PREAMBLE

The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) has traditionally been

the principal organ at the District level to oversee the implementation of different anti-
poverty programmes. Since its inception, the administrative costs of the DRDAs were
met by way of setting apart a share of the allocations for each programme.

However, of late, the number of the programmes had increased and while
some of the programmes provided for administrative costs of the DRDAs, others did not.
There was no uniformity among the different programmes with reference to
administrative costs. Keeping in view the need for an effective agency at the district level
to coordinate the anti-poverty effort, a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme for
strengthening the DRDAs has been introduced with effect from 1st April, 1999.
Accordingly, the administrative costs are met by providing a separate budget provisions.
This scheme which is funded on a 75:25 basis between Centre and States, aims at
strengthening and professionalsing the DRDAs.
 I - Role and Functions of the District Rural
Development Agency
1.1 If effective programme design is critical to successful implementation of
rural development programmes, so is an effective delivery agency. None of the
anti-poverty programmes can have impact unless they are implemented with
clarity of purpose and a commitment to the task. It is here that the DRDAs play a
critical role. The DRDAs are not the implementation through overseeing the
implementation of different programmes and ensuring that necessary linkages are
provided. To this extent the DRDA is a supporting and facilitation organization
and needs to play a very effective role as a catalyst in development process.

1.2 The district Rural Development Agency is visualised as specialized and a

professional agency capable of managing the anti-poverty programmes of the
Ministry of Rural Development on the one hand and to effectively relate these to
the overall effort of poverty eradication in the District. In other words, while the
DRDA will continue to watch over and ensure effective utilization of the funds
intended for anti-poverty programmes, it will need to develop a far greater
understanding of the processes necessary for poverty alleviation/eradication. It
will also need to develop the capacity to build synergies among different agencies
involved for the most effective results. It will therefore need to develop distinctive
capabilities rather than perform tasks that are legitimately in the domain of the
PRIs or the line departments. The role of the DRDA will therefore be distinct
from all the other agencies, including the Zilla Parishad.

1.3 DRDAs must themselves be more professional and should be able to

interact effectively with various other agencies. They are expected to coordinate
with the line department, the Panchayati Raj Institutions, the banks and other
financial institutions, resources required for poverty reduction effort in the
district. It shall be their endeavour and objective to secure inter-sectoral and inter-
departmental coordination and cooperation for reducing poverty in the district. It
is their ability to coordinate and bring about a convergence of approach among
different agencies for poverty alleviation and would set them apart.

1.4 The DRDAs are expected to coordinate effectively with the Panchayati
Raj Instutions. Under no circumstances will they perform functions of PRIs.

1.5 The DRDAs will maintain their separate identity but will function under
the chairmanship of the Chairman of Zill Parishad. They are expected to be a
 facilitating and supporting organization to Zill Parishad, providing necessary
excutive and technical support in respect of poverty reduction efforts. Wherever
the Zilla Parishads are not in existence of are not functional, the DRDAs would
function under the Collector/District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner, as the
case may be.

1.6 The DRDAs are expected to oversee the implementation of different anti-
poverty programmes of the Ministry of Rural Development in the district. This is
not be confused with actual implementation, which will be by the Panchayati Raj
and other Institutions. The DRDAs will monitor closely the implementation
through obtaining of periodic reports as well as frequent field visits. The purpose
of the visit should be to facilitate the implementing agencies in improving
implementation process, besides ensuring that the quality of implementation of
programmes is high. This would include overseeing whether the intended
beneficiaries are receiving the benefits under the different programmes.

1.7 The DRDAs shall keep the Zella Parishad, the State and Central
Government duly informed of the progress of the implementation of the
progremmes through periodic reports in the prescribed formats. Special report, as
and when called for, shall be provided.

1.8 It shall be the duty of the DRDAs to oversee and ensure that the benefits
specifically earmarked for certain target groups (SC/ST, women and disabled)
reach them. They shall all necessary steps to achieve the prescribed norms.

1.9 The DRDAs shall take necessary step to improve the awareness regarding
rural development and poverty alleviation particularly among the rural poor. This
would involve issues of poverty, the opportunities available to the rural poor and
generally infusing a sense of confidence in their ability to overcome poverty. It
would also involve sensitizing the different functionaries in the district to the
different aspects of poverty and poverty alleviation programmes.

1.10 The DRDAs will strive to promote transparency in the implementation of

different anti-poverty programmes. Towards this end, they shall publish
periodically, the details of the different programmes and their implementation.

1.11 Keeping in view, the substantial investment that are being made in poverty
alleviation programmes, the DRDAs shall ensure financial discipline in respect of
the funds received by them, whether from Central of State Governments. They
shall also ensure that the accounts are properly maintained including in respect of
the funds allocated to banks or implementing agencies in accordance with the
guidelines of different programmes.
1.12 Thus the role of the DRDA is in terms of planning for effective
implementation of anti-poverty programmes; coordinating with other agencies-
Governmental, non-Governmental, technical and financial for successful
programme implementation; enabling the community and the rural poor to
participate in the decision marking process, overseeing the implementation to
ensure adherence to guidelines, quality, equity and efficiency; reporting to the
prescribed authorities on the implementation; and promoting transparency in
decision making and implementation.

1.13 In addition the DRDAs shall coordinate and oversee the conduct of the
BPL Census and such other surveys that are required from time to time.

1.14 The DRDAs shall also carry out / aid in carring out action research/ or
evaluation studies that are initiated by the Central/State Governments.

1.15 The DRDAs should deal only with the anti-poverty programmes of the
Ministry of Rural Development. If DRDAs are to be entrusted with programmes
of other ministries or those of the State Governments, it should be ensured that
these have a definite antipoverty focus. Entrusting of any programme to the
DRDAs, other than anti-poverty programmes of the Ministry, be it of any other
Ministry of Government of India or the respective State Government will have to
be done with the approval of the Secretary, Rural Development of the respective
State (s), who should examine such request in consultation with the Ministry of
Rural Development, Government of India. In such cases, it must be ensured that
adequate provision is made for requisite staffing needed for proper
implementation of the programme.
 II - Organisational Structure of the DRDAs
2.1 Each district will have its own District Rural Development Agency.
Ordinarily it would be a society registered under a Societies Registration Act. In respect
of such states where DRDA does not have a separate identity a separate cell should be
created in Zill Parishad which maintains a separate identity and separate accounts, so that
the accounts are capable of being audited separately. This Cell should be directly under
the charge of CEO or alternatively an officer who has the qualifications to be a Project
Director. The accounts of DRDAs should under no circumstances be merged or
amalgamated with those of the Zilla Parishads.

2.2 In order to be effective, the DRDA must have an appropriate staffing

structure as well as suitable personnel policy. Keeping in view the rule and functions of
the DRDA listed in the previous chapter, the staffing structure of DRDA must include
positions for Planning for poverty alleviation, Project formulation, Social Organization
and Capacity builing , Gender concerns, Engineering Supervision and Quality control,
Project Monitoring, Accountancy and Audit functions as well as Evaluation and impact
studies. An indicative staffing structure is given in Annexure and is also detailed below.
The State Government may modify the structure suitably, but without altering the basic
design, to take care of the needs of individual districts keeping in view their size as well
as specificity. However, this will also be subject to the overall ceiling of administrative
costs admissible to the DRDAs in the State. By and large the staff appointed should be
dedicated to DRDA-related works and should not be frequently transferred.

