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Decoding the Budget Through a Feminist Lens By Rohitha Naraharisetty talks to Vibhuti Patel Feb 2, 2023 https://theswaddle.com/decoding-the-budget-through-a-feminist-lens/

gender gap in five important areas. One, adverse sex ratio. Second is education . Third is employment —  Fourth is decision making — Fifth is gender-based violence. supply-side economics and growth doesn’t translate to welfare or empowerment.

Women and children should be separated because right now, the majority of the budget goes to Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which also addresses women and children. And the second part of this allocation goes to reproductive and Child Health (RCH).

support to self-help groups (SHGs), there’s big applause about the budget allocating massive resources to SHGs. Yes, they did play a heroic role during the pandemic, but who will mediate them? If you are just parking money in private microfinance, they will exploit these women. We have had cases of women borrowers dying by suicide because of the bouncers who would humiliate and degrade them. These are some of the very serious concerns that we have.

Also, look at the budget on gender-based violence: with the Nirbhaya fund that has been allocated since 2013 — 1,000 — crores per year, you hardly see any utilization. There are states and union territories where there is 100% non-utilization of the fund. Though there is a clause that money cannot be diverted, most of the time, what is allocated for gender gets diverted. In Maharashtra, they recently bought SUVs and vehicles for MLAs using the Nirbhaya fund.

The EBHLE Community project has been in the works for sometime now. We started acquiring land in January 2020. But COVID came in March 2020 and put a delay. Now finally, the project will take off this year. EBHLE Community project is about creating an Eco-sustainable space, in a rural setting, of like minded people with its 3 pillars of Learning, Livelihood and Governance. It can accommodate 80 families and 300 Learners in the age group of 4 to 16. By 16 years of age we expect the kids to be self-sufficient in learning with creative problem solving skills and thereafter be able to pursue further learning of their interest (not our interest) on their own. For families it's going to be an experience of living a self-sustainable lifestyle in Nature, with Nature for the betterment of humanity and our progeny. This might sound audacious and a fantasy.
The project has a 100 year vision.

Usually the Community Meets were only open to people who have lived at Sapna Ranch for the minimum of a week, have realized that going forward, this is how they want to live and made a commitment to be a part of the project.

However with the post COVID Era people's priorities have changed and more want to move out of the urban setting and pursue their interests in a healthy, nature friendly, rural setting with work from home capabilities. Sapna Ranch has 100 Mbps fiber connectivity for internet.

Hasmukh by WhatsApp at ×91 9552689001 or by Telegram at +91 7558228952 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

At the recent police conference attended by PM Modi, Gadchiroli DIGP Sandip B. Patil claimed in a paper that 15 cultural and rights organisations are actually “active frontal organisations of Naxals." Behind this claim is little evidence. https://thewire.in/rights/maharashtra-top-cop-accuses-decades-old-cultural-rights-orgs-of-working-as-naxal-fronts 

In 2017, the artiste couple Shital Sathe and Sachin Mali publicly announced their decision to split from the cultural outfit, Kabir Kala Manch (KKM) after 15 years of association.

The artistes had claimed that they no longer wanted to be associated with an organisation that had “left-leaning politics”. Subsequently, the two started their own cultural group – Navayana Mahajalsa – aligning themselves with the visions of Ambedkar, Phule, and Shahu Maharaj. 

Five years later, despite their work and critical take on the Left movement, the Maharashtra state has classified Navayana Mahajalsa to be an “active Naxal frontal organisation”.

Meanwhile, B.D. Sharma, a retired IAS officer, and one of the key architects of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act or PESA had worked among the Adivasis of Bastar until his death in 2015. Bharat Jan Andolan, an organisation founded by Sharma, has often been lauded for bringing the Fifth Schedule back on the national agenda and highlighting it as a vital instrument for the very survival of tribal people. 

Despite the work that Sharma and his organisation have done over several decades in the central India region, the Gadchiroli police have now termed the Bharat Jan Andolan an “active Naxal frontal organisation”.

The 15 organisations, including Bharat Jan Aandolan and Navyana Mahajalsa, are:

1. Samata Kala Manch,
2. Vidrohi Sanskrutik Chalval,
3. Republican Panthers Jatiantachi Chalwal,
4. Indian Association of Peoples Lawyers (IAPL),
5. Deshbhakti Yuva Manch,
6. Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR),
7. Chhatra Bharati Vidyarthi Sanghatana,
8. Stri Chetna Manch,
9. Jatiy Atyachar Virodhi Kruti Samiti,
10. Dandkaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdour Sangh (DAKMS),
11. Dandkaranya Krantikari Adivasi Mahila Sangh (DKAMS),
12. Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression, and
13. Committee for Relief of Political Prisoners.                                                 

       by Sukanya Shanta

       03/02/2023

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