empowering tribal community through village coordination ... · halls, cc roads with drainage, road...
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EMPOWERING TRIBAL COMMUNITY THROUGH VILLAGE COORDINATION GROUPS
…Towards accessing government schemes and services
August 2017 P. Rajanikanth & Gargi Das
Supported By
ISBN : 978-93-83820-42-9For private circulation only
Centre for People’s Forestry12-13-483/39, Street No 14, Lane 6
Nagarjuna Nagar ColonyTarnaka, Secunderabad, 500017
Phone: 040 2715 4484www.cpf.in I [email protected]
According to national census 2015, 6.9% of the country’s tribal population is in united Andhra Pradesh. Presently, 9.08% of the tribal population is living in Telangana state and 5.3% in Andhra Pradesh. Most of the tribal communities are living in forest areas. In a state tribal population is being classified as three areas i.e. fully scheduled mandals, partly scheduled mandals and non-scheduled mandals. According to these classifications, Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) and Modified Area Development Agency (MADA) are the agencies that are working on tribal welfare and development. In comparison to last one generation, presently more basic services are being offered to the tribal community such as primary education, basic health services, approaching roads to villages and drinking water facilities. To the successful implementation of these services, community based organizations are provisioned such as School Management Committee (SMC), Mothers Committee (MC), Self Help Group (SHG) with a federation of VO (Village Organization), Vana Samrakshna Samithies (VSS), Forest Rights Committee (FRC) etc. Also in each village or Gram Panchayat (GP) level, elected representatives i.e. sarpanch and ward members are expected to pursue for sanction of schemes and implement the sanctioned in the village. During 2012 -15, CPF implemented defferent projects in 72 tribal villages that are belongs to three ITDAs i.e. Paderu (Visakhapatnam district), Seethampteta (Srikakulam district) and Utnoor (Adilabad district). During the implementation of the project, it was understood that, most of the tribal community is still unable to access the eligible schemes and services to their villages and for Individual. It was also observed that, lack of coordination between CBOs and elected representatives is leading to failing in submission of application/petitions to the concern government department or not doing follow up on the submitted applications.
In the above back ground, CPF came with an idea
of forming a group with representation from each CBOs and elected representatives in the village, to ensure coordination and perseverance on submitted applications to the government. Ideally the group was named as Village Coordination Group (VCG).During 2015 – 16, CPF succeeded to do the forming and facilitation of VCGs in all 72 Villages with the existing donor support for the period of 2015 – 18. In April 2015, VCG formation was done in all the 72 villages. Along with the government formed CBOs, representation was encouraged from the other groups such as water user groups, youth groups, Farmers Club and Village Development Committees (formed by CPF for Maa Thota project purpose).
Gender concern has been taken care while forming the all 70 VCGs and overall 49% of the women in total 892 members. Trainings have been provided to these VCGs on identifying & prioritizing the issues, approaching appropriate department to submit the applications and persuasion skills for receiving sanctions. Most of the VCGs meetings are being presided by Sarpanch, ward member or any elder person in the Group. They will review the implementation of each CBO performance, concerns, issues and requirements.
Page 2 Page 11
Children below 5 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers have been focused to receive the services under the health. Individual Sanitary Latrine (ISL) and sanitation at schools and anganwadi centers have been focused under the sanitation.
During the pregnancy, all women are being motivated to have medicine and nutritious food at the Anganwadi centre. All the women are being encouraged to go for institution delivery. During 2016–17, 100% (54) institution delivery happened
only in 15 villages in Paderu ITDA area. In 14 villages in Seethampeta ITDA, 50% (22 out of 44) of institution deliveries took place. Similarly, Institution Deliveries are 84% (138 out of 163) in Utnoor mandal and 8% (22 out of 277) in Narnoor mandal of Utnoor ITDA area. The VCG is reviewing the situation of provisions stock at Anganwadi centers to provide nutrition food for Children below five years, pregnant women and lactating mothers. If there is any coordination problem between mandal and village ICDS center
Health & Sanitation
After submission of applications/ petitions, follow up is being done by the VCG members. CPF introduced the interface meeting between VCG members and government officials. Local NGO or CPF field offices are conducting these meetings. This meeting is being used as a platform to community to represent their concerns towards long pending applications/ petitions. During the meetings, majority of the mandal/ district officers are responding positively after these interface meetings. Also, all government officials are sharing the details of schemes and benefits available to the community from their departments. This information is again being shared in VCG and Village meetings.