The Staffing structure will as follows:

a) Project Director

i) Each DRDA should be headed by Project Director, who should be the rank of
a Additional District Magistrate. The Project Director should preferably be a senior scale
officer of All India Services or a senior officer of the State Service, eligible of
appointment to the All India Services. He would be in overall charge of the activities of
the DRDA and responsible for interaction with the District/State administration as well as
with the Government of India. The PD should be exclusively for DRDA work.

ii) In some State, such as Maharashtra, the CEO of Zilla Parishad is the
Chairman of the Zilla Parishad. Government of India have suggested to all the State
Government that the chairman, Zilla Parishad should be the chairman of the governing
body of the DRDA. In the light of this, such states, the CEO of Zilla Parishad could also
be designated as the Project Director of the DRDA.
iii) Each DRDA should have the following wings:

a) Self - employment Wing;

b) Women's wing;
c) Wage employment wing;
d) Engineering wing;
e) Account wing;
f) Monitoring and Evaluation wing;
g) General Administration wing;

b) Self- Employment Wing

i) The self-employment Wing, shall be headed by a Project Officer and should

have APOs in the field of planning, social mobilization, credit and
Technology. The Project Officer may be specifically responsible for any of
these four functions. The APO (Planning) would look after the activity
clusters, district/block. Village group plan, guiding the BDOs and others in
plan preparation, planning for infrastructure including marketing
infrastructure. He would coordinate with the district officers, the banks as well
as other institutions in the district. The APO (Social Mobilisation) would look
after group formation, capacity building, monitoring of groups, choice of
activities for groups, release of revolving funds and coordination. The APO
(Credit), who should be from the commercial banking sector, would
coordinate with the banks in all matters relating to credit, including the
interface between the bankers and the beneficiaries/ beneficiary groups, loan
disbursements as well as loan recovery. The APO (Technology) would look
after issues concerning Technology upgradation as well as transfer of
technology.

ii) The DRDAs would be drawing up projects for specific activities under the Self-
employment programmes, it would be necessary to have suitable experts to oversee the
successful implementation of such projects. As part of the overall programme
management, the DRDAs may take outside expert on a consultancy basis. Secretary,
Rural Development of each state should develop guidelines for selection of consultants so
as to avoid any wrong use of such provisions and to see that only those who have a
proven practical expertise are engaged. Such experts to be engaged on project specific
basis will function under the overall control and supervision of the Project Officer, self-
employment programms.

c) Women's Wing

In order to ensure that women receive adequate attention in all the anti- poverty
programmes, a Women's Cell should be sit up in each DRDA. This cell would establish
necessaty synergy with departments such as Women & Child Development, Education
and health Departments to ensure that women not only receive their due share in the anti-
poverty programmes but are also able to receive benefits of other programmes. The
Women's wing will be headed by an Assistant Project Officer, who will function under
the overall co-ordination of the Project Officer of the self employment wing. Assistant

d) Wage Employment Wing

The central concern of the DRDA in the wage-employment programmes should

relate to planning, monitoring and vigilance by a technical wing. The DRDA should not
concern itself with the actual implementation and execution of works which can be done
by the line department / engineers or the Panchayati Raj Institutions. At the same time,
the magnitude of the wage employment wing, with a Project officer assisted by a small
complement of staff.

e) Watershed Wing

A Watershed Wing will be set up in the DRDA in all such districts where IWDP /
DPAP /DDP is in operation. This wing should consist of a Project Officer, assisted by a
small complement of staff. This staff would be independent of the programme support in
the form of PIAs or Watershed committees.

f) Engineering Wing

Each DRDA should have a technical wing, which should also be responsible for
innovations in design or use of materials, as well as training of the engineering personnel
of the line departments or the PRIs. This wing should be manned by an Executive
Engineer assisted by one or two Assistant / Junior Engineers.

g) Account Wing

i) Wherever it has not been done, the DRDAs should shift over to
commercial accounting systems from the existing government account system.
They should publish an annual report alongwith the balance sheet. The accounts
wing of the DRDA should be headed by a Sr. Accounts Officer, either on
deputation or by engaging the services of a chartered accountant. He should be
supported by an Accounts Officer each for self-employment programmes and
wage employment programmes duly assisted by accountants. Wherever the
Watershed programmes (IWDP/DPAP/DDP) are under implementation, an
additional post of Accounts Officer may be sanctioned. For Indira Awaas Yojana,
one Accountant at the district level should be available to monitor the progress of
the programme and the accounts.

ii) One of the Accounts Officers should perform the role of internal audit.

h) Monitoring Wing

These should be a separate Monitoring and Evaluation wing headed by a Project

Economist and functioning directly under the supervision of the Project Director. Apart
from monitoring the progress of all the programmes., this wing should also carry out
evaluation /impact studies regularly by independent by independent institutions /experts
including NGOs. The cost of such studies will be met from the respective programme
funds. This wing should also monitor issues relevant to poverty in the district.
 III – Administrative Costs

3.1 Administrative costs were earlier admissible under different programmes.

In order to enable the DRDAs to develop a proper personnel structure and to
ensure its proper growth over years, the practive of meeting the administrative
costs as percentages of each programme allocation has been given up. It will, on
the other hand, be taken up as a new scheme called `DRDA Administration with
effect from 1st April, 1999. This scheme will be funded on a 75.25 by the central
and state government.

3.2 Till 31.3.1999, administrative costs of the DRDAs were being met by way
of a part of the programme fund of IRDP, JRY, EAS, DPAP, etc. With the
introduction of the scheme of `DRDA Administration` the administrative costs
earlier available under different programmes stand withdrawn from 1.4.1999 and
provision of administrative support to the DRDAs will be only under the scheme
of `DRDA Administration`.

3.3 Since the salary structure in different States different, the States may
follow their own salary structure. However, the administrative cost ceiling fixed
should be met entirely by the State government.

3.4 A maximum of 30% of the salary cost may be allocated towards

contingencies inclusive of Rents, POL, office expenses, etc.

3.5 The administrative cost per district is fixed as follows:

Category A districts (<6 blocks) Rs. 46 lakh per year

Category B districts (6-10 blocks) Rs. 57 lakh per year
Category C districts (11-15 blocks) Rs. 65 lakh per year
Category D districts (>15 blocks) Rs. 67 lakh per year

3.6 The above limits will be applicable from the year 1999-2000. This ceiling
will be raised every year, on a compounding basis, upto 5% to set off the
increases due to inflation etc.

3.7 The state governments are allowed a sum upto 10% of the above costs, to
be calculated at 10% of the total admissible cost to all the districts in the state.
 IV – Personnel Policy of the DRDAs

4.1 Currently, there is no uniform policy for engaging and/or recruiting the
staff by the DRDA. In many States, there are staff both directly recruited as well
as on deputation. It is essential that prudent personnel policies are followed if the
DRDA are to be a professional agency or are to perform the tasks expected of
them. The following principles are laid down which must necessarily be followed.

4.2 As a matter of policy, the DRDA should not have any permanent staff.
Taking employees on deputation to the DRDA for specific periods has the
advantage of better choice of staff, flexibility in staffing pattern and of motivating
the staff. The objective of strengthening of DRDAs is to provide them with
certain professional capacity and have a flexible-standing pattern. To start with,
DRDAs shall no longer be allowed to make any direct recruitment. In respect of
the Staff that is currently borne on the DRDA, the State Rural Development
Department should immediately draw up a 3-5 year plan for absorption of the
staff into the line departments.

