On October 5th, 2023, then Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chauhan, stated in a virtual speech that the government aims to appoint a Jan Seva Mitra for every 50 households. Consequently, this accounted for a plan to establish a total of 300,000 Jan Seva Mitras in the state. Prior to this, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis (AIGGPA) had extended the employment period for the current Jan Seva Mitras by six months on July 30, 2023.
The tenure of Jan Seva Mitras ended on 31st January, following the establishment of the new government. Numerous Jan Seva Mitras, staging a protest named ‘Janseva Mitra Protest’, congregated at Bhopal’s Jamboree Ground, demanding that their tenures be extended and made permanent.
Who are Jan Seva Mitra?
The AIGGPA assisted, in the efficient implementation of government policies on the ground, by introducing Janseva Mitras. These individuals were responsible for delivering government schemes at the Panchayat level. The government created approximately 9000 of these interns in two batches, all overseen at the district level by the CM Research Associate.
Left preparation for exams and became a public service friend
Puneet Kurmi, a 24-year-old, seems uncertain about his future. Around eighteen months ago, he was in Bhopal, studying for a government exam. Suddenly, an advertisement for the recruitment of Janseva Mitra (CM Intern) caught his attention in the newspaper. Over the past year, he has been implementing government schemes at the Panchayat level in Bina. According to Puneet, after a day full of fieldwork, studying upon returning home was not feasible. As a result, his preparation for the government job was sidelined.
“We have advertised the government“
An intern at the Chief Minister’s office says that they were the ones who brought numerous government-initiated schemes to every household. According to them, they continued this work even amidst the election campaign. They, the Jan Seva Mitras, attribute a significant part of the BJP’s successful return to power to their efforts.
Bharat Kurmi, who resides in Sagar, noted that there has been a rise in the voter turnout in Madhya Pradesh this year. The influence of the Seva Mitras’ promotions was offered as an explanation for this phenomenon. Notably, Madhya Pradesh recorded a voting percentage of 76.22, marking it as the highest recorded in its history to date. However, Kurmi pointed out that, despite the government’s efforts to foster good governance, it seems to be neglecting the Jan Seva Mitras’ who play a vital role in ensuring it.
Women’s problems
Lakshmi Pant, a resident of Ashoknagar, is a mother to a child. A year prior, she had applied for a scheme, under the assumption that she would be granted an opportunity to work far from home, as the work was undertaken at the Panchayat level.
“I couldn’t go far with my daughter. It was necessary to provide financial support at home. But now the future seems to be in limbo.” Pant says while talking to Ground Report.
She holds the belief that job termination severely impacts women like her from rural areas the most. Rani Taylor, a fellow Jan Seva Mitra, also adds,
“Girls have limited opportunities. In such a situation, the government has remained silent even after giving this opportunity, it is not a good thing.”
The majority of the Jan Seva Mitras protesting in Bhopal hail from lower-middle-class backgrounds, making the monetary sum of Rs 8,000 highly significant for their financial security. Despite the dire state of government employment in the region, these young people see it as an alternative career path. They claim that the governing party even enlisted their help in election campaigning. Consequently, they feel duped after their internships were terminated post-election.
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