Interface meeting with government of�icials
Page 10 Page 3
Children below 5 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers have been focused to receive the services under the health. Individual Sanitary Latrine (ISL) and sanitation at schools and anganwadi centers have been focused under the sanitation.
During the pregnancy, all women are being motivated to have medicine and nutritious food at the Anganwadi centre. All the women are being encouraged to go for institution delivery. During 2016–17, 100% (54) institution delivery happened
only in 15 villages in Paderu ITDA area. In 14 villages in Seethampeta ITDA, 50% (22 out of 44) of institution deliveries took place. Similarly, Institution Deliveries are 84% (138 out of 163) in Utnoor mandal and 8% (22 out of 277) in Narnoor mandal of Utnoor ITDA area. The VCG is reviewing the situation of provisions stock at Anganwadi centers to provide nutrition food for Children below five years, pregnant women and lactating mothers. If there is any coordination problem between mandal and village ICDS center
Education
As 0 to 5 years children are covered under Health, 5 to 14 years children education was focused in this section. Government has provisioned to constitute a committee for managing school, with parents and local leaders. This committee is named as School Management Committee (SMC). This committee is expected to look after the re-joining the dropout children,
teacher/s regularity to school, implementation of mid-day meals and sanitation. However, to improve the school and its premises conditions, discussions went in several VCGs. VCG facilitated the submission of applications through SMC, for the kitchen sheds, toilets, compound wall and extra class rooms. In some areas SMC requested for the renovation of the school building.
(Anganwadi), VCG is facilitating to submit application by mothers committee and perusing to receive the same. Also applications are made to receive weighing machine, sanitation in the Anganwadi centers, for the recruitment of teacher/ helper and for new centers, according to the requirements. Along with nutritious food, focus has been done on the regular immunization. Other than these services, Incentive for institution delivery is also being availed by women.
Individual Sanitary Latrine (ISL) is the key for human well being and dignity. In this context, applications have been submitted for ISL for the eligible households. Along with HHs, applications
have been submitted for the Anganwadi schools.
In January, 2017, potability of drinking water testing has been done for the one predominant source of all 72 villages. Out of these sources 26 are safe, 29 will become safe after recommended process and 17 are not at all safe (due to floride). After sharing the result with VCGs, applications have been submitted in ITDAs and RWSS to do the purification or for new source (the villages having total unsafe drinking water source). After these submissions, now 19 sources are being periodically treated for making water as safe.
Flow chart of VCG
functioning
Page 4 Page 9
In tribal areas, most of the children do support their parents in harvesting season of agriculture. Also, the school going children will protect the harvested produce from birds and animals. After this, some students will not show interest and they will delay in going to school and they will become drop outs. To mitigate this issue, VCGs are doing campaign and motivating parents to send their schools. In some areas, VCG is asking farmers to help each other in harvesting time, instead of taking support from their children. In April 2015, the village level school dropout rate
was more or similar with district statistics. Presently, the dropout rate has come down.
After the continuous efforts of VCG efforts in Chittaguda village, Narnoor mandal, Utnoor ITDA; got sanctioned for extra class rooms, one dining hall and shed for kitchen. Total 48 lakhs has been sanctioned for this village and work is under progress. The status of ITDA wise submitted applications is in the following chart. Total Rs. 65 lakhs have been sanctioned and 3.81 lakhs have been utilized for school development.
