Proceedings of Conference of Coordinating Agencies with Networks in the Voluntary Sectors in Rural Development
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Proceedings of
Conference of Coordinating
Agencies with Networks
in the Voluntary Sectors in
Rural Development - extracted text
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Proceedings of
Conference of Coordinating
Agencies with Networks
in the Voluntary Sectors in
Rural Development
PAD
iNOiA
WIN MIM M DffilOFMm (IIMJ)
Department of Rural Development
Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development .
A-1, Nizamuddin West, New Delhi-110013
Conference of Coordinating Agencies
with Networks in the Voluntary
Sector in Rural Development
19-20, APRIL 1985
VENUE : INDIAN SOCIAL INSTITUTE
LODI ESTATE, NEW DELHI
PAD
INDIA
ORGANISED BY
People’s Action for Development (India)
Department of Rural Development
A-l, Nizamuddin (West)
NEW DELHI-110013
Contents
1.
Inaugural Session
13'
2.
Session on Role of Coordinating Agencies
17
3.
Session on Integrated Rural Development
29'
4.
Session on Drinking Water Supply & Low
Cost Sanitation
4!
5.
Session on Energy Sources
50
6.
Concluding Session
59
Participants
Voluntary Organisations
1.
Sint. Gloria Daw,
AFARM, Action for Agricultural Renewal in
Maharashtra, 3-C, Shankarshet Road, Pune.
2.
Shri Raj Kumar Daw,
Executive Officer,
Action for Agricultural Renewal in Maharashtra,
3-C, Shankarshet Road, Pune.
3.
Smt. Lepmonie Sangama,
Executive M ember,
Mother’s Union, West Garo Hills, Turra.
4.
Shri Surendra Kumar Singh
Chief Organiser,
Citizen Volunteers Training Centre,
Moirangkhom Bazar, Imphal, Manipur.
5.
Shri O. Gopal Singh,
Manipur Rural Institute,
(Rural Education Society), Imphal.
6.
' Shri B.N. Nene,
Member Secretary,
People’s Action for Development (Maharashtra)
Agriculture & Cooperation Deptt., Mantralaya,
Bombay.
7.
Shri Amit Dasgupta,
Assistant Director,
Child In Need Institute,
Village : Daulatpur, P.O. Amgachi,
Via Joka, 24-Parganas, West Bengal.
•6
8.
Shri Bhagwan Singh,
Nav Bharat Jagriti Kendra Bahra, Chauparan,
Hazaribagh, Bihar.
9.
Shri Felix N. Sugirtharaj,
Secretary,
Association for the Rural Poor,
Gram.: Ruralpoor, 59 East Madha ChurchJRoad,
Madras-600013.
10.
Shri Dipankar Dasgupta,
Rural Development Association,
Arbinda Nagar, Midnapore.
11.
Shri Biplab Halim,
Institute for Motivating Self Employment (IMSE)
53, Ripon Street, Calcutta-16.
12.
Shri Manabendra Mandal,
Socio-Legal Aid Research & Training Centre,
P-112 Lake Terrace, Calcutta-700029.
13.
Shri Sunit Bonde,
Satpuda Vikas Mandal, Pal Tai Raver, Distt. Jalgaon
Maharashtra.
•14.
Shri K. Viswanathan,
Director, Mitraniketan,
P.O. Vellanad, Distt. Trivandrum, Kerala.
15.
Shri Shivanand Bhai,
Director,
Gram Bharati Sarvodaya Ashram,
Silultala, Distt. Munghyr (Bihar).
>16.
Shri B.R. Bhope,
Executive Officer,
Shri Ramakrishna Seva Kendra Morabadi,
Ranchi, Bihar.
17.
Shri H.C. Shrivastava,
Bhartiya Grameen Mahila Sangh,
N.I.P., Indore.
7
>18.
Swami Manmathan,
Bhuwaneshwari Mahila Ashram,
P.O. Anjani Sain, Tehri Garhwal, U.P.
■19.
Shri Tushar Kanjilal,
Tagore Society for Rural Development,
(Rangabelia Project)
P.O. Rangabelia (via Gosaba)
Distt. 24-Parganas, West Bengal.
20.
Shri R. Ramamurthy,
Comprehensive Rural Cooperation Service Society
1-69. Shehapuri, Nacharam, Hyderabad.
21.
Shri Vimal Shah,
Gujarat Rajya Gram Vikas Sangh,
Pritam Rai Road, Ahmedabad-380006.
22.
Shri Hari Vallabh Parikh,
Chairman,
Anand Niketan Ashram, P.O. Rangpur-390140,
Distt. Baroda, Gujarat.
23.
Shri Madhukarmo Chandran,
President,
Satpuda Vikas Mandal, Pal Galgaon,
Maharashtra.
24.
Shri O.B. Kaushal,
Director (Projects),
Foundation for Rural Recovery Development,
10, Panchsheel Park Shoping Centre, New Delhi-17.
25.
Shri N.S. Bedi,
Young India Project,
Penukonda, Distt. Anantapur, A.P.
26.
Shri Sanjit Bunker Roy,
Social Work & Research Centre, Tilonia—305816,
Madangani, Rajasthan.
8
27.
Shri Joe Meredith,
Gram Vikas, Post Mahuda,
Berhampur-760002,
Orissa.
28.
Shri Sharad Kulkarni,
Director,
Centre for Tribal Conscientization,
Vijaya Nagar Colony, Pune-411030.
29.
Shri A.P. Fernandez,
Executive Director,
MYRADA, 49 Richmond Road, Bangalore-
30.
Shrimati Nalini Singh,
2, Kautilya Marg,
Chanakya Puri, New Delhi.
31.
Shri Muneer Alavi,
Rural Communes,
70, 1st Marine Street, Bombay-400002.
32.
Shri P.V. Rajgopal,
Prayog,
P.O. Tilda Neora Raipur (M.P.)-493114„
33.
Dr. M.A. Ghare,
Chairman,
AFARM-3-C, Shankar Shet Road,
Pune-411042.
34.
Dr. Binayak Sen,
Chattisgarh Mines,
Shramik Sangh (CMSS),
Dalli Rajhara,
Distt. Durg-491228.
35.
Prof. S. Das Gupta,
People’s Institute for Development'& Training
4-A Shahpur Jat, New Delhi.
9
36.
Shri S.K. Kaul,
People’s Institute for Development & Training,
4-A Shahpur Jat, New Delhi.
37.
Shri Pannalal Dasgupta,
Tagore Society for Rural Development,
14, Khudiram Bose Road, Calcutta-6.
38.
Shri B.V. Radhakrishna,
Bhagwatula Charitable Trust,
Yellamanchilli, A.P. -531055.
39.
Shri S. Sreekant,
Federation of Voluntary Organisations in
Rural Development, Karnataka,
C/O Deed, H.D. Kote Road;
Hunsur-571105, Karnataka.
Government Officials
Department of Rural Development
1.
Shri D. Bandyopadhyay,
Secretary,
2.
Shri J.C. Jetli,
Additional Secretary.
3.
Shri Inderjit Khanna,
Joint Secretary.,
4 . Shri Smarajit Ray,
Joint Secretary.
.5.
Miss A.K. Ahuja,
Deputy Secretary.
.Ministry of Labour
Shri Anil Bordia,
Additional Secretary.
10
Department of Non-Conventional Energy Sources
1. Shri Maheshwar Dayal,
Secretary.
2.
Shri S.R. Faruqui,
Joint Secretary.
Energy Advisory Board
1. Shri B.B. Vohra,
Chairman.
2.
Smt. Shailaja Chandra,
Officer on Special Duty.
Ministry of Works and Housing
1. Shri V. Venugopalan,
Advisor, CPHFFO.
2.
Shri T. Nandakumar,
Deputy Secretary.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Shri P.N. Tripathi,
Joint Secretary.
P.A.D.I.
1.
Shri T.C.A. Srinivasaramanujan,
General Secretary.
2.
Shri K.D. Dewan,
Director, Consultancy-cum-Guidance Centre
Vaishali.
3.
Shri N.N. Sinha,
Chairman,
Monitoring Committee, Vaishali.
4.
Prof. S. Ramachandran,
Joint Commissioner.
Il
5.
Dr. Zafar Ali,
Joint Commissioner.
6.
Dr. D. Ramakrishnaiah,
Deputy Commissioner.
7.
Shri S. Venkataraman,
Dy. Director.
8.
Shri C. Minz,
Deputy Director.
9.
Shri B.K. Pathak,
Deputy Director.
10.
Shri C.L. Vaid,
Project Officer.
11.
Shri Mahendra Pal,
Assistant Director.
12.
Shri B.K. Babu,
Assistant Director.
13.
Shri N.H. Indurkar,
Assistant Director.
14.
Shri Surendra Singh,.
Assistant Director.
15.
Shri Sona Ram,
Assistant Director.
Conference of Coordinating Agencies with
Networks in the Voluntary Sector in Rural
Development (1 9-20th April, 1 985)
Inaugural Session
19-4-1985
9-15 A.M.
T.C.A. Srinivasaramanujan : I have great pleasure in
welcoming Secretary, Rural Development and all delegates to
this Conference. We are organising this conference with very
specific and precise objectives. PADI has been examining pro
jects from voluntary organisations according to certain set
procedures. These procedures sometimes result in delays which
make many voluntary organisations shy away from PADI.
These procedures and systems may have to be changed. The first
objective of the conference is to consult voluntary organisations
on the exact lines on which PADI’s procedures and systems for
scrutinising, sanctioning and servicing projects ought to be
changed. The second objective of the conference is to forge a
link between PADI and voluntary organisations which have a
coordinating role to play. These coordinating organisations,
which are called, for purposes of the conference, network
organisations, can persuade other voluntary organisations to
prepare projects and send them to PADI and even help them
in formulating the projects. PADI wants to rely upon the
network organisations for bringing more and more voluntary
organisations within a framework of partnership in project
implementation. The third objective of the conference is to
draw upon the expertise of voluntary organisations in project
appraisal and project monitoring. Hitherto, these functions
were treated as purely administrative and internal responsibili
ties of PADI. True partnership between PADI and voluntary
organisations can develop only if there is participation by
voluntary organisations in the functioning of PADI.
J4
It is my proud privilege to welcome all the leading volun
tary organisations who have consented to participate in the
conference. I hope that the two day inter-action among you
would enable PADI to develop suitable systems and proce
dures conducive to closer relationship between PADI and
voluntary organisations and greater participation by voluntary
organisations in PADI’s activities.
Shri D.Bandyopadhyay : I am happy to be in your midst
this morning. By common consent, voluntary organisations
have become key partners in the development work of the
country. With their long traditions and dedicated service and
grass roots level contacts, voluntary organisations have all along
been playing a key role in the socio-economic development of
the country. Especially, their contribution in motivation,
awareness building, generating people’s participation, ensuring
accrual of the rights and entitlements of the weaker sections
and implementing cost effective, qualitatively excellent and
durable programmes of development, have earned them popu
lar acceptability and wide recognition. Voluntary organisa
tions have now become a key sector in development.
