Chhavi Rajawat, MBA

Sarpanch of Soda Panchayt (Rajasthan)

How many of us know of people who have completed their higher studies, worked in corporate sector, and quit their job to engage in social service? It is a minuscule segment of our educated population, and one that is gradually on the rise.

Chhavi Rajawat, studied at Rishi Valley School in Andhra Pradesh; Mayo College Girls’ School in Rajasthan and Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi. After her MBA from Pune, she worked  for companies such as Times of India, Carlson Group of Hotels, Airtel, etc.  Today, she is the Sarpanch (elected head of the Village Council) in Soda village, Tonk district, Rajasthan. She may be the first woman Sarpanch in India with an MBA degree, but a career in politics is not on her radar.

“I didn’t have to think about it much because Soda is where I belong and it needs me. In fact, the villagers broke all barriers of caste, gender and religion to ensure my victory. In Soda, not even one per cent of the voters are from my own caste. They [the villagers] wanted to prove that development is the most important factor for which they can overlook all politically created differences.” she says regarding her transition from corporate sector to social sector.

Her grandfather Brig. (retd) Raghubir Singh was unanimously elected sarpanch of Soda village. Rajawat says that her village has seen little development since his retirement 20 years ago. She is determined to improve the conditions for her villagers. Her priorities include, providing access to drinking water, reforestation, improved health services, education, alternate job opportunities, electricity, and construction of proper roads in Soda.

“I am just a village girl who has had an opportunity to study in some of the best institutions in the country and has only gone back home to work with and for her people. It’s as simple as that.”

Being a sarpanch doesn’t pay her much so she continues to work at the family-run Hotel Kailrugji in Jaipur and the Equest Horse Riding Academy she set up in Jaipur. Her message for the youth of India:

“Don’t run away from your roots because that is your foundation and the nation’s foundation too. If you want to make a difference, you have got to start at the bottom. There is so much one can do.”

Empowering The Poor

Its time the government abandoned the broken model it is using for redistribution programmes 

Arvind Panagariya 

Large increases in revenues,made possible by accelerated growth,have allowed the UPA government to rapidly expand redistribution programmes distribution of subsidised foodgrain,free elementary education,rural health and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).
But only a small fraction of the benefits of these programmes actually reaches the intended beneficiaries.Leakages along various elaborate government distribution chains are endemic.In sharp contrast to China,the government in India is hopelessly ineffective and inefficient at the delivery of social benefits.
Thus,for example,according to the 11five-year Plan (Table 4.1.8),54% of the offtake from the stocks of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) never made it to the beneficiaries in the year 2004-05.On top of that,a large volume of FCI grain stored in the open was washed away by rains,devoured by pests or stolen.Similar leakages characterise NREGS,with one-third to a half of the stipulated wages skimmed off in bribes paid to whole hierarchy of staff going as far up as the block level.In public healthcare,providers are often absent from sub-centres,public health centres and community health centres,forcing 80% of the patients to seek private providers for nonhospitalised healthcare.Rampant teacher absenteeism in public schools is leading to a similar exit to private schools.

Decades of efforts to plug the leakages along government supply chains have failed to improve matters.Indeed,evidence points to increased,not reduced,leakage over time.Therefore,the time has come for the government and many NGOs,who themselves materially benefit from being a part of the corrupt and inefficient distribution chains,to drop the pretense that the system can be made functional by fixing this or that flaw.
Fifty years of misery borne by the public in the hope that the system can be fixed should be enough.Genuine alternatives that do justice to the beneficiaries and taxpayers whose valuable income the government and NGOs squander must now be tried.
There are at least two delivery mechanisms that can potentially deliver goods and services at a lower cost.The first is a voucher that allows its holder to buy the specified good or service at subsidised price from a public or private provider of his choice.The second is direct cash transfer.
Under the first option,the government gives the beneficiary a voucher that he or she can use to buy the specified commodity (foodgrain ) or service (enrolment in school or healthcare) from a provider of his choice at subsidised prices.The provider can then exchange the voucher for cash to the extent of the subsidy from the government.The key to fostering efficiency under this scheme is to require the public providers to fully recover their costs and compete against private providers.This is not unlike public sector companies in civil aviation and telecommunications and banks that must compete with their private sector counterparts.

