Sharing unique experience of training on Integrated District Planning at NIRD, NERC
- Part 2 -

Sorokhaibam Geetmala / Rojendrakar Nongthomba *

In the book one can see how the central and state government schemes of similar goals and targets executed by different agencies fail to achieve the goals or to reach the real beneficiaries despite the government allocating a huge sum to the tune of Rs 800 to 1200 crore per district annually. The author introduced novel ideas and concepts to ensure optimum utilization of multi sectorial development funds.

We also believe with no focused approach or planning and thinly spread resources over different agencies would not result into successful ventures. In the class of the Director he beautifully explained the importance of collection of reliable, up-to-date and accurate information in the planning process and the approach that one has adopted while collecting information from the members of the villages.

In his perceptive PowerPoint presentation these were interestingly elucidated. Though he did not mention, we found that his technique was very much towards the direction of postmodern research methodology. In the techniques he taught we could see traditional positivistic scientific method was rendered backseat as the positivistic method may not elicit true information from the general people.

The little knowledge about the technique we learnt may be shared with if somebody from our colleagues like to have it. His class was interspersed with humorous narrations filled with meanings and values and morals.All other classes were equally very informative but we can't help mention one teacher Mr. Joydeep Baruah from Omeo Kumar Das Institute Of Social Change And Development.

He is an Academic and well qualified policy and change analyst. Though his topic -Preparation of Development Indicators and District vision at district and below level- needs two to three hours he tries to cover it in allotted time of one hour without compromising the important areas. We could learn how the vertical and horizontal integration and consolidation of planning at district level could take place and also the importance of convergence of resources among various agencies so that the functional Assets could be created. Unfortunately his power point presentation was found missing in the soft copies of the materials provided by the Institute. For our future reference we shall surely try to collect it from the institute.

We are also very much grateful to all other learned faculty members and experts/experienced bureaucrats for their insightful and perceptive lectures, sharing the practical experience on the subjects. Introductory of sort class Application of GIS & Remote sensing in integrated district planning by Mr A Simhachalan and also Applicaton of Plan Plus software for district planning by MK Ghosh were really informative. We were treated with some new concepts and are extremely elated to learn totally new things.

We are really thankful to the Course Director, K Haloi for his untiring efforts to make each one of us lively and to make his class a discussion forum where one can learn not only the subjects in consideration but also the new things by sharing each other's knowledge. He was ready clarifying all our doubts and confusions even outside the class. He made himself available all the time for our queries and suggestions.

We are also very much grateful the CEO of the ZP Morigaon. Despite his busy schedule he took out time for us and had a long marathon discussion about the working of the DPC. He had painstakingly showed the fund flow chart and the programmes undertaken under the BRGF. He finished the session with moral stories pregnant with the ideas of wisdom and humanities. Sir, hats off to you!

On the third day of the training the group went to the Morigaon district to have a first-hand experience of the working of local self-government. This article would not be complete if we do not briefly list our hastily prepared Field Visit Report presented on the last day of the training. Our team leader S Geetmala made the introductory speech and Rojendraker N gave the presentation.The course director even suggested our presentation be sent to the Morigaon Zilla Parishad (DPC).

The main purpose of the visit was to learn the functioning of the DPC, planning process from grass root level, implementation of planning activities and monitoring of the schemes. The group was divided into 5 teams and our team consisted of 7 members. We started our journey 8 am and on the way to Morigaon Zilla Parishad, for interaction session we stopped at Jagirgaon GP.

We had long interaction session with the secretary and junior engineer of the Jagirgaon Gram Panchayat. We collected the annual report published by the GP in which all the action and operational plans were clearly shown with names of the schemes and estimates of the activities to be taken up in the particular year. They also told us that they could collect some revenue from the markets and shops within its jurisdiction. We were further informed that there are 85 GPs and five Anchalik Panchayats (AP-middle tier) representing five blocks and one Zilla Parishad in the district.

We studied the composition of DPC and functioning of DPC in the Morigaon district. We learnt that the president of the ZP is the chairman of the DPC. Vice chairman and five AP presidents, the chairmen of ULBs and two representatives of ULBs and all the 13 members of the ZP are also the members of the DPC. District Collector is the Ex-officio member and a permanent invitee.

The CEO of ZP is the ex-officio secretary of the DPC. The DPC is the approving authority of all planned schemes. And particularly for BRGF (backward region grant fund) the approval of DPC is mandatory. All the plan proposals prepared by GPs are forwarded to AP and then to ZP which scrutinizes the proposed plans and are placed before the DPC, which are discussed and deliberated upon by the DPC before finalization.

If DPC finds any deficiency or defect the proposals are sent back to the concerned local bodies for reviewing. Once the proposal is approved by the DPC the proposal is forwarded to higher competent authority for sanctioning. The funds are devolved vertically into ULBs and RLBs (Rural Local Bodies).

Again the share of the RLBs is distributed interse in the ratio of 50% for GP, 30% for AP and 20% for the ZP. We were told that under BRGF fund many constructions works had been taken up and some that we have seen are a) waiting shed at Jagir Road Transport Station. That was constructed by Mayong Development Block at the cost of Rs 8 lac within four months b) Swapnadong Children and Eco Park- concrete approach road that goes all along the middle of the park, c) Jagir road GP and AP buildings.

We had visited the sites and found them beautifully maintained.We were informed that for such works Local Bodies had to obtain the non-duplicity certificates from the concerned line departments. This measure is taken to avoid the duplicity of the works.The CEO also told us that ZP is considering installing hatchery for producing more local poultry varieties for which there is huge gap between demands and supplies in the markets. Without any cost people would be provided the facility to have incubation of the eggs and let them take their chicks.

As a part of the effort of increasing the fish production in the state the ZP, he added, is to have hatchery for fingerlings.These fingerlings would be released to the community owned and private ponds without charging any fees. We were also informed that the DPC has the MEC (Monitoring and Evaluation Committee) and it has taken punitive action against the erring elected members and officials for non-implementation of sanctioned schemes.

On the valedictory day we had expressed our sincere thanks to the director, NIRD for inviting State nominees for such training programme. We also expressed that we looked forward to attending such programmes in the future too as we believe that more a person moves on and interact with people and learn new things more the person develops in terms of Knowledge, skills and personality.

We are really grateful to our state Government for nominating us to attend such training programmes and request the Government that more state officials be nominated for such cost effective and useful training programmes. We really had a unique learning experience.

Concluded ...