had solved the irrigation water crisis through accumulation of rainwater in cultivable farms. This helped in groundwater replenishment too.With the annual rainfall, as less as 200mm, he emphasises managing the available water as the key way to overcome the ‘dark zone’ category, Bhopalgarh has put itself in. “If similar strategy and community efforts are replicated in the parched region of Jodhpur, it can mitigate the current water crisis to a large extent. Not just for humans and agriculture, but also for cattle.”Edited by Surekha SAll photos: SR PareekThis article is a part of a 101Reporters' series on The Promise Of Commons. In this series, we will explore how judicious management of shared public resources can help the ecosystem as well as the communities inhabiting it.

Quacks, quackery and their popularity in Rajasthan in the absence of doctors

Lack of qualified medical practitioners in government facilities prevents the masses from seeking the right healthcare services, while fraudulent quacks continue to play with people’s lives in Jodhpur district. Jodhpur, Rajasthan: Waiting outside the clinic of a local quack in Shergarh, Haakim Khan revealed the reason he preferred a quack — an unqualified person who claims medical knowledge or other skills — to a qualified doctor for his  treatment: “There's always a long queue at the local government hospital. I need to leave early for work every morning. That is why I'm here. If need be, this quack even comes home to examine patients.”  The Rajasthan government has made treatment at all indoor and outpatients departments (OPDs) in government hospitals free, with also medicines being dispensed free of cost. In the rural parts of Jodhpur district, there are 640 sub-health centres, 86 primary health centres and 28 community health centres — yet, most of these lie unmanned. Nearly 80% of the medical posts in rural areas lie vacant, or doctors are on deputation. This makes the government’s initiatives on healthcare ring hollow. Missing doctors, few ANMs and dearth of diagnostic services Phalodi is a relatively large town in Jodhpur district, 135km from Jodhpur city. Yet, healthcare facilities and emergency services here remain abysmal. In the absence of specialised medical personnel, some 5,000 people from the town travel to Jodhpur for even the simplest diagnostic services and treatment every month, reveals opposition leader and politician Ramesh Thanvi. At the Phalodi District Hospital, of the 136 approved medical positions, which includes that of 16 specialists, none have been filled. There are also many posts of healthcare staff that continue to lie vacant. "In the absence of doctors, patients are referred to Jodhpur for treatment after some first aid. This often results in patients dying on the way," Shiva Purohit, a concerned resident, told 101Reporters.The community health centre (CHC) in Bilara, Jodhpur, Rajasthan (Photo: SR Pareek) There are 32 gram panchayats under the Phalodi Panchayat Samiti. Of these, only 13 gram panchayats have Auxiliary Nurses-cum-Midwives (ANMs) to attend to them. These ANMs attend to the other gram panchayats rotationally. Thus, each gram panchayat is catered to for a week to a fortnight, and only vaccination drives can be managed here. The Shergarh Community Health Centre (CHC) is managed by just two doctors who have to tend to 200 to 250 patients in the OPD. The situation is hardly any different in Baap town or in Balesar block To make matters worse, the ANMs lack access to adequate vitamins, vaccines, medicines and painkillers to attend to the monthly schedules and needs of infants, toddlers or pregnant mothers. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an ANM told 101Reporters that if basic facilities were made available at the sub-health centres, it'd not be as difficult to manage normal deliveries of newborns and the treatment of local villagers. “However, sub-health centres remain deprived of facilities and equipment, while health officials remain engrossed in meetings,” she said.(Left) The sub-health centre of Kinchan village in Phalodi tehsil of Jodhpur district is not functional; (right) A 'clinic' run by a local quack in Belwa village of Balesar district (Photos: SR Pareek) Furthermore, the sub-health centres in Bilada, Balesar, Belwa , Shergarh and Phalodi lack diagnostic services. Hence, their service is limited to vaccination. Villagers are forced to visit the nearest community health centre, where medical practitioners are mostly absent; for even common ailments, they are often referred to Jodhpur for treatment. This leaves them with little choice but to seek help from quacks. No users for costly medical equipment  Ironically, the lack of medical personnel has another side to it. Following the deadly first and second waves of the coronavirus-induced pandemic, a lot of expensive equipment was made available by many individuals and charitable organisations to rural hospitals. In Phalodi and Bilada, emergency equipment such as oxygen concentrators made available during the Covid-19 pandemic are now gathering dust due to the lack of medical practitioners. Balesar hospital, too, was equipped with an oxygen plant, which now lies shut. Of the 160 oxygen concentrators sent, only five were used; the rest are lying here unused. This