Under the second option,the government gives cash directly to the beneficiary who decides precisely how he will spend the income so received.The transfer can,of course,be conditioned on certain actions by the recipient such as sending children under 14 to school and regular health check-ups.
Critics often deride cash transfers on the ground that the beneficiary might not spend them on the goods and services for which they are intended and may even shell them on alcohol and gambling.But this same fate can also meet in-kind transfers as currently practised.Subsidised foodgrain received through public distribution system can be sold for cash in the open market and the cash used to buy alcohol.Subsidised services are not subject to similar conversion but they too free up the other income of the beneficiary,allowing him to indulge into his favourite consumption.Transfers to individuals are just as fungible as foreign aid to governments.

Two factors make cash transfers and vouchers superior to the current system.First,they empower the beneficiary rather than the provider.Today,the beneficiary is at the mercy of the public distribution shop.Even under NREGS,he must play to the tune of this or that official.Just calling something guarantee or right does not turn it into one.But cash transfer and vouchers make the beneficiary truly the king with the provider,whether private or public,playing to his tune. Second,cash transfers and vouchers reduce leakage.At least the evidence from the rare existing cash transfer schemes in India is highly encouraging.A careful recent study finds that 96% of the benefits intended for widows and elderly women in Karnataka and 93% of those in Rajasthan went to the intended beneficiaries.Leakages involving bribes were tiny.With the proliferation of banking and modern technology,cash transfers can be put from a central government office literally directly into the hands of the beneficiary with virtually no leakages.
If the UPA and NGOs are serious about their rhetoric of empowering and enriching the poor rather than themselves,they should wholeheartedly go for cash transfers for food,shelter,clothing and routine healthcare;vouchers for elementary education;and subsidised insurance,which is a form of voucher,for treatment of major illnesses.

These measures can curb corruption and benefit the poor as no Lokpal or super Lokpal can.Our past experience with the end to the licence-permit raj supports this inference.

The writer is professor of economics at Columbia University

source: http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/getpage.aspx?pageid=20&pagesize=&edid=&edlabel=CAP&mydateHid=25-08-2012&pubname=&edname=&publabel=TOI

  MANTHAN: THE PROPOSAL FORMULATION WORKSHOP

(4^TH STEP IN JOURNEY WITH JEEVIKA & LIFE-2 PROCESS AFTER STAFF RECRUITMENT, SITUATION ANALYSIS & BASELINE SURVEY )

Manthan is the next step after Aarambh (the initial baseline workshop at jabalpur). Manthan is a Hindi word sounds for the ‘Churning’, make the best out of the work, setting the clear cut way to achieve success, discussions to get the best and with all this concept we would be moving with the partners of JEEVIKA & LIFE-2 for the next step of developing the proposals in the form of purely a workshop named MANTHAN!

Let’s come together to give a shape and design something which would bring change!

1. Event: Workshop on proposal formulation for JEEVIKA and LIFE-2

2. Purpose: Based on the baseline survey reports to facilitate the project partners on the process of project formulation in respect with the guideline of Caritas India and its donor agency ( Caritas Spain)

“In the said workshop we would be finalising the project proposal for JEEVIKA & LIFE-2”

3. Date: 12^th-15^th September 2012 (would start sharply from 9.00 am on wards on 11^th & end by 4.00 pm on 15^th August)

4. Place:

DISHA - Roman Catholic Diocesan S. S. Centre

12 E - 56, R.D. Vill Christian Colony, Madar,

Madar, Ajmer - 305 024

Rajasthan

Mob: 09460177710

Tel: 0145 –2670320

5. What would be the agenda of the workshop-Manthan?

In brief agenda of the workshop would be:

Date and day	Agenda	Facilitation by and result
12th September ( Wednesday)	Welcome by Fr. Anthony, lighting lamp and prayer. Sharing of the process and progress of LIFE-2 and JEEVIKA till date Sharing of the basic formats of caritas Spain ( just for having more clarity) Sharing on baseline and target setting on the basis of it ( probably a group exercise)	Caritas India along with the partners Coordinators Result set: By the end of the day Each individual partner must have set the clear cut targets to work with.
13th September ( Thursday)	Based on targets Working on the activities & LFW ( logical frame work) –in individual groups –partner wise A short film show in the evening-Film Manthan ( Based on the white revolution in India and birth of National Dairy Development Board)	Caritas India Result set: By the end of the day Each individual partner must have the Clear cut activities and LFW in relation with the set targets. Caritas India along with the RCDSSS-Ajmer
14th September ( Friday) & 15th September ( Saturday)	Working on budget and PMF ( Performance Measurement Framework) Sharing of learning’s of Journeying with the process of JEEVIKA and LIFE-2 Vote of thanks	Caritas India Result set: By the end of the day Each individual partner must have set the clear cut budget and PMF in relation with the activities and result (target) set to work with.

