Drought Relief Operation

8/6/2019 Drought Relief Operation

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188 Agricultural Economics Research Review Vol. 19 (Conference No.) 2006

Drought Relief Operation: Need of Adequate

Disbursement for Sustainable Development188 Agricultural Economics Research Review Vol. 19 (Conference No.) 2006


Disbursement for Sustainable Development

Sudhakar Dwivedi and Arun Bhadauria

D.D.U. Institute of Rural Development, Dr. B.R.Ambedkar

University, Agra.

To find the ground realities and efficacy of drought relief operations, the paper has assessed the

quantum adequacy of relief and has studied the procedure of relief disbursement and beneficiary

identification, through a survey conducted in a sample village at the border of Rajasthan. The

study has revealed that most of the respondents were satisfied with the procedure of relief

disbursement. However, the inadequate amount of relief has put a question mark on the method

of assessment of loss of crop in the area. The coverage area of relief operations has been found

another conflicting point. The study has suggested that relief should be distributed to the victims

on the basis of the extent of their sufferings or losses incurred rather than on the considerations of

asset holding, as happens in the case of loans or subsidies. The study has suggested some steps to

make the relief operations more effective and functional.

Drought Relief Operation: Adequate

Disbursement is necessary for Sustainable Development

Sudhakar Dwivedi&Arun Bhadauria1

Drought in its nature is often held as most severe natural calamity in

different parts of India. Infact this has been the main reason why disaster

management has been a part of Union Ministry of agriculture at Centre. A fact

which itself speaks how drought was identified with disasters. Drought has

accounted for multi-dimensional impact on the socio-economic life of the people.

Apart from dry land areas, flood prone areas may even experience drought

1 Faculty, D.D.U.Institute of Rural Development, Dr. B.R.Ambedkar University, Agra.


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Disbursement for Sustainable Developmentsometimes. Nevertheless, droughts have been known to bring forth famines in

ancient and British India. Among such famines memories of Bengal famines are

still alive in the minds of rural folks.

According to an estimate almost 75 percent crops remains at the stake

of drought. Rajasthan is found most drought prone state where drought conditions

are prevalent in 31 out of the 32 districts. Moreover, droughts have clear impact on

33 million (approx) human population and nearly 40 million livestock population.

This account for 3.3 percent of total human population in the country.1 According to

a study, Ajmar-Merwara region can never rely on two good harvests in succession. 2

Drought have close impact upon agricultural production. Consequently it causes

high order of destablishment and social destitution. Considering vulnerability of

common man to the drought and catastrophe of droughts, these were declared a

natural calamity. Government of India constitutes Finance Commissions after every

5 years to recommend the devolution of resources for the purpose of constituting

Calamity Relief Fund (CRF). In this regard, after every drought, relief is disbursed

across the different sections of the society. Over the years it has been reported that

Calamity Relief Fund did not serve the intended objective fully and the amounts

provided by the Ministry were used by different states for all kinds of activities,

often not related to calamity relief.3

In order to observe ground realities behind the scenes and efficacy of

relief operations, an attempt has been made to write a paper on the basis of

scientific observations across the drought-ridden beneficiaries. Part-1 of this paper

lists the main methodology and hypotheses. Part-2 elaborates varies findings and


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Disbursement for Sustainable Development part-3 describes some unlisted but observed ground realities followed by

conclusions.

PART-1

Drought is a recurring natural phenomena in India in general and

Rajasthan in particular, yet Agra is considered among most vulnerable area

adjacent to Rajasthan. The terrain and climate of Agra increases its vulnerability

towards so many disasters among which droughts are very common. In the last

three years, whole district or sometimes parts in Agra division have become the

witness of severity of droughts. Pertaining to this fact this area is considered as

drought prone area. During droughts people were put to great hardship due to

damage of crops and other valuables. Moreover, employment constraints adversely

affected the landless labourers in particular and marginal and subsistence farmers in

general. Villagers were forced to face severity of droughts and left with no

alternative to overcome the situation.

The area selected for survey is overlapped by the two states viz

Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh. Investigators randomly selected sample village at

Rajasthan border, Sikendarpur. The population in the village comprises Artisan,

marginal, medium farmers. Village Sikandarpur is situated on NH-3 (Agra-Gwalior

Road) in Block-Saiyyon near Rajasthan Border. The relief statistic is listed in

Table-1.

