LIFE project sharing with IIM-Ahemdabad team in "The Economic Times Power of Ideas Innovation awards"

Under the innovation India-power of Idea’s concept IIM-Ahmadabad (India The best Management institute) in collaboration with Department of Science and technology  (DST) and The Economic Times has invited LIFE project team to share the LIFE project model with IIM-Ahemdabad and DST  team on 17^th/11/2012 at JSS Academy of Technical Education and Enterprise park, Noida.

The power of idea’s concept is to recognise the innovation in India under various sectors and caritas India LIFE team has shared the model of LIFE project to mitigate migration and to increase agriculture production.

Caritas India team has shared the LIFE project model with the team and received a various feed back on how this could be a better social business model. In the workshop 15 innovative models of business were presented and our caritas India LIFE project model was the only model from the social sector. The whole day session were facilitated by an experienced team of IIM-A , IIT Rorrkee and DST. The key facilitators were: Dr. Raghunandan (Incubator and enterprise head –DST), Mr. Ashwin ( Visting faculty IIM-A and IIT rorkee), Mr. ANKUR (IIT Roorkee), Mr. Kapil gupta ( CEO-OMLOGIC communications), & Mr. Amar (Business consultant) .  In the entire day workshop key focus were:

·      Making any development or business project visible and self sustainable from its day one.

·     Usage of social media especially twitter and blog could attract key investors to invest in the project. In development project it would be the “future” to generate funds through social media nd blogs

·  The network called Indian angel supports form different innovative ideas http://www.indianangelnetwork.com/

·        SIDBI also supports for development based innovations http://www.iitk.ac.in/siic/

Result of the workshop:

·  Although we were not able to convince IIM-Ahemdabad and DST team (we cleared on 2 rounds of Power of Ideas Innovation) for further taking this idea for further round of innovation where IIM-A and DST would be supporting for 5-15 lakh finacial support and all technical support  to make the concept of LIFE project model operational, but for further innovation in LIFE project Caritas India could use the DST Incubator ( more you can see in the attached video of Dr. Raghunandan speech http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSee7--mCW4&feature=youtu.be )  and physically and virtually to strengthen the concept/idea.

For more on Power of IDEAS and LIFE project log on to www.liferajasthan.blogspot.com

Major achievement in Oct 2012 in LIFE project @RCDSSS Ajmer

·                     20 Farmers of Surajpura and Devliya village received training on Rabi cropping practices from KVK scientists. After the training they got 80 Kg. seed of wheat (Raj 4037) for demonstration in 3 bigha each unit through Krishi Vigyan Kendra.

·                 In Rabi Abhiyan 36 Farmers (24 M, 12 F) of Mavashiya Panchayat received 2 Kg. Mustered seed each unit free of cost. Similarly 72 packets of culture for seed treatment were distributed to the farmers.

·              14 Livestock rears received mineral mixture and digestion medicine for their cattles in Mavashiya panchayat through Rabi Abhiyan.

·                 69 male and 32 female and  farmers  trained in Khareef crop harvesting techniques during post harvesting practices training.

·                     46 farmers trained in making and use of  organic manure.

·                     Total 23 farmers got artificial insemination to their cattles through project support.

·                     20 farmers of Surajpura & Devliya got their soil test done voluntarily.

·             Hariom s/o Devi Singh of Nolkha village processed his license through our handholding support and got a driving job of Rs. 4500/- per month.

·          Two Death certificates were furnished for application for widow pension in Godiawas village.

·                     2 Women of Godiawas got Adhar Cards through our handholding.

·              An SHG of Devliya which is run by AWC received Bank Loan of Rs. 66500/- through our support.

·                     1872 people visited Rojgar Dhaba in this month.

Sharing of LIFE project with IIM-Ahemdabad

Under the innovation India-power of Idea’s concept IIM-Ahmadabad (India best management institute) in collaboration with Ministry of Science and technology and Economic Times has invited LIFE project team to share the model and IIM-A team would be assisting in developing this model on social profitable business model.  The concept and the model would be shared in the work shop in NOIDA on 17^th of Nov 2012.

The power of idea’s concept is to recognise the innovation in India under various sectors and Caritas India LIFE team has shared the model of LIFE project to mitigate migration and to increase agriculture production.

Linking community with government@LIFE Banswara

Rabi Crop Abhiyan of Agriculture Department

On 11, 12, 18 and 19 October 2012 Agriculture department of Kushalgarh have organised the Rabi Abhiya program for Rabi season serial wise in Kalingra, Potaliya, Mundari, Jhiklee and Timeda Bada Panchayat in which the effort of LFE team 122 farmers had benefited from LIFE targeted village. Sarpanch, Secretary, Agriculture officers and Dr. of vet nary department was the resource person of these Abhiyan.  The Sarpunch and secretary told to farmers about the MGNREGA and other government schemes. The agriculture officers told to farmers in detailed about the Modern agriculture techniques, how do to prepared land for Rabi season. He had also told to farmers about the free demonstration plot, 50 % subsidy in purchasing agriculture equipment and Pipe etc. The Dr. of vetnary department told to farmers about the disease of animal and its treatment and motivates to farmers for Livestock management and improve economic condition through earning more money. He had also told about the free Medical facility of Government schemes for the animals.

