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DAY I : 27 December 2018

SESSION I

Facilitator : Dr Girish Prasad Swain, Course Coordinator

Topic : Sharing of Introductions and Expectations

Duration : One Hour Fifteen Minutes (10 to 11.15 am)

Methods Used : Pairing Method, Open House Discussion

At the outset, the participants were asked to introduce themselves through an innovative pairing

method. In this exercise, each participant was paired with her/his partner of choice and they were

asked to introduce three unique characters of each other. This exercise helped to collate some of the

interesting characteristics that was kept hidden among them.

In the sharing session points raised by the participants were noted on the white board with ticks on sub

headings and the two prominent issues raised by majority of participants were:

i. Labour Budget and its various dimensions pertaining to NRM in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA

ii. Financial and technical feasibility of constructions under NRM in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA

BACKDROP

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is a flagship

poverty alleviation programme of the Central Government, intending to generate demand for

productive labour force in villages. The studies show that the NREGS succeeded to provide

livelihood by making available environmental services to increase crop production. Thus it serves

the dual purpose of natural resource management and agricultural production. The choice of work

seeks to address the causes of chronic poverty, such as drought, deforestation, and soil erosion. If

effectively implemented, the employment guaranteed under the Act will have the potential of

transforming the existing geography of poverty into prosperity. The work taken up by the

Panchayats have brought many radical changes. Land preparation and watershed management

activities enhance the productivity of land and also help to increase the yield. The soil and water

conservation activities helped in recharging the ground water, which in turn result in improved

irrigation facilities. The clearance of drainage channels helped easy flow of water and the draining

of the excess rain water. The road work, which has been carried out, enabled the Panchayats to

develop better connectivity between villages and urban centres. Keeping this as the backdrop, a 3

day long training programme on Mahatma Gandhi NREGA with Special Reference to Natural

Resource Management was organised by SIRD & PR, Odisha under sponsorship of Ministry of

Rural Development, Govt of India

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SESSION II

Facilitator : Shri Santosh K Patra, Faculty, SIRD & PR, Odisha

Topic : Overview of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA and Entitlements

Duration : One Hour Fifteen Minutes (11.30 am to 12.45 pm)

Methods Used : Lecture, Power Point, Open House Discussion

The facilitator at the outset highlighted that evolving

the design of the wage employment programmes to

more effectively fight poverty; the Central

Government formulated the National Rural

Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 2005.

With its legal framework and rights-based approach,

MGNREGA provides employment to those who

demand it and is a paradigm shift from earlier

programmes. Notified on September 7, 2005,

MGNREGA aims at enhancing livelihood security by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed

wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do

unskilled manual work. The Act covered 200 districts in its first phase, implemented on February 2,

2006, and was extended to 130 additional districts in 2007- 2008. All the remaining rural areas have

been notified with effect from April 1, 2008. Then he raised some issues that may be pertinent to rights-

based promotion of development goals. In examining the rights-based framework of Mahatma Gandhi

NREGA, the following questions were analysed

a. What rights are being recognised?

b. What are the processes for realising them? How can these be feasible?

c. What obligations are created by such processes upon the State and the citizen?

d. What are the challenges to the administrative systems in implementing programmes ?

f. Is it possible for different sets of rights to be guaranteed in isolation from each other?

The following rights were discussed

1. Application for registration

2. Obtaining a Job Card (JC)

3. Application for work and to obtain a dated receipt for the application made

4. Choice of time and duration of the work applied for

5. Getting work within fifteen days of application or from the date when work is sought in the case of

an advance application, whichever is later

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6. Facilities of crèche, drinking water, first aid etc., on the worksite.

7. Right to get compensation in case of employment provided beyond 5 km of radius

8. Right to check their Muster Rolls (MRs) and to get all the information regarding their employment

entered in their JCs.

9. Right to get unemployment allowance; in case employment is not provided within fifteen days of

submitting the application or from the date when work is sought in the case of an advance

application, whichever is later.

10. Right to receive payment of compensation for the delay, at the rate of 0.05 per cent of the unpaid

wages per day beyond the sixteenth day of closure of muster roll.

11. Medical treatment in case of injury in the course of employment including cost of hospitalisation if required and ex gratia payment in case of disability or death in the course of employment

SESSION III

Facilitator : Dr Subrat K Mishra, Asst Director

Topic : Mahatma Gandhi NREGA and NRM

Duration : One Hour Fifteen Minutes (12.45 to 2 pm)

Methods Used : Lecture, Power Point, Open House Discussion

The facilitator highlighted the provisions by

focusing on Section 16 (3) & (4) of the Act

which states that every Gram Panchayats

shall prepare a Development Plan and

maintain a shelf of works to meet the

employment demand. A development plan is

an annual work plan that comprises shelf of

projects for each village with administrative

and technical approvals. The development

plan is a rolling plan, since the approved shelf

of projects may carry over one financial year to the next depending upon this lifespan of the projects.

