1. Evaluation of Revised Long Term Action
Plan for KBK Districts of Orissa |
Jacob George |
| Introduction |
| The present study is an evaluation of the Long Term Action Plan
Project, implemented in the erstwhile three Kalahandi, Bolangir and
Koraput (KBK) districts of Orissa from 1998 to 2006-07. Recently these
were devided into 8 districts for administrative convenience. The basic
premises of Revised Long Term Action Plan (RLTAP) include drought
proofing and poverty alleviation through conservation of natural resources
and mobilising poor for bringing about improvement in their employment
and income opportunities. The project was also taken up for industry
and infrastructure and employment generation besides for provision of
drinking water, health and nutrition. |
| Objectives |
| * To study the physical and financial progress of all projects/ schemes
under RLTAP |
| * To examine and document the role of people (stakeholders) and
people's organisations in planning, implementation and monitoring
of different projects |
| * To assess the extent of benefits accrued to the target groups both
in the short and long term; and |
| * To analyse the effectiveness of the existing administrative system
and suggest improvement measures |
| Study Area and Methodology |
| The study was taken up in the nature of quick evaluation study as
per the request of the Government of Orissa to examine the above
mentioned objectives. Secondary data were collected at the State and
district levels and also discussions were held with different departments/officials who were involved in the implementation of the project. Apart
from the secondary data, various participatory techniques were used in
the evaluation. The study relied more on physical verification of projects
and discussion with stakeholders. Instead of a detailed questionnaire,
semi-structured interviews of stakeholders at various levels were held.
Focus group discussions were also held with stakeholders. Apart from
officials, few non-governmental organisations working in the area were
also contacted. The study covered mainly 11 activities, which were
grouped into 3 major areas : (1) Agriculture and allied activities ; (2)
Industry, infrastructure and employment ; and (3) Drinking water, health
and nutrition. Six experts each were assigned with collecting information
regarding these three sectors.. |
| Findings |
The RLTAP is an attempt to bring this region in Orissa on par
with rest of the country. It is a regional development plan, where apart
from Central assistance, convergence of resources from all other sources
was also thought of. The project consisted of a Central special plan with
a Central plan component of Rs.3083.10 crore and a state share
component of Rs. 798.66 crore.
During the nine-year period of the project, an estimated amount of
Rs.3083 crore was to be released from the Government of India.
However in eight years, only Rs. 1193.95 crore was released, i.e., approx.
38.73 per cent of the Central share. It may also be noted that during the
first five years, the implementation was very tardy. Of the Rs.444 crore
received from the Government of India in the first five years, only an
amount of Rs.317 crore was spent, i.e., 71 per cent of the amount released.
The tardy progress could be attributed to slow release of money
from the Government of India on the one hand and slow progress in
implementation on the other. The constraints faced include: (1) Even
though the three KBK districts were divided into eight districts, the staff
position was not increased commensurate with the number of districts; (2) The decision making process was mostly centralised with project
sanction (both technical and administrative) resting with the State capital;
(3) The social and economic backwardness of the area itself makes the
implementation difficult; (4) The very low level of literacy on the one
hand and the large scale seasonal migration on the other made the process
of participatory planning and implementation difficult; (5) In the initial
years the State did not make any effort to involve the Panchayat; (6) The
process of getting yearly sanction of the project from the Planning
Commission instead of a five-year project sanction added to the misery;
(7) The focus of the project changed from year to year based on the
direction of the Planning Commission; and (8) Money was received
mostly in the last quarter of the financial year.
Even though there was some sluggishness, both in the quantum of
financial releases from the Centre and in the process of implementation,
the project picked some momentum from the sixth year onwards. The
effort by the Government of India to start the Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojana
helped through more easy flow of funds. The State Government had
taken several initiatives to improve project implementation. This includes
making Revenue Divisional Commissioners (northern and southern) and
Deputy Chief Administrators, delegating higher financial and
administrative powers to these officers, including as the District Collector. |
Specific Suggestions Sector-wise
Watershed Programme |
1. Convergence of efforts of other relevant sectors like agriculture,
horticulture, forestry, etc., is necessary to obtain optimum results
of watershed programme.
