Scripting Change

Scripting Change

Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellows (PMRDFs) serve the district administration in improving programme delivery and interface with marginalised sections of the population in backward and isolated regions of India. By their work in the field as well as through their simultaneous participation in an academic programme, PMRD Fellows also enhance their capacity in programme planning and implementation, gain field experience, acquire professional knowledge in development practice and become capable development facilitators.

Driven by the spirit of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ (Together with all, Development for all), PMRD Fellows work with the vision of a developed local society having “involved women, productive youth, empowered and inspired people”, clean villages with an augmented natural resource base and flourishing agriculture, sustainable livelihoods for all, vibrant institutions, robust infrastructure, advanced technologies and effective market linkages.

Currently there are 226 PMRD Fellows working in 111 districts across 18 states.

This book attempts a visual story, capturing the essence of work done by PMRD Fellows.

Scripting Change

The ‘Aadarsh Gram’The Saansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) is transforming No. 2 Sootea Gram Panchayat, Sonitpur, Assam into a vibrant model site. Convergent actions on prioritised needs identified through participatory planning have unleashed a series of actions. Youth are being trained and placed under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY). As many as 1,581 toilets are being built to make the Panchayat Open Defecation Free (ODF). Two Roller-compacted Concrete (RCC) bridges and a major road will connect the Panchayat to the highway. The Kauri Beel Lift Irrigation Scheme can provide irrigation in both cropping seasons. Climate-resilient agriculture is being promoted to give development a new meaning.

Manzil Hussain, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

“ “I have visited areas where PMRD Fellows are working and met the Fellows. They are doing exemplary work.

Shri Chaudhary Birender SinghMinister of Rural Development

Minister of Panchayati RajMinister of Drinking Water and Sanitation

Government of India

Resurgent BanspalBanspal, the remotest block of Keonjhar in Odisha, has seen a new beginning. Coordinated efforts between government departments and other stakeholders are striving to improve the livelihoods of Juang and Bhuiyan tribes, which are among the poorest in the State. Participatory planning for Natural Resource Management (NRM) and use of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) have been two major strategies. From a meagre 8%, the number of NRM-based works implemented under the MGNREGS has gone up to 36%. Improved lands and replenished water are producing a bountiful harvest.

P. Prasanna, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

More than 150 fellows are involved in MGNREGS and associated activities.

Farmers (un)limitedFarmers in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh are uncovering their pot of gold. Trained in the latest organic farming methods, they are doubling the production of cereals, millets and vegetables, cutting costs by 50% and earning an additional INR 60-70,000 per annum. The ‘Mocho Badi’ programme of the district administration in coordination with several government departments has also organised them into ‘Producers’ Groups’ and provided other support. Growing demand for organic produce and their newfound talent is changing the agri-landscape of this region.

Akash Badave, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

“ “PMRD Fellows are rendering excellent service. I strongly feel the need for their

service in the LWE-affected regions.Dr. Raman Singh

Chief MinisterChhattisgarh

‘Jhakkas’ cleanlinessThe ‘Jhakkas Jehanabad’ initiative has placed sanitation at the top of people’s priorities in the district. Self-Help Group (SHG) federations are joining hands with youth groups, setting up sanitary marts and creating a cadre of trained sanitation workers, including masons, on a large scale. Volunteers are going door-to-door, canvassing support for the Open Defecation Free (ODF) concept. Residents are queuing up to register requests for 2-pit water seal toilets that convert human excreta to manure. People proudly share their progress on a WhatsApp group that has Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) representatives and central, state and district officials as members.

P.K. Anand, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

More than 100 Fellows are involved in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

‘Chak de’ SimdegaGirls from the tribal-populated Simdega district abound in almost every women’s hockey team of Jharkhand - under 15, 18, 19 years and seniors. Many Simdega girls can now say ‘No’ to traffickers who throng their villages with so called ‘job offers’. For Simdega, a source region for traffickers, this is no mean achievement. Scholarships, training, infrastructure, equipment and opportunities to participate in various championships have boosted the girls’ confidence. The strategy of “Sports for Development” has been a harbinger of change.