6. What preparation you all have to do before being the part of the event?

Team must come prepared with the following document (both hard copy and soft copy) and understanding:

·  Filled proposal format

·   List of proposed villages ( with name, panchayat, block & district)

·  Map of the area ( specific  to villages showing the distance between one village to another)

·  Problem tree

·   Situation analysis report

·  Baseline survey report ( would be shared with the partners by 10^th Sept 2012)

Note: Do come with your laptop & note pads. 

7. Who would be the part of the event?

·  JEEVIKA Project (Madhya Pradesh): Directors, Project Coordinators, Field Coordinators and accountant.

·  LIFE-2 ( Ajmer & Banswara): Directors, Project Coordinators, Placement Coordinators & accountant  

·  LIFE-2 (Jaipur): Director and 2 other competent staff ( who were the part of baseline survey process and workshop) from the organization and accountant 

·  Caritas India staff

Note: the detail schedule of the training programme would be shared to you later on. 

Let’s come together to bring change!

Let’s make this change possible!

AARAMBH

The 4 days training cum workshop on baseline survey and techniques associated with it

(for LIFE-2 & JEEVIKA projects)

Change is important!

Purpose: To train the staff on the process of the baseline and equip them with the skill to process the same at the field level.

Date: 11^th-14^th August 2012 

Place: JDSS-Jabalpur

Jabalpur Diocesan Social Service Society (JDSSS)

599, South Civil Lines,

Bishop's House Campus Jabalpur – 482001,Madhya Pradesh

Tel:  07642-260030

Participants

Teams participated: (including directors, project coordinators, field coordinators & cluster coordinators)

• SJKS-Jaipur lead by Fr. Lawrence
• SJVS-Banswara Lead by Fr. Marcus
• RCDSSS-Ajmer lead by Fr. Anthony
• IDSSS-Indore lead by Fr. Simon
• Kripa-Ujjain lead by Fr. Sunil
• Pragati Jhabuwa lead by Fr. Katara
• ANWC-Bhopal lead by Fr. Miachel
• GCSS-Gwalior lead by Mr. Vijay
• KDSSS-Khandwa lead by Mr. Nitesh
• JDSS-Jabalpur lead by Fr. Sebi
• TFSDM-lead by Mr. Samir
• Caritas India ( Mr. Philip, Mr. Kumar & Mr. Vinod Pandey)

Total 65 participants

1. Process followed (during the event)

1^st day:  Clarity has been developed on the following:

• Purpose of baseline survey and why it is important?
• Gender aspect in baseline survey

After the clarity sessions workshop on developing format for village level data collection has been facilitated where the entire group has been divided in to 5 teams and worked separately on developing the questionnaire for collection of data at village level. After the workshop there were presentation and discussion from each group on their work done on developing the questionnaire. During the discussion many points pertaining to various sections like household information, livestock, agriculture, social groups and Government schemes were brought up by the  participants  which were further included in the interview schedule ( at village level) to make it more comprehensive and relevant for the purpose of collection of base line data for project in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

Day 2^nd (working on individual HHs Interview schedule format)

The second day session was started with recapping the previous day discussion ( by the volunteers decided on the first day to record the process of each day) .the 2^nd day was focused on working on the individual HHs interview schedule. Again the entire group has been divided into the 5 teams and all the teams have worked separately on the individual HHs interview schedule and presented and discussion on the same. At the end of the day a final interview schedule has been developed based on the presentation and discussion by the 5 formed teams. Important concern was all this interview schedules were in Hindi and were presented by the cluster coordinators. After the tea break the team conducted a mock interview session, where different participants asked questions from the schedule to each other. This was a practical exercise aimed at giving exposure to participants for asking questions to there colleagues from the schedule so that they become familiar with the schedule and also the team can give feedback to them on there interviewing skills. It was an encouraging and effective session which boosted all participants for active participation.   