4.3 The Project Directors, Project Officers, APOs and all technical posts are to
be manned by officer with proven capability and motivation and are selected in an
objective manner by specific Selection Committees. The Project Directors should
be selected by a Committee headed by the Chief Secretary / Development
Commissioner / Addl. Chief Secretary of the State and with the Secretary (RD)
being the member convenor, similarly, for officers at the level of APOs and other
technical officers, there should be a selection Committee headed by Secretary
(RD). For other staff too, other than ministerial and lower rank, the selection
should be by an appropriate selection committee.

4.4 In the selection of Project Directors and APOs, emphasis should be on

selecting officers of young age. Indicatively, the PDs and APO should be more
than 40-45 years of age, and in any case not more than 50 years of age.

4.5 Lack of sufficient length of tenure to the project personnel has been a
worrisome factor in the implementation of the anti-poverty programmes. In order
to avoid this risk, it is necessary to insist on a minimum tenure and also ensure its
compliance. The Project Directors, APOs and other technical staff must have a
minimum tenure of 2-3 years and only under exceptional circumstances can theyh
be shifted that too after recording the specific reasons in writing. Any violation
should mean suspension of funds to the concerned DRDA.

4.6 The Secretary, Rural Development of the state should be in overall charge
of the Project Directors of DRDAs. To start with, after selection the posting
orders of Project Directors (the project officers, APOs) should be issued by the
Secretary, Rural Development and not by any other department. The cadre
controlling authority of the Project Directors / other officers may place the
 services of the concerned officers (after selection) at the disposal of the Rural
Development Department for appointment to the concerned posts. The Secretary,
Rural Development should also be responsible for making incharge arrangements
when Project Directors go on long leave. The Secretary, Rural Development
should actively associate himself / herself in the training requirements of Project
Directors and other DRDA staff.

4.7 In order to make the DRDA a professional body, the officials and staff of
DRDAs should be constantly trained in the general field of management of rural
areas and poverty. The personnel to be posted to the DRDA should be given a
pre-service training to orient them suitably to their tasks.

4.8 There should also be a system of an annual in-service training where the
officers could be given the updates about the relevant fields and which would also
afford them an opportunity of exchanging their experiences.

4.9 Suitable training programmes will be designed by the Ministry in

consultation with professional institutes of the national importance. The State
Government may also identify suitable state-level institutions in consultation with
the Ministry of Rural Development.
 V – Administration of DRDAs
5.1 An indicated, the role of the DRDA is to perform tasks which are
distinctly different from other institutions / departments. However, the DRDAs
are very much a part of the district. They shall function accordingly.

5.2 The DRDA shall be a registered society registered under a Societies

Registration Act or a district cell in the Zilla Parishad having a separate identity.
The chairman of the Zilla Parishad shall be the chairman of governing body of the
DRDA. The Executive and financial functions shall however lie with CEO, Zilla
Parishad / District Collector who shall be designated as the Chief Executive
Officer or Executive Director. It shall be his responsibility to ensure that the
administration of DRDA and the programmes are conducted in accordance with
the guidelines. Wherever the Zilla Parishads are not in existence or are not
functional, the DRDAs would function under the Collector / District
Magistrate /Deputy Commissioner of the District, as the case may be.

5.3 The administration of the DRDA shall be carried out by a governing body.
The Governing Body of the DRDA will provide policy directions, approve the
annual plan and also review and monitor the implementation of the plan,
including the different programmes. They shall give such directions to the DRDA
as may be necessary from time to time. The Governing Body of the DRDA will
meet once in a quarter.

5.4 The composition of the governing body shall be as follows.

1. Chairman of Zilla Parishad Chairman

2. All MPs and MLAs and MLCs of the District

3. 1/3rd of Panchayat Samiti Chairpersons to be nominated by rotation in

alphabetical order for a tenure of one year, one of whom must belong to
SC/ST and another a woman.

4. CEO of Zilla Parishad / District Collector – Chief Executive Officer /

Executive Director

5. Head of the Central Cooperative Bank of the District

6. Chairman Regional Rural Bank

7. District Lead Bank Officer

 8. Representative of the Reserve Bank of India at district level

9. NABARD representative at district level

10. General Manager, DIC

11. Representative of KVIB

12. District Officer in charge of Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe Welfare

13. District women & Child welfare officer

14. District officer dealing with welfare of the disabled

15. One representative from technical institutions

16. Two representatives of NGOs

17. Two representatives of the weaker sections, one of whom may be drawn
from SCs and STs

18. One representative of rural women

19. Proejct Director, DRDA - Member Secretary

Wherever the Zilla Parishads are not in existence, the State Governments
may nominate elected members of the State Legislature from the concerned
districts to act as Chairman of the Governing Bodies of the DRDAs.

Executive Committee (EC)

5.5 All executive and financial powers of the DRDA shall be exercised by the
executive committee as per a scheme of delegation of financial and executive
powers to be determined by each State/UT Government and this Committee will
be fully accountable in all matters of DRDA to the governing body as well as to
the Government. The Executive Committee of DRDA shall be headed by the
Chief Executive Officer / Executive Director and shall consist of all the District
level officers and any other officer deemed necessary for planning and
implementation of the anti-poverty programmes. The Project Director DRDA will
be the Member-Secretary of the EC.

The Executive Committee will meet at least once in a month.

 VI – Financial Procedures
6.1 The scheme of `DRDA Administration` shall be a centrally sponsored
scheme. The funds required under this progreamme shall be shared between the
Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25 Funds will be released directly to the
DRDAs, in accordance with the guidelines under this programme.

6.2 The Centre will release funds in two installments.

a) Release of First Installment

i) The release of first installment can be made without any formal request if
the second installment in the previous year had been released without any
condition. If latter installment was not released at all or was released with some
conditions, formal requests for release of first installment are required from the
DRDAs after the conditions have been fulfilled / reasons for non-release of the
second installment have been met. For the first year i.e., 1999-2000 all the
DRDAs will be released first installment on an ad-hoc basis.

ii) The release of the first installment should ordinarily be completed by the
end of the second month of the financial year.

b) Release of Second Installment

i) The quantum of the second installment shall be subject to actual

requirement within the overall ceiling. The second installment of Central funds
shall be released on the request of the DRDAs in the prescribed performa on
fulfillment of the following conditions.

1) Budget provision for the current year may be indicated by the State
Governments. The Central release will not exceed it proportionately.

2) The State Government should have released its contribution during the
previous year. Deficiency in release of its share will be deducted from the second
installment. Also the contribution of the State Government for the first current
year should have been released.

3) Available funds including carry forward funds should have been utilized at least
to 60%.
4) The opening balance of the DRDAs should not exceed 15% of the allocation of
the year in which funds are being released. In case, the opening balance exceeds
this limit, the Central share of the amount by which it exceeds this limit will be
deducted at the time of release of second installment.

5) Audit reports, utilization certificates for the previous year should be

furnished. This will not be required in the first year i.e., 1999-2000.

