The on-going COVID-19 outbreak and the consequent economic fallout has left policymakers scurrying for policy options. One of the lessons of the pandemic has been the limitations of conventional polices. Countries globally reacted to the crisis by lockdown and effectively stalling economic activity. With rising unemployment and the rapid spread of the pandemic, Jharkhand too found itself running out of optionsto help its citizens from the very early stages of the crisis. Thepandemic stretched to limits the already limited health and public infrastructures.

In the backdrop of such a grim scenario, perhaps the worst in a century, Jharkhand CSO Forum took the onus to devise strategies for ensuring a steep recovery and sustainable development for all. The forum consisting of social luminaries, eminent researchers, and CSOs held weekly meetings to brainstorm strategies. Six themes, critical to holistic sustainable development were identified, and detailed research was conducted. The themes are:

• Public Health
• Food Security
• Nutrition
• Employment
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Forest Rights and Governance

The forum has come up with innovative and creative policy recommendations which will help usher a strong recovery in the post-pandemic period.

PUBLIC HEALTH
• Initiate one Health Sub center per GP as per the Indian Public Health Standard.
• Prioritization of Tribal districts having huge rate of Malnutrition (SAM, MAM) and prompt action for access to better health care facilities at community level.
• Regularisation and system strengthening of VHSNC, and capacity building of frontline health care workers for basic quality service deliveryin terms of immunisation, ANC and PNC.
• Ensuring psychosocial wellbeing as part of comprehensive healthcare.
  
  

FOOD SECURITY
• Provision of at least two months’ food grains and other items to households that do not have ration cards.
• Leveraging panchayats and CSO networks for identification and listing of individuals devoid of ration card and provide them with ration cards.
• Expanding the facilities while ensuring hygiene and increasing the number of distribution centres of MukhyaMantri Dal Bhat Yojana and additionally using these centres to provide food to homeless, migrant labourers and destitute.
• In regard to PDS, there should be an increase in issuing of Ration cards to the neediest and deserving people, though 15 lakh persons have been newly issued cards by the state.
• Within six months,Panchayats should replace private dealersfor ration distribution.Panchayats should keep the stock of grains and other essentials like edible oil, pulses should be included in the ration packets.
• The distribution of essentials should be standardised to 5Kg packets, and beneficiaries must receive ration receipt.
• Ensure Provision of three months advanced ICDS supplementary food and MDM for regular flow.
• A functional Toll free number and robust mechanism must be initiated for ration cardholders for their grievance redressal.
  
  

NUTRITION
• Increasing the AWCs, mini AWCs (as per norms) especially in regions which are not covered by existing centres.
• Immediate filling of vacanciesby recruitment of skilled individuals in AWCs.
• Development oftraining institute for capacity building and skill enhancement of the ICDS workers (CDPO, SUPERVISOR AND AWWs) and proper implementation of the project and delivery of quality services.
• Addition ofboundary wall, nutri-gardens, child-friendly toilets and drinking water as essential facilitiesto AWCs.
• Provision of eggs should be continued in the mid-day meal.
• Providing hot cooked meal food for pregnant and lactating mothers in the Anganwadi.
• Introduction of Crèchesthroughout the state to cater the children between 6 months to 3 years to facilitate proper early childhood care, adequate nutrition and growth monitoring.
• 
  
  

EMPLOYMENT
• Increasing the number of days on employment under MNREGA, over and above the stipulated 100 days.
• Increasing the wage rate of MGNREGA workers from its own fund at least in the migration prone blocks and districts.
• Taking immediate steps to implement and expand ShahriRojgarYojna as well as PM GaribKalyanRojgarAbhiyaan to other districts of the state. Initiation of MukhyamantriSahayata Kendra for Facilitating citizens.
• Issuing job stamps to approved public institutions which can be converted to one person-day of work and wages to be paid directly to the bank account of workers.
• State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and District Mineral Foundation Fund (DMF)should be used to provide relief and employment to the return migrants.
• Initiation of panchayat level MIS system for tracking return migrant and skill mapping, and creation of job opportunities based on those mapped skills at community or advanced level.
  
  

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
• Introduce and implement State Policy on Regenerative Farming for the revival of crop diversity, soil biome, soil & water conservation along with the integration of livestock and discouraging use of Pesticide and Weedicide in Jharkhand.
• Scaling up Climate-resilient & nutritionally rich crops – Millets, Pulses, Oilseeds & Indigenous varieties of Rice and other crops need to be encouraged through Community Seed Banks, Diversity Blocks etc. in a Mission mode with vertical integration.
• Launching a State level program to create large scale Infrastructure for ensuring Irrigation and in every field (Rainwater harvesting in every farm; the revival of old structures, traditions & institutions on water conservation; reduce reliance on groundwater; link with solar-based irrigation systems.
• Creating a cell in the Agriculture Department with sectoral experts who will help set up the system and process to make the Producer Groups viable and complement the state initiatives to Promote local markets for Sustainable Farming produce through consumer awareness, melas&haats, kiosks, trade fairs etc. and linking farmers through Participatory Guarantee System (PGS).
• Ensuring state-level program for the promotion of youth entrepreneurship through capacity building, institution nurturing and infrastructure support towards storage, value addition, processing, aggregation, marketing etc. of farm produce.
• Strict policy and monitoring mechanism for stopping of diversion of farmland for non-agricultural purposes.
• Promote nurseries, mother plant blocks to kick start horticulture in the uplands by producing quality planting materials.
  
  

FOREST RIGHTSAND GOVERNANCE
• Clear guidelines regarding MFP procurement to the state nodal agencies like the Tribal Development Co-operative Corporations (TDCC)/state forest development corporation’s/MFP federations.
• Engaging local self-help groups (SHGs) to collect from individuals, specifying regulations for private traders to protect the collectors from being exploited.
• Using Van Dhan Centres or panchayat bhawans for storage of produce till it is transported.
• Providing free seeds and fertilisers to small landholders who have individual forest rights title to ensure food security and livelihood with dignity.
• Providing access to internet facility in each GP / PS / ZP Office.
• Setting up of front desk office in each GP with a designated person.
• Announcement of CFR by the state and Declaring Jharkhand as an Organic Farming State.
• Creating MIS system for entitlement application submitted by Gram Sabha and keeping it in the public domain and providing entitlement within a stipulated time of 3 months.
• Immediate announcement by the state on providing entitlement to the Gram Sabha for all pending applications related to FRA.
• Empowerment of Gram Sabha with the right to issue receipts for minor forest produce.