Ground Realities of Convergence for Agriculture Development

By Dr. J.S. SamraCEO, NRAA, New Delhi

06-12-2008

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• RKVY is an innovative scheme to manage resources and fill up gaps

• Convergence, coordination and networking are essential to harmonise with other progressive policies, programmes and investment portfolios

• Decentralized comprehensive planning is now a constitutional requirement

Continued

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• Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions and Potential Links Plans (PLP) of NABARD is emphasized in the RKVY guidelines

• Guidelines of NREGA, Watershed Development Projects etc. also support convergence

• BRGF and other pools of untied funds also provide opportunities for convergence

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A Unique Example of Convergence at Village Hiware Bazar, District Ahmednagar, Maharashtra

• Resources of 9 schemes were converged by the village level institutions under the dedicated leadership of Shri Popat Rao Pawar

• BPL families reduced from 162 (93% of the total families in 1992) to only 3 in 2007

• Out of 80 permanently migrated families, 50 returned back

• About 90% of the families used to migrate for four months a year which has completely stopped

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RKVY 75% New proposals

25% gap filling

• NWDPRA• IWMP . Micro Irrigation . AGWR, AIBP. CAMPA• Hort. & Bamboo Mission

• NREGA (40% material)•SGSY (Self employment)•Vth & VIth schedule

Forest & Agriculture shared Watershed

•BRGF •State Finance Commission•MPLAD•Others

•Planning at the grass-rootPlanning at the grass-root

Convergence Opportunities

Participatory Planning is the Key

“In the past State used to plan for the people”“Now people are planning for the State”

• However many villages reported that the plans prepared at the village level get lost in the district plan document

• In some cases when we asked for district plan they submitted BRGF plan because they received funds for the preparation of documents from the Panchayati Raj Ministry

Continued

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• In other case they submitted RKVY plan since funds for the exercise were received form the Ministry of Agriculture

This indicated ignorance about a comprehensive development plan

• Some of the District Planning Officers told that they normally compile statistics and prepare annual district report rather than doing planning

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APPROVAL PROCEDURE AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL

Different patterns were observed in different states which could be categorized as follows

i)Schemes having definite budgetary allocation for the district, block and village Panchayats etc. are approved by the DPC

ii)Another set of schemes related to health, education and sanitation are approved by a Committee Chaired by District Collector

Continued

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iii) Some of the schemes are approved by the head of the line Departments

iv) Duplication, overlapping, conflicts and loss of synergies is a serious casuality

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CONVERGENCE WITH NREGA

•Current year budget of this scheme is Rs. 26,500 crores and is a large investment portfolio

•Guidelines prescribed 80% of works to be land, water and vegetation related. About 10% connectivity related and 10% any others

•In Rajasthan about 80% of the activities were related to rain water conservation, desilting of water bodies, digging / construction of ponds

Continued

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• In the North East States, villagers accorded highest priority on the village link roads

• In Andhra funds of NHM and micro-irrigation were converged to NREGA

• In Punjab and Haryana NREGA funds were given to the Irrigation Department for renovation of the canal systems and Irrigation Department was reluctant to implement

Continued

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• Real convergence will happen if the line Department implements the NREGA scheme but they are reluctant due to lot of paper work and transparent payment procedures

• In most of the States more then 90% of the implementation is being made by the Panchayats against stipulated 50%

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BRGF

•It is untied fund

•Gaps in the ongoing or other schemes can be filled up

•However more than 90% budget has been utilized in civil and contracted works. Improving livelihood is ignored

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If you ask me the best and sustained watersheds they will be where forest and downstream private lands where treated simultaneously. Although livestock related interventions were not supported milk and meat became major source of enhanced income. However, this is most difficult convergence

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Agriculture and Forest shared watersheds

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THANK YOU