Several VCGs applied for houses under Indira Awas Yojanas for the needy households. Also applications have been submitted for street lights, drinking water supply system, community halls, CC roads with drainage, road construction between villages, Village to main road and bridge
construction on water bodies. Total 108 applications have been submitted for community level infrastructure. Out of these, 29 works are completed, 30 works got sanctioned & works is under progress and 4 works received sanctions
Extra class room construction in Chittaguda village (Utnoor ITDA)
Infrastructure Development
CC road construction in R. Kothuru (Paderu ITDA) Road construction in Anthakapalli (Seethampeta ITDA)
Page 8 Page 5
Livelihoods
Natural resources are the base for livelihood of tribal community. Forest, land and water are the major source for their livelihoods. Anciently, tribal community was mostly depended on the forest for part of their food security (uncultivated food) and money (collection and selling of NTFPs) for their other needs. Since couple of decades, as the forest being degraded; the tribal dependency on forest is also becoming less. Hence now the focus is going on Agriculture. Due to the interventions of Seethampeta ITDA, Tribals are having horticulture plantation in their podu sloppy lands. This happened before twenty years.
Traditionally, tribal are having good knowledge in agriculture. However, the changing climatic and terrain (hill) conditions, tribal are facing crop losses. After the intervention of CPF, all the VCGs and Farmer Clubs understood the remedial measures that are required to make their agriculture without losses. Almost all VCGs facilitated the submission of applications to rural development through MGNREGS on land development works, SMC works and Narayan Deotao Pandharipande (NADEP) compost pits.
Also applications have been submitted for bullock for ploughing, requests have been submitted for input subsidies. In Utnoor ITDA area, CPF and VCGs made efforts to provide crop loan for the agriculture land titled under FRA 2006; as per amended rules in 2012. This effort resulted in receiving crop loan to the farmers in 43 villages. The replication is being attempted in other two ITDA areas.
Irrigation is the major option for enhancing the income in agriculture. Applications have been submitted in all three ITDAs such as creating/ repair of irrigation canals, repair of Mini Percolation Tank (MPT), construction/ repair of check dams etc. On behalf of farmers, several VCGs facilitated submission of applications for open well/ bore well under the Indira Jala Prabha (IJP – Telangana) or NTR Jala Siri (In Andhra Pradesh).
In Utnoor ITDA area, farmers applied for mango trees for either gap plantation, for the plantation supported under other projects. CPF made efforts to promote intercrop in horticulture plantation, to gain additional income from the same land. All
S.No Particulars Applications Sanctioned and No. of HHs Submitted work completed benefited
1 Land development and 24 19 108 bund construction2 Irrigation through surface water 28 16 172 (New / repairs to check dams/ canals)3 Bore/ open wells*** 6 3 1084 Input subsidies** 36 24 3575 Crop loans* 8 2 10246 bullocks/ cows for agriculture 8 0 07 small ruminants and hens 3 3 158 Fish seed 6 2 1169 Animal health camp 1 1 1510 Wage out of forest works 8 7 288
Total: 128 77 2203
Notes: *All farmers in Utnoor ITDA area are receiving crop loans after all VCGs pressure building through CPF facilitation.** Most of the farmers in Utnoor ITDA (Utnoor mandal) are receiving input subsidies after getting crop loans.*** VCGs in Utnoor ITDA did follow up for the submitted applications before VCG formation and got sanctions.
Table 1: Details of HHs livelihood enhancement through various activities
the VCGs in Seethampeta ITDA; applied for seed/ saplings of turmeric/ ginger/ pineapple. Most of the farmers have received the seed or saplings for intercropping and gaining at least Rs. 2,500/- per acre per year through intercrop. Gradually, this additional income will be increased to the farmers. Couple of VCGs applied for plantation in their community forest land and received the same. Also some VCGs applied for seed to cultivate fish in their existing ponds and received the same.
Most of the tribal do not sell the milk of livestock. However livestock is helping ploughing process and their byproducts are being used in preparation of organic fertilizer. Couple of VCGs made efforts to receive cows, bullocks, sheep, goats and hens to the farmers/ land less households.
