Bhopal:Sunday, July 6, 2008:Sarpanchas and Panchayat Secretaries from nine predominant tribal districts will be imparted training in maintenance of village level accounts and management of Gram Kosh.
The Sarpanchas and Sachivs represent over 3000 villages in Dhar, Jhabua, Barwani, Alirajpur, Mandla, Dindori, Shahdol, Anuppur and Sheopur districts covered under Madhya Pradesh Rural Livelihoods Project.
A comprehensive training module is being designed incorporating field experiences and discussions with Sarpanchas, and Panchayat Secretaries. The training will help them efficiently manage Gram Kosh and bring about greater financial transparency.
It is worth noticing that the Project money is transferred to Gram Kosh. The responsibility of management, operation and strengthening of Gram Kosh has been entrusted to Gram Sabha. The target beneficiaries and vulnerable groups have freedom to select and suggest livelihoods options and initiatives. The results of this unique approach are distinctly visible in Project intervention rural areas.
So far, over 32 thousand meetings of Gram Sabhas have taken place clearing thousands of proposals from the beneficiaries to take up fresh livelihoods initiatives. Over one thousand families have received benefits of poultry keeping and over four thousand households from goat farming. In order to improve livelihoods from plantations, about four lakh saplings of horticulture crops, forestry plants and bio fuel plant -Jatropha have been planted. About 94 lakh fish seeds have been released into over 500 water bodies to ensure benefits to the poor families through fish farming. Regular vaccination of animals has been ensured.
More than five thousand traditional water bodies have been revived. Over 2600 bori bandhan have ensured irrigation on more than 14 thousand hectares benefiting the farmers having small holdings. In order to promote collective action for livelihoods promotion, nine thousand self help groups have been formed and some of defunct groups have been revived. These groups have taken up micro enterprise activities in various sectors. Giving priority to capacity building of farming community, farm field schools have been set up for acquainting them with benefits of integrated farming, organic farming, new techniques and cost-effective systems. Nearly four thousand exposure trips have been organized. Vegetable cultivation introduced in the remote villages has benefited over eight thousand poor households. They have not only found an additional source of income but also have assured food security.