To minimize the impact of devastation, state government supply relief in

terms of money and in fund out of the Calamity Relief Fund and Prime Ministers

Drought Relief Fund. Over last 3 years Agra division has experienced both full and


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Disbursement for Sustainable Developmentpartial droughts. As a matter of fact, Authorities have supplied Drought Relief in

terms of cash via various types of media like credit cards etc. in this regard,

following objectives and hypotheses are formulated.

Objectives: - This study aims -

1. to assess the quantum adequacy of relief

2. to study the procedure of disbursement of relief

3. to study the procedure of identification of beneficiaries

4. to give suggestions for revamping the Relief Operations to make them

more effective and functional.

Hypotheses: - Following hypotheses are formulated -

1. Relief amount is quiet adequate to meet out the need and requirements

of drought prone population.

2. Disbursement of relief in cash terms is best mode of disbursement of

relief.

3. The beneficiaries are satisfied with the relief disbursement procedure.

4. Attitude of Relief personnel is missionary and sympathetic towards

beneficiaries.

5. The procedure of identification is efficient and faultless.

PART-II

Findings and Discussions: - On the basis of responses obtained through

schedules filled with respondents (marginal and medium farmers) following finding

are listed here:


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Disbursement for Sustainable Development1. Anticipated loss and amount of Relief: - Though wide range of

monetary and extra-monetary losses were anticipated, but most noticeable losses

were expected due to crop failure and have close bearing on all other matters of

life. Government, too provide relief on account of measure of monetary loss due to

crop-failure in the region. It was observed during the survey that there is exact

difference in anticipated loss and actual loss incurred. On putting scale of

significance hypotheses of adequate relief for the inadequacy of relief to the

anticipated loss was rejected revealing the fact that the amount of relief was not

adequate as per the anticipated loss. While on the other hand, a same hypothesis for

actual loss was accepted at 5 percent level of significance. (Table 2)

2. Mode of Distribution: -Relief administration decided to disburse relief

amount via those media, which in either way reaches to affected population. The

selected media to distribute amount of relief was Kissan Credit Cards (KCC),

Cooperative Societies accounts at the Panchayats and blocks (local known as

Khatoni). Alongwith the cash disbursement at some places wheat was also supplied

but we have evaluated it in terms of money. Out of 100 beneficiaries 77 percent are

satisfied with the cash terms of disbursement while only 3 percent are satisfied by

Kissan Credit Cards. (Table-3)

3. Procedure of identification: - According the relief personnel names of

affected farmers and families were drawn from local ledgers and Panchayats

records. The farmers holding up to 8 bigha of land were qualified to get relief.

Qualified villagers were asked to fill up registration forms and photographs to put

their claim for relief. Investigator seeks to the view of all three types of


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Disbursement for Sustainable Developmentidentification namely Kissan Credit Card, Cooperative Society, Khatoni. More than

60 percent respondents held khatoni as best option followed by KCCs and

cooperative societies.(Table-4)

4. Employment gap: - Usually villagers are engaged in agriculture for most

part of the year and move to nearest town in search of job during off-season. But

prevalence of drought forced them to come out of the village in search of job. The

stranded villagers became the victims of double-edged sword. On the one hand,

they bear loss of crop and at the other hand forced to take loan to fulfill daily

monetary requirements, which they have to pay with interest after some period. In

this way, villagers face great hardship. During survey it was found that there was

no provision for alternate job opportunities from government side and people were

forced to go in urban areas (especially at construction sites) where they hardly get

Rs.50-60 per day. In this way if a farmer is employed normally for 90 men-days at

the field he can earn Rs. 6300 (at the rate of Rs. 70 per day) while he got to work

on daily bases at the rate of Rs. 50 (balanced after deducting traveling expenses and

maintenance) getting sum of Rs. 3000 during the period of three months (drought

period). This makes the gap of Rs. 3300 for an individual. Moreover, if someone

failed to get alternate job, he is bothered to take loan. It was found that many of the

respondents take Rs. 15000 loans. This makes total gap of Rs. 18300. Though this

was not hypothesized in the beginning but later on it was considered as an

important issue and emerged open for debate through this paper.(Table-5)


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Disbursement for Sustainable Development5. Behaviour of Relief Personnel: - Although responses were sought upon

5 points scale for behaviour, but nearly all responses were found for normal

behaviour. The overall behaviour of personnel found to be fair and normal.

Part-III

Conclusion and Summing up: - In the light of above analysis and findings it is

clear that Drought hits upon rural inhabitants from various corners. However, the

efforts of government though not adequate, yet duly acknowledged.

