Training of Consumer Club Members and Heads of Organisation
Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, July 29, 2006

Under the Consumer Club programme being implemented in the Higher Secondary Schools of Chittorgarh, CUTS CHD, with financial support from the District Supply Office, Chittorgarh, organised one-day training workshop of the principals and members of consumer clubs at the Centre, on July 29, 2006. Members of newly-selected consumer clubs, principals, members of district level coordination samiti and officials of District Supply department etc., participated in this training workshop.

In his inaugural address, Rajendra Singh Shekhawat, Additional District Collector, Chittorgarh, asserted the importance of consumer club programme initiated with objectives of sensitising the new generation towards their rights and duties and to give impetus to the consumer movement. He further said that through the activities of consumer clubs the members would help create the student community more aware of consumer issues and finally, turn them into consumer activists in future. He elaborated by giving an example that a boy associated with consumer club will protect himself, his family and society from exploitation.

Rajendra Singh Shekhawat further said that for the effective management of consumer clubs, the members need to be adequately trained with prerequisite information, and on the contrary, if the members lacked the knowledge regarding their work they would not dispense their duties properly. He informed that through the provisions of Consumer Protection Act, 1986, consumers could avail easy and speedy justice; however, the Act needs wide publicity.

Speaking on the occasion, Dhanna Singh Rawat, informed the participants about the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 as well as explained the consumer club programme in detail, including its establishment, management and the financial support.

Madan Giri Goswami informed the audience about his experiences regarding consumer information and counselling centres being run by panchayat samiti level. Other eminent speakers, who opined their views included: Jagdish Chandra Chokhra, senior clerk, District Supply Office, Chittorgarh; Yogesh Jani, principal, Government Senior Secondary School, Choti Sadri; and Kalyani Dixit, principal, Government Girl Higher Secondary School, Chittorgarh.

Securities and Market Awareness Campaign (SMAC)
Jalore, Rajasthan, July 27, 2006

The first workshop under the fourth round of Securities and Market Awareness Campaign (SMAC) supported by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) was conducted in Ahore, Jalore District, Rajasthan, on July 27, 2006.

Around 50 small and rural investors attended the programme. The main speaker in the programme was Mohan Parashar, a Chartered Accountant with a sound knowledge on stock market. The other speakers were S D Solanki, Branch Manager, State Bank of India, Ahore Branch; Anil Vangani, Manager, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) of India, Jalore Office and Lalit Kumar Dave, District Small Savings Officer, Jalore. The programme was well organised and attended. The media provided a wide coverage to the workshop.

Girl School Enrollment Celebration and Education Encouragement Campaign
Bhilwara and Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, July 01-15, 2006

CUTS CHD organised girl child education campaign in the selected villages in six panchayat samities of Bhilwara and Chittorgarh districts from July 01-15, 2006. The objectives of campaign were: to connect girl child between 6-14 years of age to schools; to ensure retention of enrolled students; and to associate the girl child whose enrollment is not possible with the Kasturba Gandhi School and Bridge Courses.

In the initial phase of the girl child encouragement campaign, the proper identification of children denied of education was accomplished followed by consultations with children and their parents in order to encourage them to enroll in the school. Through wall writing, education awareness chaupal meetings, education awareness rallies, meetings with teachers etc., a sustained effort was initiated to generate awareness towards education in the community. In addition, by organising girl child encouragement programme in the selected villages, girl child who have been denied of education, were connected to school with the active cooperation from villagers, people’s representatives, education officials etc.

The prominent persons who took part in the campaign included: Prithviraj Jat, Pradhan, Kapasan panchayat samiti; Prahalad Jatia, Pradhan, Nimbahera panchayat samiti; Rajeshwari Meena, Pradhan, Chittorgarh panchayat samiti; Nirmala Devi Jat, Sarpanch, Samri gram panchayat; Jagdish Chandra Malviya, Sarpanch, Jalia gram panchayat; Kananbala Lodha, District Education Officer, Chittorgarh; Jagdish Chandra, Additional Block Education Officer, Kapasan; Suresh Canhdra Sharma, Additional Block Education Officer, Nimbahera; Ashok Kumar Bhatt, Additional Block Education Officer, Bhadesar; Narbada Bhambi, Additional Block Education Officer, Chittorgarh; and Bharat Singh Mehta, Officer Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Bhadear.

Due to this campaign, a total of 149 children, including 77 girls and 70 boys were encouraged to enroll in schools in Bhilwara and Chittorgarh districts. On the local level, samities of social workers, people’s representatives and community stakeholders were established to take on the reasonability of working towards the retention of newly-enrolled as well as the re-enrolled students.