Best Electoral Practices Awards, 2014 Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation (General Category) District: Surguja, Chhattisgarh

Date: 13 th August, 2014

Presented by:

Smt. Ritu Sain, DEO Surguja, Chhattisgarh

Features of SVEEP - Surguja

I.

Empirical & Research based II. Targeted & Customized III. Inclusive & Participatory IV. Economic & Eco-friendly

I. Empirical & Research based

 Data and trend analysis of Assembly trends, 2013  Questionnaire from voters who did not vote in AE, 2013  4573 (5% of total 92994 who did not vote in AE, 2013)  Feedback from voters who voted in AE, 2013  1000 Survey form from voters who voted  Feedback registers at 5 locations: Collector’s Office, Nagar Nigam, Registrar Office, Tehsil Office and E Seva Kendra (Filled by 900 people) Total number of voters in AE, 2013: 5,37,412 Voter turnout: 4,44,418, 82.7% Voters who did not vote: 92,994, 17.3% Male turnout: 2,,23,776, 82.47% Female turnout: 2,20,643, 82.9% Booth wise voter turnout % age:

Turnout percentage No. of booths

> 90% 80% - 90% 70% - 80% 60% - 70% 50% - 60% 149 366 113 52 4

Goal Setting: To sustain 4,61,458 and to motivate and engage 96,532

Data Analysis of questionnaire & Findings

1. Findings regarding non enrolment of participants in AE, 2013 60% Need for: 50%  Activation of grass root machinery for information dissemination 40% 30% 20%  Intensive and interactive awareness generation 10% 0%

35% Lack of awareness 27% Apathy 48% Lack of active involvement and information dissemination

Targeted corresponding strategies

      Strengthening and orientation of BLOs through

block wise BLO workshops

(4,5,6 March) Presence/ frequent field visits and guidance of district level senior officials Involvement of Prerak, Patwaris, Rozgar Sahayak & Mitanins

Follow up block wise workshops

– findings of survey shared and corrective strategies (photo of BLO) Regular review through VC of Block level machinery 5 point score assessment and reward system 5 Point score for BLO’s performance, evaluation & award 100% voter registration 100% EPIC Coverage 100% EPIC distribution 100% voter turnout 100% Female voter turnout

As a result, 18,359 names were added

2. Findings regarding non participation

Busy in social gatherings

(7%)

Busy in family functions

(8%)

Due to non registration in voter list/EPIC card not available

(9%)

Absence from village due to work

(76%)

76% 7% 8% 9%

Targeted corresponding strategies

 Wide publicity for alternative documents for voting  Intensive drive for EPIC and duplicate EPIC distribution  Close watch on major social and family gatherings on poll day by BLOs, Mitanins, Preraks  Identification of groups who are absent from village and database preparation and establishing direct contact.

Groups absent from villages • Labor working outside village • People gone out in pursuit of career and employment opportunities • Female voters who have moved from villages either after marriage or for delivery • Govt. employees/ NGO and family members • Employees on election duty

Identification, database preparation and mode of engagement of absent groups Identified absent group Labor working outside village

    Working with contractors at worksites Working at crushers and brick kilns Small scale industries, shops, malls, restaurants, hotels, helpers etc. (mostly in urban area) Labors of MGNREGA 

Mode of database preparation and engagement

   Through

works departments Mining department Industry and municipal commissioner

Pledges at worksite through Rozgar Sahayaks

People gone out of village in pursuit of career and employment opportunities

  Colleges/ ITI/ Polytechnic/ University Employed/ Self employed  Through Principals and voter awareness camps in these institutions and participation of students in all the events under SVEEP

Employees in Govt./ Central Govt./ Semi Govt./ NGO and their family members

 Workforce in organized sector plus their family members   Data collected from all the

Heads of Department/ Institutions

‘Pledge to vote campaign’ and directives to all departments

Urban young voters Identified absent group Employees on election duty Women

      Polling parties: 3574, Flying Squad: 22 Video Team: 3, Static Squad: 40 Zonal/ Sector: 82

Total: 3721

Women who moved after marriage and for delivery Women who moved to urban areas for employment opportunities   Reaching through parents through students Catching them young at colleges, ITIs, polytechnics etc.