was confirmed by Balesar Block Chief Medical Health officer Dr Rahish Khan Meher. Action against health fraud “Whenever a complaint is lodged by villagers, we take prompt action. We made around 10 arrests but they eventually received a bail from courts,” shared Dr Rahish Khan MeharShergarh Block Chief Medical Health Officer Dr Dhiraj Bissa also claimed that they "keep taking action against quacks from time to time. Right now, we are looking into complaints against two quacks”. But truth be told, there have been only 10 complaints against quacks in the past decade here, which may serve as an indication of their popularity. Complaints are lodged only when a life is lost due to incorrect medication or diagnosis — as was the case in April 2022, when a child died after being injected by a quack in Sointara village of Balesar block. In the rural parts of Phalodi, nearly every resident is at the mercy of quacks. In remote villages, these fraudulent health workers have even set up nursing homes within pharmacies. Lack of medical facilities at the sub-health centres, too, has proved a boon for these practitioners in Belwa, where 10 to 12 quacks operate from a one-room 'clinic'. It's a similar story in several other villages. Although health officials round up quacks from time to time, they appear to always be released later. Once free, they are back to their so-called practice. Quackery and quacks An investigation by 101Reporters into the quackery prevalent in Jodhpur district revealed some alarming facts. A Bengali quack operating from a one-room clinic in Bhakri ka Bas settlement in Gopalsar village, Belwa, for the past three to four years claimed he was an RMT degree-holder from West Bengal, which qualified him for medical practice. “Different rules prevalent in different states of India prevent recognition of one’s degree, or allow medical practice,” he claimed. It wasn’t clear, though, why he could not practise as a medical doctor in West Bengal and had to travel to operate a clinic in a remote part of Rajasthan. Similarly, a quack operating from a medical pharmacy in Shergarh confessed to having a degree in nursing. “Private hospitals pay just Rs 8000 to Rs 10,000 a month, which is hardly enough to live on. I treat patients on the strength of my nursing degree,” he said. Besides the inadequacies of the prevalent healthcare system, there's another reason for the popularity of these supposed medical practitioners — in a government hospital, doctors usually prescribe medicines after examining a patient; quacks, on the other hand, start with an injection or a drip. Unaware villagers tend to be impressed by this and conclude that they are receiving the right treatment for whatever illness they are suffering from. Edited by Rina Mukherji This story is part of our series on ‘Rural Diagnostics’ that attempts to highlight the availability of such medical services in rural India. Read another article For the faint-hearted: New programme 'lowers cardiac deaths by 50%' in rural Telangana published under this series.

Food processing units in Rajasthan attract prospects, profits for farmers

Heaps of Fennel (Saunf) at an agricultural market in Bilwada (Photo: SR Pareek)While cumin and fennel cultivators were earlier forced to make trips to Gujarat to process their produce, they now enjoy high returns from the processing units they set up in their stateJodhpur, Rajasthan: In Rajasthan, the districts of Jalore and Sirohi have always been major centres of cumin (jeera) and fennel (saunf) production, respectively. In 2020-21, cumin was planted in 1,35,000 hectares of land in Jalore and production was around 66,402 metric tonnes. In 2021-22, notwithstanding bad weather having confined sowing to 87,303 hectares, around 32,003 metric tonnes of cumin was produced. Similarly, fennel was grown in 5,000 hectares of farmland in Abu and Revadar towns in Sirohi. However, in spite of the high production of cumin and fennel in these parts, Rajasthan has always lacked the necessary marketing and processing facilities, for which farmers have had to transport their produce to the agricultural market (mandi) in Unjha in Gujarat. Transporting the produce to Gujarat meant an additional expense of Rs 2,000 per quintal for a farmer, since Unjha is 260 km from the Jalore district headquarters. The situation was just as bad for the farmers of Sirohi.Hence, with processing units coming up here over the past few years, the farmers of Sirohi and Jalore are very pleased.Entrepreneurs arise with government initiativesTake the case of Yogesh Joshi of Jalore’s Sanchore town. Joshi worked in an organic food company earlier. Armed with a diploma in organic farming, he took up agriculture in 2010, growing cumin sans artificial chemicals. Initially, he teamed up with seven other farmers in his venture; the group later grew to 60 in number, with each farmer growing cumin in 2 bighas of farmland. However, they incurred huge losses the first couple of years. Joshi then got in touch with scientists at the Central Arid Zone Research Unit (CAZRI) in Jodhpur. After undergoing training, he went on to grow organic cumin as per their directions. Selling 120 kg of cumin, Joshi made a profit of Rs 50 per kg. Even so, the profits didn’t match the effort involved.In 2015, he set up his