About – Weaker Section's Development Council

About us

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OUR ORIGIN

WSDC was established in 1992 in Chandel, Manipur. Bordering Myanmar, Chandel’s topography consists of hilly terrain with rivers flowing from North to South as well as West to East into Myanmar. The hilly region is divided into three areas namely Western, Eastern and Southern.

The effect of the Naga-Kuki(tribes) conflict, the diminished natural resources and the injustices against women and children, drove WSDC to help the marginalized and vulnerable to work towards peace and sustainable development preserve indigenous resources and culture; and enable women to assert Gender just Governance and discrimination in society.

Key Objectives of Weaker Sections Development Council (WSDC)
• To conduct workshops, seminars, consultation and training
• Building local institutions Rights & Entitlements
• Organizing skill and knowledge
• Natural resource augmentation
• Sustainable agricultural practices
• Engaging community to enhance livelihood, health, sanitation and environment
• Economic empowerment of youth and women
• Land rights in tribal land tenure system
• Engaging youth and local institutions for good governance
• Advocacy and lobby for vulnerable^*

wsdc

CONTEXTUAL OVERVIEW

The Geography in which we work have multiple barriers and issues that are hurdles to development. Our work strives to tackle the root problem among women, farmers and women artisans and enable them to achieve a life of dignity and quality

The District is inhabited by several indigenous communities with 20 different tribes. Though the tribes are scattered all over the District, WSDC is situated in strategic area that caters to the different tribes. Recently, the district has been bifurcated as Chandel and Tengnoupal (2018).

COTEXTUAL CHALLEGES

HERE IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER
POPULATION OF DEPRIVED ST
HOUSEHOLDS

• The Deprived % Of Households Is 69% Chandel Vs 65% Manipur Vs 60% India
• Majority Are From ST Households With 99% Chandel Vs 52% Manipur Vs 11% India
The Deprived % Of SC/ST
• Households Is 69% Chandel Vs 42% Manipur Vs 25% India
• The Literacy Rate Is 71% Chandel Vs 73% India.

THERE IS HIGHER
LITERACY RATE AMONG WOMEN
BUT LOWER PARTICIPATION
AND DECISION MAKING CAPACITY

• The Female Literacy Rate is 63% Chandel Vs 65% India
• The Grievance redressal cell
received 4 complaints in Manipur
Vs 14,674 (India)
• 40% Women have 10 years of
schooling in Chandel
• Women who married before
18years is 17% Chandel
• 95%(M) women have no role in
Decision Making in the family
• Women are more concerned about day to day problems like poverty, rising prices and unemployment than political problems.

THOUGH THERE IS HIGH FOREST
AREA, FAMILIES HAVE LOW LAND
OWNERSHIP AND LOW FOREST
RIGHTS

• Household that own No Land is
84% Chandel Vs 70% Manipur Vs 61% India
• Households who have Ownership of any land is 16% Chandel Vs 30% Manipur Vs 39% India
• There is high area covered by
Forest 70% Chandel
• The cultivable area is low with
19% Chandel.
• There is low cultivated area with
8% Chandel.
• 2% Chandel is Barren & uncultivable land.

THE LAND IS HIGHLY UNIRRIGATED
AND MAJORITY OF THE INCOME
SOURCE IS FROM CULTIVATION

• % of Households that have income source from Cultivation is 63% Chandel Vs 48% Manipur Vs 32 India.
• % of HHs that have an income less than Rs 5000 is 65% Chandel Vs 64% Manipur Vs 70% India
• The % of Unirrigated Land is
60% Chandel Vs 69% Manipur Vs 49% India.
• The % of assured irrigation for two crops 9% Chandel Vs 11% Manipur Vs 30% India.
• The Cropping Intensity in Chandel is low with 102%
• The Net Sown Area in Chandel is 13.2 hectares.
• The average Rainfall received in
the Chandel is1592.4 mm.