Shashi Kant Verma, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

“ “PMRD Fellows are playing a crucial role in spearheading new initiatives like Saansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY), Swachch Bharat Abhiyan etc. Their support in strengthening

development endeavours in Jharkhand is invaluable.

Shri Raghubar DasChief Minister

Jharkhand

More than 100 Fellows are involved in Education and related schemes.

Sprouting aspirationsThe ‘New Leaf’ initiative in Bandipore district of Jammu & Kashmir has shown remarkable results in improving learning levels among school children. Teachers were trained in new participatory methods and parents were involved in their children’s educational journey. Use of mobile apps and group learning sessions improved learning outcomes. Cost-effective methods addressed the issue of school dropouts. Recognised as an innovation in school education in the state, aspects related to teacher training and activity-based learning will now be replicated in other districts by the Government of J&K.

Vaibhav Jindal, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

Reclaiming rightsKoyatribals of Sirasanapalli Gram Sabha in Telangana have finally reclaimed their rights over the forest that has been their home for centuries. Long negotiations with concerned departments ensured their ownership in 2014 under the Forest Rights Act, being the first case of its kind in the state. The income from harvest and sale of bamboo has been utilised by the community for regenerating forests, installing solar-powered drinking water systems and constructing an Anganwadi centre. Sirasanapalli is now a model for other Gram Sabhas to follow.

Prathima Nalabolu, PMRD Fellow has supported the initiative.

“ “In the left wing extremism-affected areas, there is an extreme dearth of capacities to identify

meaningful interventions. Fellows have supported the district administration in designing and implementing such

interventions.Shri S. P. Tucker

Special Chief SecretaryAndhra Pradesh

Justice realisedThe district Anti Human Trafficking Cell of Khunti in Jharkhand provides end-to-end services to victims of trafficking and vulnerable youth. The Cell responds to SOS calls and provides assistance in filing FIRs, rescue, counselling and rehabilitation to trafficking victims. The Cell is also coordinating identification of vulnerable youth in migration-affected Panchayats and providing them with counselling support and skill training for a livelihood of their choice. Families, earlier prone to exploitation, are expressing gratitude at their dignity being restored and justice being just a call away.

Belmati and Sheila, PMRD Fellows have supported the initiative.

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Our daughter has got a new lease of life.

Father of a rehabilitated girl, Tirla Panchayat,

Khunti, Jharkhand

Determined doersGram Panchayats of Jorhat district in Assam are now smart implementers of MGNREGS. Job card registration, bank account opening, registration of demand and filling up of muster rolls are much easier than before. Novel methods such as “Feasibility Testing” of new works have ensured adherence to annual action plans of the Gram Sabhas. Person-days generated in the first eight months of 2015-16 were 225% of those generated in the same months of 2014-15. Mobile number registration of job card holders is the highest in Jorhat and is 65% of the state’s share of registered mobile numbers. This useful service provides real-time updates to them.

Mrunal Durgesh Deshmukh and Amit Kushwaha, PMRD Fellows are supporting the initiative.

“ “PMRD Fellows provide innovative solutions to various problems faced during implementation of

development programmes.Shri Vishal Vasant Solanki (IAS)

Deputy CommissionerJorhat, Assam

“ “Ever since PMRD Fellows came to the district,

working with the district administration and

implementing government schemes has become much

easier. Bernik Gamango, Vice Chairperson,

Panchayati Samiti, Gumma Block, Gajapati, Odisha

Swachchhta SarvopariSenior citizens, PRI members and members of SHGs script a new chapter in the sanitation history of Gajapati district of Odisha. The ‘Mo Swachh Shouchalaya’ initiative launched by the district administration, used the Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach to sensitise and prepare communities to adopt sanitation practices. As many as 20 Panchayats achieved ODF status with Kashinagar becoming the first ODF block in the state.

Prabeena Kumar Bebarta, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

Resolving ‘fishy’ concernsWest Champaran district of Bihar launched a pond renovation drive to restore livelihoods of traditional fisherfolk. More than 200 barren, defunct and abandoned ponds have been converted into thriving water bodies supporting fishery as well as agriculture around the ponds. Recognised by the Government of India (GoI) as a key convergence initiative under MGNREGS, more than 15,000 ponds have now been identified for rejuvenation across the state of Bihar through an Intensive Participatory Planning Exercise (IPPE)..