The team of coordinators (voluntary) along with the Caritas India, worked till mid night for finalising the individual HHs interview schedule.

3^rd day (Field testing and cultural evening)

The day started with the recap of the 2^nd day and presentation of the final individual HHs interview schedule. The third day was kept for pilot survey in the 4 near by villages (where JDSS is working) for practice of data collection. The participants were led by the team of  JDSS-Jabalpur staff to facilitate in conduction pilot survey. The purpose was to give the participants a first hand experience of conducting the interview and filling the schedule by asking questions to villagers to get a empirical understanding of field situations and to test there interviewing skills.  After spending 4 hours in the field participants came back to JDSS-Jabalpur.  

In the evening to boost up the moral and energy of the participants a cultural evening has been organised by the Caritas India where all the teams have presented the cultural aspect of their region.

4^th day (finalisation of interview schedule based on field testing and problem tree analysis of the respective partners)

The started with the recapping of the 3^rd day and feedback from the field testing/visit. Based on the feedback and problem tree analysis individual teams have said to work on both the schedules (individual HHs & village level). Finally each team has come out with their specific baseline survey schedule.  The day has ended with stating the deadlines and a note of thanks.   

2. Result achieved

From the said event following are the result achieved.

Output

The event has developed the clarity amongst all of us “on baseline survey process and its various aspects” and we were success in developing and designing the baseline format (each partner-wise) at the end of the workshop. Uniqueness of the baseline format is that it has been developed by the team (Directors, coordinators and cluster coordinators) who all would be using it in the field.

Outcome

Another result we could visualise that around 50% 0f the total cluster coordinators participated are able to facilitate the workshop and training on baseline at any level ( village or organisation level).

Impact

One of the long term impact we could visualise from the event that the concerned partners are now able and positive about the use of such methodology of baseline in the forth coming projects in their organisation, as it gives a scope to develop the project based on reality and to bring change!

3. Learning’s from the workshop

• Cross learning amongst the 10 partner organisation from different states and context and with different projects.
• Important to facilitate the process of project formation with inclusion of field staff i.e. cluster coordinator.
• Hindi/local language is a key asset to develop the field based authenticated project.

4. Deadlines (discussed, shared & fixed)

In regard to the completion of baseline survey following are the important dates (already shared many times):

• Completion of baseline with data feeding by 31^st August 2012
• Submission of data feeding soft copy to Caritas India by 1^st Sept 2012 (10.00am), so that same would be shared with Trinity Foundation on the same date.

Also it is important to share the following documents by 2^nd Sept 2012:

• Organisation profile ( in detail)
• Study reports (only for LIFE-2 partners. Refer already shared guideline for detail)

Let’s continue this passion to bring change!

Let’s make change possible!

  

RECRUITMENT

Project Coordinator- Livelihood

Khandwa Dioceses Social Service Society (KDSS) (Khandwa-Madhya Pradesh) is one of the leading non-profit organizations working in the Madhya Pradesh region for the upliftment of the deprived community. It works in the area of community development, human trafficking, women empowerment, Natural Resource Management (NRM) and Livelihood.

At present KDSS needs a young dynamic and highly active Project Coordinator for a new innovative project on Livelihood-JEEVIKA. JEEVIKA project is being supported by the Caritas India and is being implemented by the KDSS in 15 villages of Khalwa block of Khandwa District. It’s a new innovative project involved filed work, office work, research work and many different trainings. The same project is also being implemented in Indore, Shehore, Shivpuri, Umariya, Ujjain & Jhabuwa districts of Madhya Pradesh.

Name of the Post: Project Coordinator

Location: Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh)

Functional Area: Programme Management

Qualification:

• Experience in the area of community development especially in sustainable agricultural and government schemes (NREGS) activities through CBOs.

• Experience in the area of government Liasioning

• Effective verbal and written communications skills in English, including computing skills.

• Ability to undertake unaccompanied travel in interior rural areas.