processing unit. Thereafter, 200 farmers joined him. In the market, loose cumin sells for Rs 180 per kg. If one is to add Rs 15 to7w clean up the grains, it would add up to Rs 195 per kg. But when this cumin is packed, it sells at Rs 250 to Rs 400 per kg. Smaller grains sell at Rs 250 per kg, medium-sized grains at Rs 300 per kg, and large grains fetch between Rs 400 and Rs 450 per kg.Today, there are 3,000 farmers involved in processing cumin here, and the turnover has crossed Rs 50 crore. Selling cumin in its processed form has helped farmers earn much more than what they did selling their raw produce in Unjha. Besides selling their product in various states of India, their cumin is also sold in Japan, Dubai, the US, and the Netherlands. Joshi is looking forward to increasing his turnover to Rs 100 crore in the near future. He’s already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan government to set up a cumin and cumin powder processing unit in Sanchore. Exploring national and international markets online, he’s also managed to export his cumin through a Japanese company. (Left) Yogesh Joshi from Rajasthan's Jalore district has profited from selling processed, organically grown cumin; (Right) Fennel in Bilwada's agricultural market (Photos sourced by S.R. Pareek)“They were so appreciative of my very first supply of cumin that they went on to place orders for coriander, fenugreek and fennel,” said Joshi, who has entered into a contract farming agreement with a Hyderabad-based firm for 400 tonnes of quinoa.It was during the 2020 lockdown that long-time farmer Hiralal Chaudhary of Revadar in Sirohi district was compelled by circumstances to start grading his fennel crop with his group of farmers. Although the harvest was done, there was no way that Chaudhary and his group of farmers could get their produce to Unjha due to blocked roads. “We met the district collector and asked him to work a way out. But even when he managed to get permission for us from the Gujarat government, we found transportation costs to be prohibitive,” he explained. This was when the district collector suggested that the farmers do the grading and processing themselves. With the help of officials from the Agricultural Marketing Board, the necessary documentation was completed. However, several rounds failed to yield the elusive government grant. Tired of the long wait, Chaudhary fell back on his savings and ultimately set up a processing unit on his own. Besides fennel, he’s been processing castor and mustard, too, at his unit, and grading them likewise. Right now, 2,000 farmers are connected to his unit. In the past, farmers from his village frequented the Unjha market, as well, to sell their produce. “Payments at Unjha were never immediate; farmers had to wait for their turn to be paid. Now, the payment is online and immediate,” Chaudhary pointed out. As against a maximum of Rs 80 to Rs 200 per kg that farmers earned at the mandi in Unjha, the graded, processed and packaged fennel fetches them Rs 400 per kg now.Yogesh Joshi's cumin processing unit in Jalore's Sanchore town (Photo sourced by S.R. Pareek)There are several farmers and traders besides Joshi and Chaudhury who have benefited from the new regimen.Following the Rajasthan government announcing plans for the state’s first agricultural market for fennel in Bilada in Jodhpur district, several processing units have come up in and around the municipality, even as the sale of fennel has picked up. In fact, the announcement saw four processing units being set up in a single year. Several farmers have been making trips to the units to auction and process their produce from other parts of Rajasthan and other Indian states. Where fennel fetched Rs 8000 to Rs 10,000 per quintal last year, the arrival of farmers from other states saw prices climb upwards to Rs 12,000 to Rs 18,000 per quintal. “As compared to 2,032 bags of fennel arriving until March 2021, as many as 4,098 bags of fennel arrived at the mandi by March 2022,” Bilada Mandi Secretary Ramsingh Sisodia told 101Reporters.Improved earnings and employment prospectsSetting up a processing unit is no expensive prospect for an entrepreneur. A small unit can be set up in just Rs 7 lakh, while a medium-sized unit would need around Rs 30 to Rs 40 lakh. A large unit, however, would need an investment of Rs 60 lakh to Rs 1 crore. The processing machines are easily available in Faridabad or Unjha.Of the four processing units that recently came up, the biggest was set up at Rs 1 crore, while the three smaller units were established at Rs 25 to Rs 50 lakh each.  For farmers, local processing has guaranteed better returns for their efforts, saving on transportation costs, improved employment prospects and better earnings for farmers, as Bilada farmer Dhannaram Lalawat, Jetiwas farmer Ramsingh Bhati, and Udaliyawas farmer Tejaram Chaudhury told 101Reporters.Rajasthan’s agri-export promotion policyIn December 2019, the Rajasthan Agro-Processing, Agri-Business and Agri-Export Promotion Policy was approved by the government of Rajasthan, to encourage agro-processing and agricultural exports and increase farmers’ incomes in the state. In its very first phase, 50 farmers were assisted to set up food processing units. Most of these were in Mathania and Ossian in Jodhpur district. Of the Rs 6,848.33 lakh spent to set up these 50 units, the government extended Rs 3,079.50 lakh in the form of grants.According to Rajasthan Agriculture Marketing Board Joint Director (Jodhpur) Jabbar Singh, the state government has borne 50% of the expenses involved in setting up units through grants. Where cumin and isabgol (psyllium) are concerned, subsidies worth Rs 2 crore have already been announced.The new policy is a welcome move for Rajasthan, since 60% of its population is dependent on agriculture. Moreover, the state leads in the production of dal, isabgol, senna (sonamukhi), fenugreek (methi), coriander (dhania), carom (ajwain), cumin, and henna (mehndi), besides abounding in milch cattle. Edited by Rina Mukherji