Source: Monthly report of LIFE project by SJVS-Banswara team 

Impact of LIFE project on making partners professionally strong!

Dear all,

Greetings!

I am just sharing one of the biggest impacts of LIFE project at partner level professional growth. In last two years how with implementation of LIFE project slowly-slowly SJVS-Banswara has become professionally  strong and received 2^nd best prize for sustainable agriculture for LIFE project field and now after 30 months of implementation the organisation has reached a higher level PROFESSIONAL GROWTH some examples are here:

• Now SJVS-Banswara has its own website and is in process of updating it on almost weekly basis http://sjvsbanswara.in/. It was in process from 2011 with LIFE project. 
• In last one month (only in Oct 2012)  all the result of LIFE project has covered by 5 leading News papers of Rajasthan.
• NABARD has come foreword to support the LIFE project field through supporting farmers club and other capacity building programme.
• The quality of reporting from SJVS-Banswara is highly appreciable
• Field animators of LIFE project of SJVS Banswara team take sessions for the other partner organisation field staff ( recently Ms. Lata-a LIFE project field animator was at JEEVIKA project launching )
• After Grameen Vikas Trust, SJVS-Banswara is 2^nd best organisation in implementation of sustainable agriculture concept amongst tribal farmers
• Now SJVS-Basnwara has a unique system of recruitment and is based on the recruitment process of LIFE project which includes-advertisement, short listing, written exam, group discussion and interview and they also prefer that the concerned donor agency would be the part of it.

I really thank Fr. Marcus for his sound leadership and taking the project in a professional way to make organisation a highly professional organisation.

I also suggest our team members to have an exposure visit to learn the process of change at partner organisation level through a project.

I hope soon this organisation would be a model partner organisation for many donor agencies and agencies would happy to work with SJVS-Banswara.

For more on LIFE project log on to www.liferajasthan.blogspot.com or follow it on http://www.facebook.com/lifecaritas.india

Regards

Vinod Pandey 

Major achievement in LIFE project @SJVS Banswara

·         122 farmers have received benefits of Rabi Abhiyan schemes of agriculture department.

·         98 farmers have receivedthrough the Rabi season agriculture schemes.

·         96 farmers have received benefits through the kisan Sammelan.

·         536 farmers have participated and get benefits through inauguration of two farmers club.

·         67 farmers have linked with panchayat through the PRI interaction program.

·         354 villagers have awared about the RTI through the Nukkad Natak. 

·         25 farmers have prepared Amritpani and das Patti ark medicine for the Rabi season.

·         340 villagers havevisited in Rozgar Dhaba in reporting month.

Source: LIFE project monthly report by SJVS-Banswara

Subsidized LPG cylinder cap may be raised to nine 

Sanjay Dutta TNN 

New Delhi: The annual cap on the number of subsidized cooking gas cylinders per household is likely to be raised from six to nine if not completely scrapped after the poll code is lifted after Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat elections,sources in state-run fuel retailing companies said.
Widespread consumer complaints over the ongoing customer verification drive KYC or know-your-customer as well as pressure from within the Congress and opposition parties appear to have prompted a relook.Though nothing has been put on paper yet,oil minister M Veerappa Moily himself gave an indication that the government was not fixated on the cap and was sensitive to aam aadmis travails. hey (state-run fuel retailers ) have gone by some arithmetic that on an average six cylinders are enough (for a household).This is arithmetic,(but) there is also a chemistry,which they have not done, news agencies quoted Moily as saying in Bangalore on Friday.Though the cap was decided by the Cabinet,Moily said the fuel retailers were free to raise the cap.But it may be difficult for the fuel retailers to do.If oil companies raise the cap on their own obviously under verbal diktat from the parent ministry they may have to bear the loss since the finance ministry would not give them the subsidy amount on additional cylinders supplied at government rate beyond the six-cylinder cap.This would run foul of independent directors on company boards and the federal auditor for causing loss to company ndeed,a senior oil ministry official said any decision on changing the cap would have to be taken by the government as a whole.The decision was taken by the government. The Prime Minster and finance minister were involved (in the decision).So the oil ministry may not be able to make any change on its own. The matter has to be taken to the Cabinet. 

We have received complaints regarding the problems being faced by consumers from various quarters. It is a fact that the plan has put consumers to a great deal of hardships.But any raising of cap officially or even scrapping it would ultimately depend on the stand taken by the finance minister and PM, he said.

