Impact Assessment of Rural Development Programme
(A study in Jalore District of Rajasthan w.e.f. 2001-2004)
Executive Summary
The Impact Assessment Studies commissioned by Government of India tries to assess the overall impact of six rural development programmes of the Ministry of Rural Development being implemented in selected villages of Jalore district, Rajasthan. The impact assessment study was carried out in 40 villages from four blocks namely Ahore, Jalore, Bhinmal and Jaswantpura in Jalore district, Rajasthan.
Study aimed to capture the spatial dimension of various rural development and poverty alleviation programmes. The reference period for the study was 3 years (2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004). The study covered rural development schemes such as Sampoorna Gramin Rojgar Yojana, Indira Awas Yojana, Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana, Desert Development Programme, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme and Swajaldhara.
Four blocks were selected to have an adequate geographical representation for conducting the impact assessment study. Based on the socio-economic parameters two relatively better off and two other blocks were covered under the study. Further based on the physical spread of programme implementation, 10 villages were selected from each block. A detailed questionnaire was designed to collect the primary data from the field involving 600 individual beneficiaries from 40 villages.
Socio-Economic Profile of Jalore District
Jalore district has a very dry climate
with extreme temperature and very low rainfall. Human development
index of the district is 0.5 and is ranked 29th in the state. The
population growth rate of the district over a decade is 26.78%. The
Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes proportion in the district is
18 % and 8.8 % respectively. There has been a sharp fluctuation in
the sex ratio in the district over the decade. The non-worker in the
district comprises about 50%.
Family profiles of the sample households were done through door-to-door interaction with the heads of 600 households in 40 villages of four blocks. The sample size of the respondents interviewed were 61 % male and 39 % female. The proportion of the SC and ST were 42.3% and 22 % respectively. As most of the rural development programmes are targeted to benefit the BPL families therefore 71.16 % household interviewed were from the below poverty line.
Performance of the program over
three years
The secondary data collected from the
district and block offices for the assessment of physical and
financial performance of the rural development programmes over the
period of three years showed good results. The guidelines of the
rural development schemes were strictly followed during the
implementation both at the district and block level.
During the study period (2001-02,
2002-03,2003-04):
Under IAY scheme total houses constructed were 2802 out of which
Schedule Caste got 1234, Schedule Tribes got 566; Other’s 998 and 4
houses were constructed for Physically Handicapped.
Under SGSY 2568 individuals swarozgaris were benefited and 601new
SHG groups were formed.
Under SGRY total wage employment generated in the district was 19.66
lakhs man-days.
Under Accelerated rural water supply programme (ARWSP) and
Swajaldhara scheme total geographical area of 10640 sq. km. In the
district was covered under the scheme. By the end of year 2005 all
697 habited villages and 1101 hamlets has been covered under the
scheme in the district.
Under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana total 71 villages have been
connected with the panchayat head quarter in three years by
construction of new roads.
The selection of the beneficiaries was done in a fair and transparent manner under various rural development schemes at the village level through Gram Panchayat except in few cases. Implementations of these schemes were done properly. Assets created under various schemes have raised the financial status as well as social status along with social security of the beneficiaries. At present most of the assets created were found in good condition but some of them are under utilised. The participation level of beneficiaries during the planning, design and purchase of raw material was comparatively low.
Methods for publicity and level of awareness
Government has made efforts to create awareness and disseminate the information about rural development schemes through interpersonal meetings, street plays, poster campaign, distribution of leaflets etc. As a result it was found that around 72.33% of the respondents were aware of IAY scheme, 49.33% about SGSY scheme, 66.50% about SGRY, 17.67% about PMGSY, 21% about DDP and 0.33% about ARWSP. Sarpanch, Gram–Sewak, Ward-panch and other members of the community were the prominent source of the information about the rural development schemes.
The role of PRIs in
planning and implementation of programmes
During the study it was found that
Panchayati Raj Institutions are proactively involved in the
planning, implementation and monitoring of the rural development
schemes. And most of these schemes were rooted through District
Rural Development Agency, intermediate Panchayat and gram Panchayat.
As per the 73rd amendment in the constitution the concept of ward
sabha came into force. But during the impact assessment study we
could not find active role of ward sabha in planning, implementation
and monitoring of these schemes. We also found that most of the ward
sabha are only for the namesake and the Sarpanch and the Gram Sewak
at Gram Panchayat level take up most of the decisions.
Overall impact of the programme
Overall the implementation of the
centrally sponsored rural development programmes such as SGSY; IAY;
SGRY; DDP; PMGSY and ARSWP & Swajaldhara was implemented to a large
extent in true sense and spirit. And it has helped in improving the
social and economic standard of living of the targeted individual
beneficiaries and the groups. Contribution for these programmes has
been gregariously admitted by the beneficiaries and observed by the
study team. The implementation of these programmes in the district
has benefited both individuals and the villages as a whole in social
and financial aspects, which ultimately led in the improvement of
the quality of life of the beneficiaries and villages as a whole.
As per the secondary data available at the district and block level,
related to financial and physical achievements of the selected rural
development programmes were found to be in good progress.
Problems and deficiencies in
implementation
During the study team found various
deficiencies and problems while implementation of the rural
development schemes in the district such as the support given by the
government under IAY scheme i.e. Rs.20, 000 /- was found
insufficient for the construction of the house. There are instances
of erroneous selection under IAY scheme by the gram Panchayat.
During the study irregularity were found in selection of the
beneficiaries under SGRY scheme and Sarpanch obliged his family
members or close associates by providing them more number of wage
employment days or assigning relatively less labour intensive work
such as deputing on supervision work, arranging for drinking water
etc.
Suggestions and Recommendations
Suggestions and recommendations have
been put to achieve better results from these programmes such as
more area should be brought under watershed treatment through DDP on
continuous manner. Most of the rural development programme targets
BPL families therefore list of BPL families should be prepared with
proper care and Government should prepare village wise database of
the BPL families and it should be made available on-line through IT.
Emphasis should be given on the development of the human capital
through organizing training programmes for the representatives of
the PRIs and for the selected beneficiaries under various schemes.
Selection of beneficiaries should be
done in a participatory manner so that poor are benefited under
different programmes and wrong selections are avoided.
PRIs representatives should be provided
adequate trainings in time for enhancing their skills and capacities
for effective delivery mechanisms.
Wider awareness generation campaign
should be initiated for having wider outreach of various rural
development programmes and benefits are accessed by the poor.
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