6) Any other terms and conditions imposed at the time of the last release
should have been met.

ii) The DRDA shall maintain the fund under the head `DRDA
Administration`, in a separate bank account in any o the nationalized bank.
Interest earned on the funds will necessarily be used only for admissible items of
expenditure under DRDA administration. They shall not be used for any
programme funding or non-admissible items of expenditure, such as construction
of building and purchase of vehicles.

c) Maintenance of Accounts

i) Principles

Separate accounts shall be maintained of this scheme and each other

scheme under which the DRDA receives funds. Such maintenance of accounts is
governed by the principles that the expenditure incurred is not repugnant to the
objective of the scheme and is made, in accordance with the prescribed
procedures. DRDA accounts are to be maintained on double entry system. The
accounting procedure for DRDAs has been described in detail in the Government
of India, Ministry of Rural Development Publication entitled “Revised
Accounting Procedure for District Rural Development Agencies / Societies”,
1984 and subsequent instruction issued / to be issued from time to time. Internal
Audit Cells should be specifically charged with the responsibility of overseeing
and the observance of these principles. One of the Accounts Officers should
perform the role of internal audit.

d) Audit of the Accounts

i) The Project Director should cause the annual accounts of the DRDA to be
prepared by a date not later than 30th June comprising Receipt and Payment
Accounts, Income and Expenditure Account and Balance sheet. After approval by
the Governing body, he shall have the accounts audited by the Chartered
Accountant or any other auditor appointed for the purpose. A copy of such audit
report (duly signed by auditor) alongwith the annual statement of accounts
certified by the auditor and the Chairman of the DRDA thereon should be
furnished simultaneously to Government of India and the State Government not
later than 30th September.

ii) The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has the right to conduct the
audit of the accounts of the society and for this purpose shall have the right of
access to the books of accounts and other relevant records of the DRDA. For this
purpose a copy of the annual accounts alongwith the audit report and the
comments of the DRDA thereon shall be sent to the audit office nominated by
CAG.

iii) The accounts of the DRDA shall also be open to inspection by such
individual or parties as are nominated to carryout such inspections by the Ministry
of Rural Development at the State level or at the level of the Government of India.
All Officers of and above the level of Under Secretary in the Ministry of Rural
Development, Government of India and such officer as may be authorized by the
State Government may also inspect the accounts.

iv) A Statement showing the schedule of Fixed Assets held by the DRDA /
Agency at the end of the financial year should be sent to the State Government
and Government of India with the form prescribed alongwith the annual statement
of accounts. No depreciation should be charged and value of assets to be shown at
the original cost in the accounts.

v) All the Agencies should send a utilization certificate to the Government of

India (Department of Rural Development) in the prescribed Performa alongwith
annual statement of accounts. The utilization certificate must be prepared strictly
on the basis of the Receipts and Payment Accounts and opening / closing balances
in both Receipts and Payment Accounts Utilisation Certificate must also tally.

vi) The above provisions are in addition to the statutory requirements under
relevant law under which the DRDAs are registered.

CAPART

The voluntary sector in India has played a major role in rural

development,through mobilising communities and catalysing people's
initiatives for change,as well as through direct implementation of
interventions around specific issues.

Formal recognition of the role of voluntary organisations in the Seventh Plan

documentled to the formation of the Council for Advancement of People's
Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) in 1986, as a nodal agency for
catalysing and coordinating the emerging partnership between voluntary
organisations and the Government for sustainable development of rural
areas.

CAPART was formed by amalgamating two agencies the 'Council for

Advancementof Rural Technology' (CART) and People's Action for
Development India (PADI). CAPART is an autonomous body registered under
the Societies Registration Act 1860,and is functioning under the aegis of the
Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. Today, this agency is a
major promoter of rural development in India, assisting over 12,000
voluntary organizations across the country in implementing a wide range of
development initiatives

CAPART supports project proposals from voluntary organisations working in

rural areas. The Brochures and guidelines for different schemes are available
from headquarters and Regional Comned Regional Committee. Proposals for
projects above this amount should be submitted directly to CAPART
headquarters.

PROJECT APPRAISAL AND EVALUATION

Each project submitted to CAPART goes through a process of on-site pre-

funding appraisal, to assess its feasibility in relation to the local situation,
and the capacities and competence of the organisation proposing to
implement it. In addition, each funded proposal is evaluated at the mid-term
stage to allow for mid-course corrections. End-term evaluations and impact
assessments complete the project cycle, and feed into the ongoing process
of planning and strategising in each project division.

Project appraisals and evaluations are carried out by external experts drawn
from the CAPART panel of project evaluators, which includes subject
specialists from various disciplines. Empanelment is through a rigorous
screening process, the main criteria being professional qualifications, an
understanding of rural development and commitment to voluntary action for
development.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
 • Registration under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (or a State
amendment of this Act), the Indian Trusts Act, 1862, or the Charitable
and Religious Trusts Act, 1920.
• At least three years of experience of working in the field after
registration.
• A strong field presence and experience of mobilising communities to
act for development.

GUIDELINES

• CAPART gives priority to voluntary organisations with a good track

record and proven competence in community mobilisation and
empowerment of disadvantaged groups.
• Organisations accessing CAPART support for the first time are required
to submit their proposals only directly to concerned Regional
Committees.
• Project proposals must be submitted in the proper format (included in
each of the scheme guidelines) and must be accompanied by a
complete organisation profile in the appropriate format (also included
in the scheme guidelines).
• The Media Division of CAPART is responsible for supporting CAPART
project divisions with communications materials and in coordinating
the production of audio-visual and print learning/training materials for
use by the voluntary sector. This division has supported the production
of a number of films on different development themes by film-makers
of national standing as well as by young innovators.
• CAPART also publishes a range of books, magazines and journals,
which enjoy a wide circulation in the voluntary sector. A network of 25
development resource centres, the Communications Resource Network
(CRN), has been initiated by the Media Division, which is geared to
collecting and disseminating development communication materials
developed by different field- based groups.

PANCHAYATH RAJ

Panchayati raj
The panchayat raj is a South Asian political system mainly in India,
Pakistan, and Nepal. "Panchayat" literally means assembly (yat) of five
(panch) wise and respected elders chosen and accepted by the village
community. Traditionally, these assemblies settled disputes between
individuals and villages. Modern Indian government has decentralized
several administrative functions to the village level, empowering elected
gram panchayats. Gram panchayats are not to be confused with the
unelected khap panchayats (or caste panchayats) found in some parts of
India.

Panchayati raj

Panchayati Or Panchaayati Raj is a system of governance in which gram panchayats

are the basic units of administration. It has 3 levels: village, block and district.

The term ‘panchayat raj’ is relatively new, having originated during the British
administration. 'Raj' literally means governance or government. Mahatma Gandhi
advocated Panchayati Raj, a decentralized form of Government where each village is
responsible for its own affairs, as the foundation of India's political system. His term for
such a vision was "Gram Swaraj" (Village Self-governance).

It was adopted by state governments during the 1950s and 60s as laws were passed to
establish Panchayats in various states. It also found backing in the Indian Constitution,
with the 73rd amendment in 1992 to accommodate the idea. The Amendment Act of
1992 contains provision for devolution of powers and responsibilities to the panchayats
to both for preparation of plans for economic development and social justice and for
implementation in relation to twenty-nine subjects listed in the eleventh schedule of the
constitution.[2]

The panchayats receive funds from three sources – (i) local body grants, as
recommended by the Central Finance Commission, (ii) funds for implementation of
centrally-sponsored schemes, and (iii) funds released by the state governments on the
recommendations of the State Finance Commissions.[2]

In the history of Panchayati Raj in India, on 24 April 1993, the Constitutional (73rd
Amendment) Act, 1992 came into force to provide constitutional status to the
Panchayati Raj institutions. This Act was extended to Panchayats in the tribal areas of
eight States, namely Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Rajasthan from 24 December 1996. Now panchayati raj
system exists in all the states except Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram. Also all the
UTs except Delhi. (Refer: [1])

The Act aims to provide 3-tier system of Panchayati Raj for all States having population
of over 2 million, to hold Panchayat elections regularly every 5 years, to provide
reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Women, to appoint
State Finance Commission to make recommendations as regards the financial powers
of the Panchayats and to constitute District Planning Committee to prepare draft
development plan for the [Link] 3-tier system of Panchayati Raj consists of a)
village level panchayat b) block level panchayat c) district level panchayat.
Powers and responsibilities are delegated to Panchayats at the appropriate level :-

• Preparation of plan for economic development and social justice.