Recognising the role and potential of the voluntary sector,
Government, through successive plans, have been involving
voluntary organisations in a number of programmes. The
Department of Rural Development, from the very beginning,
has been associating voluntary organisations in community
development and other rural development activities. Similarly,
other Departments/Ministries of Government of India have
also been associating voluntary organisations.
The Seventh Five Year Plan seeks to expand the role of
voluntary organisations on a considerable scale. The Approach
Paper to the Seventh Five Year Plan has identified every
possible sector of the Plan in which voluntary organisations
could be involved. In pursuance of this policy shift, the Depart
ment of Rural Development has identified PADI as a nodal
and focal agency to canalise Government funds into the volun
15
tary sector. The scheme of Promotion of Voluntary Schemes
and Social Action Programme, commonly known as Public
Cooperation Programme was being implemented directly by
the Department of Rural Development from 1974-75. Now,
it has been decided to transfer implementation of this scheme
to PADI. Under this scheme, innovative projects capable of
ibeing replicated and involving active people’s participation can
be funded upto a ceiling of Rs. 5 lakhs per project. In order to
adapt the scheme to suit the requirements of voluntary organi
sations, several important modifications have been introduced.
The ceiling of assistance has been raised from Rs. 50,000 to
Rs. 5 lakhs. The requirement of matching contribution has
been waived. The condition that the project should be routed
through District Rural Development Agency has also been
waived. The procedure of release of funds has also been
•changed from the previous system of routing it through DRDA
to that of direct release from PADI to voluntary organisations.
It is a matter for satisfaction that during the very first year of
-operation of the scheme by PADI as many as 36 projects could
be sanctioned and considerable assistance could be given to
voluntary organisations.
The second major initiative taken to provide Government
funds to voluntary organisations through PADI is to take
•steps for getting funds from the Ministry of Works and
Housing for rural water supply schemes. The provision under
Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme is being used
■entirely as grants to State Governments. A dent is being made
in this pattern of financing. A portion of the provision is
being sought to be earmarked for assisting voluntary organi
sations through PADI. It has been tentatively decided to
■start the scheme of assisting voluntary organisations in rural
water supply schemes during the Seventh Five Year Plan. I
am glad to inform you that PADI has taken advance action by
preparing detailed guidelines and by approaching voluntary
■organisations to give projects. Already several network
voluntary organisations like AFPRO, National Association of
Water Development Agencies, YMCA, PAD (Maharashtra),
16
Indo-German Social Service Society, FORRAD, etc. have beenapproached by PADI to persuade and motivate voluntary
organisations in giving projects. I hope that once the scheme
to assist voluntary organisations in implementing rural water
supply schemes is approved, there would be enthusiastic
participation by voluntary organisations in this vital sector.
Department of Rural Development has decided to use
PADI as the medium to assist voluntary organisations in three
important programmes, namely, Development of Women and
Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA), Rural Landless Employ
ment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP) and Training of Rural
Youth for Self-Employment (TRYSEM). In the case of
DWCRA, a sum of Rs. 50 lakhs has already been provided to
PADI during 1984-85 and a sum of Rs. one crore would be
provided during 1985-86. The schemes have to be suitably
recast to become amenable for implementation by voluntary
organisations, I would advise PADI to interact with voluntary
organisations before adapting the schemes for voluntary
organisations. The other two schemes RLEGP and TRYSEM
also offer considerable scope to voluntary organisations. It
would be useful if voluntary organisations would take up
projects under these two schemes.
With so much money flowing under different schemes for
voluntary organisations, there is an immediate need for a
change of outlook and orientation on the part of PADI. It
should have close inter-action with voluntary organisations for
developing suitable systems and procedures in PADI under
which voluntary organisations would feel free to avail themselvesof the opportunities. The real problem in development is our
failure to develop a suitable format for people’s participation.
Organisationally, several experiments were conducted like
involving Panchayati raj institutions for getting people’sparticipation. These experiments have by and large failed.
Voluntary organisations appear to be the most suitable insti
tutional structures which are capable of generating people’sparticipation. The other aspect of people’s participation is.
17
■that there should be in built components in programmes which
should rely upon people as a key factor rather than the bureau
crats for their success. Unfortunately, the Government
programmes are so structured that there is more emphasis
on financial aspects, technical aspects and procedural aspects
than on motivation, awareness, enthusiasm, consultations and
feed back. Unless the schemes are refashioned to emphasise
on these aspects of social dynamics, I fear, people’s participa
tion in Government programmes would remain an unrealised
dream. I, therefore, consider the conference to be a suitable
platform to iron out the crucial issues in rural development
with a view to developing a suitable programme format for
Government schemes conducive to their being implemented by
voluntary organisations.
Session on Role of Coordinating
Agencies
19-4-1985
11-30 A.M.
•Chairman : Sri Prem Bhai
Shri T. C. A. Srinivasaramanujan: This session should
•discuss the role of voluntary organisations in generating,
appraising and servicing projects for the purpose of being
funded by PADI. The basic objective as explained by Shri
Bandyopadhyay in his inaugural address is that PADI should
not function as a bureaucratic organisation. The main bureau
cratic pinch is felt in the checks and controls exercised by
PADI while scrutinising the projects received for assistance.
It should be explored whether the voluntary organisations
themselves can take up coordinating or consultancy role. They
•can visit other voluntary organisations and check their projects.
18
It should be explored as to how to make voluntary organisations
themselves take up the work of project appraisal.
Shri Prem Bhai : I would suggest that the General
Secretary, PADI should acquaint the participants about what
and what are its functions. There are many who have come for
is PADI the first time.
Shri T. C. A. Srinivasaramanujan: I would first explain
the present procedures of PADI in sanctioning and adminis
tering projects. In the first place the entire initiative for seeking
assistance from PADI comes from voluntary organisations.
No special effort is being done by us. This, we thought,
is a weakness of our present operational procedures. Only
p.eople who know about our existence come to us for assistance
while many who are unaware of PADI do not benefit from us.
The second aspect is that once a project comes to us we
examine it in our office and we send someone from our office
to visit the project and check up its feasibility. We have
started feeling that we do not have adequate number of quali
fied people in our midst to be able to scrutinise and check up
all the projects which are coming to us. I, therefore, feel
that PADI should share the appraisal work with voluntary
organisations. I feel that independent, impartial and compe
tent views of voluntary organisations would be valuable in
making assessment of the projects of voluntary organisations..
The third aspect is about monitoring. At present, PADI
designs the reporting format and analyses the reports sent by
voluntary organisations. Sometimes officials are sent to seewhether things are going on well. We made some experiment
by using voluntary organisations for monitoring work. Wewanted to know something about the poultry project being
implemented by Thainad Cooperative Society in Kerala. We
thought that instead of sending somebody from PADI to
Trivandrum we would request some locally based voluntary
organisations to contact Thainad Cooperative Society and
monitor the progress of the project. We requested Shri K.
Vishwanathan of Mitraniketan to do this service. He kindly
19
agreed to visit Thainad Cooperative Society. I am happy to
report that the result was very satisfactory and that the project
started gathering momentum. Based on this experience,
PADI feels that other voluntary organisations could also be
persuaded to visit projects of voluntary organisations and
monitor the progress of such projects. Thus, I envisage three
roles for coordinating voluntary organisations, namely, to
persuade <and motivate voluntary organisations to send projects
to PADI for assistance, to appraise projects of voluntary
organisations forgetting assistance and to monitor the progress
of projects assisted by PADI.
I would like to explain the procedure followed by PADI
in scrutinising and sanctioning projects. First it is checked up
whether the project is in the prescribed format. This format
seeks to elicit information, like the name of the organisation,
its legal status, its historical background, its fuctioning, its
financial position during the last three years; its management
and administrative set up, the facilities available with it, the
objectives of the project, the need for the project, the actual
range of activities and programmes to be undertaken, the
methodology and technical know-how to be adopted in imple
menting the project and the details of beneficiaries. When a
project satisfies the basic criteria, PADI’s Standing Committee
for projects comprising official and non-official members,
considers it. The project is also sent to the concerned State
Government. Three months time is given to the concerned
State Government to send its report. If no response is forth
coming within three months, the requirement to take the
concurrence of State Government is waived. PADI also takes
clearance of the Home Ministry about the bonafides of an
organisation. When a project involves assistance from a
foreign donor, we do not have to seek clearance from the Home
Ministry provided the organisation gives particulars of its
registration with the Home Ministry. However, clearance from
the Department of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of'
External Affairs is to be taken for foreign aided projects. Byand large this is the procedure PADI is following.
20
Shri P. N. Tripathi: I want to make a point about the
matter of coordination. We should design a system of coordi
nation between Government and voluntary organisations. PADI
should reach voluntary organisations on a large scale. I would
suggest something as to how we can institutionalise this. For
example, PADI should have a local committee to call meetings
of voluntary organisations in the beginning of the year to know
their spheres of activities, and their capacity to take up projects.
Organisations which have necessary infrastructure should be
permitted to work in such areas. I am glad that a wide role is
being given to PADI. Some of the funds of the Ministry have
been given for distribution to voluntary agencies. PADI
should play a role in bringing about greater participation of
voluntary organisations in Government programmes. There
should be coordination between official agencies and voluntary
agencies.
Shri J. B. Singh : PADI is a non-government organisation
sponsored by Government. Naturally it has all the problems of
a Government organisation. Programmes and policies change
when there is a change in Government. The programmes and
policies do change even when there is only a change in the
Ministers, I have noticed that programmes and policies change
even when there is a change at the level of Secretaries. Now,
I would like to say that PADI has undergone many vicissitudes.
This year it is going to celebrate its Silver Jubilee. In its 25
years long history, it has had a lot good and bad experiences.
PADI has been responding to requests coming from
voluntary organisations and when it responds, it makes all
kinds of scrutiny and all kinds of checks because of the
very nature of its experiences. I am glad that PADI had
moved from responding to requests to going out towards
voluntary organisations and seeking out projects from them.
This is a very healthy turn of events. It has been largely
due to the fact that PADI is going to be in receipt of large
amounts of Government funds. PADI with all the rigmarole
of Governmental functioning style has to develop the
21
mechanism for properly and quickly utilising the funds. It has
to find out some improvements and some modifications and pro
cedures which will make it attractive to voluntary organisations
without, at the same time, coming in from criticism at the hands
of Government. I would strongly plead that voluntary organi
sations themselves should strengthen the hands of PADI and
help it to utilise the funds for the purpose for which they have
been given.
Some dent has been made, some progress has been made,
For example, if the State Government does not give its clear
ance within three months, it is presumed that the State Govern
ment has no obsjection. Now PADI wants to decentralise some
of its functions and is looking forward to organisations which
would provide some kind of coordination with voluntary orga
nisations. PADI wants that the voluntary organisations with
networks should provide a linkage between PADI and grassroot
level organisations.
Further, PADI seems to wish to draw upon the experien
ces of voluntary organisations for making experiments with
projects. In Government one comes across stereotyped set
patterns of some schemes with set procedures. In the voluntary
sector, each one of us is free to do his best as he can think of.
These different experiments and innovations of voluntary orga
nisations can be documented to bring about changes in
programme format. This is an opportunity as well as challenge
for voluntary organisations.