• Post Graduate in Rural Management, Rural Development, Social Work from a reputed institution with minimum 60% of marks and (mode of study at PG level must be English) from reputed institutes like XISS, TISS, XIM-B, Nirmala Niketan, TDA-Madurai, BHU, Delhi University  

Responsibilities

 Set overall directions/strategies of the project

 Regular follow up on implementation and participatory monitoring of the project to attain desirable outputs.

 Regular liaison with CARITAS for reporting and guidance. Implementation of overall plans within the district specific context and proper monitoring and reporting.

 Extensive field visits to support direct actions field area.

Liaison with district administration for effective policy advocacy

 Undertake capacity building initiatives at the grassroots for effective learning and support. Planning and conducting trainings.

 Prepare best management of capacity building inputs through participatory monitoring and documentation.

 Review the progress of activities at cluster of villages

 Develop strategy for intervening with the marginalised sections of the village and provide handholding support to women/ dalit members as per needs.

 Documentation of capacity building experiences for replication. Ensure timely completion of the activities and proper documentation

Providing access to information to Panchayats and Gram Sabha members

Salary and other benefits: 15000/-pm plus travel allowance, trainings and opportunity to be the part of innovative project.

How to apply: Interested candidates (both male and female) can send their CV along by 22^nd August 2012 with the covering letter and a page note (not more than 200 words) on ‘Importance of Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in better management of MGNREGA’

You can send the mail to  vinodnmtt@gmail.com   

To know more about the project you can also log on to www.haritprayas.blogspot.com  , www.liferajasthan.blogspot.com or www.caritasindia.org or www.mpsss.org

Farmers Field School in LIFE project villages in collaboration with Agriculture Department

Major Achievements in LIFE project in July 2012 @SJVS Banswara:

·         Micro plan of Kajalpada and Nathpura have been approved with Panchayat.

·         10 farmers have benefited through the Out of District exposure visit on Poultry farm in Ajmer District with support from KVK-Banswara.

·         327 farmers benefited through the Kharif season schemes of KVK.

·         8 farmers have given soil sample for testing in KVK.

·         24 farmers have prepared Amritpani organic input for the Kharif season crop and used the same.  

Courtsey LIFE project team of SJVS-Banswara

I want to adopt it as My Livelihood.....

House Wiring and general electrician training was conducted in Mavashiya cluster this month. Total 20 youth members were trained in this training. Ramswaroop s/o Rama Meghvanshi also took part in it. He belongs to a poor and SC family having labor, MGNREGA & Agriculture as their main livelihood options which do not fulfill even their daily needs.

After attending the house wiring training very actively, Ramswaroop wanted to adopt this work as his main occupation. He started practicing the work and last month only he made house wiring of Mr. Devkaran s/o Sodan Jat. "He is very skilled and talented in house wiring..." says Devkaran Jat. Ramswaroop earned rupees 500 for doing his first task. "I want to adopt it as my livelihood and increase income...." says Ramswaroop.

He is also interested in learning organic farming and appreciates the efforts of life project in agriculture and youth skill development.

Major Achievements in July 2012 @ LIFE-Ajmer

• Shyoji / Ruggha of Nepoli received Rs.60000 for Farm pond scheme who applied for it last month.
• 8 SHG’s from Gram Panchayat Mavshiya got bank loan of Rs. 589500 with support of ICICI bank. Hence all Self Help Groups of Life project have linked and initiated the bank loan.
• 20 youth trained in house wiring training in Mavashiya block.
• 25 farmers of Nepoli & Laxipura village got crop demo Khareef season and trained by KVK Support.
• 214 farmer trained and in organic farming and adopt Beej Amrit, Jeev Amrit & Dashparni organic preparations for Kharif Crop.
• A Youth vocational training centre started at Naulakha village on tailoring in which 24 girls are being trained.
• 214 farmer trained in village level Organic farming & IPM.
• 147  farmers from 10 villages send soil sample for khareef crop.
• Rampal/ Chhoga of Nepoli prepared a vermin unit.
• 4 famers from of Surajpura and 2 farmers of Nepoli purchased seeds of millet on subsidy rates during Khareef Abhiyan with the support of Agriculture Dept. 6 framers got free demo on vegetable crop (ladyfinger)
• Total 1377 people visited Rojgar Dhaba in this month. Out of this Internet services given to 459 whereas news-paper & other magazines related to agriculture users were 918.

Courtsey: RCDSSS Ajmer LIFE project team