Chintan Raj, PMRD Fellow has supported the initiative.

More than 90 Fellows are involved in Agriculture and associated activities.

Unleashing potential‘Gyanarjan’, a technology-aided framework has infused school education with a spark in Mandla of Madhya Pradesh. Nearly 100 high schools and 70 higher secondary schools have benefited from a unified time table and online Management Information System (MIS). A call centre has brought parents, the school administration, teachers and students together on a shared platform, leading to greater accountability. Attendance has improved and so have academic results. The pass percentage for Class 12 has gone up from 77% in 2012-13 to 93.5% in 2014-15. Gyanarjan has been chosen as a best practice under the Saansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY), for replication across the country.

Neha Gupta, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

“ “PMRD fellows provide catalytic support to the district administration in bridging the gap between the system

and the grassroots.Dr. J. Vijaya Kumar, IAS

CEO, Zila PanchayatMandla, Madhya Pradesh

Khelay Khelay ShekhaHailakandi district, located in the underdeveloped Barak valley of Assam, is promoting “Khelay Khelay Shekha” (learning by playing), a special volunteer-led initiative for improving science learning of school children. A series of hands-on science workshops are being conducted in schools, especially near the scenic tea gardens. Science clubs are being promoted to ensure continuous engagement of children. Volunteers from nearby engineering colleges and other institutions are training teachers and local volunteers and the project is steadily expanding across the district.

Rutwik Phatak, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

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PMRD Fellows bring fresh perspective to dealing with developmental issues and provide great support

to the district administration.Laya Madduri, IAS

OSD to Chief Minister’s SecretariatAssam

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Now I am in the driver’s seat, of my autorickshaw and my life.

Geeta, widowed at age 34, now president of Ambikapur auto union

Empowering the vulnerableIn a unique initiative, the district administration of Surguja, Chhattisgarh has identified and assessed the needs of 8,998 widowed, abandoned and divorced women through a “Women Vulnerability Index”. The women have been supported under multiple government schemes to ensure safe, comfortable and dignified lives for them. The initiative is now being replicated across Chhattisgarh by the Department of Social Welfare.

Arpit Asthana, Divya Gupta and Ravi Kaza, PMRD Fellows have supported the initiative.

Championing democracyMembers of Women Self-Help Groups acted as “Election Ambassadors” in Bandipore District at the LoC in North Kashmir. They ensured that all their family members had voter ID cards and shouldered the responsibility of being booth-level officers. Their doggedness succeeded in overcoming extreme volatility and chronic challenges of the area during elections. Sonawari assembly constituency recorded 90% electoral roll coverage, and a historic high of 80.52% voter turnout in the J&K Assembly Elections of 2014. The other two assembly constituencies in the district closely followed.

Sadashiv Nayanpally, PMRD Fellow has supported the initiative.

More than 70 Fellows are involved in Voters’ Awareness and participation and associated activities.

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After the road was built, our village gained independence in the true sense.Megesa Muthamajhi, senior citizen

Garadama PanchayatGajapati, Odisha

Accessing IndiaFor decades, residents of the remote and LWE-affected Panchayat of Garadama in Gajapati district of Odisha had waited for a road in vain. This time however, people’s action with the help of the Integrated Action Plan (IAP) produced results. Local government officials were mobilised, funds were arranged, and the ghat-cutting road project was implemented by slicing through two mountains. The road has opened up many avenues for villagers and their next plan of action is to get the village electrified.

Prakash Kumar Sahoo, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

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‘Avval ’ initiativeMore than 3,500 pregnant women have had safe deliveries as part of Project ‘Avval’ implemented by the Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDA) in Adilabad district of Telangana. A simple tracking mechanism is linking pregnant women to health workers and institutions facilitating institutional deliveries. A 24×7 call centre alerts the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), staff nurse, Medical Officer and District Medical/Health Officer to ensure that the woman reaches the health facility in time and delivers safely. The initiative has enhanced institutional deliveries by 60% in the district.