Page 6 Page 7
Irrigation canal at GeddamPuttu to support 360 acres(Paderu ITDA)
Livelihoods
Natural resources are the base for livelihood of tribal community. Forest, land and water are the major source for their livelihoods. Anciently, tribal community was mostly depended on the forest for part of their food security (uncultivated food) and money (collection and selling of NTFPs) for their other needs. Since couple of decades, as the forest being degraded; the tribal dependency on forest is also becoming less. Hence now the focus is going on Agriculture. Due to the interventions of Seethampeta ITDA, Tribals are having horticulture plantation in their podu sloppy lands. This happened before twenty years.
Traditionally, tribal are having good knowledge in agriculture. However, the changing climatic and terrain (hill) conditions, tribal are facing crop losses. After the intervention of CPF, all the VCGs and Farmer Clubs understood the remedial measures that are required to make their agriculture without losses. Almost all VCGs facilitated the submission of applications to rural development through MGNREGS on land development works, SMC works and Narayan Deotao Pandharipande (NADEP) compost pits.
Also applications have been submitted for bullock for ploughing, requests have been submitted for input subsidies. In Utnoor ITDA area, CPF and VCGs made efforts to provide crop loan for the agriculture land titled under FRA 2006; as per amended rules in 2012. This effort resulted in receiving crop loan to the farmers in 43 villages. The replication is being attempted in other two ITDA areas.
Irrigation is the major option for enhancing the income in agriculture. Applications have been submitted in all three ITDAs such as creating/ repair of irrigation canals, repair of Mini Percolation Tank (MPT), construction/ repair of check dams etc. On behalf of farmers, several VCGs facilitated submission of applications for open well/ bore well under the Indira Jala Prabha (IJP – Telangana) or NTR Jala Siri (In Andhra Pradesh).
In Utnoor ITDA area, farmers applied for mango trees for either gap plantation, for the plantation supported under other projects. CPF made efforts to promote intercrop in horticulture plantation, to gain additional income from the same land. All
S.No Particulars Applications Sanctioned and No. of HHs Submitted work completed benefited
1 Land development and 24 19 108 bund construction2 Irrigation through surface water 28 16 172 (New / repairs to check dams/ canals)3 Bore/ open wells*** 6 3 1084 Input subsidies** 36 24 3575 Crop loans* 8 2 10246 bullocks/ cows for agriculture 8 0 07 small ruminants and hens 3 3 158 Fish seed 6 2 1169 Animal health camp 1 1 1510 Wage out of forest works 8 7 288
Total: 128 77 2203
Notes: *All farmers in Utnoor ITDA area are receiving crop loans after all VCGs pressure building through CPF facilitation.** Most of the farmers in Utnoor ITDA (Utnoor mandal) are receiving input subsidies after getting crop loans.*** VCGs in Utnoor ITDA did follow up for the submitted applications before VCG formation and got sanctions.
Table 1: Details of HHs livelihood enhancement through various activities
the VCGs in Seethampeta ITDA; applied for seed/ saplings of turmeric/ ginger/ pineapple. Most of the farmers have received the seed or saplings for intercropping and gaining at least Rs. 2,500/- per acre per year through intercrop. Gradually, this additional income will be increased to the farmers. Couple of VCGs applied for plantation in their community forest land and received the same. Also some VCGs applied for seed to cultivate fish in their existing ponds and received the same.
Most of the tribal do not sell the milk of livestock. However livestock is helping ploughing process and their byproducts are being used in preparation of organic fertilizer. Couple of VCGs made efforts to receive cows, bullocks, sheep, goats and hens to the farmers/ land less households.
Page 6 Page 7
Irrigation canal at GeddamPuttu to support 360 acres(Paderu ITDA)
In tribal areas, most of the children do support their parents in harvesting season of agriculture. Also, the school going children will protect the harvested produce from birds and animals. After this, some students will not show interest and they will delay in going to school and they will become drop outs. To mitigate this issue, VCGs are doing campaign and motivating parents to send their schools. In some areas, VCG is asking farmers to help each other in harvesting time, instead of taking support from their children. In April 2015, the village level school dropout rate
was more or similar with district statistics. Presently, the dropout rate has come down.