Then he focused on the following components of GPDP:

Assessment of labour demand

Identification of works- to meet estimated labour demand

Estimated cost of works and wages

Benefits expected in terms of employment generated and physical improvements. (Water

conservation and Land productivity).

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In the second part the facilitator highlighted the guiding principles of GPDP

The number of works in the shelf of projects should be much more than the estimated demand.

Outcomes expected from the works should be stated in terms of :

Estimated benefits in terms of employment generated measurable in person days

Physical improvement envisaged measurable in specific units

List of approved works with technical estimates should be displayed in the gram panchayat .

Pre-Mid-Post Project condition of works to be recorded with photographs

Each work taken up with unique number has to be recorded in the works register to be maintained

at GP to enable verification and prevent duplication.

SESSION IV

Facilitator : Ms Bela Jena, Asst Director (MIS),MGNREGS

Topic : Labour Budget in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA

Duration : One Hour Fifteen Minutes (3 to 4.15pm)

Methods Used : Lecture, Power Point, Open House Discussion

The facilitator initiated her deliberation by

mentioning that Labour budget format

comprises month-wise details for the next

financial year, such as:

I. Projection of households to be provided employment

II. Projected person days to be generated

III. Projected wage expenditure

IV. Projected material expenditure Every year by December 31, the District Programme Coordinator forwards the approved Labour Budget and Development Plan of next financial year to the State Government. The facilitator also hinted upon the timeline.

15th August Gram Sabha to approve GP Annual Plan and submit to PO

15th September PO submits consolidated GP Plans to Block Panchayat

2nd October Panchayat Samiti to approve the Block Annual Plan and submit to DPC

15th November DPC to present District Annual Plan and LB Zilla Parishad

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She also said that the Gram Sabha identifies, prioritises and recommends the works that are

permissible under MGNREGA. The Gram Panchayat should consolidate and send the

recommendations of Gram Sabha to the Programme Officer. (Section 16 of the Act).

SESSION V

Facilitator : Shri Santosh Swain, Faculty, Rural Technology

Topic : Permissible Works in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA

Duration : One Hour Fifteen Minutes (3 to 4.15pm)

Methods Used : Lecture, Power Point, Open House Discussion

The facilitator deliberated upon the following Permissible works

Water conservation and water harvesting including contour trenches, contour bunds, boulder

checks, gabion structures, underground dykes, earthen dams, stop dams and spring shed

development.

Drought proofing including afforestation and

tree plantation.

Irrigation canals including micro and minor

irrigation works.

Provision of irrigation facility, dug out farm

pond, horticulture, plantation, farm bunding and

land development.

Renovation of traditional water bodies including

desilting of tanks.

Land development.

Flood control and protection works including drainage in water logged areas including deepening

and repairing of flood channels, chaur renovation, construction of storm water drains for coastal

protection.

Rural connectivity to provide all weather access including culverts and roads within a village where

necessary.

Construction of Bharat Nirman Rajiv Gandhi Sewa Kendra as Knowledge Resource Centre at the

Block level and as Gram Panchayat Bhawan at the Gram Panchayat level.

Agriculture related works such as NADEP composting , vermin-composting, liquid bio-manures.

Livestock related works such as poultry shelter, goat shelter, construction of pucca floor, urine tank

and fodder trough for cattle, Azolla as cattle-feed supplement.

Fisheries related works such as fisheries in seasonal water bodies on public land.

Works in coastal areas such as fish drying yards, belt vegetation.

Rural drinking water related works such as soak pits, recharge pits.

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Rural sanitation related works such as individual household latrines, school toilet units, Anganwadi

centres’ toilets, solid and liquid waste management.

Construction of Anganwadi Centre and playing fields.

The session conclude 3d with question answers and open house discussion.

DAY II : 28 December 2018

SESSION I Facilitator : Dr Girish Prasad Swain, Consultant,CB & Training

Topic : Mahatma Gandhi NREGA and Convergence with RD Programmes

Duration : One Hour Fifteen Minutes (10 to 11.15 am)

Methods Used : Power Point Presentation, Open House Discussion

The facilitator initiated with the fact that as the financial year 2014-15 has been declared as the year of

convergence under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA by Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India

and requested all the states to develop roadmap for convergence. The purpose of this roadmap was to

optimize public investments for creating durable and productive assets and securing livelihood of rural

households through convergence of MGNREGA works with the resources of other

programmes/schemes available with Panchayati Raj & DW Department, Rural Development

Department and other Line departments. He hinted upon the modalities like:

All convergence initiatives should be within the objectives of the Mahatma Gandhi National

Employment Guarantee Act and provisions outlined in the guidelines of the respective converging

programme.