• Implementation of schemes for economic development and social justice in
relation to 29 subjects given in Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution.
• To levy, collect and appropriate taxes, duties, tolls and fees.

[edit] Village level panchayat

It is called a Panchayat at the village level. It is a local body working for the good of the
village. The number of members usually ranges from 7 to 31; occasionally, groups are
larger, but they never have fewer than 7 members.

The block-level institution is called the Panchayat Samiti. The district-level institution is
called the Zilla Parishad.

[edit] Intermediate level panchayat

Panchayat samiti is a local government body at the tehsil or Taluka level in India. It
works for the villages of the Tehsil or Taluka that together are called a Development
Block. The Panchayat Samiti is the link between the Gram Panchayat and the district
administration. There are a number of variations of this institution in various states. It is
known as Mandal Praja Parishad in Andhra Pradesh, Taluka panchayat in Gujarat,
Mandal Panchayat in Karnataka, [Link] general it's a kind of Panchayati raj at higher
level.

[edit] Constitution

It is composed of ex-officio members (all sarpanchas of the panchayat samiti area, the
MPs and MLAs of the area and the SDO of the subdivision), coopted members
(representatives of SC/ST and women), associate members (a farmer of the area, a
representative of the cooperative societies and one of the marketing services) and
some elected members.

The samiti is elected for 5 years and is headed by the chairman and the deputy
chairman.

[edit] Departments

The common departments in the Samiti are as follows:

1. General administration
2. Finance
3. Public works
4. Agriculture
5. Health
 6. Education
7. Social welfare
8. Information Technology and others.

There is an officer for every department. A government appointed block development

officer is the executive officer to the samiti and the chief of its administration the
dapartment of

[edit] Functions

1. Implement schemes for the development of agriculture.

2. Establishment of primary health centres and primary schools.
3. Supply of drinking water, drainage, construction/repair of roads.
4. Development of cottage and small-scale industries and opening of cooperative
societies.
5. Establishment of youth organisations.

[edit] Sources of income

The main source of income of the panchayat samiti are grants-in-aid and loans from the
State Government.

[edit] District level panchayat

In the district level of the panchayati raj system you have the "zilla parishad". It looks
after the administration of the rural area of the district and its office is located at the
district headquarters. The Hindi word Parishad means Council and Zilla Parishad
translates to District Council. It is headed by the "District Collector" or the "District
Magistrate" or the "Deputy Comminissioner". it is the link between the state government
and the panchayat samiti (local seld government at the block level)

Constitution

Members of the Zilla Parishad are elected from the district on the basis of adult
franchise for a term of five years. Zilla Parishad has minimum of 50 and maximum of 75
members. There are seats reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, backward
classes and women.

The Chairmen of all the Panchayat Samitis form the members of Zilla Parishad. The
Parishad is headed by a President and a Vice-President.

Functions

1. Provide essential services and facilities to the rural population and the planning and
execution of the development programmes for the district.
2. Supply improved seeds to farmers. Inform them of new techniques of training.
Undertake construction of small-scale irrigation projects and percolation tanks. Maintain
pastures and grazing lands.

3. Set up and run schools in villages. Execute programmes for adult literacy. Run
libraries.

4. Start Primary Health Centers and hospitals in villages. Start mobile hospitals for
hamlets, vaccination drives against epidemics and family welfare campaigns.

5. Construct bridges and roads.

6. Execute plans for the development of the scheduled castes and tribes. Run
ashramshalas for adivasi children. Set up free hostels for scheduled caste students.

7. Encourage entrepreneurs to start small-scale industries like cottage industries,

handicraft, agriculture produce processing mills, dairy farms, etc. implement rural
employment schemes.

8. They construct roads,schools,& public [Link] they take care of the public
properties.

9. They even supply work for the poor people.(tribes,scheduled caste,lower caste)

Sources of Income

1. Taxes on water, pilgrimage, markets, etc.

2. Fixed grant from the State Government in proportion with the land revenue and
money for works and schemes assigned to the Parishad.

History of panchayati raj in India

Panchayat Raj (Rule of Village Committee) system is a three-tier system in the state
with elected bodies at the Village, Taluk and District levels. It ensures greater
participation of people and more effective implementation of rural development
programmes. There will be a Grama Panchayat for a village or group of villages, a Taluk
level and the Zilla Panchayat at the district level.

India has a chequered history of panchayati raj starting from a self-sufficient and self-
governing village communities that survived the rise and fall of empires in the past to
the modern legalized institutions of governance at the third tier provided with
Constitutional support.
Early history

During the time of the Rig-Veda (1200 BC), evidences suggest that self-governing
village bodies called 'sabhas' existed. With the passage of time, these bodies became
panchayats (council of five persons). Panchayats were functional institutions of
grassroots governance in almost every village. The Village Panchayat or elected council
had large powers, both executive and judicial. Land was distributed by this panchayat
which also collected taxes out of the produce and paid the government's share on
behalf of the village. Above a number of these village councils there was a larger
panchayat or council to supervise and interfere if necessary [1]. Casteism and feudalistic
system of governance under Mughal rule in the medieval period slowly eroded the self-
government in villages. A new class of feudal chiefs and revenue collectors (zamindars)
emerged between the ruler and the people. And, so began the stagnation and decline of
self-government in villages.

During the British rule, the autonomy of panchayats gradually declined with the
establishment of local civil and criminal courts, revenue and police organisations, the
increase in communications, the growth of individualism and the operation of the
individual Ryotwari '(landholder-wise) system as against the Mahalwari or village tenure
system.

[edit] During British rule

The panchayat had never been the priority of the British rulers [2]. The rulers were
interested in the creation of 'controlled' local bodies, which could help them in their
trading interests by collecting taxes for them. When the colonial administration came
under severe financial pressure after the 1857 uprising, the remedy sought was
decentralisation in terms of transferring responsibility for road and public works to local
bodies. However, the thrust of this 'compelled' decentralisation was with respect to
municipal administration.

"The panchayat was destroyed by the East India Company when it was granted the
office of Diwan in 1765 by the Mughal Emperor as part of reparation after his defeat at
Buxar. As Diwan the Company took two decisions. The first was that it abolished the
village land record office and created a company official called Patwari. The Patwari
became the official record keeper for a number of villages. The second was the creation
of the office of magistrate and the abolition of village police. The magistrate carried out
policing functions through the Darogha who had always been a state functionary under
the Faujdar. The primary purpose of these measures was the collection of land revenue
by fiat. The depredations of the Patwari and the Darogha are part of our folklore and it
led to the worst famine in Bengal. The effects of the famine lingered right to the end of
the 18th century. These two measures completely disempowered the village community
and destroyed the panchayat. After 1857 the British tried to restore the panchayat by
giving it powers to try minor offences and to resolve village disputes. But these
measures never restored the lost powers of the village community."
From 1870 that Viceroy Lord Mayo's Resolution (for decentralisation of power to bring
about administrative efficiency in meeting people's demand and to add to the finances
of colonial regime) gave the needed impetus to the development of local institutions. It
was a landmark in the evolution of colonial policy towards local government. The real
benchmarking of the government policy on decentralisation can, however, be attributed
to Lord Ripon who, in his famous resolution on local self-government on May 18, 1882,
recognised the twin considerations of local government: (i) administrative efficiency and
(ii) political education. The ‘’’Ripon Resolution’’’, which focused on towns, provided for
local bodies consisting of a large majority of elected non-official members and presided
over by a non-official chairperson. This resolution met with resistance from colonial
administrators. The progress of local self-government was tardy with only half-hearted
steps taken in setting up municipal bodies. Rural decentralisation remained a neglected
area of administrative reform.