Smt. Nalini Singh: Some effort is being made for
creation of confidence. It appears that no body is against
voluntary organisations. We should not, however, increase
dependence of smaller voluntary organisations on PADI. We
should not also make a fetish of generating projects from
voluntary organisations. We cannot conceive of a situation in
which there will be a drive to reach a target of Rs. 2 crores or
Rs. 3 crores worth of projects. Mostly it will be like looking
into the balance sheet at the end of the year as to how much
rovr.W;'. ■
TnuS-o.. S.
22
money has been spent. What we should do is to generate a
spirit of voluntarism. Voluntary organisation set up in rural
areas have been able to attempt during the past 10 years several
important initiatives. They have had freedom in receiving funds
and using the funds for implementation of various programmes.
Now with Government funds the question arises whether
voluntary organisations can enjoy the same freedom. The
point is how far the coordinating agencies will be allowed to
play an independent role. PADI must have confidence in
voluntary organisations.
Shri Sharad Kulkarni: I thought that if J presented some
case studies it would provide more clarity about the role that
can be played by voluntary organisations. When we found
that smaller farmers were suffering more than even landless
labourers in our areas, we checked up and found that whereas
small farmers were perpetually indebted, the landless labourers
migrated to urban areas. The small farmer has no such option.
He has to remain there. In the last three years we started
meeting the officials of commercial banks. First they refused
to help but now they have started responding. The problem
is how to make people aware of the benefits admissible to the
common man and how to make the implementing authorities
exercise their powers for the benefit of the comon man. At
the grassroot levels local officials are not aware of various
Government programmes. In a particular village the women
went to the office of civil supplies and complained about the
functioning of a shopkeeper. They pleaded that either the
shopkeeper should be asked to function properly or the shop be
given to them to handle. The Tehsildar would not take up the
matter. But some voluntary agencies behind the women, fought
for three months to get the transfer of the shop. This is one
area where voluntary organisations at the grassroot level can
help.
Another area of assistance is for young people to try to
get into rural areas and work. If they are given timely support,
their enthusiasm can be sustained. PADI should think of giving
support to such young people.
23
Sbri K. Vishwanathan: As in Maharashtra, there should
be in each State a PADI organisation to coordinate the activi
ties of voluntary organisations. In this way each State can
■come closer to PADI and the number of voluntary organisa
tions taking assistance from PADI will increase. There should
be district level and block level agencies to coordinate with
voluntary organisations. These local level agencies should help
in reducing the difficulties voluntary organisations face while
■dealing with State Governments.
We should work in a coordinated way for development
and growth. In Government offices, there are ever-widening
gaps in working. There is no coordination between two Depart
ments. There is no inter-action. Voluntary organisations can
■do positive work in implementing inter disciplinary programmes.
We should strengthen the voluntary organisations to be able to
■do so. We should stress that Government should be exposed
■to voluntary organisations through PADI.
I am glad that in the Seventh Five Year Plan, voluntary
•organisations have been assigned a very important role to play.
However, it is necessary to have linkage with official agencies
at State level, District level and block level, if bottlenecks are to
be overcome.
Shri Prem Bhai: We should have more understanding,
mutual trust and confidence. There was mention about PADI
getting funds from Government sources. There has been a
statement that PADI has lot of money. A figure of Rs. 4
crores was mentioned. Rs. 4 crores is nothing when we have a
total allocation of Rs. 600 crores for drinking water alone.
One point has been made about the time limit given to
State Governments for giving clearance, PADI should also
keep its own time limit for clearing a project. It should keep
its own time table, It is not correct to say that PADI has been
•active in most of the areas. It took PADI 3 to 4 years to come
up with a good procedure. PADI suffers from changes at the
24
political level and at the Secretary level.
It is good for Government to involve non-governmental
agencies in the clearances of projects on a single window basis.
Now when Government is giving support to PADI to canalise
funds to voluntary organisations, PADI would like to reach out
to small groups. It has called upon voluntary organisations
which have expertise to help small groups in formulation of
plans.
There are some areas from where we are getting projects
but there are some regions from where we are not getting
projects. The problem of regional imbalance has to be faced
and solved.
Shri Sanjit Bunker Roy: The reason we called this meet
ing was to share with network people, who have vast networks,
to disseminate some policy decisions. It is an open question
whether many groups would like to come to PADI. Are we
ready to trust non-registered organisations? There may be
exeperts among them also. We must change the guidelines, if
they stand in the way of assisting non-registered organisations.
Another issue is that if a State Government does not respond in
three months, it is stated that it will be presumed that there is
no objection from the Government. But what is the position if
the State Government objects? Will PADI overrule?
Prof. S. Das Gupta: If we work in a village, we get peo
ple together to do something. If the money is coming from
Government sources, we have to go up and get through all kinds
of procedures. If money comes from foureign sources we have
no obligation to report to local Government officials. Fixing
cumbersome procedures will create a lot of problems. It will
put obstacles in the way of genuine voluntary organisations
interested in doing work. PADI is not a democratic or a
representative body. It has to become helpful to voluntary
organisations, it has to get to be more democratic.
25
Shri Sanjit Bunker Roy: PADI should develop a relation
ship with voluntary organisations based on trust. There are
some groups which do not want to register. There should be
some way of reaching non-registered bodies. If PADI wants to
go to the grassroot level, it has to give up bureaucratic proce
dures.
Smt. Nalini Singh : It is heartening to note that PADI
would be getting lot of funds and that PADI is interested in
persuading more and more voluntary organisations to take
assistance from it. So far so good, but the question is, is
-there any guarantee that assistance given will be continuous?
What happens, if PADI suddenly changes its policy and discon
tinues its assistance? What will be the fate of the voluntary
•organisations which may plan their activities on the assumption
of continuous flow of funds from PADI? PADI should
address itself to this question of confidence and trust.
We should also guard against voluntary organisations
■completely swamped by flow of Government funds to them,
diluting their commitments.
When we are talking about network organisations, we
should not lose sight of the interest of specific groups like
women. I am sorry to note that among the network agencies
participating in this Conference, not many are concentrating
on women’s issues. PADI must encourage organisations work
ing in the field of women.
Shri K. D. Dewan: We have to think of organising volun
tary organisations in every state. They should be trained by
experienced trainers who are already working in organisations
of voluntary workers. These voluntary workers should go to
backward pockets and develop programmes. Another point I
would strongly urge is that we should not make it compulsory
for small organisations to register themselves. There are many
unregistered organisations in West Bengal which are working
much better than registered societies. What is important is not
26
whether an organisation is registered but whether the organisa
tion has dedicated workers.
Shri Sharad Kulkarni : PADI should establish direct
relationship with voluntary organisations. It should allow
voluntary organisations flexibility in project preparation. It
should not insist on assisting only registered bodies and orga
nisations. It should go by the concept of organisation.
Registration is only a legal formality. Even if an organisation
is unregistered, if the beneficiaries are functionally organised,
there should be no reservation in helping them. In voluntary
organisations, functional flexibility, freedom of action,.
autonomous character and existence of organised beneficiary
group should be the four aspects which should be considered..
If an organisation satisfies these criteria, it should be encoura
ged.
Shri T. C. A. Srinivasaramanujan: Some of the pointsraised during discussions so far are very thought provoking. I
would like to clarify that taking assistance from PADI will not
in any way affect the flexibility of functioning of any voluntary
organisation. It will not affect their autonomy. It will not
influence their ideology. There is no question of PADI inter
vening with the decisions of any voluntary organisation or
meddling in their working. The point that PADI’s approach toprojects is within a rigid framework is correct to some extent.
There is room for improvement. It will not however be correct
to dispense with yardsticks for preparing projects. Every project
should have a clear statement of objectives, outline of activitiesand quantification of financial and physical dimensions. Any
project format must yield information on the points. Flexibility
does not mean that no guidelines about these aspects of projects.
should be given.
Basically the ultimate responsibility for taking decisionson accepting or rejecting a project does not rest with PADI’sofficials; but with the Standing Committee for Projects and
Governing Council. My only intention is that the Standing-
27
Committee for Projects and Governing Council should not
depend on PADI’s officers only but should have a parallel line
of assistance from voluntary organisations. I want that the
voluntary organisations should develop into pressure groups
inside PADL They should gain access to the decision making
levels of PADI and help in smoothening procedural bottlenecks.
That is why I want that voluntary organisations should
give their own appraisal reports to PADI’s decision making
bodies so that decisions can be taken on sanctioning projects
not on the basis of the views of PADI’s bureaucracy but on the
strength of the judgement and assessment of voluntary organisa
tions themselves.
I would suggest that network organisations should iden
tify suitable voluntary organisations which can take up projects
with assistance from PADI. These identified organisations
should be persuaded and helped in framing projects for PADI’s
consideration. PADI would refer these projects to voluntary
organisations for information. If such a course is adopted,
where is the question of projects being scotched on account of
pettifogging procedures and technicalities? In course of time,
the’ voluntary organisations which will make other voluntary
organisations send projects to PADI and will appraise
projects for PADI will become lobbies for other voluntary
organisations.
Shri P. V. Rajagopal: Why has PADI to consult State
Government if it is an independent organisation ?
Shri T. C. A. Srinivasaramanujan : It should be ensured
that there is no duplication. It should also be ensured that a
project proposal does not conflict with some established policies
of Government. . For instance, a project proposal in West
Bengal envisaged assistance to handloom weavers on individual
basis. The policy of the State Government was to bring all
handloom units in the State within the cooperative umbrella.
Special concessions to the handloom units in the cooperative
sector have been given. These included subsidies and marketing
28
support. The State Government objected to the project on the
ground that it wanted to develop handloom units outside the
cooperative sector which would deprive the beneficiaries of
concessions admissible to them from Government. Similarly a
project from Maharashtra envisaged establishment of a coopera
tive for a dairy. The Government of Maharashtra had decided
to bring all dairy farmers within one cooperative hierarchy under
the apex milk marketing body. Establishment of a separate
cooperative outside this organisation would be in conflict with
that policy. In Gujarat a voluntary organisation made a pro
posal to set up a processing unit for milk products. The State
Government objected to it on the ground that it was the policy
in the State to develop dairy units only in the cooperative sector
In this manner, it has to be seen whether a project involves any
methodology inconsistent with the policy adopted by the State
Government.
Shri Sanjit Bunker Roy: What happens if the objective
•of a State Government is not based on reasonable grounds?
Shri T. C. A. Srinivasaramanujan: The views of State
Government are not always binding. PADI’s decision making
bodies like Standing Committee for Projects and Governing
Council have differed with the State Governments and sanction
ed projects against their recommendations. It depends on the
circumstances of each case. There were certain project proposals
from West Bengal which the State Government considered as
■not sound. PADI’s Governing Council sent a Central Team to
■take a fresh look and decided the matter in the light of the
recommendations of the Central Team. The Government of
Andhra Pradesh objected to a project on the ground that the
State Government was in a better position to implement the
project than the voluntary organisation. PADI’s Governing
Council did not agree with the State Government and went
.ahead with the processing of the matter. Thus, the procedure
to consult State Governments does not put PADI in a
position of complete subservience to the views of the State
Governments.
