Action Oriented Learning

12830 Susanta Kumar Barik/ Elixir Soc. Sci. 55 (2013) 12830-12837

Available online at www.elixirpublishers.com (Elixir International Journal) Social Science

Elixir Soc. Sci. 55 (2013) 12830-12837 Action Oriented Learning (AOL) and tribal empowerment: the panacea for sustainable rural development-experiences from integrated tribal development agencies of Andhra Pradesh, India Susanta Kumar Barik Vice President, Agrigold Group, Agri Division, Andhra Pradesh, India.

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: Rural development hinges on soci-economic and institutional development of the region and Received: 3 August 2012; the inhabitants. Inclusion of excluded confirms to sumptuous development and amidst Received in revised form: women is considered as one of the strong deterministic pillars to it. The “ Action-Oriented 2 February 2013; Learning (AoL) ” is a process led approach of inclusion of marginalized to the mainstream Accepted: 2 February 2013; development, and thereby ensures sustainable development. The study is assessing the inclusive impact of “Sustainable Tribal Empowerment Project-(STEP)” executed in four Keywords northern districts of the state of Andhra Pradesh to restore the life and livelihood of tribal Sustainable Tribal Empowerment adhering in-situ approaches to rural development as well as fostering due cognizance of Project, social-ecological-institutional factors. Total Financial Inclusion, The paper is attempting to assess the induced impact as well as suitability of the strategies Community Level Action Plan and the possibility of replication. The study establishes that AoL approach to tribal women (CLAP), empowerment is happily accepted by the poor and marginalized section of the society Micro Credit Plan, without any inhibition. The strategy adopted is enabling them to retain their social status, Tribal Empowerment, self-esteem and value in the society as well as inside the household. The vibrancy and multi- Action Oriented Learning (AOL), faceted abilities of women headed institutions in the ITDAs are tested to address socio- Sustainable Development, ecological-institutional and economical needs for acclaiming economic prosperity in the Business Plan and Business rural and tribal areas and proven successful. Proliferation and diversifications injected to the Development, system of livelihood activities to meet the emerging economic need is proven to be essential Micro Enterprise, and worthy. In view of the complexity of activities and institutions in tribal areas, the study Micro Finance. therefore suggests that (i) priority lending to be extended to institutions working with integrated activities for integrated development, (ii) extensive financial support to purely women organizations/institutions ensures better and quick multiplier effect, (iii) reliving off the stringent policy of collateral securities to financial disbursement for institutions in tribal and rural areas , and (iv) following up of NABARD guidelines for institutional assessment for loan disbursement to women headed institutions. © 2013 Elixir All rights reserved.

Introduction reach the un-reached and provision access to credit for meeting In India, formal credit agencies (Banks) made an entry in the credit need. The credit rooted through the microfinance route rural areas initially to provide an alternative means of credit is being injected to address the micro nutrition, micro income, relief and reduce dependency on rural moneylenders who micro employment as well as micro education and health provided credit support. However, the systems and procedures requirements of the ‘poorest-of –poor’, marginalized as well as of banking institutions was emphasizing on complicated tribal nearing poverty-line. This has been viewed and looked qualifying requirements, tangible collateral, margin, etc., that forward as means to bring the families to normalcy in living i.e. resulted in large section of the rural poor shying away from the with assured two square meals a day, sending children’s to formal banking sector. The banks too experienced that the rapid schools, good health, house to live in and self-esteem (Barik, expansion of branch network was not contributing to an 2012). Micro credit is liquidated through women institutions at increasing volume of business to meet high transaction costs and habitation level (Rao and Barik, 2008). risk provisioning, which even threatened the viability of banking Micro credit in India and particularly in the state of Andhra institutions and sustainability of their operations. At the same Pradesh is rooted through formal self-help groups. Self Help time, it was not possible for them to allow a population of close Group (SHG) mode is, in fact, the most dominant form of to 300 million-even if poor-to remain outside the fold of its microfinance in India and constitutes the next best alternative business. The search for an alternative mechanism for catering safeguard to the marginalised. Organization of women around to the financial service needs of the poor was thus becoming thrift and credit has emerged as one of the more effective imperative (Rajat, 2007). There are several factors leading to methods for poverty reduction and women empowerment. Over none accessibility of formal credit to all people living in the the past 10 years, close to a million SHGs have been formed in country. As an alternative micro credit by formal, semi-formal India, with almost half of them in Andhra Pradesh (Reddy and and voluntary organization has been ventured as a means to Prakash, 2003). Agency areas of the state of Andhra Pradesh