After the continuous efforts of VCG efforts in Chittaguda village, Narnoor mandal, Utnoor ITDA; got sanctioned for extra class rooms, one dining hall and shed for kitchen. Total 48 lakhs has been sanctioned for this village and work is under progress. The status of ITDA wise submitted applications is in the following chart. Total Rs. 65 lakhs have been sanctioned and 3.81 lakhs have been utilized for school development.
Several VCGs applied for houses under Indira Awas Yojanas for the needy households. Also applications have been submitted for street lights, drinking water supply system, community halls, CC roads with drainage, road construction between villages, Village to main road and bridge
construction on water bodies. Total 108 applications have been submitted for community level infrastructure. Out of these, 29 works are completed, 30 works got sanctioned & works is under progress and 4 works received sanctions
Extra class room construction in Chittaguda village (Utnoor ITDA)
Infrastructure Development
CC road construction in R. Kothuru (Paderu ITDA) Road construction in Anthakapalli (Seethampeta ITDA)
Page 8 Page 5
Children below 5 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers have been focused to receive the services under the health. Individual Sanitary Latrine (ISL) and sanitation at schools and anganwadi centers have been focused under the sanitation.
During the pregnancy, all women are being motivated to have medicine and nutritious food at the Anganwadi centre. All the women are being encouraged to go for institution delivery. During 2016–17, 100% (54) institution delivery happened
only in 15 villages in Paderu ITDA area. In 14 villages in Seethampeta ITDA, 50% (22 out of 44) of institution deliveries took place. Similarly, Institution Deliveries are 84% (138 out of 163) in Utnoor mandal and 8% (22 out of 277) in Narnoor mandal of Utnoor ITDA area. The VCG is reviewing the situation of provisions stock at Anganwadi centers to provide nutrition food for Children below five years, pregnant women and lactating mothers. If there is any coordination problem between mandal and village ICDS center
Education
As 0 to 5 years children are covered under Health, 5 to 14 years children education was focused in this section. Government has provisioned to constitute a committee for managing school, with parents and local leaders. This committee is named as School Management Committee (SMC). This committee is expected to look after the re-joining the dropout children,
teacher/s regularity to school, implementation of mid-day meals and sanitation. However, to improve the school and its premises conditions, discussions went in several VCGs. VCG facilitated the submission of applications through SMC, for the kitchen sheds, toilets, compound wall and extra class rooms. In some areas SMC requested for the renovation of the school building.
(Anganwadi), VCG is facilitating to submit application by mothers committee and perusing to receive the same. Also applications are made to receive weighing machine, sanitation in the Anganwadi centers, for the recruitment of teacher/ helper and for new centers, according to the requirements. Along with nutritious food, focus has been done on the regular immunization. Other than these services, Incentive for institution delivery is also being availed by women.
Individual Sanitary Latrine (ISL) is the key for human well being and dignity. In this context, applications have been submitted for ISL for the eligible households. Along with HHs, applications
have been submitted for the Anganwadi schools.
In January, 2017, potability of drinking water testing has been done for the one predominant source of all 72 villages. Out of these sources 26 are safe, 29 will become safe after recommended process and 17 are not at all safe (due to floride). After sharing the result with VCGs, applications have been submitted in ITDAs and RWSS to do the purification or for new source (the villages having total unsafe drinking water source). After these submissions, now 19 sources are being periodically treated for making water as safe.
Flow chart of VCG
functioning
Page 4 Page 9
Children below 5 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers have been focused to receive the services under the health. Individual Sanitary Latrine (ISL) and sanitation at schools and anganwadi centers have been focused under the sanitation.