Mode of database preparation and engagement

 Issued EDC to all who were enrolled in district 3427 (92%)          Special drive for correction, addition and deletion of female voters Special Gram Sabha/ Women Gram Sabha Door to Door campaign Regular SMS to 1.5 lakhs mobile numbers On polling day, thrice SMS was sent on 56,450 numbers Telecast of Jagrukta Film: 07 Telecast of voting appeal over 5 news channels for 3 days Telecast of voter awareness appeal in cinema halls Appeal on Local FM Radio: 35

Database of identified absent groups during AE, 2013

Survey findings Workforce under registered contractors/ laborers at worksite Workforce in private firms and small scale industries Family members of students Family members of Govt.

employees Govt. employees Total

Not registered EPIC card not available Not participated in election 2013 Total 83 90 197 370 113 120 126 359 5663 5171 5538 16372 635 987 2320 3942 178 321 762 1261 6672 (29.9%) 6689 (29.9%) 8943 (40%) 22304 (100%)    Total number of voters who did not vote in AE, 2013 in Surguja = 92,994 Direct contact and identification of 22304 which is around 24% of non participants.

3427 employees deployed on Election Duty casted votes through EDC, which is 1000 more than AE, 2013

Database prepared and direct contact with 23,304, 25% of total non participants

 16000 MGNREGA workers contacted directly

Findings and Targeted corresponding strategy

3. Regarding location of non participants on polling day

• GHAR GHAR Dastak Abhiyaan • Voter’s slip distribution with PEELA CHAWAL

Others 39% At home On 29% farm 1%

• Oath taking • Signature campaigns

At relative s home 14% At city 10% At work 7%

• Sankalp Patra – Distributed: 2,00,000 – Used: 1,80,352

Biggest challenge was to motivate 29% who were at home and did not vote.

Ghar Ghar Dastak, Oath Taking & Signature Campaign

Findings and Targeted corresponding strategy

4.

Regarding enrolment turnout of female voters and



Female voters corrected/ updated their details in voter list after marriage

 Special drive for correction, addition and deletion of female voters Special Gram Sabha/ Ward Sabha meetings organized on International Women Day (8 th March) for enhancing female participation

No; 43% Yes; 57%

 100 years old lady Smt. Kanak Rani Datta was identified as local female icon and publicized on social and cable media to motivate female voters  Special marks assigned for female participation in BLO’s performance and evaluation

Special Gram Sabha/ Women Gram Sabha

Findings and Targeted corresponding strategy

5. Regarding issues with EVM usage

Mock polls were organized at village level, haat bazaars through Kala Jattha team.

Voters feeling hesitant/ fear in voting through EVM

EVM demos and mock polls at various locations:

Yes; 4% No; 96% Location of Demonstration

Tehsil Offices Sub divisions CEO Janpad Offices Block level trainings (3 Sessions) Jagrukta rath and Kala Jattha in GP’s Local Haat Bazars

Total Frequency

07 02 07 21 88 28

153

EVM demonstration, Kala Jattha Team

CORE SVEEP: 10

th Voter Awareness Flame -

– 24

th

April, 2014

मतदाता जागरूकता ज्योतत           Flame lit on 10 th April, 2014 Departure Ceremony – Human Chain and Road show Baton handover from district HQ, Ambikapur to the block team Flame taken over by Block team and handed over to GP team Visit to 48 GPs and 118 villages, 1487 kms, engaged 26,000 voters primarily in low voter turnout areas:11 th – 21 st April Handing over and taking over at every GP Return and reception at District HQ on 21 st April at 17:30 – EPIC Rally Mounting of flame at Vivekanand Chowk Daily deepshows, band shows, film shows in evening from 21 st – 24 th Beating Retreat after poll – 24 th April April

Schedule of events organized in each GP

S. No.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Timing

08:00 AM 11:00 AM 01:00 PM 03: 00 PM 05:00 PM 08:00 PM

Activities

Prabhat Pheri, cultural program and signature campaign Contact and Oath campaign for labor working at MGNREGA sites Meeting in Panchayat Bhavan, Nukkad Natak Voter awareness among females, farmers and senior citizens of village Mashal rally, cultural program and folk songs, street play by Kala Jatha team Display of Audio/ Visual content related to voter awareness Sachiv, Prerak, BLO, Mitanin, Rozgar Sahayak and AWW were present during the entire duration of the ‘Voter Awareness Flame’