have given special focus and approach to bring all habitants of study had undertaken PRAs to introspect the real development the agency in to the fold of self-help group. The self-help groups scenario vis-à-vis the projection. in the ITDAs of Andhra Pradesh blossomed during 2004 under Study Outcomes: the stewardship program of IKP and STEP. Sustainable Tribal Quantifying development in quantitative terms is easy to say Empowerment Project 1 (STEP) is a process oriented multi- but difficult to interpret in words of heart and soul. Development sectoral project, executed in four coastal ITDA’s of the state of is by far a relative concept; though has been measured through Andhra Pradesh. It had formally started in November 2001 by some parameteric tests. It is neither development of good road, CARE STEP, aiming at sustainable livelihoods for marginalized provision of health facility, available of good number of tribal communities under the GO-NGO collaborative effort. institutions, implementation of schemes and programmes of state Study objective: and central government, area with good infrastructure facilities The study is aiming at assess the process as well as the and services nor good governance alone. It is a sum total of all impact of the “ Sustainable Tribal Empowerment Project- ensuring ‘ quality life ’ to people and ‘ sound environment ’ to the (STEP)” executed in four ITDAs of Northern districts of Andhra area. Hence, the current study has attempted to depict the Pradesh to restore the life and livelihood of tribal following the development scenario of tribal living in a contiguous area called in-situ approach to rural development. The overall objective of Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) in the following the project was development of tribals of coastal Andhra Pradesh sections. by taking into social-ecological-institutional and livelihood Inclusive Development Strategy and Mechanism: The AoL aspects of development. The project follows a unique approach Adhering to the principle of ‘bottom-up approach to rural to community needs assessment and diagnosis. The study development’, community issues, which in most of the cases therefore explores the suitability of the strategy and possibility defined as sum and substance of individual issues, are identified of its replication in other parts of the globe. and diagnosed through peoples initiatives and participation Methodology: effectively using the available natural resources. Inclusion of A study of this kind is exploratory as well as action research marginalized is initiated in the process of formulation of village in nature. Therefore information available from secondary level institution. Detailed household survey on asset holding, sources needs validation with the information gathered from the livelihood options of the family, resource potentiality etc forms primary sources. It is understood that STEP has designed and the profile of the households and is the first stage in the process executed a data package for day-to-day monitoring of project of mapping out family as well as community economic well- activity and its impacts at various level. It is called ‘Community being and vulnerability condition. The mapping process gives a Based Monitoring System’. The software package use to collect thorough look into the income kitty of the households of the information on health, education, PRIs functioning, self-help families and provides enough information on the economic group activities, village level meetings and re-visiting of wellbeing and the ability to have two squares meals a day, Community-Action-Plan on a daily, quarterly and monthly basis. capability of sending children to schools, accessing basic health The information collected from each village across the operating care provisions for the diseased in the family and owns shelter to ITDAs is consolidated and reports are generated at project level live in. for action. Moving beyond, the economic condition of the families The current research has extensively drawn information determines eligibility and ability of involvement in issues of from the CMBS and validated with the findings from the fields village development and the level of participation. However, all on a random basis. Apart from the data collected under the other parameters like caste, religion, level of education have established CBMS mechanism, the project also collect little and no influence in the development participation at village information from the NGOs involved in execution of the level for tribals. programme at the community level. The study has collected The Second stage of ‘Action-Oriented-Learning’ ( See information from the partnering NGOs in execution of the annexure-1) is identification of issues at the village’s level with programme in rural and tribal areas of the selected ITDAs. factors of commonalities and dis-commonalities. Issues of Besides, the study has executed structured questionnaires to commonalities are further prioritized upon their level of impact, collect information on the self-help group functioning and the available economic resources and accessibility of institutions, institutional linkages over the period of time, organized while issues of dis-commonalities are given less priority on the interaction with key stakeholders and studied relevant basis of the parameters discussed and detailed out in the documents, plans, strategy papers and studies made on the area common village meeting. and people. It is also realized that qualitative data may give a The Third stage is very crucial stage for assessing the issues rosy picture of the quantitative achievements which is practically solved. Issues prioritized in the second stage to be solved in the not the case in real life, hence, to examine the authenticity the third stage are attempted with vigor and spirit to address and redress involving the community and the village level institutions formed i.e. essentially the Community Action 1 STEP is a process oriented multi-sectoral project that aims to Group 2. With respect to the villages, the specified institutions at significantly and sustainably improve household income, food security and access to basic services for rural communities. The Project is implemented by a network of NGOs and Development Agencies under the local government structure. The Project 2 Community Action Group (CAG) is an informal institution objectives are met by establishing and strengthening relevant created at the village level, is the umbrella organization having community based organizations. The focus is on building self- representation from all groups working in the villages. management capacities of local communities and capacity Essentially institutions found in tribal villages are Education building for service providers, micro finance projects and committee, health committee, mothers committee, land and stakeholder coordination. Natural Resource management committee, Self-help Groups, 12832 Susanta Kumar Barik/ Elixir Soc. Sci. 55 (2013) 12830-12837