2. Hariyali guidelines are to be adopted in implementing watershed
programme.
3. Constraints in the flow of funds were observed in the
implementation of watershed programme. There is need for
adequate and timely flow of funds |
| Afforestation Programme |
As far as possible plantations should be of Non-Timber Forest
Produce (NTFP) variety.
Raising plantation of aromatic and medicinal plants through Self-
Help Group (SHG) formed within the Vana Samrakshna Samiti
(VSS) should be undertaken for economic upliftment of rural poor,
especially tribals.
Repeated training of cutting edge forest staff should be undertaken.
Development of decentralised nurseries through SHGs should be
encouraged.
More of people’s participation in planning and implementation
with total control of funds to VSS is necessary for higher level of
success.
As per the JFM approach, 50 per cent share of the final harvest
and 100 per cent of intermediate products have to be given to the
VSS. However, the VSS is not very confident about this, as the
members do not feel that they are co-managers of the project. The
VSS needs to be involved as an equal partner. |
| Water Resource Development |
The NREGP funds should be utilised effectively for land
development and creation of irrigation channels for optimising the
output of water resource development.
For improved efficiency in water use, Warabandi system needs to
be introduced.
There is a need for upward revision of the cost of implementing
the project from the existing Rs.35,000 per ha.
The members of the Pani Panchayat need to be trained intensively
for effective management. |
| Agriculture |
The agricultural extension system is found to be extremely weak,
hence efforts should be made to strengthen the extension system
by appointing agriculture graduates on a project basis.
Presently the farmers are dependent on private sources for crucial
inputs like seeds, finance etc. If one were to learn from the
experiences of other states, farmers may face problems in the long
run. Efforts were needed from the government to provide certified
seeds and also facilitate finances from the formal sectors.
Agricultural implements can be given to SHG groups - one may
try to form young educated unemployed ST groups for this purpose.
There is a need to effectively try water conservation including
encouraging drip and sprinkler irrigation in horticultural crops. In
this regard, subsidy norms may be revised.
Excessive dependence on the private sector without proper
governmental regulation can land the farmers in deep trouble. |
| Horticulture |
Generation and supply of quality planting material should be the
responsibility of horticulture department. This may be achieved
with the help of trained SHGs.
Onion storage facility may be increased.
There is a need to have a definite target for SC/ST communities in
this scheme.
There is a need to establish mini cold storage facilities to protect
farmers from price fluctuations. |
| Fisheries |
The quality of the reservoirs needs to be improved by de-silting
and clearing of weeds, imparting training to the SHG members to
improve efficiency.
The tax imposed on fish needs to be reduced. |
| Animal Husbandry |
| As the awareness level of the people is low, there is little or no
demand for veterinary services. In this context, there is a need for
a proactive approach to animal health care and for breed
improvement in the KBK districts. |
| Rural Connectivity |
The Rural Works Department is to be created at the district level
by drawing personnel from different engineering departments. The
additional staff have to be hired through an agency for a definite period.
The entire planning and implementation should be done at the district
level by the Rural Works Department. Delay in allotment of funds,
splitting up of works and allowing sub-contractors have severely affected
the quality of work. There is a need to ensure strict quality standards,
may be by providing a five-year maintenance clause in the contract.
All the funds earmaked for connectivity are to be pooled at the
district level and implementation should be done by the newly created
Rural Works Department. NREAP funds may be used for new road
formation whereas RLTAP funds used for black topping. As a large gap
still exists with regard to rural connectivity, there is a need for allocation
of more funds to this key sector. |
| Residential Clusters |
| There is a need to construct residential clusters in all the district
headquarters wherever facilities are yet to be created. |
| Market Complexes |
The management of the market complexes is to be entrusted to
SHGs, preferably tribal SHGs wherever possible. Clear-cut policy may
be drafted regarding levying of user charges. The tribals who are bringing
their own agricultural produce may not be charged at these market
complexes.