Only MGNREGA registered households will be utilized for MGNREGA component.

Financial Resources and / or Technical expertise of line departments

may be utilized in works implemented by the Panchayats as PIA.

The line departments can also act as PIA in implementation of MGNREGA works

Funds may be utilized from other schemes, to meet cost of an identified part of the project that

could result in enhanced durability of assets created / proposed using MGNREGA funds.

Funds may be made available from other schemes as livelihood component for putting to use for

livelihood, assets created / proposed using MGNREGA fund.

Provision for technical input from line department officials and technical experts during the work

execution for improving the quality of assets created / proposed or for capacity building for using

assets for livelihood under MGNREGA.

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Gap filling, pooling funds of MGNREGA and other schemes and deploying pooled funds for

creation of an asset. Combination of two or more of the above modes.

SESSION II Facilitator : Shri Jyoti Ranjan Satapathy,Social Audit Expert,OSSAAT

Topic : Social Audit in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA

Duration : One Hour Thirty Minutes (11.30 to 1pm)

Methods Used : Power Point Presentation, Open House Discussion

The process of Social Audit combines people's participation and monitoring with the requirements of

the audit discipline. It is necessary to promote people's participation in the audit along with support

provided by an independent social audit organization that facilitates the process.The Social Audit

process is a fact-finding process. The work of the Auditor is to investigate by cross-verifying facts and

details in the records from the workers and cross-verifying works at site.

The facilitator highlighted the key features and benefits of Social Audit

Fact finding not fault finding.

Opportunity for awareness building on entitlements and processes.>

Creating the space and platform for dialogue among various levels of stakeholders.

Timely grievance redressal.

Strengthening the democratic process and institutions.

Building people's pressure for better implementation of programmes.

BENEFITS OF SOCIAL AUDIT:

It informs and educates people about their rights and entitlements.

It provides a collective platform for people to ask queries, express their needs and grievances.

It promotes people's participation in all stages of implementation of programmes.

It brings about transparency and accountability in government schemes.

It strengthens decentralised governance.

SESSION III

Facilitator : Shri Rashmi R Mishra, MGNREGS

Topic : Data Management in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA

Duration : One Hour Fifteen Minutes (3.30 to 5pm)

Methods Used : Power Point, Discussion

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The facilitator focused in his deliberation the following key observations

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is a pioneering

livelihood security programme and a great example of proactive disclosure of information through

its Management Information System (MIS).

It is the first transaction-based real-time system for any public works programme in the country that

is available in the public domain.

There has been a digitisation of all the processes in MGNREGA — right from a worker registering

demand for work, to work allotment, to finally getting wages for completed works.

Another notable feature of the MIS is the availability of information through online reports at various

levels of disaggregation.

This has enabled any citizen to monitor the implementation of the programme and has

consequently charted a new paradigm of transparency since the enactment of the Right to

Information (RTI) Act.

While this system is certainly a great feather in the cap of a transparent democracy, it is critical to

understand its current shortcomings and possible ways to improve its functioning.

SESSION IV

Facilitator : Shri Ambuja Bisoi,Consultant,IEC

Topic : Quiz on Mahatma Gandhi NREGA

Duration : One Hour Fifteen Minutes (2 to 3.15 pm)

Methods Used : Written Question Paper, Discussion, Self Evaluation

The paper containing 25 questions with self evaluation endorsed in the file

DAY III : 29 December 2018

SESSION I

Facilitator : Shri Pramod Kumar Sahoo, Former Jt Director Soil Conservation

Topic : Soil and Water Conservation in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA

Duration : One Hour Fifteen Minutes (10 to 11.15 am)

Methods Used : Power Point Presentation, Open House Discussion

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The facilitator highlighted in his presentation about Integrated natural resource management

(INRM)which is a way to ensure that the uses of natural resources are ecologically sustainable. It is

‘integrated’ because it attempts to manage all the activities that could affect natural resources, taking

natural processes into account as well. It combines managing uses of natural resources with

conservation. In defining management areas it gives priority to natural over human boundaries, for

example using river catchments or bioregions as the primary basis for planning and management. He

focused on the stakeholder analysis in soil and water conservation measures in Mahatma Gandhi

NREGA as per following:

Empower relevant stakeholders

Resolve conflicting interests of stakeholders

Foster adaptive management capacity

Focus on key causal elements

Integrate levels of analysis

Merge disciplinary perspectives

Make use of a wide range of available technologies

The facilitator said that creation of a self-sustaining system requires the involvement of the community1

in the planning and implementation of resource development programmes and management of these

resources. Again, they need explicit rights to fairly share all accountability and benefits from these

resources. Hence, participatory planning at the hamlet level is emphasized to meet people’s priorities.