the village level are formed to deal with specific issues. Of all Redressal of Positional Issues at Household and Community twelve village level institutions, the Common Action Group Level: (CAG) owns the overall onus of management and monitoring the Women are considered to be one of the strongest pillars of activities of specified institutions. house in tribal society. Their contribution is not purely confined The Panchayat Raj system in the state of Andhra Pradesh is to the economic gains rather beyond. Overall contribution to the actively supported with eight to twelve vibrant community level household is far beyond and beyond quantification in any-terms. institutions. Magnitude of institutions varies from village-to- Despite the overwhelming contribution, women are under village and from Panchayat-to-Panchayat. These institutions are estimated, undervalued, ill-treated and in most often neglected created based upon the available natural resources, custom and with low to no self-esteem. In a male dominated society, tradition of the village economy. There are, indeed, eight to ten contribution of women is multiplied spreading across different community based institutions found in each villages. The arena’s but with lower accreditation. common statutory community based institutions available in Women involvement in decision making in household villages are VDC, SHG, Education Committee, and Agricultural matters is very much regulated, restricted and conditioned by Development Committee. factors like education, value and volume of economic Women of the villages by design are at the centre of the contribution to the household income kitty, positional value at decision making process and steers the committees to achieve home etc (see table-2). The table below depicts the factors the specific target/issues assigned for. Women participation is affecting and influencing decision making at household and not limited to household activities alone. The major income community level in a tribal economy. It is viewed that self- earning avenues are also decided by women. Involvement of employed and salaried women have a better say in the family. women in income generating avenues is significant in most of However, women with a political carrier have better say and the tribal houses. The study is not generalizing tribal women participation in decision making, followed by contribution of participation with the women living in plain areas and developed household income, level of education, membership in Village regions. Homogeneity is well recognized in tribal economy and Organization or self-help group and Mandal Mahila women are equally treated with men. This has well been Samaikshyas. captured through the ranking exercise conducted in villages Level of women involvement in decision making at based on the level of participation of men and women and their household and community is decided by the nature of tribal level of contribution. The table below gives the list of the groups i.e. primitive and non-primitive. The study reported that institutions working in villages of the tribal agency areas, the women are consulted in general for sending children to school, membership composition and the decision making process marriage of girl, sale of valuables, growing agricultural crops as followed. well as advance-crisis planning for the house. The study The Fourth stage , which is still more challenging and recorded that women participation is relatively better in sending brings more clarity to the issues of development is ‘ review of the children to schools, and marriage over all other activities. issues and accomplishments ’ and analysis of lags . As a matter Involvement of women in the sale of valuables and agricultural of principle, review of ‘Community-Action Plan’ use to happen and/or horticultural products is minimal. in every six-month by design and the review takes place in Economic contribution of tribal women in all the studied tandem with the development of Panchayat Plan. Review of ITDA’s to alleviate household vulnerability is grossly visible CAP generally undertaken before the formation of Panchayat across all tribal communities. Tribal women are no more Plan and budget primarily due to the fact that the issues arose in confined to the traditional age-old livelihood avenues of CAP would effectively placed in the Panchayat action plan for agriculture and agriculture with the ‘ traditional slashing and fund sanction, institutional linkages and accomplishments. burning approach ’. Diversification in livelihood baskets is The Fifth stage of Community Action Plan in the AoL reported at all strata’s of tribal communities. Agriculture though process is the realignment of issues through review of the stands to be the largest employment generator and the single Community Action Plan (CAP). It is generally experienced from most none competent source of livelihood across all economic the review of the CAPs across the ITDAs that more and more brackets, some diversification is revealed and reported. Women minutes issues of minorities and vulnerables find places in the are now into petty-business and jobs. There are almost 86,680 3 subsequent plans of the community. Every review of CAPs adds petty-shops exclusively run by the tribal women in the agency tough to tougher order village level issues/challenges in a areas and more than 2450 4 are engaged in different activities of holistic manner. The more the number of cycle of AoL revisit sewing, Lady driving, She Association of Ki-mens, Soap the more is the level of challenges added which in turn ensures Manufacturing etc. better living for the people and the inhabitants. During this Tribal women of the studied ITDAs have been given with stage, it is viewed that the issues redressal capacities of technical trainings on Income Generation Programmes, (IGP) institutions, individuals and communities have gone up and find exposed to IGPs of importance as well as adequately provided at higher level of efficiency. Community cohesiveness, feeling with fund support to kick-start income generation activities. of ‘we’ and togetherness is nearly accepted and internalized by There are 39,346 tribal women members of self-help groups are one and across all tribal clans and communities. ‘Together we trained on different avenue of income generation programmes win’ can better be replaced across the tribal villages and communities. 3 Women taking up petty-business with support of Indira Kranthi Pratham (IKP) and Sustainable Tribal Empowerment Project (STEP). 4 The progrmme is exclusively taken up by IKP for imparting Village Head ( Urr Pedda). CAG ensures participation of head training to women from the RIAD and Non-RIAD Villages and of all institutions functioning in the village. provisioning placement. 12833 Susanta Kumar Barik/ Elixir Soc. Sci. 55 (2013) 12830-12837