That the government was losing its nerve on the issue was amply evident when it blocked a hike in the price of non-subsidized cooking gas on Thursday.On Friday, Congress spokesman P C Chacko reinforced this by saying that the government would review the policy at the first possible opportunity.
We said the reduction of subsidized cylinders would burden the common man.So our party president Sonia Gandhi wrote to the partys chief ministers that the cap on subsidised cylinders should be higher.But we understand that the governments hands were tied,it was facing a fiscal crisis and oil companies would have collapsed.It would have led to fuel rationing.

Source: Times of India

National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)

For rural youth who are not able to do regular studies!

LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS project team to train new project staff

Of JEEVIKA project

Caritas India along with support from Caritas Spain has initiated a new innovative project in Madhya Pradesh named JEEVIKA  in 7 districts out of which  6 are  tribal districts{ Shivpuri, Jhabua, Shehore, Indore-Dhar, Ujjain , Khandwa, Umariya} of Madhya Pradesh with 7 diocesan partners of Madhya Pradesh {ANWC-Bhopal, PRAGATI-Jhabua, KDSS-Khandwa , GCSS-Gwalior, JDSSS-Jabalpur, IDSSS-Indor, & KSWS-Ujjain}. The project is in support with Caritas India and Caritas Spain and technical partners are NABARD, KVK and PRI.

The project has developed based on the baseline status (before the project initiation) and has started on 1^st Oct 2012. With JEEVIKA project we are trying to bring out change in 104 villages and with about .51%  ( based on the data from census 2012) of total tribes of Madhya Pradesh with bringing significant change in income through sustainable livelihood options, empowering community to demand for their rights, and making and identity to framing and women farmers.  Some of of the special features of JEEVIKA project are as:

·   The project is being developed in support with community, project partners Caritas India and Caritas Spain and developed

·    A 100% thorough baseline has been done before the project formulation and the targets set on the ground status

·   A highly qualified, youth and energetic team has been recruited by the project partners in support with Caritas India to give a strong team not only for the project but also for strengthening the partner organization

·  The project has its own web pages (in process) and is already on social media (jeevika Caritas) and has generated visibility of the project, community, context and the partner organization. The web page would be updated on the daily basis to create a transparent system of functioning

·         The project is in collaboration with PRI, NABARD and KVK from the beginning itself

PARTICIPATION OF LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS Project staff: Considering the importance of project and making it link with the other ongoing innovative projects, we have planned that some of the experienced and those who are doing quite well in the field from LIFE & HARIT PRAYAS project could be the part of the launching cum orientation programme . This will be an opportunity for the staff to have hand on experience on some training sessions, opportunity to learn from some qualified trainers and opportunity to share their challenges  and process of LIFE and HARIT PRAYAS with the new staff and team of JEEVIKA. We have identified few names for the event and also propose topice for training/delevrance. The names are as

Partner organization	Name	Proposed topic for training in JEEVIKA launching
RCDSSS-Ajmer	Mr. Manish	RBM in LIFE project
RCDSSS-Ajmer	Ms. Lata/Mr. Vijay	Farmers club in LIFE project
JCSS_Jhansi	Sr. Anna	Farmers club  formation and sustainability of Chamaruwa vilage
SSSS-Satna	Mr. Vinod	Cultural aspect in HARIT PRAYAS
SSSS-Satna	Ms. Preeti	HARIT PRAYAS project management
SSSS-Satna	Mr. Rajesh	Community mobilization on organic cultivation
MVSS-Sagar	Mr. Hari	Community mobilization in Sagar

Travel claims for attending the event would be reimbursed.

Launching is on 6th November followed by 2 and half days of Orientation cum training 

Date and venue of the programme

6-8^th November 2012

PRAGATI SOCIETY
Jeevan Jyoti Hospital Compound, P.O.
Meghnagar, District Jhabua,

MP. 457779
Mob: 09425945360
Tel: 07390-284902

LIFE project Rajasthan in India'a top 10 best sustainable livelihood models ( Sitaram Rao Case Study Competition 2012)

Few months back we have applied LIFE project model to Sitaram Rao National Case Study Competition 2012 {organised by XLRI-Jamshedpur –India’s one of the best labour management institute and Access developments services-Countries largest rural livelihood consultancy service provider}  and we have cleared the first round and out of about 10000 entries we came in top 50 in Aug 2012 and further on we have submitted the detailed study and and finally I am glad to share with you that  our LIFE case study model ( Rozgar Dhaba) has been further on selected as India’s top 10 best sustainable livelihood model.

These all top 10 models would be complied in the form of a book by XLRI and Access Development Services and would be released on 30^th November 2012 in India Livelihood Conference and these top 10 models would be promoted at block and panchayat level in collaboration with ministry of rural development.  

For more on this you can log on to http://accessdev.org/lh-li-case-study.php