Kalahandi being considered as one of the disadvantaged and socio-economically backward district, millions of rupees are being spent through various Programme and schemes for poverty alleviation. But we can hardly notice any improvement in the situation. The food security issues are not been addressed properly, in spite of various Govt. schemes. Distressed migration still prevails at large and scheme like OREGS is unable to serve the purpose. In spite of the enactment of 73rd amendment, the local governance system has not attained the real sense of decentralization, which is evident from several cases in the print media.

KARRTABYA is working with the collaboration of Concern World Wide India in Budhidara and Bankpalash G.P. of Junagarh Block.  Objective of the program is to strengthen the PRI & CBOs to establish accountable governance for implementation of NREGS and other food security schemes to reduce poverty and hunger in selected 17 villages since August-07.

Major Activities undertaken:

• Orientation programme were conducted for capacity building of PRIs, CBOs, local leaders and SHGs for strengthening their functioning for effective implementation of the NREGS and food security schemes.
• Sensitization programme of community people was organized through awareness, rally, wall painting, village meeting, village meeting with NREGS committee, Home visit, Focus Group Discussion and meeting on land shed issues.

Out Put

• 543 people get Job Card
• 6, 26,810.00 Rupees generated during the year
• 10,447 nos of person days created
• 664 People demanded work
• Good lessoning with the line with Government department
• Participation of women increased in NREGA work
• People learn about their right

With the support of PRIA / DFID, KARRTABYA is working in 6 GPs (Tipiguda, Deydara, Kuhura, Phupgaon, Mandal & Dhansuli) from 6 Blocks of Dharamgarh sub-division for the poorest community and strengthen good governance system having the below Objectives:

• To initiate a peoples’ oriented planning process, taking the contextual in to account,
• Strengthening PRI through, capacitating the representatives and functionaries
• To facilitate the participatory planning with active involvement of community as well as PRI members
• To create awareness on food security schemes
• To gear up NREGS by generating demand for work through community mobilization.

To fulfill the above objectives we have done the following activities

Capacity building and orientation of PRI Members , CBO leaders and local youth

In order to create base for a participatory planning and a pro-active local governance system, we started capacity building of PRI members, SHG&CBO leaders and local youths on different thematic areas like- Micro plan Preparation, Common Property Resource Management, Functions of PRI, NREGS and RTI. Under this activity, 44 numbers of orientation & trainings have been conducted in 6 GPs of 6 Blocks.

Formation of village level monitoring committees

As a result of the orientation, with the initiative of the village volunteer and CBO leaders, several monitoring and facilitation centres were formed at village level. Where OREGS monitoring committee and NREGS facilitation centers were formed and are working actively.

Micro Plan Preparation

After equipped with the PRA method of planning, the village youths and PRI members took the leadership to prepare a micro level plan with active participation of the community. In this process, they prepared social map, resource map and identified the unutilized labour capacity in distribution. Then taking these things into account they prepared the village plan will they compiled later on to prepare a G.P. planning. In this process 42 nos. of village plan and 6 G.P. plans are done by the people.

Involvement & sensitization of Block administration as well as print media

To sensitize the block level officials and the media personnel’s regarding the implementation of OREGS and food security schemes, 6 nos. of G.P. level interface workshops have been conducted, where PRI members, CBOs leaders, Govt. officials and media representatives took part to have a open discussion. In this process several problems in implementation of such schemes were identified and decisions were made to sort them out.

Since last couple of years KARRTABYA has been emphasizing on sustainable rural livelihood programme with increased entitlement rights. It has initiated this intervention in 5 forest & hilly track villages of Junagarh block with the active participation of the beneficiaries. The programme is supported by IGSSS. Attractive programmes have been chalked out with micro level planning. The programmes are made to create long-term impacts and designed in such a manner that it will sustain with people’s participation even after the completion of the project. For the maintenance enough capacity building steps have already been taken up with proper guidance by project staff.

Sensitization workshop for PRI & VDC members on NREGA

A number of capacity building process of PRI members and village leaders are conducted with the selective active PRI members and villager at different pockets of the project area focusing on improvement on their knowledge and to create their interest for supportive role for the development of community as well as to lead the community people for demanding their rights at different levels and specially on NREGA.

Refresher training for Bare foot Lawyers

We have created bare foot Lawyers and imparted capacity building training to the local youth for the solution of people’s problems relating the legal affairs. Accordingly the bare foot lawyers are helping the community like application for ROR correction, application for land less people, etc.

Refresher training for Live Stock Workers

A 5 days refresher-training programme for the Live Stock workers was conducted at Kalyanimandap, Bhawanipatna where workers from our operational area participated. Resource person from veterinary department gave training to the worker. The workers are now effectively providing services in remote villages where service facilities are not available from Government Side.

Exposure visit of the Farmers

A 5 days exposure Programme was organized for the farmers to gain the experience and knowledge on cultivation. The programme was organized in to the working field of Seba Jagat, M. Rampur of Kalahandi.