across the studied ITDAs. 3043 tribal SHGs are adequately number of public participation. The multiplier effect of increased supported to carry on IGPs (see table-3). However, the project income on education, access to market and health facilities is has given focus on IGPs around the available natural resources well visible (see table-5). locally and within the reach of the communities. The ‘organic Enhanced income is realized through effective deployment coffee cultivation’ and value addition in ITDA Paderu and of natural resources in fruitful income earning options. The provision of adequate training, capital support as well as process of development is also visible in creation of water exposure to similar coffee growing areas in the country i.e. bodies for consumptive purposes as well as irrigation. This has Bangalore coffee cultivation areas is the best initiative taken up been evidenced from physical construction of 563 integrated for the tribals (see table-4). This has given a corollary watershed devices constructed across the agency areas-Paderu is development of the subsidiary industries around coffee value the highest with 210 and R.C.Varam is the lowest with 92- are addition and marketing. used for growing seasonal vegetables and fish cultivation. The study found that initial capital support and technical Provision of water has strongly been advocated for a knowledge on management of self-help groups have been given diversification in agriculture. Diversification has not been taken to 39,346 self-help groups across the STEP executed ITDA’s to place with a switching over from traditional agriculture to soil hand on economically gainful activities. The initial capital commercial agriculture on scale rather it has made a concerted support and effective functionality enabled bankers and the non- shift from chemical fertilizer based agriculture to ‘agriculture bank financial intermediaries (NBFI’s) to extend financial based on organic fertilizer’. There is a persistent shift in support to the tune of 15 times of the amount deposited with agriculture at all villages and across all tribal groups (see table- them and to a maximum of 37 times (STEP Annual Progress 6). Report, 2007). Annexure-1: Action Oriented Learning NTFP is forming the next best income earning avenue for the tribal living in agency areas. It is revealing that almost 86 per cent of the tribal-SHGs are engaged in NTFP value addition and business (Barik, 2012). There are about 9 per cent SHGs engaged in wild honey collection and marketing out of this less than 3 per cent are engaged in bee keeping. SHGs of agency areas are found to be engaged in value addition of medicinal plants and collection and marketing of rajma (kidney beans), Turmoric. Cultivation of Lac is also experienced as an alternative source of livelihood adopted by the self-help groups. In the entire process of development the landless poor, widow, old, and weaker families are getting the advantage of taking up of livelihood activities, which they would not have otherwise thought up as has been revealed by 38 per cent SHG members of the agency areas. The AoL process has built-in mechanism to ensure involvement of marginalized, enable the system and procedure to heard the voices of vulnerable and enable climbing up the ladder of development. The induced impact of agriculture is seen in acquiring of un- Economical, Ecological and Social Contributions: An used land into the fold of cultivation and establishment of Initiative of AoL coordination as well as access of government schemes and Effort of AoL is integrated development of area and the programmes for carrying out agriculture and horticultural people. Development is viewed as integrated and in relation to activities. Tribal communities have shown interest in developing the available resource potential. The AoL is therefore visualized kitchen garden programmes and taking up of community as the process oriented development of vulnerable and initiated and managed agriculture and horticulture programmes marginalized, as evidenced from 3238 Community Action Plan, in groups. aiming at not only to provide an enhanced income but also a A talk on retention of social value in the tribal society looks complete package development of the people and the area. bit theoretical. Its applicability in a tribal society does have a Economic benefit is experienced by cent percent tribal wider scope and meaning. It raises many questions while judged households having membership with self-help groups. Most of against any set parameters of development. Hence, it is defined the self-help groups are formed, provided with technical skills as integrated and in separable and difficult to measure. The study and provisioned with initial working capital. It is worth is therefore measuring the social value in terms of active women mentioning that the 63 percent PoP families across the agency participation in decision making, ability and effects of decisions areas mentioned of having two square meals a day in most taken on family life and kid, futuristic view of village economy difficult period of the year and are not sleeping empty-bellied. and the house. It is revealed that women in Self-help Group Increase in income is revealed by all tribals. All NGOs (SHGs) have created as many as 1226 women leaders to participated reconfirmed it. Increased income is due to the participate in Panchayat and Mandal level politics. It is also availability of more number of working days inside the villages reported that women participation in decision making has gone and outside. The wages given is as per the declaration of beyond the four walls to the Gram Panchayat i.e. from Home government policy. This has made tribal preserve adequate food administration to Panchayat administration (see table-7). for the family. Three parameters of the 10 parameters rated 10 Empowerment as visualized: out of ten. The over all of ranking for all the parameters under It is evidenced from people’s opinion that STEP has given consideration is fairly good and was supported with a good lot of focus on the empowerment of vulnerable families and women. The empowerment process following the AoL approach 12834 Susanta Kumar Barik/ Elixir Soc. Sci. 55 (2013) 12830-12837