29
Shri Prem Bhai: It is my turn now to sum up the board
recommendations which emerged during discussions. The main
recommendation of the session is that voluntary organisations
themselves should take the initiative in getting projects from
other voluntary organisations for assistance by PADI and that
voluntary organisations should be associated in project appraisal
and monitoring. There should be no restriction on the
functional freedom and autonomy of voluntary organisations
while implementing project; assisted by PADI. There should be
greater inter-action between Government and voluntary organi
sations in order to smoothen procedural bottlenecks and in
developing better understanding between them, PADI should
play the role of a mediator between Government and voluntary
organisations. There should be organisations like PAD
Maharashtra in each State which should play the coordinating
role. Such organisations at district and block levels should
also be developed.
Session on Integrated Rural
Development
19-4-1985
30.00 P.M. to 6.00 P.M.
Chairman : Shri J.C. Jetli
Shri J.C. Jetli : PADI has been uptil now treated as a
channel for foreign funds to flow into voluntary organisations
for various kinds of rural development projects. The level of
assistance which PADI has been able to provide has been
of the order of Rs. 1 crore every year. Apart from funds.
PADI received from foreign donors it did not have its now
resources. With the result that PADI had very little funds
which seriously restricted its role in increasing the partnership
30
of voluntary organisations in the important area of
development of rural areas. Last year, we had taken the
first step to improve the situation. There was a scheme for
public cooperation which was being implemented at Govern
ment level by the Department of Rural Development. We
decided to transfer the implementation of the scheme to
PADI. So, we gave Rs. 46 lakhs under that scheme to PADI.
A number of projects which were not accepted by foreign donors
were lying in PADI without funding arrangements. It was
decided while transferring these funds to PADI that for a single
project PADI’s assistance shall not exceed Rs. 5 lakhs. The
intention was that with assistance up to Rs. 5 lakhs, a large
number of pending projects could be sanctioned. While giving
Government funds to PADI, it is not the intention to stop flow
of foreign funds to PADI. As before PADI would continue to
get foreign funds.
During the Seventh Five Year Plan, our strategy, broadly,
would be to assist voluntary organisations through PADI both
under plan programmes and also with funds obtained from
foreign organisations. The main programmes of rural develop
ment are Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas,
Integrated Rural Development Programme, National Rural
Employment Programme and Rural Landless Employment
Guarantee Programme. Regarding Development of Women and
Children in Rural Areas, even during last year, Government had
transferred to PADI Rs. 50 lakhs. PADI has not utilised this
fund so far, because the money was given at the end of the year.
In this year’s budget there is a provision of Rs. 1 crore to be
given to PADI. Thus, a sum of Rs. 11 crores will be available
to assist voluntary organisations in implementing projects under
Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas. Regar
ding Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme, the
present thinking is that during this year at least one per cent of
the budget funds may be routed through PADI for voluntary
organisations. One per cent will mean Rs. 4 crore because
the total allocation during the current year for Rural Landless
Employment Guarantee Programme is Rs. 400 crores.
31
One problem has to be faced. While PADI has been
funding at the level of Rs. 70-80 lakhs every year, if suddenly,
the level of project funding is to go up, certain administrative
arrangements are required, proper monitoring of projects will
have to be done. Only after strengthening of PADI, there
•can be further step up of financial support to PADI.
What has been .done so far by Government is just a
beginning. We are hopeful that gradually with experience
•gained more and more funds will flow to voluntary organisa
tions so that they can supplement Government work in rural
development. The funds provided by Government under
specific schemes will have to be utilised for those schemes. For
instance, the funds under Development of Women and Children
in Rural Areas can be utilised by voluntary organisations to
promote group efforts and group activities for the well-being of
the women. Similarly, projects can be taken up with funds
under Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme to
promote employment-oriented programmes. There are specific
guidelines for all these programmes. They are not rigid. They
are quite flexible. Our intention is that voluntary organisations
■should be encouraged to take up specific schemes under these
Plan Programmes with funds flowing through a single window.
Certain consultative groups have been organised in the
States. They are making efforts to coordinate the activities of
voluntary organisations. These consultative groups can be
given an organisational framework and they can also have
windows in addition to PADI.
We are also emphasising on PADI, the need to promote
groups of voluntary organisations and individuals who have
expertise. These groups and individuals can be requested to
help in formulation of projects and monitoring of projects.
They can use their technical expertise and help other voluntary
organisations. In this way, we can proceed further, so that
sound projects are prepared and presented to PADI.
32
This is broadly the pattern which we are considering;
Our feeling is that funds will not be a contraint in the Seventh
Plan. We want to use PADI as an effective instrument in
mobilising voluntary organisations.
Shri P. V. Rajgopal : I want one clarification about
NREP. Many noteworthy organisations are interested in taking
up NREP projects. Whether they have to take up only those
projects which come under the shelf of projects?
Shri J. C. Jetli : The Seventh Five Year Plan is yet to be
finalised and some of the decisions will have to await itsfinalisation. In the case of NREP, it is a centrally sponsored
scheme in which 50 per cent of the funds are provided by the
Centre and the remaining 50 per cent is contributed by State
Governments. Unless there is a State PAD; it will not be
possible to obtain the State’s share of 50 per cent. We have a
similar scheme called RLEGP which is funded 100 per cent by
the Central Government. Voluntary organisations can submit
projects under this programme.
Prof. S. Dasgupta : I have circulated a5paper containing.
seven points. The points are as below :
1.
NGOs should get sanction of grants through PADI for
taking up schemes for execution under NREP and RLEGP
instead of through State Governments/Union Territory
Administrations.
2.
PADI should examine and sanction schemes submitted by
NGOs. Procedures for release of funds should be such that
work is not stopped. Who will scrutinise the completion of
works executed by the voluntary agencies, so that release ot
funds is not delayed?
3.
NGOs would like to disburse wages at the prescribed rates
in cash and not partly in foodgrains and partly in cash as
envisaged in the guidelines.
334.
In the tribal areas, schemes under NREP and RLEGP may
be sanctioned to benefit scheduled tribe owners of land
because although they are not landless labourers, they arebelow the poverty line.
5.
Under Social Forestry, NGOs may like to take up economic
plantation of trees for the purpose of tasar silk rearing
which will provide, on a permanent basis, supplementary
income to the villagers.
6.
The "maintenance of projects after their completion is very
important. After completion of a project, the implementing
agency would like to hand it over to a body constituted by
the beneficiaries so that they may continue to take interest
in its maintenance.
7.
If projects are examined and sanctioned by the end of thismonth it will be possible to complete many works before
the rains set in.
I would like to have your reactions.
Shri J. C. Jetli : Under RLEGP, we stand on firm
grounds. Projects can be submitted to PADI and no clarifica
tions of State Governments will be necessary. Under RLEGP'
we have not prescribed any proforma but we have indicated
certain points on which information is required to be given,.
General Secretary, PADI should circulate these instructions.
Under NREP, there is a component of State Government’s
contribution. How this share can be dovetailed is an issue
which has to be sorted out. It will take some time to settle this.
In the meantime voluntary organisations could submit schemes
under RLEGP.
The second point is about procedure. The procedure
has been simplified for expeditious sanctions. Earlier each
project was considered first by the Project Screening Committee
and then by Governing Council. Now the screening committee
has been converted into Sanctioning Committee for Projects.
It approves projects. Thereafter projects are put up to Gover
ning Council for information only. This will eliminate delay.
34
Regarding the third point about cash and kind wages, the
•scheme envisages payment of one kilogram of foodgrains as
wage in kind. The remaining value of the wage is paid in cash.
Tn my opinion, voluntary organisations are better equipped to
give wage in kind than Government agencies.
Shri J. B. Singh : It may be correct to say that voluntary
•organisations will be able to do a good job at the time of actual
payment of wages in the shape of foodgrains. But the logistic
and administrative problems should also be borne in mind.
Payment of kind wages would involve taking delivery, storage
and transportation of foodgrains and close supervision at all
levels to prevent pilferage and wastage. These are difficult
responsibilities.
Shri J.C. Jetli: We can examine these questions later.
I would now like to turn to the fourth point raised by Prof.
Dasgupta that RLEGP in tribal areas need not be restricted to
landless labourer but could be extended to tribal land holders
■also as they are below poverty line, I agree with this suggestion.
For scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, individual beneficiary
works can be taken up. Houses can be built, land can be
-developed; such programmes can be taken up for scheduled
-castes and scheduled tribes.
Regarding social forestry, we have reserved 20 per cent of
■our funds. Last year it was 10 per cent. Voluntary organisa
tions can take up various kinds of social forestry schemes.
Regarding maintenance of projects, at present no funds are
provided. We are examining the question whether certain per
centages under NREP and RLEGP can be earmarked for main
tenance. The last point raised by the Prof. Dasgupta is that
projects should be examined and sanctioned by the end of the
month so that they can be taken up before the monsoon.
Whether this time schedule can be kept depends on how quickly
PADI can process the projects.
Shri Prem Bhai : Let us take up the guidelines. We are
••thinking of transferring funds to voluntary agencies. To
35
•enable them to prepare suitable projects, I think, a clear for
mat must be designed and circulated. Unless, clear guidelines
•are formed, voluntary organisations will be helpless. It will
be impossible for them to complete the work and also pay
minimum wages. In the guidelines; it has been stated that
Panchayats will be entrusted with the works. Voluntary
-organisations have not been envisaged as implementing
agencies.
As far as social forestry is concerned, in many tribal areas
land records are not very clear. They are not complete. In
such areas, Gram Samaj Lands have not been clearly demar
cated. It is not possible to demarcate lands belonging to
Forest Department and land belonging to Gram Sabha. In
■such a situation, how can voluntary organisations implement
these programmes9 These are the practical difficulties in the
field.
Shri J. C. Jetli : There are two types of schemes for
Avhich PADI can give funds to voluntary organisations. The
first type is of innovative schemes which voluntary organisations
■can formulate according to their own perceptions. The other
•type relates to certain programmes of Government which are
already being executed through the Government machinery. We
want that voluntary organisations also take up some projects
under these Government schemes. In respect of these projects,
-voluntary organisations will have to follow the prescribed guide
lines. It is true that we have emphasised in our NREP guide
lines that the programmes will be implemented through Panchayati Raj institutions. But voluntary organisations can also be
entrusted with NREP work. There will be no interference in the
work of voluntary organisations by Panchayati Raj institutions.
The voluntary organisations can send their projects directly to
PADI and if the projects are approved they will get money from
JPADI. There is no need to submit the schemes through
Panchati Raj institutions.
Shri Prem Bhai: The machinery of Block Development
•Officer may interfere with the work of voluntary organisations.
36
Shri J. C. Jetli: It is not our intention. The money will1
be channelled through PADI. The project will be monitored
by PADI. Voluntary organisations will have to submit their
reports to PADI and not to the Block Development Officer..
There should not be any interference from any organisation.
Shri Prem Bhai: The Voluntary Organisations have to get
clearance from intelligence agencies. This is also creating.
problems. If you want participation there should be under
standing between PADI and voluntary organisations.