Only this can bring sustainable development of natural resources.

SESSION II

Facilitator : Er Pradosh Kumar Dash , MGNREGS

Topic : NRM in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA

Duration : One Hour Fifteen Minutes (11.30 to 1pm)

Methods Used : Power Point Presentation, Open House Discussion

The facilitator highlighted that INRM technologies are of two types: 1 Structural measures : These involve the construction of different earthen or rocky

structures to hold back the runoff and thereby conserve soil and water.

2 Vegetative measures : These involve appropriate land-use practices to conserve different types of land and maximize agricultural production in the interest of the community.

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Whereas structural measures address the concern of soil erosion and moisture conservation

immediately after their construction, vegetative measures, after full growth, conserve soil and water.

However, vegetative measures are the most effective for soil conservation, and help improve the soil

quality too. Various measures, according to different land types were described by the facilitator. In

each land type, the land treatment is described first followed by a description of the proposed land-use.

For each structural measure, its purpose and location, the process of construction, the estimated cost

(labour and the material separately) and the time of construction were discussed. Similarly, each

subsection on proposed land use , different options of vegetation, rationale for selection, key

considerations for the selection of species, estimated cost, rate of return and schedules were also

analysed.

SESSION III

Facilitator : Shri Banshidas Bose, Asst Director, Directorate of F & ARD

Topic : Agricultural Activities and Farm Pond under NRM in MGNREGA

Duration : One Hour Fifteen Minutes (2 to 3.15pm)

Methods Used : Discussion on FAQ Booklet, Question Answer Session

The facilitator pointed out that MoA implements several programmes for accelerating growth in

agriculture and allied sectors but to start with the efforts at convergence with NREGA could focus on

the Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture, Development of Brackish Water Aquaculture,

Cold Water Fisheries and Aquaculture, Development of Waterlogged areas, Productive Utilisation of

Inland Saline/Alkaline Water for Aquaculture, Inland Capture Fisheries (Reservoirs/Rivers) and the

Fodder And Feed Development Scheme. Fisheries as a livelihood activity for the poor have immense

scope. Many small reservoirs, tanks, water harvesting ponds created under MGNREGA are ideally

suited for fish production. There is scope for enhancing the fish production by 3 to 5 times from the

current productivity levels. Adopting culture based fisheries with advanced fingerlings (100 mm and

above) at stocking rates of 500-1000 fingerlings per ha can substantially increase productivity in the

water spread area in small reservoirs, estimated at 1.2 million ha in the country.

The facilitator pointed ot that dugout farm ponds (DOP) are made on private land to harvest runoff from

very small local catchments. The main reason for making a DOP is to collect rainwater, which would

otherwise have flowed out of the field. There are several days in succession in the monsoon when

there is no rainfall. Such prolonged dry spells may actually ruin the kharif crop. The DOP protects

against such crop failure. Unlike the earthen dams, DOP is relatively free of topographical constraints.

On flatter land in the village, streams are not very deep, nor do they have high embankments. Thus it

becomes difficult to build water harvesting structures like earthen dams. In such flat lands, DOPs are

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the most effective water harvesting solution. The main objective of such structures is to provide

protective irrigation to the kharif crop.

SESSION IV Facilitator : Dr Girish Prasad Swain, Course Coordinator

Topic : GD on Mahatma Gandhi NREGA ,Valediction

Duration : One Hour Fifteen Minutes (3.30 to 5 pm)

Methods Used : Group Discussion and Presentation on Topics Discussed

The participants were divided in to five groups and asked to deliberate upon: 1. Mahatma Gandhi NREGA – Its Convergence with RD and other Programmes

2. Labour Budget in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA and Role of PRI Members and Functionaries

3. Permissible Works in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA and Role of Sarpanch/APO/GRS

4. Process and Outcome of Social Audit in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA and Role of PRIs

5. Soil ,Water Conservation, Farm Related Activities in Mahatma Gandhi NREGA There was brainstorming and excellent sharing of ideas.

DISTRIBUTION OF CERTIFICATES:

The distribution of certificates was ensured in a novel manner. Participants were randomly distributed certificates. Then each participant called the name of the participants, whose certificate was with her/him and handed it over. Thus each participant got two chances; one for receiving his certificate and another for giving away to another participant. This created a nostalgic feeling to be reckoned as a take away from the 3 Days’ Training Programme.