A building may be designed for each village with more than 500
population, which can be used as an Anganwadi centre, the
emergency feeding centre can also be used for community TV
centre in the KBK districts. |
| KBK Hostels |
Even though this is one of the most successful schemes which
helped the tribals to a maximum extent, funds were allotted only in the
initial years of the RLTAP. There is a need to continue this scheme with
allocation of larger quantum of funds.
As these hostels are for girl children up to V standard there is a
need to extend it to at least VII standard. The food expense per child
which is fixed at Rs.258 per month is insufficient and needs to be
enhanced on a continuous basis based on the price index. Board facility
or a stipend may be given to these ST girls who are from the villages,
where the hostels are located and are not eligible for accommodation in
the hostel. The existing Kanyashram should be expanded and upgraded
up to X standard. |
| Pre-recruitment and Vocational Training |
| The recruitment training can be imparted through the existing
Extension Training Centres located in the region. Vocational Training
should be imparted and the funds allotted should be effectively utilised. |
| Handloom and Handicrafts |
There is a need to encourage public-private partnership in
promoting tribal products. More artisan centres need to be developed.
There is a need to ensure adequate supply of Hank Yarn at reasonable
rates to the production units.
The Apex Marketing Society needs to be reorganised and
strengthened. Approximate strategy for reviving the Primary Weavers
Cooperative Societies may be worked out and implemented. Most of
the crafts as well as the handlooms engaged in traditional variety need to
be upgraded to undertake diversified market-oriented products. |
| Urban Drinking Water |
People and peoples’ institutions like urban local bodies have to be
involved in planning, implementation and monitoring; otherwise,
the scheme cannot become sustainable.
A decision involving the people concerning the water rates needs
to be taken before implementation of the scheme.
Even the location of the stand post has to be made in consultation
with people and the operation and maintenance of the stand post
has to be entrusted to street committees. |
| Rural Drinking Water Supply |
Efforts should be made to provide protected water to few uncovered
villages.
There is a need for capacity building of the PRI members before
handing over the maintenance of rural drinking water supply.
The role of stakeholders needs to be clearly defined (PRI, DRWS
and community).
More funds should be allocated for maintenance of rural drinking
water supply. |
| Mobile Health Unit (MHU) |
There is a shortage of almost 2000 doctors in KBK district as per
the Director, Health Services, Government of Orissa. There is a
need to give higher remuneration to doctors working in mobile
health units as the work is more tedious and risky.
A single visit for an hour a month may not be enough to provide
health care to villagers. There is a need to increase the MHUs
from one per block to at least two per block and in bigger blocks to
three, to ensure at least two visits to villages.
Effective monitoring mechanisms regarding the functioning of
MHU should be developed for involving people and Panchayats. |
| Emergency Feeding Programme |
Given the level of poverty and the level of migration, leaving the
old and infirm indicates a need for continuing this programme with
vigour as this is the most vulnerable section prone to starvation
deaths.
The per capita cost of food is Rs.2.70 at present which is inadequate
and should be raised to Rs.5.00 per day.
Infrastructural facilities for cooking food, storage of rations along
with drinkings water facility should be provided at the feeding
centres.
Panchayat should be made responsible for monitoring the scheme.
There is a need to prepare a long-term perspective plan at the
district level and get it approved by the State and the Planning
Commission at the apex level, so that there is a clear-cut direction for
the five-year plan period.
Plans have to be made from the lowest Panchayat level involving
people through people’s institutions and should be aggregated at the
block and district levels.
Separate provision/ demarcation of funds should be made in
proportion to the SC and ST population. Specific projects and programme
should be prepared for their overall development.
Funds should be made over directly to the district so that there is
no delay in transfer of money from the State government for the smooth
implementation of projects.
During the last three to four years, the entire KBK funds from the
Centre were received almost only in the last quarter of the financial year.
There is a need to ensure quarterly fund flow right from the first quarter
of the financial year, as implementation of the projects is more difficult
in these areas. |
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