Shri J. C. Jetli : This is a sensitive point not to beanswered at this stage.
Shri Panalal Dasgupta: I went to PADI’s office with.
some RLEGP schemes and I was told that it will take time
to finalise the modality for processing RLEGP scheme of volun
tary organisations.
Shri J. C. Jetli: The financial year has recently started.
There is a certain procedure involved in Government’s placing:
the funds for a scheme. In the meantime PADI could goahead examining the schemes.
Shri T.C.A. Srinivasaramanujan: RLEGP and NREP'
projects are basically of a technical nature. While implemented
by Government, elaborate rules of Government are followed.
The preparation of estimate is to be based on schedule of rates.
The estimates are checked by technical officers. They havebeen given powers of varying limits to accord technical sanction.
Finally, designated authorities give administrative approval..
When the work is taken up, measurement book is to be kept.
Muster rolls of workers are to be maintained, subject to chec
king by officials. At the time of completion, there is final
measurement. The completion certificate has to be given.
according to prescribed procedure. When Government is the
implementing agency it is clear as to who will be responsible for
each type of these activities. When voluntary organisations are-
37
to do the same type of work, it is necessary to specify the
methods by which the estimates will have to be prepared and
■checked, technical sanction and administrative approval will
have to be given, measurement book and muster rolls will have
to be maintained and checked and final measurement and com
pletion certificate will have to be furnished.
Shri Sanjit Bunker Roy: Voluntary Organisations imple
ment successfully many projects similar to Government
projects. In term of cost and quality the performance of volun
tary organisations is better than the Government. It is not
necessary to extend the Government procedures to voluntary
■organisations.
Shri J. C. Jetli: Some officers from the Department of
Rural Development have come to interact with the voluntary
organisations today. I would request them to indicate the
broad features of their schemes which they are dealing within
the Ministry.
Shri Inderjit Khanna: I will first take up TRYSEM.
This is a special scheme of Integrated Rural Development Pro
gramme. The main objective is to identify youths upto 35 years,
train them to acquire better and up-todate skills and then help
•them to get self-employed. Most of the financial requirements
of TRYSEM is met out of IRDP funds. They are shared
equally by the Central and State Governments. Some amount
is given as honorarium for trainers and some amount is given
for training. Assistance is also given to the training institution.
For strengthening the infrastructure of training institutions,
100 per cent of the funds are provided by Central Government.
Swami Manmathan:
truction?
Does infrastructure include cons
Shri Inderjit Khanna: Infrastructure includes hostel,
■class room, equipment and training facilities.
38
Swami Manmathan : We submitted an infrastructure
scheme in 1983. The scheme was for Rs. 4 lakhs. The scheme
was for the hostel, training aids etc. District Magistrate is of'
the opinion that no money can be spent for the hostel. He has
turned it down. No money has been spent in the district of
Tehri Garhwal to strengthen training institutions of voluntary
organisations.
Shri B.R. Bhope: Ramakrishna Seva Kendra at Ranchi
trained 42 trainees. Now the district authorities refuse toextend the assistance to more trainees. Neither do they send
any person for training nor do they allow voluntary organisa
tions to select their own trainees.
Shri Shivanand Bhai: No assistance is given to voluntary
organisations in Bihar under TRYSEM.
Shri Inderjit Khanna : I am sorry to hear that voluntary
organisations have faced some difficulties in TRYSEM. One
way of facing up to this problem is to improve communication
of information. The Department of Rural Development isrunning a magazine called ‘Kurukshetra’. It is also issuing;
a news letter. These two publications are useful media for
communication. I would request voluntary organisations to
write to the Department of Rural Development about anydifficulty so that information about problems can be dissemi
nated and redressal can also be arranged.
Shri J. C. Jetli: It is for this reason that we are thinking:
of earmarking funds which can be spent exclusively by voluntary
organisations. The concerned voluntary organisations can>
select beneficiaries and prepared projects.
Smt. Nalini Singh: There are many infrastructure facili
ties which are unutilised or under utilised. For instance,
Government has built many schools which are not running
properly. There are many hospitals which are also not being
run properly. Instead of creating new infrastructures, why not
39'
assist voluntary organisations in taking over existing infrastruc
ture facilities and running them properly?
Shri J.C. Jetli: This is a big problem which PADI cannot
solve. But if any voluntary agency starts a primary schoof
and needs any equipment, PADI can assist. Similarly, if a
voluntary organisation wants to set up a health centre and for
that certain infrastructure is required, a project to provide some
facilities to the health centre can be considered. However,
projects of this nature cannot be considered under TRYSEM
provision for infrastructure. That is meant only for training
institutions engaged in equipping people for self-employment.
Assistance to voluntary organisations for strengthening infra
structure of institutions like schools and hospitals, as distingui
shed from institutions engaged in training for self-employment,.
can be given under PADI’s general types of projects.
Shri Prem Bhai: I want to make a point relating to
Government policy, under IRDP. Government is spending
Rs. 1,500 crore. Under RLEGP and TRYSEM we are spending
another Rs. 1,500 crores. Then there are funds provided under
other programmes like construction of school buildings, roads,
hospital buildings and other works programmes. But all these
programmes have not solved the problem of unemployment..
What is needed is to help poor people in taking up income
generating activities on a long term basis. I would suggest that
subsidy provisions under IRDP should be exclusively provided.
for training and income generating activities and all the fundsfor employment generating programmes should be invested on.
permanent infrastructures.
Shri J.C. Jetli : The whole objective of IRDP is just what
you have outlined. We try to take up the poorest of the poor
and give them the means of improving their income. RLEGP'
and NREP have different objectives. The main aim is to pro
vide employment. I do not think that the employment schemes.
can be abolished. Even if self-employment opportunities are
40
created, the need for providing jobs to people who
■seasonal work will continue in a country of our size.
want
Shri Prem Bhai : I am interested in hearing more details
about the scheme or beneficiary organisations. Other agencies
are already working in the field. It would be useful to have
some feedback.
Shri Sharad Kulkarni : Organisations of the beneficiary
groups is a very good programme. In many cases, the administ
ration itself is a bottleneck. It decides upon wrong types of
programmes and wrong types of beneficiaries. If beneficiaries
are organised, the administration will be alert. We are organis
ing the beneficiaries for quite sometime.
Shri J.C. Jetli : About organisation of beneficiaries I
would like to say that the main emphasis is to create awareness
among the beneficiaries. This will promote better participation,
greater alertness and a mechanism for feedback. It is also likely
that there will be conflict and confrontation. Voluntary orga
nisations may consider whether it will not be better if thearti•culation of beneficiaries interest is done within the administra
tive system. Anyway, organisation of beneficiaries will be one
of the many programmes, under which funds can flow to
voluntary organisations. The other programmes are TRYSEM,
RLEGP, DWCRA etc. I appeal to the voluntary organisations
to explore the scope for formulating projects under these pro
grammes and send them to PADI for financial support.
I would like to sum up that the main hurdles in the way
of taking advantage of Government’s programmes are rigid
guidelines governing the programmes and cumbersome proce
dure in PADI for sanctioning the projects. I concede that in
both these areas there is considerable scope for improvement.
The suggestions given by the participants are very useful and
relevant. I am sure that conference would deliberate on the
guidelines and procedures suitable for voluntary organisations.
4L
Session on Drinking Water Supply
and Low Cost Sanitation
20-4-1985
9.30 A.M.
Chairman :
Shri J.B. Singh
Shri J.B. Singh: We are ready to start the morning
session. We are glad to have two senior officers from the
Ministry of Works and Housing concerning drinking water
scheme. Shri V. Venugopalan is Adviser, CPHEEO. Mr. T.
Nandakumar is Deputy Secretary. Both of them are dealingwith drinking water supply and low cost sanitation.
For the information of the participants, I would like togive a brief background about the subject. For quite some
time, voluntary organisations have been having a dialogue with
the Ministry of Works and Housing about the question of
earmarking funds to voluntary organisations for taking up
water supply and sanitation programmes. We had several
rounds of discussions. We have been able to develop a con
sensus that the Ministry should earmark funds for voluntary
organisations and that PADI should be the nodal agency. I
am glad to say that we have now reached the stage in which
voluntary organisations and Government can work out the
modalities for taking up these projects. I would now request
Shri Nandakumar to explain the scheme and other related
aspects.
Shri T. Nandakumar : The background of our interest
dates back to a letter written by the late Prime Minister. It
was followed by a dialogue' in 1983 but no conclusions were
■42
reached. In July, 1984, we picked up the thread and convened
a meeting of a small group of NGOs and officials. This meeting
identified the points of cooperation between voluntary organisa
tions and Government. As you may be aware, Government
has a very large and massive drinking water programme, but
the problem is also massive. In 1980, there were 2.31 lakh
villages in the country without safe drinking water. We have
constraints of resources and manpower. We started with the
modest target of minimum of one source of water for each
village. Some people might argue that one source is nothing but
the fact remains that have to make a modest beginning. We be
gan with an outlay of Rs. 60 crores which increased to Rs. 2300
crores in the course of the Sixth Five Year Plan. Looking
back we still have 37,000 villages without drinking water. In
the Seventh Five Year Plan, the objective would be to provide
•one source of water to every habitant. This is a very huge
task. Within this framework, we are thinking of involving
•voluntary agencies. Another point of cooperation is how to
■involve the community. Capital investment is one part, using
•it for the benefit of the people is another. At present, Panchayatiraj institutions are doing it. We thought voluntary
organisations would be more suitable agencies to educate the
people to use water properly, make them aware of sanitation
and get them interested in the upkeep of the hydrants and
■sanitary fittings. Drinking water supply and sanitation are
■not concentrated programmes. Their areas are spread and are
very widely dispersed. It is only the stakes of the local com
munity in them which will ensure their proper upkeep. This is
another point of cooperation which we want to take from
■voluntary organisations.
Our thinking [is that we have to ascertain the State
-Government’s views at policy planning level. For funding,
PADI will be the best agency. We are yet to secure budget
■outlay, but we are confident of getting it in the course of the
year. In the meantime, we are awaiting project requests from
TA DI.
43
This is in short the general background. I have come
here with the intention of listening to you and be educated by
your ideas.
Shri Raj Kumar Daw : Shri Nandakumar has given the
■background of participation of voluntary agencies in Govern
ment’s water supply programme. Now certain things need to be
remembered. There should be sources of free drinking water
supply in rural areas. There should be handpumps for every
250 people. Our experience based on observation is that more
work is claimed to have been done that what has been the
•actual work. This needs a line of thought. The second point
is, can voluntary organisations participate in this programme ?
The Central Government might give its blessings but at the
:State level things are different. PADI’s procedures bristle
with bureaucratic rigidities. Reactions are generally negative.
Home Ministry’s investigations are made. Balance Sheets and
other documents are wanted. Voluntary organisations have to
go through a lot of exercise in preparing documents and put in
a lot of time and energy to give projects. All these would
become infructuous if PADI subsequently turns round and
negates the proposal. It would be better if PADI first applies
■its mind and indicates whether a proposal is acceptable before
the expensive and time consuming formalities of project
formulation and submission are gone through.
