Good governance, especially at grassroots level, is a sine qua non for ensuring sustainable development. The Night Camp programme launched in Haryana, with Kaithal district being the first to implement it in August 2012, is a stepping stone towards good governance. Kaithal has become the first district in the state to organise night camps and the concept is soon gaining popularity owing to the number of benefits it is providing to people. This night camp is organised on two Fridays of every month in villages. During this programme, the district administration devotes a whole night just to hear and resolve the problems of villagers on the spot. Started in the month of August 2012, night camps have successfully been conducted in Aahu, Budha-Khera Azim Garh, Chausala and other villages of the district.
The programme has become such a hit that people of others villages are also demanding organisation of such camps in their villages. In order to make the programme a success, the administration is also taking help of NGOs. In order to understand the essence of this unique programme, the Editor interviewed the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Kaithal district, Sh Dinesh Singh Yadav (who is the sculpturist of this format) and following excerpts from that interview are reproduced below:
FGR: What is the underlying philosophy behind the Night Camp Programme?
Ans: The underlying philosophy behind the Night Camp Programme is to resolve public problems on the spot, strengthen the bonds between the people and administration, make people aware of the welfare schemes initiated by the state government and change the mindset of elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions by holding motivational seminars at block level.
The Night Camp Programme, initiated by the Chief Minister of Haryana, consists of spending at least a night at a village every month by district administration to bridge the gap between the people and the administration. The Chief Minister had given such directions to all the deputy commissioners and superintendents of police in a meeting held on 7 July 2012. Kaithal has become the first district in the state to kick start the novel concept of night camps and it is rapidly gaining popularity owing to the number of benefits it is providing to people.
FGR: What are the main objectives of the Night Camp Programme?
Ans: The main objectives of this Night Camp Programme inter alia include: bridging the gap between the administration and citizens; interacting with the villagers and sort out the local problems with local participation; making an integrated effort to save girl child, promoting girl education, ensuring opportunities at equal level to the girls in the society and to maintain the dignity of women; improving the living standards of the weaker sections, particularly Dalits, through extensive sanitation programmes in their residential pockets; making the people aware about their duties regarding respecting women from all sections of society, to treat girl and boy child at par to ensure their education and making available to the children the various opportunities of healthy grooming etc.
This programme is also designed to inculcate virtue of social harmony amongst the people. It aims at making people aware of the benefits of various welfare schemes at grassroots level, especially to the deprived sections of the society as well as to motivate the less privileged citizens for coming out of the situation by means of education and make efforts for self-employment etc. The other objectives of this programme inter alia include: clearing the pendency of any kind and to render the relief of various schemes at the door step of the citizens; making the converged efforts with the police, judiciary and various NGOs; providing free legal aid in the village itself and to motivate the citizens against electricity theft and water theft, and to make them aware about electricity and water conservation.
FGR: What are the major programmes being launched under the Night Camp Programme to attain its objectives?
Ans: The Four-fold programmes have been launched under the Night Camp Programme and these include: awareness programme, night camping, special legal aid services camps in the village itself and conducting of various seminars and interaction programmes in association with Police Administration, NGOs and various social organizations.
FGR: Will you briefly describe about Awareness Programmes recently held in Kaithal district?
Ans: Between August and November 2012, 6 Panch and Sarpanch Sammellans (one at each Block headquarters) were organized in Kaithal district. These Sammellans were attended by Zila Parishad members, Block Samiti members, Sarpanches, Panches, Patwaris, Gram Sachivs, Nambardars and full team of District Administration of Kaithal with district heads of various departments. This afforded opportunity for making a very significant interaction thereby helping in attaining the objective of awareness in a very real and informal way. Another highlight of these Sammellans was that the participants were also given full chance to give the feedback and express their expectations and to understand the role of each component of the society. About 3000 people took part in these six Sammellans and various participants assured to extend their cooperation and support.
FGR: How many Night Camps have been held by the District Administration between August and November 2012?
Ans: The District Administration, in a very converged and focused manner, has been organizing full day and night camping in the villages itself where all the departments have been participating by setting up service counters, exhibition counters, relief disposals etc. The following Night Camps have been organized by the District Administration:
| Sr No. | Date | VIllage | Block |
| 1. | 3 Aug 2012 | Ahun | Pundri |
| 2. | 24 Aug 2012 | Budha Khera | Kaithal |
| 3. | 14 Sept 2012 | Ajimgarh | Guhla |
| 4. | 21 Sept 2012 | Santokh Majra | Rajound |
| 5. | 5 Oct 2012 | Chousala | Kalayat |
| 6. | 26 Oct 2012 | Khanpur | Siwan |
| 7. | 9 Nov 2012 | Sakra | Pundri |
| 8. | 23 Nov 2012 | Chandana | Kaithal |
FGR: What have been the main achievements during these Night Camp Programmes?