The Royal Commission on Decentralisation (1907) under the chairmanship of C.E.H.

Hobhouse recognised the importance of panchayats at the village level. The
commission recommended that "it is most desirable, alike in the interests of
decentralisation and in order to associate the people with the local tasks of
administration, that an attempt should be made to constitute and develop village
panchayats for the administration of local village affairs".[3]

But, the Montague-Chemsford reforms (1919) brought local self-government as a

provincial transferred subject, under the domain of Indian ministers in the provinces.
Due to organisational and fiscal constraints, the reform was unable to make panchayat
institutions truly democratic and vibrant. However, the most significant development of
this period was the 'establishment of village panchayats in a number of provinces, that
were no longer mere ad hoc judicial tribunal, but representative institutions symbolising
the corporate character of the village and having a wide jurisdiction in respect of civic
matters'. l By 1925, eight provinces had passed panchayat acts and by 1926, six native
states had also passed panchayat laws.

The provincial autonomy under the Government of India Act, 1935, marked the
evolution of panchayats in India. Popularly elected governments in provinces enacted
legislations to further democratise institutions of local self-government. But the system
of responsible government at the grassroots level was least responsible. D.P. Mishra,
the then minister for local self-government under the Government of India Act of 1935 in
Central Provinces was of the view that 'the working of our local bodies... in our province
and perhaps in the whole country presents a tragic picture... 'Inefficiency' and 'local
body' have become synonymous terms....' [4].

In spite of various committees such as the Royal Commission on Decentralization

(1907), the report of Montague and Chemsford on constitutional reform (1919), the
Government of India Resolution (1918), etc., a hierarchical administrative structure
based on supervision and control evolved. The administrator became the focal point of
rural governance. The British were not concerned with decentralised democracy but
were aiming for colonial objectives. [5]
The Indian National Congress from the 1920s to 1947, emphasized the issue of all-India
Swaraj, and organized movements for Independence under the leadership of Mahatma
Gandhi. The task of preparing any sort of blueprint for the local level was neglected as a
result. There was no consensus among the top leaders regarding the status and role to
be assigned to the institution of rural local self-government; rather there were divergent
views on the subject. On the one end Gandhi favoured Village Swaraj and
strengthening the village panchayat to the fullest extent and on the other end, Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar opposed this idea. He believed that the village represented regressive India,
a source of oppression. The model state hence had to build safeguards against such
social oppression and the only way it could be done was through the adoption of the
parliamentary model of politics [6] During the drafting of the Constitution of India,
Panchayati Raj Institutions were placed in the non-justiciable part of the Constitution,
the Directive Principles of State Policy, as Article 40. The Article read 'the State shall
take steps to organise village panchayats and endow them with such powers and
authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government'.
However, no worthwhile legislation was enacted either at the national or state level to
implement it.

In the four decades since the adoption of the Constitution, panchayat raj institutions
have travelled from the non-justiciable part of the Constitution to one where, through a
separate amendment, a whole new status has been added to their history [7]

[edit] Post-independence period

Panchayat raj had to go through various stages. The First Five Year Plan failed to bring
about active participation and involvement of the people in the Plan processes, which
included Plan formulation implementation and monitoring. The Second Five Year Plan
attempted to cover the entire countryside with National Extensive Service Blocks
through the institutions of Block Development Officers, Assistant Development Officers,
Village Level Workers, in addition to nominated representatives of village panchayats of
that area and some other popular organisations like co-operative societies. But the plan
failed to satisfactorily accomplish decentralisation. Hence, committees were constituted
by various authorities to advise the Centre on different aspects of decentralisation.

[edit] The Balwantrai Mehta Committee (1957)

In 1957, Balwantrai Mehta Committee studied the Community Development Projects

and the National Extension Service and assessed the extent to which the movement
had succeeded in utilising local initiatives and in creating institutions to ensure continuity
in the process of improving economic and social conditions in rural areas. The
Committee held that community development would only be deep and enduring when
the community was involved in the planning, decision-making and implementation
process [8] . The suggestions were for as follows [9] :-

• an early establishment of elected local bodies and devolution to them of necessary

resources, power and authority,
• that the basic unit of democratic decentralisation was at the block/ samiti level since
the area of jurisdiction of the local body should neither be too large nor too small. The
block was large enough for efficiency and economy of administration, and small enough
for sustaining a sense of involvement in the citizens,

• such body must not be constrained by too much control by the government or
government agencies,

• the body must be constituted for five years by indirect elections from the village
panchayats,

• its functions should cover the development of agriculture in all its aspects, the
promotion of local industries and others

• services such as drinking water, road building, etc., and

• the higher level body, Zilla Parishad, would play an advisory role.

The PRI structure did not develop the requisite democratic momentum and failed to
cater to the needs of rural development. There are various reasons for such an outcome
which include political and bureaucratic resistance at the state level to share power and
resources with local level institutions, domination of local elites over the major share of
the benefits of welfare schemes, lack of capability at the local level and lack of political
will.

[edit] K. Santhanam Committee (1963)

One of the prime areas of concern in this long debate on panchayati raj institutions was
fiscal decentralisation. The K. Santhanam Committee was appointed to look solely at
the issue of PRI finance, in 1963. The fiscal capacity of PRIs tends to be limited, as rich
resources of revenue are pre-empted by higher levels of government, and issue is still
debated today. The Committee was asked to determine issues related to sanctioning of
grants to PRIs by the state government, evolving mutual financial relations between the
three tiers of PRIs, gifts and donation, handing over revenue in full or part to PRIs. The
Committee recommended the following [10]:

• panchayats should have special powers to levy special tax on land revenues and
home taxes, etc.,

• people should not be burdened with too many demands (taxes),

• all grants and subventions at the state level should be mobilised and sent in a
consolidated form to various PRIs,
• a Panchayat Raj Finance Corporation should be set up to look into the financial
resource of PRIs at all levels, provide loans and financial assistance to these grassroots
level governments and also provide non-financial requirements of villages.

These issues have been debated over the last three decades and have been taken up
by the State Finance Commissions which are required to select taxes for assignment
and sharing, identifying the principles for such sharing and assignment, determine the
level of grants and recommend the final distribution of state's transfers to local
authorities.20

[edit] Ashok Mehta Committee (1978)

Main article: Ashok Mehta Committee

With the coming of the Janata Party into power at the Centre in 1977, a serious view
was taken of the weaknesses in the functioning of Panchayati Raj [11]. It was decided to
appoint a high-level committee under the chairmanship of Ashok Mehta to exa¬mine
and suggest measures to strengthen PRIs. The Committee had to evolve an effective
decentralised system of development for PRIs. They made the following
recommendations [12] :-

• the district is a viable administrative unit for which planning, co-ordination and
resource allocation are feasible and technical expertise available,

• PRIs as a two-tier system, with Mandal Panchayat at the base and Zilla Parishad at
the top,

• the PRIs are capable of planning for themselves with the resources available to them,

• district planning should take care of the urban-rural continuum,

• representation of SCs and STs in the election to PRIs on the basis of their population,

• four-year term of PRIs,

• participation of political parties in elections,

• any financial devolution should be committed to accepting that much of the

developmental functions at the district level would be played by the panchayats.