Shri J.B. Singh : It is a new thing to involve voluntary
organisations. They have Rs. 300 crores and out of which
Rs. 1 crore will be earmarked for voluntary organisations to be
canalised through PADI. People are not clear as to how it is
going to work. We should prepare the terms of reference. The
ball is in our court and we have to prepare the terms and con
ditions on which PADI will operate this scheme. If a proposal
goes to PADI. it has to get clearance from State Government
.and CPHEEO. That is the responsibility of PADI but so far as
voluntary organisations are concerned, only PADI is involved.
We can also suggest other points relevant for this programme.
There may be villages without drinking water which might
have been left out. We may suggest changes in their list. We
44
may not want to go to tender system and contractor system.
We must tell Government what would be our system of
working.
The -first problem for voluntary organisations getting
involved in water supply arises out of the comparison of the
cost of the scheme of voluntary organisations with the cost in
Government work. Such comparisons are invalid. The cost
of the Government schemes does not include the salary of'
departmental staff and certain other overheads. Secondly thecosts in the Government work are based on the quotationsgiven by contractors. We all know that contractors have got
their own way doing work. The actual specifications and the
materials used by the contractors may not be reflected in the
costs. So the comparison of cost estimates between Govern
ment work and work of voluntary agencies will be misleading.
The second problem is that voluntary organisations cannot
compromise with quality of work. In this respect they will
have difficulty in dealing with Government.
Shri V. Venugopalan : We understand that there will bebasic differences in the costing and specifications between the
works of Government and of voluntary organisations. I hope
that these differences will not create any problem in proceeding;
with the projects. Even within the Government projects,
allowances have been made for the differences from area to
area. There are areas like Prakasam district where we have not.
succeeded. We have one set of schemes for hilly areas and
another set for plain areas. Depending on local conditions,
schemes vary. Similarly, between agency and agency also,.
achemes will vary.
Shri A.P. Fernandez : I suppose that we have to take
up the challenge and implement the programme. The difficulties.
and reservations will remain but they should not hinder us.
from taking up the challenge.
Shri Raj Kumar Daw : PADI should have by now
received about 4-5 proposals. It would be interesting to know
45
Jiow they have been handled. We have to see how these pro
posals are handled while supporting or rejecting. We also
would like to know how PADI works and how it proceeds with
project proposals in general.
Shri J.B. Singh : I think procedures and structure of
PADI have already been gone into. If any change in the
policies and procedures of PADI are required, voluntary orga
nisations themselves may come forward with their suggestions.
Now let us come to the subject matter. Drinking water should
reach the people in our areas of operation. We will identify
the problem villages. We are not concerned with the type of
well, whether it is an open well or bore well. Transport of
water will depend on the availability of water. Honestly speak
ing, if you leave it to me open well maintenance cost is mini
mum and people are using it for hundreds of years.
Smt Gloria Daw : Water from open well is contamina
ted. In Tehri Garhwal, springs are used as water sources. The
•water is put into a tank and then piped for distribution to the
villagers. The tank is open and contaminated.
Shri B.N. Nene : So far we have been discussing only
about bore wells. Water can be brought from 2-3 kms. dis
tance. We can pump water and bring it through pipes. This
kind of programme requires to be considered. I also like to
bore open wells. Voluntary organisations or even the villagers
themselves can dig the wells in their own villages and make
their own arrangements to draw water.
Dr. M.A. Ghare : Corruption is a reality, vested interest
is a reality, red tape is a reality, ego of Government officials is
a reality. If all these realities are taken into consideration,
then voluntary organisations would normally like to be beware
of this programme. Today a single tube well has become a
centre of politics. Zila Parishads are in a position to secure a
number of tubewells in particular areas. Do you think that in
these circumstances, Government departments would allow
voluntary agencies to work in the area ? They will not. Govern
46
ment has managed to keep away all voluntary agencies from
such duties. The reason is basic differences in ideology.
Mr. Joe Meredith : I have a problem in identifying pro
blem villages. In tribal areas of Orissa, a village is considered
a village when it is a revenue village. There are 43,000 such
villages. If there is a single pump in a village, then it is con
sidered that the whole area in the village has been covered. In
reality, only a fraction of the population is covered. It is just
the same in the case of electricity. If any where in a village,
there Is an electric line, the village is considered to be electri
fied, though, in reality, bulk of the village may remain beyond
the reach of electricity. Similarly one pump cannot make thewhole village free from drinking water problem. We have to
see how many tubewells are needed in a village. Most of the
tribal areas have no drinking water. People bring water from
4-5 kms. The answer to this is to dig more wells in villages.
Our first priority is to reach every problem area. Further, in
hilly areas, open dug wells can be done.
Swami Manmathan : Government is spending a lot of
money for water supply. Still the problem remains unsolved.
Rivers are going dry due to deforestation. Government should
do something to identify new water sources. Geophysical
surveys are not being conducted. Hilly areas pose their own
problem. The ground is hard and rocky and drilling is difficult.
Voluntary organisations do not have the plant and equipment
needed to do the job. Nor do they have specialised persons.
What type of technical support voluntary organisations can get
for undertaking work in such difficult areas ?
Shri Tushar Kanjilal ; We have to take water to the
maximum number of people through whatever source we can
easily tap. In Sunderbans, open wells are preferred. Main
tenance of deep tubewells would be difficult. Voluntary organi
sations should be left free to decide on the type of water source
they will like to develop suitable to their area and suitable to
their capacity.
47'
Shri R. Ramamurthy : We have to make allowances for
different areas. In Rayalaseema, we do not have water even up
to 50 or 60 ft. There is water scarcity. People are not will
ing to bore wells. They are not accepting bored wells..
Depending on the areas, we have to be flexible in determining
the mode of drinking water.
Shri V. Venugopalan : In hilly areas, there are certain
norms to be followed. If atl the steps are taken, then there
should not be any problem. Coming to the open wells, it has
te be borne in mind that it is very difficult to control proper use
of water from open wells. Villagers wash their clothes and'
utencils. Unless people are educated on health aspects of water
use, it will be very difficult to control such insanitary practices.
If any voluntary organisation takes up any open well pro
gramme it should also take up education of the people in water
use. Type of programme depends on the requirements of the
area. What is necessary is that the maintenance by way of chlorisation and community investment should be ensured.
Shri T.C.A. Srinivasaramanujan : I am very glad that
there has been a free exchange of views between Government
and voluntary organisations. I would like to reassure that the
reservations of some voluntary organisations about taking up
Government programmes are not warranted. When PAD!
would be the media, the programme will be between PADI and'
the voluntary organisations. All the responsibility for obtain
ing clearances from State Government, CPHEEO and Home
Ministry will be shouldered by PADI. Voluntary organisations.
would have no difficulty in respect of these requirements. So
far as corruption and political factors are concerned, I do not
know whether drinking water supply programme involves more
of these problems than other Government programme. Thisconference is all about voluntary organisations taking up
various Government programmes like RLEGP, TRYSEM,
organisation of Rural Poor, DWCRA, Public Cooperation and
Water Supply Programme. Can we say that voluntary organisa
tions will not have any difficulty in dealing with Government
48
in respect of all the other programmes, but that only when it
•comes to drinking water supply programme, they will face
special problems due to corruption or politics ? I feel that if a
voluntary organisation can implement irrigation projects, animal
husbandry schemes, agricultural activities, family welfare,
education, health programme and nutrition programmes,
income generating schemes and training programmes, it can
implement drinking water supply programme also without fac
ing more or less of the problems which it may have to face while
implementing the other programmes. When we are thinking of
enlarging the area of involvement of voluntary organisations
in development activities financed by Government, we should
not exclude drinking water supply programme, merely because
some problems exist. If the problems are peculiar to drinking
water supply, it is a different matter. The discussion however
indicates that there is no inherent difficulty for a voluntary
organisation to take up drinking water programme financed by
Government.
The second area of discussion centred around the struc
ture of PADI and its procedures. Since these issues have been
discussed in the opening session. I would not like to go over
them again. I would only say that PADI is very anxious to
simplify its procedures for sanctioning water supply schemes.
The Standing Committee for Projects which will consider the
schemes will include representatives from Ministry of Works
and Housing. The approval of the project by the Committee
consisting of representatives from Ministry of W'orks and Hous
ing would preclude the necessity for making reference to
Ministry of Works and Housing and CPHEEO. No problem
will be involved in State Government clearance which it is
the responsibility of PADI to obtain. Voluntary organisations
are not required to conform to any standard specifications pres
cribed by Government. It has been clarified that the types of
schemes will depend upon the characteristics of the area in
which they will be implemented. What is only required is that
the scheme should conform broadly to the objective ef Govern
ment to provide safe drinking water to every problem village.
49-
Lot of expertise is available in the voluntary sector.
Ministry of Works and Housing is operating water supply pro
gramme through State Governments and it wants to supple
ment the efforts with another line of implementation in thevoluntary sector. Now it is time for the voluntary organisa
tion to take advantage of the new opportunities and contributetheir mite in reducing the problem of drinking water supply.
Shri J.B. Singh: We are ashamed that even after so
many years of Independence drinking water is not universally
available. Now the question arises how to solve it. My
suggestion is that voluntary organisations should prepare simple
projects suited to their areas and pass them on to PADI.
General Secretary PADI has assured that he will have them
scrutinised and sanctioned with the least possible delay, Ques
tions about geo-physical and geo-hydrological surveys were
raised. There are non-governmental organisations doing these
jobs. Ministry of Works and Housing may think of establish
ing relationship with such organisations.
Shri K. Vishwanathan : I am glad that there will be
more rapport between Government of India and voluntary
organisations through PADI. I would like to remind
Government of India and PADI that voluntary organisations
have deal with State departments also in one way or the
other. At those levels, things are not very positive. Here at
the higher level, we are making policies. These policies should
be conveyed to officials at different levels. PADI and variousdepartments should use their good offices to organise regional
and State level meetings where Government officials and volun
tary organisations can have dialogue and interaction. Such
consultations will generate goodwill. We are working towards.
common goals. We are all citizens of the country. Let usconsider ourselves as partners and let us work together with
a positive mind.
50
Session on Energy Sources
20-4-1985
12.00 Noon
Chairman :
Shri R. Ramamurthi
Shri R. Ramamurthi : We have a galaxy of experts on
•energy sources. All of us are interested in identifying and
•developing new sources of energy. I would request Shri B.B.
Vohra to highlight on this topic.
Shri B.B. Vohra : Energy is one field where voluntary
■organisations can play an important role. Biogas, solar heaters
and solar cookers are some of the programmes which they
•can take up effectively. Social forestry and waste land develop
ment are other programmes which voluntary organisations can
take up. There are 13 to 15 million hectares of waste land in
•our country. Voluntary organisations with proper orientation
■can contribute in the development of these lands.
Smt. Shailaja Chandra : We have seen that voluntary
organisations have been able to bring about awareness among
-people. Their contribution in afforestation and conservation of
•plantations is very good. In the field of chulhas also, achieve•ments of voluntary organisations are significant. The Chulha
.recently developed by Meghalaya costs about only Rs. 30. It
.has come within the reach of the common people.