Adivasi girls in Rajasthan ushering in new literacy landscape

Tribal girls in Rajasthan attending classes in a local school (Photo Sourced by S.R. Pareek)Figures prove that girls in many of the state’s tribal-dominated districts outnumber boys at schools and are going on to make it big in areas such as the IAS.Jodhpur: For years, the tribal regions of Rajasthan were believed to be plagued by illiteracy. But now, Adivasi girls are actively changing this perception. These girls, who once kept away from primary education, have whole-heartedly embraced higher education, with many claiming top positions in government bureaucracy.With parents growing more aware of the importance of schooling, wards have gone on to seize every opportunity to make their families proud.Take, for instance, the case of Mona Roth of Dungarpur. Recognising their daughter’s talents and desire to pursue higher education, her parents helped her move to another city. Roth went on to become the first Adivasi Indian Administrative Services (IAS) civil servant from her district.Similarly, Avni Bamania also made her mark in the IAS. This Banswara resident didn’t allow three unsuccessful attempts to deter her from finally making it to the administrative services. She’s now the first female Adivasi IAS officer from the district. Empowered women are beginning to hold sway in several tribal-dominated districts of Rajasthan, such as Pratapgad, Sirohi, Udaipur, and Palli. Once backwards in matters of female literacy, these regions are now seeing girls enthusiastically pursue careers in engineering, medicine, education and government administration. As against a 50 per cent gap between male and female literacy in the past, the difference is now marginal. In fact, in several districts, the numbers lean in favour of girls.Figures at a glanceIn Pratapgad, girls outnumber boys in higher education. At the Rajakiya Mahavidyalay here, there are 1,862 boys and 2,297 girls on the roll call.In Sirohi, the Adivasi-dominated Abu Road town had 17,068 girls studying in 223 schools in 2020-21; by 2021-22, the figure climbed to 18,170. In Dungarpur, among the 3,13,151 students enrolled in Class XII, girls (56,014) were only marginally outnumbered by boys (57,126), according to the state education department. In Banswara, girls lag slightly behind in primary education. But they are well ahead of boys in higher education. While there are 15,781 boys as against 15,018 girls enrolled in schools here in Class X, there are 10,325 girls as against 10,148 boys in Class XI. In the Bali sub-division of Palli district, there are only four boys as against eight girls in Class XII, in the local secondary school in Pipal village. There were 16 boys and 10 girls studying in Class X, and only 10 boys in Class XI. Moreover, a keen desire to learn English among Adivasi girls is evident from the numbers at the English-medium section in Sewari; there are 10 Adivasi girls enrolled here as against 27 girls from the general category.Official district-wise figures corroborate the findings, as well.While the percentage rise in some districts may be more pronounced than others, the figures indicate a steady increase in Adivasi enrolments across all tribal-dominated districts of Rajasthan. The change—and how it was brought aboutIn 1967, the first school in a tribal area was set up in Banswara's Garhi Kasba. The lone Adivasi girl who secured admission at the time failed. But things are quite different now. There are 1,08,906 girls currently studying in 449 government schools in the district. In Ghotal block, girls outnumber boys in all 62 schools.Where higher education is concerned, the progress is stark, to say the least.In 2005-06, there were 30 Adivasi girls enrolled for every 100 boys in colleges. By 2020-21, the number spiked to 105 girls for every 100 boys. Even as boys drop out to seek employment, or give up their studies due to other reasons, girls continue with their classes and pursue higher education. In Rajasthan, of the 322 colleges, 60 are girls-only institutes.Interestingly, there are many girls who have moved out of their villages and into towns and cities to pursue higher studies. Many of these girls, at one point of time, fell among those who never left their villages for any reason. These girls, one finds, are not just aiming to be independent, but are determined to enable their siblings to get a better education, too. In the Udaipur Adivasi hostel, there are more than 80 girls currently preparing for competitive exams to enter the administrative, medical and educational services. In Dhikli residential school in Udaipur district, there are nearly 350 girls from villages pursuing higher education.