Maniyari is a village in Kurhari block in Muzzaffarpur district, Bihar. It contains population of 1,152 people. Most of people are scheduled caste Paswans, Dusadhs, Sahni and Mahtos, who mostly work either in the agricultural field as labourer or run local small business for their livelihood. This village is also under the poverty line due to unemployment and lack of awareness about Govt- schemes.The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) is providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. But due to widely spread corruption and less awareness in people, benefits of this act is not reached to the villagers.
On May 1, 2013 Digital Empowerment Foundation started Maniyari CIRC centre to spread knowledge through latest technology. Centre provides information about agriculture, weather, health, education, panchayat’s development activities and Govt- services. Scanning, photocopy, online form filling and ticket booking, etc. service are also available in this centre.
Basic computer courses are taught to the student. Till now, 13 students have passed out from this centre and 25 are under training. Centre is working to empower villagers digitally by digital literacy.
Hundreds of workers get the details of their job cards from the centre. Now they have open record of NREGA card holders in digital format. Not only in Maniyari but across 24 panchayats, including Pathai, Toorky, Mahantmaniyari, Gwaridih, Dumari, Harishankar, Majhauliya and Rampurmani villages have tools to fight against corruption in NREGA.