Savigya(Saral Vidhi Gyan) An organization registered under  Indian "M.P. Registration of Society Act 1973" having  Registration no. 07/37/01/06030/05 Dated 8^th December 2005.

Founder:-A group of persons of different categories such as Social workers, Professor (Ph.D.) Advocates, Law students and businessmen.

Explanation of work/ activities/ interests:

        SAVIGYA is a research organization and service provider  working with a cross-section of people such as jail inmates, unorganised labour, women , anganwadi and balwadi workers, panchayat members, advocates, self help groups, etc  

 

Its Initial Phases:  SAVIGYA started with the aim of developing awareness of law and basic rights in the community. 

·         Legal awareness workshops were held in the community in villages on issues related to panchayat and right to information.

·         Conducted legal awareness workshops with Anganwadi workers of  Ratlam district.

	Conceived, produced and performed Nukkad Natak on child marriage in Ratlam district with Self Help Group in Rural area of District Ratlam (MP.)
	Was a part of a network of organisations in Madhya Pradesh who came together for promoting legal literacy and human rights under the NHRC and MARG project.

Work Programmes:

Legal awareness in the community 

The jail programme. This  will include visits and creating awareness with the inmates, follow up on cases, a study on psychological impact of incarceration on the prisoners.    

Legal aid programme.

Interaction with district court lawyers to strengthen their legal capacity and sensitize them to problems of the disadvantaged.

 

Strategy/ Approach:              SAVIGYA has a clear vision and mission but the short term strategy is to do legal awareness and make people understand the concept of rule of law wherever the opportunity arises.               Most of the staff are volunteers who have the same vision. The volunteers range from retired college professors, lawyers, businessmen, students, entrepreneurs. This is because the organisation is very new and has very limited funding. With the increasing workload SAVIGYA needs resources to carry on sustained work and increase its reach.

Key Prison Activities:

               

.	Creating an overall understanding of legal system amongst the prisoners enabling them to understand the system through which they are incarcerated.
.	Creating awareness  amongst  the prisoners of their rights and responsibilities
.	Developing  an atmosphere of accountability  in the prison system
.	Activating  and monitoring  the functioning of the Legal Services Authority
.	Ensuring  the accountability of advocate during the remand and trial.
.	Ensuring  implementation of proper criminal procedure during trial for speedy justice .

 

Specific tasks carried out:  

1)       Once a month visits to Ratlam Sub Jail to hold legal awareness sessions with the inmates. This started in March  2006  and  last Sunday of the  each month these visits were made with MARG, Delhi.  The inmates of this jail are under trials and many of them under NDPS Act . Issues  such as physical non-production of prisoners in court;  the rights of juveniles in conflict with the law, right to a lawyer ; Legal service authority ; bail and in particular Section  436A Cr.P.C. were discussed. 2)       As a fallout of these visits Savigya helped inmates get lawyers or get juveniles bail or transferred to observation home, helped a couple in jail locate their seven year son living on the streets and send him to children home, etc. 3)        Film Screening: In October, 2006  Savigya was given permission to screen a legal awareness films , “Bol Basanto” in all the jails in MP . This film has been made by MARG. SAVIGYA along with MARG has till  date visited 23 jails which include central jails; district and sub jails . Various episodes of Bol Basanto was screened, discussion on law and there problems were held.

                Major Achievements (if any):

·         In many of the cases during the visits in different jails, juveniles were identified and initiative was taken either to  send them in “Bal Sudhar Griha” or   release them on bail.·         During the continuous workshops with Anganwadi workers, many  cases of domestic violence, dowry divorce and  maintenance came to light.  SAVIGYA  sent these cases to legal services authority to provide appropriate remedies.·         SAVIGYA monitored the implementation Sec. 160 Cr.P.C. Violation by the police of the safeguard provided to women and children under this section were highlighted and brought to the notice of the State Commission on Women, Bhopal and senior police officers. This  resulted  in the suspension or line attachment and departmental inquiries against the many police personals’. ·         On refusing to take cognizance against the sexual harassment against the working woman in Judicial department a writ petition was filed against the District Judge and settled by the writ that in such cases the employer (appointing authority) shall made complaint against the accused in the context of Vishaka Vs. State of Rajasthan 1997 SCC.·         In many of the cases of remand and interrogation advocate services were provided to accused. A request was made by Savigya to the Chief justice of M.P. to provide advocate services at the time of first production  in court premises but unfortunately it was refused but savigya is providing this facility without any charge even today. ·         Non serious services provided by LPG gas supplier in case of supplying leak cylinder, the cylinder was surrendered to Fire station and complaint was made to Indian oil corporation. Immediate action was taken by the competent authority against the supplier with strict warning to maintain strict liability, safety precautions and ordered to make suitable arrangements for emergency services. ·         For grant of education loan for Higher education, illegal formalities were demanded by the banking authorities. Savigya made complaint against the authorities to ombudsman Bhopal (M.P.) and an inquiry is in process.

Future Plans:  Prospects:            After getting an encouraging response from  the common people and jail inmates , SAVIGYA  would try to  establish sustainable para legal services with other organizations and advocates and also with law students. 

Hopes:                We hope that the success achieved by Savigya, other similar organization will join us voluntarily in taking   revolutionary steps in prison reformatory system and para legal services.            

    Aspirations:                 To enable the establishment of rule of law in the country so that everyone has access to justice.  

 Possibilities:                 It is naïve and unrealistic to hope that SAVIGYA  alone can monitor and protect the rights of people. Therefore Savigya would like to collaborate and network with different organisations working in the country with similar goal and agendas.

 

Areas identified for reforms in prisons: 

·         Functioning of the Legal Service Authority in providing legal support to the prisoners;

·         The Mulakati system. For reform it would be useful to understand the system prevalent in different countries.

·         The provision of visitors official and non-official visitors.

·         Motivational training of prison authorities so that they function better.

 Difficulties faced at work: 

·         Getting sustained permission for prison visit

·         Resources for engaging lawyers and full time staff

 Capacity Building Requirements:  

·         SAVIGYA members need to increase their capabilities of organisation management;

·         They need training to prepare proposals to raise funds and to be able to identify organisations who will support their activities.