Shri Narender Bedi: Different methods should be utilis•ed for development of waste land. Growing cf trees is one
method. But there are other means like fish ponds. We have
•developed marshy lands in Andhra Pradesh and reclaimed 2COO
.acres. Nursery development is very important in waste land
51
•development. Only locally suited species should be reared.
One of the crucial factors ensuring success of plantations
■is that the species should be acceptable to the farmers. They
should have economic reasons to grow the trees. Installation
of wind mills is another important area where voluntary
■organisations can contribute.
Shri. K. Vishwanathan : Mitraniketan is in the field of
rural development for the last 25 years. It has rewarding
■experiences in the area of waste land development. Actually it
is not waste land but it is wasted land. Within 25 years of
planting trees, Mitraniketan found that areas which did not
■have water during summer started getting water throughout the
year. We should plant useful trees and call it ago-forestry. It
will ensure people’s involvement. We should think of de-linking Forest Development and encourage people to cultivate more
■and more trees. People should be given ownership rights on the
trees planted by them. Voluntary agencies should be encourag•ed to com: forward. Many waste lands have been encroached
upon. If they can be retrieved, lot of plantations can be
•done.
Swami Manmathan : 1 stay in an area of forests. I find
■that Forest Department is responsible for de-forestation. There
is a very urgent need to protect the Himalayan region from
destruction. If trees are destroyed in the Himalayas, the
•effects will be felt not only in Himalayas but throughout the
•country. Even Ganges will dry up if Himalayas are denuded.
Protection of Himalayan trees would be possible only if people
are actively involved in preservation of trees and growing more
.and more trees. Voluntary organisations should take up the
work on a massive scale.
Shri Prem Bhai; Our organisation is promoting affores
tation. We persuaded a group of 10 families to plant 100
-trees. If this group basis is encouraged, it would be possible
to involve 5000 families every year to plant 5 lakh trees. In 5
years, 25 lakhs trees can be planted. Each tree will give Rs. 100
52
as income per annum. This is a commercial proposition, but
the problem is that neither the Forest Department nor theGram Sabhas will allow people to plant trees in the lands
belonging to them. Unless we design new procedures to create a
voluntary movement or people’s movement, our goal will not
be achieved.
Shri Joe Meredith : One of the constraints in the planta
tion work is that there is no uniformity of policy. At different
levels, different policies are pursued. For instance, in Orissa,..
people in a village planted cashew trees but since it was against
the policy of Forest Department, it plucked the plants after one
year. If certain decisions are made at the national level it is.
better that the State Government is taken into confidence.
Chulha is an ambitious programme. Lot of changes are needed
in the training programme. At present 20 people are trained
for 10 days and during this period, 60 to 100 Chulhas are cons
tructed. The teething problems start only after the training:.
period is over. These problems are not however attended witb.
the result that only 30% of the Chulhas are in working condi
tion. If this sort of things goes on it will give a bad name tothe Chulha programme. We in Orissa completed 5000 Chulhas...
It is because we attended not only to the technique of construc
tion but also to the technique of attending to the post construc
tion problems. Voluntary agencies are involved in a big way in
installation of biogas plants. There are some problems which
should be attended to. Cement is the biggest constraint in the.construction of the biogas plants. Efforts should be made toensure that control cement is made available in each block
headquarters so that there is no delay in supply of cement to agencies constructing biogas plants. If there is delay in supply
of control cement, the agencies constructing bio-gas plants may
be given subsidy to make up for the difference in price.
The second problem is that appliances for biogas plants
are not available in sufficient quantities in most places. Shop
keepers are prone to over charge. State Governments should'
see that biogas appliances are available in each block. They-'
53
^should also ensure that the appliances are sold at prescribed
•Government rates and that excessive charges are not collected
■by shopkeepers. It is also necessary that cheap appliances are
■ developed. Obtaining subsidy is also another major problem.
Banks should be given subsidies in advance.
At present no data are available on the actual number
■ of biogas plants. Whatever information is available is based
on sample survey only. It wil not be too much for the Energy
Board to conduct an actual survey of all the biogas plants exist
ing today in the country.
Another problem is that sand is collected at the bottom
-of biogas plant within 2-3 years. The storage capacity of the
■biogas plant decreases as a result. Unless the sand is cleaned
the appliances will become defective. Mobile maintenance units
■with sludge pumps should be made available in each district.
Another suggestion which I would like to make is that
•there should be an insurance scheme. At present the turnkey
.agency gives only guarantee for two years. This is totally
insufficient. Minimum guarantee of five years is necessary.
About Rs. 100/- should be kept per unit to meet the main
tenance charges. Every six months, the plant should be serviced
■and the pipeline should be checked up.
Shri K.D. Dewan : I am working in the biogas field
’in Bihar. Loans sanctioned by the banks are received very late
and lot of time is wasted. There is a considerable delay in
•obtaining cement which also affects the progress of the project.
"Subsidies are also released very irregularly. Due to administra
tive problems like these, the objectives of this good programme
are defeated.
Swami Manmathan : Afforestation suffers because of the
■lack of interest of the Forest Department. In Tehri Garhwal,
■there is an allotment of Rs. 40 lakhs for plantation but even
54
the work has not started. If such be the interest of the Forest
Department, there is no hope of afforestation picking up. Solar
energy programme is also important. I suggest that solar driersshould be enconraged. We should take energy from waste
leaves.
Smt. Lepmonie Sangma : We have beared a lot about.
smokeless chulhas. But in our north eastern tribal areas we want
smoke. We need smoke to heat our fish and also keep our
houses warm. We use bamboos and bamboo leaves to make
fire. Without smoke we cannot survive. Smokeless chulhasare not suitable for our area. Unless chulhas which will emit.
smoke are designed, the programme cannot pick up in the north
east.
Smt. Shailaja Chandra : The suggestion made by Smt.
Sangma is very important. We are aware that smokelesschulhas are not suitable for the conditions in the north east.
Special chulhas which emit smoke have been designed for the
north eastern areas.
Shri Shivanand Bhai : I am glad that greater awarenesshas come about plantation and energy. I am working in a
tribal area where people’s lives are interwoven with trees.
They eat the leaves, fruits and even roots in times of distress.
They sell the by-products of trees like kendu leaves, teeth
twigs (datoons) fruits and firewood to earn their livelihood.
The destruction of trees has completely upset the economy of
the tribals. Afforestation is, therefore, a very important solution
for the problems of the tribals. Two incentives should be built
into the afforestation programme. One is that unemployed
tribals should be given wages in plantation work. Another is
that they should be given usufructury rights over the trees. If
the trees are going to belong to Forest Department or to
Panchayats, the poor villagers will have no proprietory stake
in preserving them.
Shri Sharad Kulkarni : There are many difficulties in
55-
planting on common lands. Getting permission to plant and
sharing of the benefits of the plantations would not be easy.
Voluntary organisations will find it difficult to get access to com
mon lands. Another point I would like to stress is that more
experiments are needed to propagate plantation programmes..
Take for instance bamboo. Very little has been done to pro
pagate bamboo plantations. Considerable work is required to be
done to expand bamboo plantations. I am glad that Waste Land
Board has been constituted. It is necessary for organisations.
set up in the national capital to study grassroot village
situations and work out suitable methodologies to spread their
programmes.
Shri B.B. Vohra : I have taken note of the points and'
will keep them in mind when the terms of reference for the
Waste Land Development Board are drawn up. Legal changesare required to be made in the rules and regulations for pro
tecting trees. As a matter of fact, this question has never been
looked into. It has never cropped up earlier but the
matter will have to be taken up sooner or later. There is no
reason why we are not able to say that irrespective of the
ownership, lands which are lying vacant should be used for
producing something.
I quite agree with you that no common property is safe
in India. Many of the lands are supposed to be waste lands but
in fact are encroached upon and are under illegal occupation.
It requires strong political will to get the encroachers moved
out so that the waste lands can be made more productive onceagain.
I am very happy to share with all of you your
experiences. I am certain that they will help various Govern
ment departments and agencies to reformulate their policiesand programmes.
Shri R. Ramamurthi: We are thankful to Shri B.B.
Vohra for his valuable contribution to the session.
.56
Shri Maheshwar Dayal: We called a meeting of various
voluntary agencies and after that we have been having regular
meetings with them. A large number of programmes in several
areas of the country are handled by voluntary agencies. The
general picture which is emerging in the last few years is that
there has been quite a big expansion of smokeless chulhas and
biogas plants. There has been a very major thrust in the pro
grammes. 5 lakh smokeless chulhas have been sold. The
•chulhas have been installed in a big way. I have personally
been to many villages in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and
■Orissa. The programme has gained a great deal of popularity.
In jbiogas, during 1984-85, we put a rough target of 1.15 lakh
biogas plants in the country. We have more than achieved the
target. In Tamil Nadu, 17000 plants have been installed
.against the target of 10,000 plants. Similarly in other places
also, there has been a good performance. So far as non
functioning of plants is concerned, it has been found that the
number of non-functional plants is very limited. You might be
knowing that we have introduced a scheme of rectification of
the non-functional plants.
We have to have in every State some Department
■dealing with biogas plants at the nodal level. A nodal organi
sation can carry out the programme through voluntary agencies
■or even individuals. The purpose of nominating a nodal
Department is to provide a State Government linkage. Last
year we called the representatives of the State Governments
becacuse part of the problem is lack of interaction between
State Government machinery and voluntary organisations.
Mr. Joe Meredith : The biggest constraint in biogas
■development is cement. The problem can be solved by subsi
dising the open market cement. It will be a question of Rs. 8-9
in the form of subsidy. In Orissa, not more than Rs. 4-5 lakhs a
year is required.
Shri Maheshwar Dayal: I think the possibility will be
•examined. We will look into the question.
57
Shri Joe Meredith : It is not cement alone. There are
other constraints too. Biogas designs are big constraints. We
should try to improve the designs. Banks are reluctant tofinance biogas.
Shri Maheshwar Dayal: We had separate meetings with.
bankers. We had got instructions sent’to the bankers. These
instructions have been sent to every district in the country. The
banks have been instructed to clear biogas loan applicationswith 15 days.
Shri Joe Meredith : There should be a complete survey of
all existing biogas plants in India.
Shri Maheshwar Dayal : This is not possible.
Shri Joe Meredith :
finished before October.
If the work is given to us it will be-
Shri Maheshwar Dayal: If there is a survey, we canreally plan strategy, but by the time one survey is completed1
based on the situation at one point, there will be a gap of atleast 2 years and the data will become obsolete. Designing a
suitable questionnaire is also a problem.
Shri Joe Meredith : There should be 5 years guaranteeinstead of 2 years at present.
Shri K.D. Dewan : Implementation of biogas programmeis beset with a lot of difficulties. Sanctions are given very late.
