#NyaayaUpdate : Meri Bhi Awaz Suno

CHAMPIONING LEGAL AWARENESS AMONG THE UNDERSERVED

India is speeding ahead in technology, the startup industry is booming with incoming foriegn investments and the urban population is dreaming of a new India. A new India where electric vehicles ensure a clean environment, digital money becomes an asset and drones become enablers for taking the agritech industry to new heights.

But our dream will remain fragmented unless we take along people like Rajkumar Chaurasia, living in a village in Samastipur district of Bihar. He had been fighting for Rs 5,000 of widow pension for his 83 year old mother for the last 1.5 years. Burdened by growing medical bills and being acutely aware of his illiteracy, Rajkumarji almost let go of his mother’s widow pension until he heard of Nyaaya & Gram Vaani’s initiative Meri Bhi Awaaz Suno. A simple dial-in of number 3 on his not-so smart phone helped him find the right way to make the district bank manager an ally to claim his mother’s pension. This Rs 5,000/- which may get spent easily in a day or two in our cities makes a huge difference in a small village of Bihar.

Listen to Rajkumarji’s experience here

Image: Rajkumar Chaurasia with his mother at their house

Rajkumarji is not alone. There are 180 such villagers in just his small community who had not known how to avail of their Widow pension. His story now serves as an inspiration for these 180 and thousands of more villagers in various districts of Bihar, Jharkhand, UP and MP.

CHALLENGE AT GRASSROOTS

The Government of India passes various laws and issues various schemes and policies for different sections of the Indian population every year. Each scheme focuses on solving a specific problem to improve the quality of living among Indians, especially the ones who are underserved in India due to economic, educational or other financial challenges.

These schemes, however, fail to reach the right audience because of lack of awareness and complicated process in which the benefits can be availed. Legal information is filled with jargon which makes it more difficult to understand, even if it is made available in the regional language. As a result, many people cannot avail of the benefits from the schemes meant for them.

Usha Kumari’s challenge as a person with disability knows no bounds. Her financial burden had some relief due to Bihar’s Viklang Pension Yojna. Without any prior notice or information Usha Kumari stopped receiving her pension and helplessly kept waiting for 3-4 months until she heard #MeriBhiAwaaz over community radio Mobile Vaani. She reached out to voice her concern and was put in touch with the local Vikas Mitra who then assisted her in completing the necessary paperwork to expedite the disbursal of her pensions. Her pension started flowing in again and she can now feel assured about a fixed amount to come in every month for her expenditures.

Listen to Usha Kumari’s experience here.

                                                                                                                                       Image: Usha Kumari outside her house her  village in Samastipur district

ROUTE TO BUILD AN EQUITABLE INDIA

Rajkumariji and Usha Kumariji are just two beneficiaries from hundreds of success stories that are getting created every day as more people are dialling in to Mobile Vaani to access their rights. This pilot initiative in Samastipur district is now a proven framework which helped in successfully creating awareness around schemes like Widow Pension, Old Age Pension, Disability Pension, National Pension Schemes, One Nation One Ration card and e-Shram card.

The bigger vision of an equitable society in terms of justice dreamt by Nyaaya’s team of lawyers will come to reality when we are able to tie up with more grassroots enterprises like Gram Vaani. The journey may be long but these successful initiatives help us believe we can make “Justice Accessible to All” and bring real impact in the lives of underserved and marginalized Indians.