Ans: These Night Camps have yielded very fruitful results for the benefit of the local people where these camps were organized. In the first place, financial assistance to 1914 beneficiaries was extended under Indira Gandhi Priyadarshani Vivah Shagun Yojana. Besides, financial assistance amounting to Rs. 8.55 Lakh was extended to 19 beneficiaries under Indira Awaas Yojana. Besides, 2734 new water connections and 331 new electricity connections were provided to the people. 3635 villagers availed of medical assistance, including medical check-up. 1440 persons availed of on spot veterinary check up of the animals.
Apart from these, Old Age Pension (Samman Bhatta) was sancrioned for 298 persons. The number of ration card recipients was 153 while those who were issued Learner Licence included 291 persons. The free legal aid facility was availed of by 1950 persons.
Another laudable achievement of these Night Camps has been equal emphasis on environment and water conservation through plantation of approximately 3200 plants and sensitization of the villagers about water conservation and sanitation.
FGR: What is the future of these Night Camp Programme?
Ans: These Night Camp programmes have evoked very positive response from the rural people and thus far they have been very successfully launched in Kaithal district. Other districts of Haryana are adopting these programmes. The future of these Night Camp programmes is very bright because such programmes instill confidence among the rural people and inculcate in them a sense of belonging. The officers of the District Administration also learn first hand knowledge of the problems being faced by the people.
New Initiatives: –
- Special meeting of Gram sabha is conducted by A.D.0 himself along with DDPO.
- Making of learning license.
- Making of votes focusing on girls (who just has attained the age of 18 years.)
- Vocational guidance session.
- Distribution of High Breed fruit plants in every house in some villages to fight with problem of mal nutrition in poor families.
- Spot inspection to frame the coming plan of development works as per local priority and needs.
Transparency: –
To support the spirit of transparency (even without forcing people to go for RTI) 20-30 copies of various kinds of information from Govt. record is distributed in Gram sabha like:
- BPL list of the village.
- I.A.Y (Indira Aawass Yojna) waiting list.
- List of beneficiaries who availed subsidy based loans or received subsidy based agricultural tools etc.
- Objections are also invited and decided after spot inspection regarding non-eligible person in BPL list.
However, other districts now are following this more but not getting the real colours as their format and commitment are lagging real convergence. Most of those districts could do two three camps only.
Achievements of the Night Camps District: Kaithal
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 1st phase | ||
| Block | Pundri | Kaithal | Guhla | Rajound | Kalayat | Siwan | Total | |
| Village | Ahun | Budhakhera | Azeemgarh | Santokh Majra | Chausala | Khanpur | ||
| S. No. | Name of the Activity | 03/08/2012 | 24/08/2012 | 14/09/2012 | 21/09/2012 | 05/10/2012 | 19/10/2012 | |
| 1. | Indira Gandhi Priya Dardhani Shagun Yojana** | 7 (Rs. 3,10,000) | 5 (Rs. 1,55,000) | 2 (Rs. 62,000) | 52 (Rs. 12,83,000) | 65 (Rs. 15,15,000) | 14 (Rs. 2,96,000) | 145 (Rs. 36,21,000) |
| 2. | Indira Awas Yojana | … | 3 (Rs. 75,000) | ……… | 16 (Rs. 4,00,000) | ……. | …….. | 19 |
| 3. | Medical Checkup & Medical Assistance (Health Deptt.) | 236 | 450 | 553 | 295 | 611 | 390 | 2535 |
| 4. | Release & Regularization of Water Connection |
168 | 158 | 373 | 171 | 345 | 382 | 1271 |
| 5. | Release & Regularization of Electricity Connection |
0 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 248 | 23 | 271 |
| 6. | Sanction of Old Age Pension (Samman Allowance) |
Exhibition | 94 | 120 | 16 | 26 | 27 | 189 |
| 7. | Veterinary Check up (Animal Husbandry) | 258 | 283 | 355 | 250 | 271 | 197 | 1073 |
| 8. | Issuance/ Replacement of Mutilated Ration Cards |
…….. | …….. | 40 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 101 |
| 9. | Issuance of Births & Deaths Registration Certificates |
……. | ……… | 3 | ……. | …….. | …….. | 3 |
| 10. | Free Legal Aid by District Legal Services Authority |
…….. | ……… | 1000 | 500 | 450 | Exhibition | 1950 |
| 11. | Mutation Sanctioned | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 28 |
Plantation during the Morning Session : 3200