R.K. Anantha Krishnan, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

“ “Never in my life had I imagined that with just one phone-call, an ambulance would

take me to the hospital for delivery.Arka Bhoom Bai

Jamini villageJainoor, Adilabad

Bridging access, digitallyMore than 1,300 video lectures in sciences, mathematics and English for classes 10, 11 and 12 have proven to be an excellent supplementary learning tool for students in the LWE-affected district of Kanker in Chhattisgarh. These videos were produced under Project ‘Pragya’ with the help of local subject specialist teachers during the school vacations. The video lectures are being played in about 115 schools using a hard disk and an LED TV/computer/projector. They are also available on YouTube.

Siddharth Pillai, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

More than 100 Fellows are involved in Education and associated activities.

‘Food’preneursTurning the need to produce hygienic food for children and adolescent girls into an economic opportunity, Women Self-Help Group (WSHG) clusters in Purulia district of West Bengal have donned the mantle of ‘food entrepreneurs’. The district administration has provided them with know-how, machinery and other support. Currently, three units are producing ready-to-eat food packets and providing supplementary nutrition to 64,000 children and adolescent girls. The three WSHG clusters have registered a monthly turnover of INR 35 lakhs, leading the way for others to follow.

Animesh Ghosh, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

“ “PMRD Fellows have brought new skills to the district administration.

Shri Subhash Chandra BiswasProject Director, DRDC

Purulia, West Bengal

Fulfilling dreamsThe district administration in East Singhbhum, Jharkhand launched an initiative to create post-schooling avenues for tribal girls of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs). Emerging from their interest and aspirations, avenues for further studies, skill and placement were created. Many of the girls are now Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and General Nurses and Midwives (GNMs). Others are undergoing technical training courses under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) tie-ups. The initiative is being replicated in all nine KGBVs of the district.

Neetisha Besra, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

More than 130 Fellows are involved in Skilling and placement-related initiatives.

More than 130 Fellows are involved in Livelihood Promotion and associated activities.

The alternative routeThe district administration of Upper Subansiri in Arunachal Pradesh coordinated with tourism, sports and youth departments in piloting an adventure trek from Siyum to Menchukha, part of an old route between India and China. Local youth were involved in GPS mapping of the route. Key stations along the trek were identified along with possibilities for rescue and hospitality-related arrangements. Tribes inhabiting remote villages along the trek are hopeful that efforts to boost tourism in the region will open new vistas.

Nyatum Doke, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

Smart developmentThe extremism-affected district of Chatra in Jharkhand is experiencing a flurry of developmental activities. Over 1,200 irrigation wells irrigate lands; 27,234 beneficiaries get pensions through Direct Benefit Transfer and nearly 140 Business Correspondents facilitate financial inclusion. More than 4,000 solar lanterns are in regular use by villagers and “smart classrooms” enhance learning outcomes of school-goers. All this and more have been implemented from a well thought-out Area Development Plan and coordination between various departments.

Tabish Azeem, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

More than 90 fellows are engaged in Additional Central Assistance-related projects

Saksham JamuiAn innovative educational initiative is bringing new hope in remote, extremism-affected villages of Jamui district in Bihar. Local youth, trained as tutors, have set up Saksham Kendras. They provide supplementary primary education to children and learning aids to youth using videos and apps on tablets. The model has been recognised as one of the top 50 innovations in ‘Digital India’ and among the top 50 best practices worth replicating in the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY).

Chichanbeni Kithan, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.

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I learn by teaching children. I am now hopeful for the children as well as for myself”

Mamta KumariKhairma village

Jamui

“ “PMRD Fellows are an excellent resource for bringing about innovation across development schemes. Being exposed to a

variety of field situations, they bring fresh ideas with a broader vision.

Dr. B.B. BodeChief Medical Health Officer

Jashpur, Chhattisgarh

Blossoming ‘Fulwaris’ Mother volunteers are steering the ‘Fulwari’ scheme in Chhattisgarh which introduced community-driven crèches. Panchayats are playing a major role in supporting the effort along with Mitanins (female health workers). The district of Surguja paved the way by piloting the scheme. From 300 ‘Fulwari’ crèches in Surguja in 2012 to 2,850 centres in 85 tribal blocks across 19 districts, the state government now aims to operationalise 6,000 centres by the end of 2015.

Satish Tajne, PMRD Fellow has supported the initiative.

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