As far as adequacy of Relief operations is concerned, following points are

specifically mentioned: -

1. Most of the respondents are fully satisfied with procedure of relief

disbursement. Even they appreciate the selection of best mode for disbursement.

2. Amount of relief have proved to be quite inadequate and put

governments method of assessment of loss of crop in gray area.

3. Leave a side few of the stray instances, overall respondents were

reported to be satisfied with the attitude and behaviour of the relief personnels.

They largely reported that government employees were sympathetic as well as

sensitive to their miseries and perils.

4. Out of scheduled questions, conversation with villagers revealed the

fact that there are multiple losses and sufferings on account of drought viz loss of

livestock, malnutrition and under nutrition, social destitution due to severe

unemployment and poverty, psychological trauma faced by family members etc. for

which no good provisions made by the state.


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Disbursement for Sustainable Development5. The most noticeable point was however, regarding the coverage area of

relief operations. The landholders were held as the real sufferers from drought

while there may be many other classes/castes also which should not have been

ignored. They probably deserve assistances/protection by the states then the

landholders class such as landless, labourers, child workers and women artisans of

feeble earnings and scheduled castes and other castes/classes alike. These

classes/castes are the victim of drought directly or indirectly. This seems to be quite

strange that those sections were provided assistance which depend on land (asset

holding class) while in turn, they were ignored who depend on the earning either

from landholdings only and relief. Relief must be distributed to the victims or

sufferers on the basis of their extent of suffering or losses incurred, rather than any

consideration of asset holding as that happens in the case of loans or subsidies.

6. Study revealed certain facts, which matters most and clearly indicates

some most considerable aspect. First among these is the employment-income gap;

second is gap in targeting beneficiaries in both Saiyyon Block and village

Sikanderpur. Third is the gap in the disbursed amount.

References:

1. Gupta, Madhukar: Livelihood options for Disaster Risk Reduction;

UNDMT, Jaipur, 2003.

2. Touche, Sir Biggs La : Ajmer-Merwara: Tough Terrain (1874); Natural

Hazards Observer, vol XXI No 5, May 1997.

3. Office of Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Report No 3 (Civil),

1999.


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Table 1

Relief Statistic at Saiyyon Block

Block level Figures

1. No. of Beneficiaries 19249

2. Total amount for

relief disbursement

Rs.573074

3. Disbursed amount Rs. 21494854. Balance Rs. 423589

Source: Saiyyon Block, Statistics Department.


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Disbursement for Sustainable DevelopmentTable 2

Amount of Relief & Loss

Sr. No. Particulars X

(mean)

S1 Z - score

1. Estimated Loss 1690 4637.5 Z1-3 = 3.31

2. Actual Loss 1185 6969.0

9

Z1-2 = 1.46

3. Amount of

Relief

151 -- --

83.5 16.46

Result:

Z cal (1-3) = 3.31 > Z tab = 1.96 ~ 5 % level of significance.

H1: Alternate hypothesis amount of relief is inadequate to estimated loss is

accepted.

Z cal (1-2) = 1.46 < Z tab = 1.96 ~ 5 % level of significance.

H0: Hypothesis amount of relief is adequate to actual loss is accepted.

Table 3

Procedure of Relief Disbursement

Sr. No. Mode of Relief Disbursement No. of Respondents satisfied

1. Kissan Credit Cards 03

2. Cooperative Society 20

3. Cash Relief 77

Table 4

Procedure of Identification

Sr.

No.

Level of

Preference

KCC Coop.

Society

Khatoni Total


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Disbursement for Sustainable Development1. Ist 03 20 77 100

2. Iind 10 45 45 100

3. IIIrd 15 25 60 100

28

(9)

90 (30) 182

(60.6)

300

(100)

*Figures are no of respondents

** Figures in braces are percentage figures.

Table 5

Observed Gaps

Particulars Amount ( in Rs) % age

1

.

Anticipated Income

Actual Income

Gap (employment/income)

6300.00

3000.00

3300.00

100.0

47.6

52.3

2

.

Target (people)

Achieved Beneficiaries

Gap (in Saiyyon)

19249

14235

5014

100.0

73.96

26.04

3

.

Target (people)

No of Beneficiaries

Gap (in Sikanderpur)

379

287

92

100.0

75.72

24.27

4

.

Target (Amount to be

Distributed)

Disbursed Amount

Gap

2573074

2149485

423589

100.0

83.5

16.46


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Drought Relief Operation