Targeted audience and customized events structure

Panchayat Sabha Awareness at MGNRGA, Crusher sites Females Labourers Educated and literate voters

Departure Ceremony:

Road Show & Human Chain

Handing over and Taking over at GPs

EPIC Rally

Mounting of Flame at Vivekanand Chowk

Deepshows & Band shows

Rangoli

Beating Retreat after poll on 24

th

April



II. Inclusive and Participatory

Building partnerships

Organizations/ Associations

Chember of Commerce Surguja Kirana Club Association Surguja Contractor Association Surguja Auto Association Surguja Brick Kiln Owners Association Surguja Petroleum Association Surguja Forest Association Surguja Jan Sikshan Sansthan Surguja Chartered Accountant Association Press Club Surguja Bank Association Surguja Lions Association Club Surguja Truck Association Surguja Bus Association Surguja Advocate Bar Association Surguja Crusher Association Surguja Rice Millers Association Surguja Private Schools Association Surguja Hindi Literature Organization Surguja State Employee Organization Surguja

NGOs Sports Association CSOs Organizations / Associations 32 12 5 22

Across Religion

Voter awareness campaign in the district: 13 Masjids – 4800 voters addressed 2 Gurudwaras addressed – 350 voters 10 Temples – 5750 voters addressed 3 Churches – 8635 voters addressed

Data Analysis of Feedback Forms

  

Interactive Demonstrative Focused & Targeted



Participatory

Content Development:

Posters, Wall writings

OUTCOMES 1. Highest voter turnout in the state in PE, 2014

The voter turnout in Surguja is 19.32% higher than the last Parliamentary Election in 2009

S.N.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

District

18-SURGUJA 21-BALRAMPUR 16-RAIGARH 7-JASHPUR 27-SURAJPUR 11-DHAMTARI 6-KORIA 15-RAJNANDGAON 23-GARIYABAND 24-KONDAGAON 24-KONDAGAON 12-BASTAR (JAGDALPUR) 14-MAHASAMUND 5-KORBA 3-KABIRDHAM

Turnout

80.19% 77.44% 77.15% 77.05% 75.96% 75.88% 75.73% 75.49% 74.48% 74.14% 73.50% 73.44% 72.68% 72.60% 71.27%

2. Voting percentage in PE, 2014 almost equal to AE, 2013

Voting Percentages 82,94% 80,19% 90,00% 80,00% 70,00% 60,00% 50,00% 40,00% 30,00% 20,00% 10,00% 0,00% 60,87% Parliamentary Elections, 2009 Assembly Elections, 2013 Parliamentary Elections, 2014

74 72 70 82 3. Male to Female turnout almost equal in Parliamentary Election, 2014 and Assembly Election, 2013

82,47 Male to Female turnout (%) 82,94 80,54 79,84

80 78 76 Male Female

Assembly Elections Parliamentary Elections

4. 80% voters used EPIC for voting

Documents used for voting Voter Slip 2% Photo in photo roll 1% Alternate document 17% EPIC 80%

5. Number of booths with 60% –80% voter turnout increased in comparison to AE, 2013

400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Assembly Election 2013 Parliamentary Election 2014 Above 90% 80% to 90% 70% to 80% 60% to 70% 50% to 60% 149 366 113 52 4 70 376 158 74 6 Assembly Election 2013 Parliamentary Election 2014

Economic

10 times less expenditure in comparison to AE, 2013 1400000

IV. Economic & Eco friendly

Cost Comparison (in INR)

Very less expenditure as compared to other districts - PE, 2014

Expenditure

600 000

Raigarh; 525 000

1200000

1200000

500 000 1000000 400 000 800000

Surajpur; 280 000

600000 300 000 200 000

Korba; 205 000

400000

Surguja; 149 000

200000

125000

100 000 0

AE, 2013 PE, 2014

0

Eco friendly: No use of plastic and minimum use of flex and that too disposed safely

THANK YOU