The states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal passed new legislation
based on this report. However, the flux in politics at the state level did not allow these
institutions to develop their own political dynamics.
[edit] G.V.K. Rao Committee (1985)

The G.V.K. Rao Committee was appointed to once again look at various aspects of
PRIs. The Committee was of the opinion that a total view of rural development must be
taken in which PRIs must play a central role in handling people's problems. It
recommended the following [13] :-

• PRIs have to be activated and provided with all the required support to become
effective organisations,

• PRIs at the district level and below should be assigned the work of planning,
implementation and monitoring of rural development programmes, and

• the block development office should be the spinal cord of the rural development
process.

[edit] [Link] Committee (1986)

L.M. Singhvi Committee studied panchayatiraj. The Gram Sabha was considered as the
base of a decentralised democracy, and PRIs viewed as institutions of self-governance
which would actually facilitate the participation of the people in the process of planning
and development. It recommended [14] :

• local self-government should be constitutionally recognised, protected and preserved

by the inclusion of new chapter in the Constitution,

• non-involvement of political parties in Panchayat elections.

The suggestion of giving panchayats constitutional status was opposed by the Sarkaria
Commission, but the idea, however, gained momentum in the late 1980s especially
because of the endorsement by the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who introduced
the 64th Constitutional Amendment Bill in 1989. The 64th Amendment Bill was prepared
and introduced in the lower house of Parliament. But it got defeated in the Rajya Sabha
as non-convincing. He lost the general elections too. In 1989, the National Front
introduced the 74th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which could not become an Act
because of the dissolution of the Ninth Lok Sabha. All these various suggestions and
recommendations and means of strengthening PRIs were considered while formulating
the new Constitutional Amendment Act.

[edit] The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act

The idea that produced the 73rd Amendment [15] was not a response to pressure from
the grassroots, but to an increasing recognition that the institutional initiatives of the
preceding decade had not delivered, that the extent of rural poverty was still much too
large and thus the existing structure of government needed to be reformed. It is
interesting to note that this idea evolved from the Centre and the state governments. It
was a political drive to see PRIs as a solution to the governmental crises that India was
experiencing. The Constitutional (73rd Amendment) Act, passed in 1992 by the
Narasimha Rao government, came into force on April 24, 1993. It was meant to provide
constitutional sanction to establish "democracy at the grassroots level as it is at the
state level or national level". Its main features are as follows [16]:

• The Gram Sabha or village assembly as a deliberative body to decentralised

governance has been envisaged as the foundation of the Panchayati Raj System.

• A uniform three-tier structure of panchayats at village (Gram Panchayat — GP),

intermediate or block (Panchayat Samiti — PS) and district (Zilla Parishad — ZP) levels.

• All the seats in a panchayat at every level are to be filled by elections from respective
territorial constituencies.

• Not less than one-third of the total seats for membership as well as office of
chairpersons of each tier have to be reserved for women.

• Reservation for weaker castes and tribes (SCs and STs) have to be provided at all
levels in proportion to their population in the panchayats.

• To supervise, direct and control the regular and smooth elections to panchayats, a
State Election Commission has to be constituted in every State and UT.

• The Act has ensured constitution of a State Finance Commission in every State/UT,
for every five years, to suggest measures to strengthen finances of PRIs.

• To promote bottom-up-planning, the District Planning Committee fDPC} in every

district has been accorded constitutional status.

• An indicative list of 29 items has been given in Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution.
Panchayats are expected to play an effective role in planning and implementation of
works related to these 29 items.

[edit] Present scenario

At present, there are about 3 million elected representatives at all levels of the
panchayat one-third of which are women. These members represent more than 2.4 lakh
Gram Panchayats, about 6,000 intermediate level tiers and more than 500 district
panchayats . Spread over the length and breadth of the country, the new panchayats
cover about 96 per cent of India's more than 5.8 lakh villages and nearly 99.6 per cent
of rural population. This is the largest experiment in decentralisation of governance in
the history of humanity.

The Constitution visualises panchayats as institutions of self-governance. However,

giving due consideration to the federal structure of our polity, most of the financial
powers and authorities to be endowed on panchayats have been left at the discretion of
concerned state legislatures. Consequently, the powers and functions vested in PRIs
vary from state to state. These provisions combine representative and direct democracy
into a synergy and are expected to result in an extension and deepening of democracy
in India. Hence, panchayats have journeyed from an institution within the culture of India
to attain constitutional status.

What is NIRD ?
National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD) is an autonomous organization
under the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. Through its training
and research activities, NIRD endeavours to upgrade the knowledge skills and to
bring in required attitudes among its clientele group. NIRD sensitizes the elected
representatives and rural development functionaries about the impact of various
Rural Development initiatives of the Union Government and the State Governments
and also about the emerging challenges in the field of Rural Development. NIRD’s
activities and contact details can be seen on its website: [Link].
Vision:
The vision of NIRD is to focus on the policies and programmes that benefit the rural
poor, strive to energize the democratic decentralization process, improve the
operational efficiency of rural development personnel, promote transfer of
technology through its social laboratories and technology park and create
environmental awareness.

As a `think-tank’ for the Ministry of Rural Development, NIRD while acting as a

storehouse of information on rural development would assist the Ministry in policy
formulation and choice of options in rural development to usher in the change.
Mission:
To examine and analyze the factors contributing to the improvement of economic
and social well being of people in rural areas on a sustainable basis with focus on
the rural poor and the other disadvantaged groups through research, action
research, consultancy and documentation efforts.

To facilitate the rural development efforts with particular emphasis and focus on the
rural poor by improving the knowledge, skills and attitudes of rural development
officials and non-officials through organizing training, workshops and seminars.
Business Transacted:
NIRD is engaged in the following activities with a view to achieving the related
activities:
I Organize training programmes, conferences, seminars and Workshops for senior
level development managers, elected Representatives, bankers, NGOs and
others. A proforma is made available to the trainees for assessing the
effectiveness of various components of each training programme and their
relevance to the specific needs of the clientele groups. On the basis of the
feedback thus received, the overall effectiveness of the training activity is
measured. These evaluations are reviewed regularly. A summary of the training
performance is presented to the Executive Council and the General Council. The
 recommendations of the national level seminars and workshops, held regularly,
are brought out in the form of a book for reference by the concerned and are
displayed on the website of the Institute.
II Undertake, aid, promote and coordinate research on its own and through other
agencies. Greater emphasis is laid on the application aspects. Research studies
are published for wider dissemination of the research findings. A summary of
the findings is circulated to various organizations and are also put out on the
website of the NIRD for perusal of academicians and others.
III Study various aspects of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, local level governance
across the states;
IV Analyze and propose solutions to problems in planning and implementation of
the programmes for rural development;
V Disseminate information through periodicals, reports and other publications.
VI Provide consultancy services to both national and international organizations as
well as Ministries of Govt. of India and Departments of State Governments.
Clientele:
The clientele of NIRD include rural development functionaries at district level and
above, elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions, NGOs, Bankers,
Community-based Organizations and academics from universities and institutions.
NIRD has partnership with multilateral and bilateral organizations like World Bank,
DFID, AARRO, UNDP, etc. NIRD closely works with various Ministries of Government
of India and State Governments. NIRD gives policy inputs in the area of poverty
reduction. NIRD offers institutional programmes under the fellowship programme of
the Govt. of India.
Training calendar:

Training calendar can be seen at its website: [Link]

Fee for training:

Government functionaries of rural development are trained free while, some clients
e.g. public sector undertakings, banking institutions, international organizations
etc., will have to pay the prescribed course fee which will vary according to duration
and content of programme. Consultancy/sponsored programmes are charged
through negotiations. Details can be seen for any given programme at our website.
Action Research:
The Institute undertakes location and community specific research for field-testing
of various themes or models, step-by-step, while actually implementing the project
on ground. Day-to-day interventions are modified according to the situation
prevailing in the project area. It is a process of learning while doing and also social
laboratory for trainees. The Institute has also taken up the important process of
documenting its efforts to enable policy makers, rural development functionaries,
state governments, etc., to pick up learning points for application of such process
oriented implementation of programmes. The tangible outcomes of Action
Research are: i) to strengthen working relationships among the Government
Agencies and also promote public - private partnerships; ii) to provide opportunities
for tapping the local traditional wisdom and also to facilitate greater participation of
the disadvantaged sections in all local development endeavors; iii) to identify cost
effective and eco-friendly alternative development models for sustainable Rural
Development.
Institution Building and Networking:
Capacity building of over six million elected representatives and Panchayati Raj &
Rural Development Functionaries is a prerequisite for achieving the goals of Rural
Development. NIRD plays a crucial role in strengthening the training infrastructure
of State Institutes of Rural Development (SIRDs) and Extension Training Centers
(ETCs) besides augmenting the capabilities of the faculty members of these Rural
Development Training Institutions. Though `Training of Trainers' (TOT) programmes
in the field of communication skills, participatory training methods and Approaches
to Social Science Research besides the NIRD off-campus training programmes, it
enriches the capabilities of faculty and strengthen RD Training Institutions in the
conduct of periodic training programmes effectively. The Annual Colloquium of
Secretaries of Panchayati Raj & Rural Development and Heads of State Institutes of
Rural Development, National Meet of Heads of State Institutes of Rural
Development and Extension Training Centers and the Regional Meetings of Heads of
SIRDs and ETCs provide opportunities to the representatives of these RD Training
Institutions to explore the various ways of networking for sharing the resources and
expertise for the common benefit and also for enhancing the effectiveness of
training programmes of these institutions.
The statement of services provided to each client of the citizen group
separately with specific standards, which should be measurable, realistic
and challenging:
NIRD is an Academic Institution organizing research and training for rural
development functionaries so as to facilitate rapid socio-economic transformation of
rural areas.

Our clients are official and non-official functionaries who are responsible to
implement the development programmes, deliver development inputs and
services. Through training we are improving this capacity in terms of management
skills, knowledge and attitude. These can be measured by the improvement in
their efficiency of discharging their functions. At the end of each training
programme, participants’ evaluation is done on various parameters.
Statement of Services
[Link] Service Clientele Standards
.
1. Training
State Govt. Depts. · Timely, quality, and
(A) Regular NIRD functionaries at district and prescribed number of
(1 week/2 week) above programmes

· NGOs · 75% above evaluation

(B) Sponsored rating of each course.
(As per · Middle and senior level (Quality standard)
requirement) employees of GOI

(C) International · Financial institutions

 (4 – 12 weeks)
· Universities,
Training/Research
(D) Special institutions
programmes
·Elected representative
MPs/MLAs/ZP
2. Research · Policy makersScrutiny by subject matter
specialist about the quality of
· Implementing agenciesreports. Making available
reports on time to public
· Academics either on price or free of cost.
Placing the findings in the
public domain.
3. Consultancy · Various ministries Timely and quality report as
agreed to in TOR/ contract
· Various state Govts

· National and international

organizations

Expectations from the client and citizen:

 Good governance, transparency in all developmental activities and efficiency
in the implementation of programme and delivering of services.
 Attend, gain and use the training given
 Share the knowledge and skills gained from NIRD services
 Timely and on schedule payment of fees/charges agreed upon
 Help (suggest) in improving services of NIRD
NIRD obtains data from the clientele groups directly (trough training needs analysis
exercises) and also indirectly through the state governments and other institutional
channels. The interaction of the faculty with these groups is the most common
mode of eliciting their expectations. The evaluation feedbacks of the training
programmes is the major means of judging the extent to which the expectations are
met clientele group –wise. The TOT programmes and Off-campus programmes are
also interventions for fulfilling the aspirations of the clientele groups in terms of
acquisition of knowledge, attitudes and skills. The training material including case
studies (developed by NIRD and others) and films offer ample opportunities for
various members of the different clientele groups to learn from the rich experiences
(success as well as failures) of other members and other groups.
Being a national level research and training institution, the scope for direct
interaction with the citizen with a view to meet his/her expectations is a limited.
However, the research reports highlight the problems and aspirations of the citizens
and these reports are usually referred to the development departments, which in
turn facilitate the realization of citizens expectations from development processes.
Details of grievance redressal mechanism and how to access the same:
The various clientele groups can approach the Director General, NIRD regarding their grievances, if any, concerning the RD training and research activities including consultancy services
in the field of research and training.

Through research and diagnostic studies, the feed back on the problems of the people in general and the target groups of various programmes are provided to the policy makers and
field expectations of various Centers and State ministries and departments involved in Rural Development.
An in-built schedule for periodic review:
The Executive Council and the General Council meet periodically to review the
research and training activities of NIRD. The Research Advisory Committee (RAC
and the Academic Committee (AC) meet once a year (if necessary, more
frequently). The national colloquium of State Secretaries of PR and RD
Departments, the national meet of Heads of ETCs and SIRDs, the zonal meets etc.
facilitate interaction of the public servants and others with the NIRD community.
This dialogue helps in understanding the needs of each clientele group and gives
vital feedback on the quality of the services rendered by NIRD. The Ministry of RD,
New Delhi also reviews the performance of NIRD periodically through meetings and
progress reports.
 Monthly/quarterly reviews at central level and at DDG/DG level.
 Evaluation proforma for each course
 Five yearly external evaluation of NIRD training impact.
Information dissemination:
The Institute brings out a publication titled 'Rural Development Statistics" an annual
basis. Besides providing progress data on a host of Rural Development / Anti-
Poverty Programmes and the Schemes, this publication highlights both spatial and
ime series trends in different dimensions/aspects that impinge on the lives of rural
people. Academicians, policymakers and programme Implementers are finding this
publication very useful.
Rural Technology Park :
NIRD is engaged in operationalising a Rural Technology Park with an objective to
help in dissemination of affordable and appropriate technologies. The strategy to
be adopted is a double-pronged approach with equal emphasis on two components.
The first component is demonstration of technology models at NIRD with a variety
of static, simulated and live models in stalls and thematic pavilions. The second
component is actually by taking successful and proven technologies to the villages
and practically using these technologies with the active involvement of primary
stake holders, with the help of Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Self Help
Groups (SHGs), Gram Panchayats (GPs) and Non-Government Organizations
(NGOs). This process of transfer of technology can take place through careful
selection of user groups, enabling them to select appropriate technologies and
arrive at appropriate formal arrangements. SHG's/GP's will use the machinery to
maximum capacity by purchasing raw material, to take care of operation and to
give quarterly feedback to NIRD on the practical utility or otherwise of the
technology.
North Eastern Regional Centre of NIRD :
The North Eastern Regional Centre of NIRD was set up in June 1983 at Guwahati,
Assam to boost the rural development efforts in this region and to adapt its training
and research activities to suit the needs and problems of the North Eastern Region.
Over the years the Centre has been able to prove itself as a premier training and
research organization in the N.E. Region. NIRD shares all important information
including tender queries at its web site