Block Development Officers delay sanctions. Banks put lot of'
difficulties in disbursement of loans. Biogas loan is considered
as consumption loan. Banks consider it a bad debt. Cement is
another big problem. VASFA set up 20 plants last year. We
deposited the money for the cement. Inspite of lot of efforts,
we did not ultimately get the cement. Finally we wanted refund
of our money which was also delayed. There is great difficulty
in getting subsidy also. The.Deputy Collector did not accept
5S
the papers saying that only Khadi and Village Industries Com
mission is the implementing agency and not voluntary organi
sations. Inspite of intervention from the higher level, subsidy
was not released. The Gandak Command Area Authority was
prepared to get the subsidy for us but on condition that the
biogas plants installed are treated as part of the Command Area
Authority’s programme and not as part of the voluntary orga
nisation's programme.
In my opinion just as there is a District Development
Agency in every district to push up the programme of Depart
ment of Rural Davelopment, a non-conventional energy cell
should be set up in every district and all the programmes of the
Department of Non-Conventional Energy Sources should be
handled by this cell.
Shri Hariballabh Parikh : Shri Dcwan has given very
■valuable suggestions. I agree with him that there are many pro
blems in implementing the biogas programme. The question of
submission of certificates for taking loans for biogas plants
•should be dispensed with. Anand Niketan planned to set up
1000 plants and wrote to 5-7 banks. There was a lot of corres
pondence. All the banks insisted on the certificates. We wasted
one year. Then the Land Development Bank agreed to help us.
They helped us in 200 to 250 plants. Anand Niketan plants
were given exemption from the requirement of submission of
•certificates but for other plants no such exemption was given.
It is necessary that the certificates should be dispensed with for
•all plants. We contacted Khadi Commission and requested them
to give us the subsidy direct or to deposit it in the banks. They
also took a lot of time. Easy procedures to grant subsidies
■should be developed.
Shri J.B. Singh : AFPRO has set up 20 plants in Aligarh.
These will be based on new designs. In Orissa, 6 plants have
been put up and another 70 plants arc in the process of being
put up. In Gujarat and Maharashtra also many plants are com
ing up. In the next six months AFPRO will be able to reduce
59
the cost of biogas plants by about 20%. We have already con■ ducted 90 training programmes. The progress is very exciting.
There is delay in payment of commission to the agencies instal
ling biogas plants. The bottlenecks should be removed. Corrup
tion in the payment of subsidy should also be removed.
Shri S.R. Faruqui : Training is one of the major pro. grammes. Extension of the chulha programme is another activity.
Voluntary organisations can play a very important role. They
• can provide outlets to the local communities.
Concluding Session
29-4-1985
4 P.M.
' Chairman :
Prof. S. Dasgupta
Shri D. Bandyopadhyay : I hope that the various issues
-of rural development involving voluntary organisations have
: been thrashed out during the discussions in the past two days.
For the last few years, I have been (monitoring rural develop
ment. One point which strikes is that there is a need to develop
. a suitable technology. People are putting their money. They
ought to be guarded against failure of their investment
-due to faulty technology. The second most crucial point
impinging on rural development is sanitation. It is due to lack
■ of sanitation that most diseases occur. We should really free
the countryside of squalor, dirt, filth and human and animal
waste. These will bring about tremendous improvement in the
■ quality of rural life. Human and animal waste should be utili
sed as substitutes for fertilizers. This will bring down the
dependence of the farmers on fertilizers, which are not only
-costly but which may be detrimental to the soil also. These
60
and many fields require to be tackled on high priority. Volun- ■
tary organisations can develop strategies, methodologies and .'
technologies for solving rural development problems. Apart
from these general issues, the specific issues before the Con- •
ference relate to taking up projects by voluntary organisations with the assistance of PADI. I am sure that you would have
come up with suitable suggestions for increasing the role of
voluntary organisations in the field of rural development with assistance from PADI.
Shri Sharad Kulkarni : There is lot of corruption in ■
implementation of Government programmes. When it comes to •
individual beneficiaries, the problem of implementation be
comes much more difficult. Individuals as isolated entities can
be easily exploited by giving them wrong information about the
rate of wages, subsidy, price of assets etc. which are the types •
of assistance which they get. The people also do not question .<
the mal-practices as they feel that asssistance from Government
is a form of charity.
Shri D. Bandyopadhyay: That is why we are interested
in organising the beneficiaries. If they are welded into disci
plined organisations there could be a check on mal-practices.
Qualitative changes in rural development can be brought about
with greater awareness of the people of their rights, entitlements and responsibilities. We are contemplating a scheme of organi
sing beneficiary groups in the voluntary sector. PADI can take •
up this, any voluntary organisation can take up this, even in
dividuals with commitment can also take up this. Certain basic ■
ingredients should be there. First the beneficiaries should be fully convinced that there is a need for organisation. That is ■
the first step in the thought process. There should be group ■
action by the beneficiaries, thinking together and perceiving the ■
situation together. Actual beneficiaries and potential bcnefici- aries should see a common interest in seeking common solu
tions. The beneficiaries themselves should reflect upon their •
problems. Nobody is a teacher. Discussions and solutions have
to be generated as part of a learning process. Thus the chief
61
• motivator organising the rural poor will only sow the seeds for
■ the organisation to germinate.
Shri Harballabh Parikh : People who (have faced diffi• culties from Government or from banks should be called. Their
problems should be understood in their correct perspective.
■ Organisation of beneficiaries should mainly work for solving
the problems of the rural poor.
Shri J.B. Singh : I am very happy that the Seventh Five
Year Plan will give importance to organisations of beneficiaries.
' This work was taken up by PADI from the 1970s. Develop
ment cannot take place unless beneficiaries are organised.
Voluntary organisations involved in organisational work should
' be consulted while formulating the scheme.
Shri Sharad Kulkarni : One of the concerns of this Con
ference is about restructuring of PADI. There are also sugges
tions that PADI should invite more and more voluntary organi
sations to take up various schemes under one umbrella. The
success of those schemes will depend on whether PADI would
allow the voluntary organisations to frame the scheme in a
■ flexible manner. If there has to be people’s action for develop. ment, only broad guidelines should be given. There should not
be do’s and don’ts for every minor detail of a scheme. When
the Ministry of Works and Housing gives funds to PADI for
- drinking water scheme, it has to be made clear that dealings
■ should be between voluntary organisations and PADI. Works
and Housing Ministry should not insist on particular types of
- drinking water sources. Conditions differ from place to place.
.In some places, open wells are suitable, in some cases tubewells
. and in some cases it may be flow of water.
Shri B.N. Nene : There are thousands of voluntary
-organisations spread all over the country. It will not be possible
■ •for central funding agencies like PADI to deal with each one of
■.them on individual basis. Unless there are intermediate organi- sations to coordinate the activities of voluntary organisations,
62
it will not be possible to bring a large number of voluntary'
organisations within the framework ofPADI’s assistance. In
Maharashtra, People’s Action For Development (Maharashtra) •
has been set up as a nodal agency for voluntary organisations..
PAD (Maharashtra) has not only assisted many voluntary
organisations from its own resources, but has also been success
ful in bringing them into contact with PADI. Thanks to the efforts of PAD (Maharashtra), many voluntary organisations
in the State were able to avail themselves of PADI’s assistance.
I, therefore, strongly urge that the Conference recommends that.
in every State an organisation like PAD (Maharashtra) may be
constituted as a nodal State level organisation.
Shri K. Vishwanathan : The concensus seems to be that
each State should have a State level body to be formed by the
State Government. Let such organisations come up. Why can
not voluntary organisations themselves form a forum of their
own ? We can influence grassroot agencies and activate them.
They can interact with State PADs. Government is there to sup-port voluntary organisations. It wants participation of volun
tary organisations in the realm of development. This is certainly
a positive aspect of Government’s functioning. But there is a
negative aspect also. The same Government is persecuting.
voluntary organisations. This is a paradox. This is something.
about which voluntary organisations should do and formulate
a course of action. Some organisations like ourselves are cap
able of coping with these persecutions. But there are hundreds
of small organisations. Persecution by Government will have a
devastating effect on their minds. Voluntary organisationsshould see that small organisations are not persecuted.
Prof. S. Dasgupta : I would now sum up broadly thediscussions which took place during the Conference. It was •
noted that PADI will be operating large amount of funds from
Government to assist voluntary organisations. To cope with
this new role, PADI has toned up its procedures for scrutiny
and sanction of projects. First there will be direct dealing bet
ween PADI and voluntary organisations. Projects need not be
63sent through State Governments or Government agencies. It is
PADI’s job to obtain concurrence and clearances from variousquarters. Secondly, it was indicated that delays in getting con
currence of State Governments would not be allowed to hold.
up sanction of projects indefinitely. State Governments will be
given only three months within which they have to make up
their minds whether to support a project or not. If no reply isreceived, State Government’s concurrence will be dispensed
with. We were also told that even if State Government givesan adverse report, it will not be binding on PADI and an inde
pendent view can be taken. Third and the most important
point which came up was that PADI wants to use voluntary
organisations themselves in canvassing projects for PADI, in
assisting other organisations in formulation of projects, in
appraising projects and even in monitoring projects. Hitherto,.
these tasks were considered purely official functions of PADI’s
secretariat. Now PADI will share with voluntary organisationsthese responsibilities. I am certain that this experiment will help
in bringing a breath of fresh air in the whole system of project
formulation and appraisal. Now it is for voluntary organisa
tions to find out how far they can go in motivating organisa
tions in their contact to seek project assistance, to help them in
preparing projects and to undertake pre-funding project apprai
sal work on behalf of PADI. If we are able to take up these
tasks, we will justify our being called coordinating agencies with
networks in the voluntary sector. Lastly, the Conference discus
sed various Government schemes which are available for volun
tary sector. In this respect, the main point which emerged wasthat the guidelines applicable to the schemes as implemented
by Government will have to be suitably modified to enable
voluntary organisations to implement them. There should not
be any rigidities in the guidelines. I would now request General
Secretary, PADI to make some concluding remarks.
Shri T.C.A. Srinivasaramanujan : This Conference has
been a very interesting experience for PADI. Many useful
points have been made about Government, PADI and voluntary
organisations and I am sure that, based on the discussions,
64
■constructive steps will be initiated. PADI is restructuring itself
•and is always conscious that there is a considerable leeway to be
made up. One objective of the Conference is to shake off the
legacy of looking at projects from a purely official angle. We
want that voluntary organisations should advise PADI in for
mulation of projects and should recommend acceptance or rejec
tion of projects. I would like each one of you to play the role
' of a network agency, contact other voluntary organisations, pre
pare their projects for PADI’s support and also indicate the
geographical area and field of interest in which you can accept
the responsibility for project appraisal for PADI. This will be a
good follow up of this Conference.
Shri Manoranjan Mandal : Friends, it is my pleasant
■duty to propose a vote of thanks. I take this opportunity to
thank all the representatives of voluntary organisations who
have travelled long distances and spared their valuable time in
‘I participating in this Conference. I also thank the Government
■officials who came to this conference and enriched its proceed
ings. I trust that this will be the first of a series of such meetings
among voluntary organisations to redefine our role and rede
marcate the lines of cooperation among ourselves and with
Government agencies. We are leaving this Conference with a
sense of satisfaction and with stirrings of hope that the promise
■of a greater role of voluntary organisations in rural develop
ment held out in the Conference would be fulfilled.
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