(Left) Mona Rot, IAS - “It is basically a question of opportunity. Since tribal girls are now being given the opportunity to shine, they are emerging bright. In the past, parents would not even allow their daughters to move from one village to another; now, girls are shifting to cities to prepare for competitive exams. My initial schooling was at Banswara, Dungarpur. I prepared for IIT in Udaipur and cleared the exams without any coaching. Following my stint at IIT-Kanpur, I moved to Delhi to prepare for the civil service exams and got selected for the IAS. I am now posted in Karnataka. The situation will improve further in the coming years.” ; (Right) Avni Bamania, IAS - “Until Class VIII, I studied in a private school in Banswara district. After that, my family sent me to Udaipur to pursue my studies, where I completed my Class XII. I completed by MA and M.Phil from Delhi. I was unsuccessful in my IAS prelims thrice, but remained stubbornly determined to crack the exams and was ultimately successful. You may fail in life on many occasions, but if you keep trying, you are bound to succeed.”The pandemic and its effectsAs with much else, the Covid-19 pandemic had an adverse effect on the progress registered through the years. Scores of families fled the onslaught of the disease, resulting in several girls abandoning their studies midway. It also saw many absenting themselves from school, in spite of continuing to be enrolled.For instance, at the Rajakiya Uncch Prathamik Vidyalay in Motira, Banswara, only 50 students of the 160 enrolled have been attending their classes since the pandemic broke out. Similarly, only 19 of the 35 enrolled students were attending school at the Rajakiya Prathamik Vidyalay in Surpur Dhani. In Sujaji ka Gada, there were 20 students enrolled at the local school opened to serve the 40-household settlement; this had to be closed down due to lack of students.In this respect, Banswara-based NGO Vaagdhara has been working tirelessly through their child helpline in tribal hamlets to bring back school children. With their community radio station, Vaagad Radio 90.8 FM, Vaagdhara reached out to parents and children during the pandemic. The organisation also distributed books through teachers, field workers and facilitators to keep students in touch with what they had learnt in the past. Recalling how the pandemic affected girls' education during the Covid-19 crisis, Vaagdhara Secretary Jayesh Joshi told 101Reporters: “We learnt from a girl in Kushalgarh that she was keen to return to school, but her parents were unwilling to let her resume studies. She was, instead, being sent to work on a construction site through a contractor. With the help of the police and the child helpline, we warned the contractor against employing child labour. Talking to her parents, we learnt that they were plagued by economic hardship in the pandemic period. Hence, we arranged for her uniform and stationery and got her readmitted to Class VIII in the local school.”Joshi and his team also took the pain to apprise parents and guardians of the importance of education, besides informing them of the various schemes and financial assistance being extended by the state and central governments, particularly the following:Distribution of bicycles to outstanding girls studying in high schools and higher secondary schools, to enable them to travel easily and prevent them from dropping out due to the distant location of schoolsFree scooters to higher secondary toppers pursuing degree courses in collegesFinancial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to three Class X girls topping from each district of the stateFinancial assistance worth Rs 50,000 to every girl from birth to Class XII under the Rajyashree SchemeTotal sponsorship by the state government of schoolgirls who intend to pursue higher education abroad. For this, the government will select three toppers from every districtFree food, uniforms and accommodation in Kasturba Gandhi residential schools for all female studentsFinancial assistance under the Gargi Award Scheme to government school students who secure 75 per cent and above marksTransport vouchers to those who travel a distance of 5 km and above to their schoolsThe NGO's awareness drives had the desired effect and brought many girls back to school, particularly in Kupada, Banswara, Kushalgad, Anandpuri and Ghatol.“Encouragement from the government has gone hand in hand with a change in parental attitudes. Girls have also shown a clear desire to educate themselves. Increased enrolment in schools has been accompanied by good results, too. While higher education has received a shot in the arm with the distribution of scooters and free sponsorships, school education has also received a lot of benefits from the government. Adivasi girls also receive free coaching. Hostel accommodation is also provided in Udaipur and many other cities. All this added up to Adivasi girls doing very well for themselves in education over the last few years,” said Sham-e Pheroza Batun Anjum, Additional District Education Officer (Secondary), Banswara, Rajasthan.Edited by Rina Mukherji