During the pregnancy, all women are being motivated to have medicine and nutritious food at the Anganwadi centre. All the women are being encouraged to go for institution delivery. During 2016–17, 100% (54) institution delivery happened
only in 15 villages in Paderu ITDA area. In 14 villages in Seethampeta ITDA, 50% (22 out of 44) of institution deliveries took place. Similarly, Institution Deliveries are 84% (138 out of 163) in Utnoor mandal and 8% (22 out of 277) in Narnoor mandal of Utnoor ITDA area. The VCG is reviewing the situation of provisions stock at Anganwadi centers to provide nutrition food for Children below five years, pregnant women and lactating mothers. If there is any coordination problem between mandal and village ICDS center
Health & Sanitation
After submission of applications/ petitions, follow up is being done by the VCG members. CPF introduced the interface meeting between VCG members and government officials. Local NGO or CPF field offices are conducting these meetings. This meeting is being used as a platform to community to represent their concerns towards long pending applications/ petitions. During the meetings, majority of the mandal/ district officers are responding positively after these interface meetings. Also, all government officials are sharing the details of schemes and benefits available to the community from their departments. This information is again being shared in VCG and Village meetings.
Interface meeting with government of�icials
Page 10 Page 3
According to national census 2015, 6.9% of the country’s tribal population is in united Andhra Pradesh. Presently, 9.08% of the tribal population is living in Telangana state and 5.3% in Andhra Pradesh. Most of the tribal communities are living in forest areas. In a state tribal population is being classified as three areas i.e. fully scheduled mandals, partly scheduled mandals and non-scheduled mandals. According to these classifications, Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) and Modified Area Development Agency (MADA) are the agencies that are working on tribal welfare and development. In comparison to last one generation, presently more basic services are being offered to the tribal community such as primary education, basic health services, approaching roads to villages and drinking water facilities. To the successful implementation of these services, community based organizations are provisioned such as School Management Committee (SMC), Mothers Committee (MC), Self Help Group (SHG) with a federation of VO (Village Organization), Vana Samrakshna Samithies (VSS), Forest Rights Committee (FRC) etc. Also in each village or Gram Panchayat (GP) level, elected representatives i.e. sarpanch and ward members are expected to pursue for sanction of schemes and implement the sanctioned in the village. During 2012 -15, CPF implemented defferent projects in 72 tribal villages that are belongs to three ITDAs i.e. Paderu (Visakhapatnam district), Seethampteta (Srikakulam district) and Utnoor (Adilabad district). During the implementation of the project, it was understood that, most of the tribal community is still unable to access the eligible schemes and services to their villages and for Individual. It was also observed that, lack of coordination between CBOs and elected representatives is leading to failing in submission of application/petitions to the concern government department or not doing follow up on the submitted applications.
In the above back ground, CPF came with an idea
of forming a group with representation from each CBOs and elected representatives in the village, to ensure coordination and perseverance on submitted applications to the government. Ideally the group was named as Village Coordination Group (VCG).During 2015 – 16, CPF succeeded to do the forming and facilitation of VCGs in all 72 Villages with the existing donor support for the period of 2015 – 18. In April 2015, VCG formation was done in all the 72 villages. Along with the government formed CBOs, representation was encouraged from the other groups such as water user groups, youth groups, Farmers Club and Village Development Committees (formed by CPF for Maa Thota project purpose).
Gender concern has been taken care while forming the all 70 VCGs and overall 49% of the women in total 892 members. Trainings have been provided to these VCGs on identifying & prioritizing the issues, approaching appropriate department to submit the applications and persuasion skills for receiving sanctions. Most of the VCGs meetings are being presided by Sarpanch, ward member or any elder person in the Group. They will review the implementation of each CBO performance, concerns, issues and requirements.
Page 2 Page 11
EMPOWERING TRIBAL COMMUNITY THROUGH VILLAGE COORDINATION GROUPS
…Towards accessing government schemes and services
August 2017 P. Rajanikanth & Gargi Das
Supported By
ISBN : 978-93-83820-42-9For private circulation only
Centre for People’s Forestry12-13-483/39, Street No 14, Lane 6
Nagarjuna Nagar ColonyTarnaka, Secunderabad, 500017
Phone: 040 2715 4484www.cpf.in I [email protected]