is tried for integrated empowerment through ‘sustainable determination of the community to drive away the development harnessing’ of available natural resources and human resources. initiatives. Empowerment as has been conceived in the project objective as The nudge of NABARD and RBI to extend financial to ensure basic health, education, food and livelihood at the support to the Self-help Groups in livelihood activities has door-step of the most disadvantaged community, empower/re- attracted many formal and informal banks to extend financial jubilate the institutions at the village level and make the issues of support to these groups. The STEP’s AoL process of institution unheared reach to government in a systematic manner. formation and functionality is giving scope for all formal and The AoL process adopted in the programme is evidenced to informal institutions to judge and measure the efficiency of the be strong and all institutions functioning at the habitation level institutions before financing. All the institutional support to SHG are determined of carrying forward the untiring effort of and institutions should be prioritized to be extended to development for all. The strategy carved out and methodology institutions working for retaining ‘comprehensive overall followed –from identification of issues, to planning, execution development’ rather than engagement in purely economic and review-is systematic and encompasses holistic approach to activities only. address the issues and grievances of the poor and disadvantaged. Suggestion and recommendations: Where does the AoL process fits in Rural Finance! The experience of STEP, as revealed from the study, is in Issue of rural development is no more the issues of people many way needs to be scaled up and replicated in all other rural of the locality now. Government, NGOs, banks and other donor development programmes and especially programmes for agencies are directly and indirectly related and are trying for a development of the weaker section of the society. The sustainable solution to it. In the era when all institutions i.e. institutions coming forward for overall empowerment of poor formal and informal are coming forward to finance economic and marginalized may follow the AoL approach to rural activities for ensuring effective livelihood and income development for better understanding of rural issues, diagnosis generation a strong planning and appropriate method for and appropriate deign of programmes with involvement of rural diagnosing the issues would help enable to extend necessary and institutions. Keeping in view of the broad base for financial just assistance to the needy institution to take up the right work. assistance to rural institutions, the adoption of AoL process in The AoL approach to empowerment and especially women rural finance is geared to deliver effective result. The study empowerment is seen and experienced in the project. The therefore suggests the followings; process has mobilized as much as 13.2 5 per cent of project cost (i) Priority lending to be extended to institutions working with from the community towards under taking development integrated activities for integrated development, activities ensuing community participation. This speaks of the (ii) Extensive financial support to purely women organizations/institutions ensures better and quick multiplier effect, (iii) Reliving off the stringent policy of collateral securities to 5 STEP project outlay as reported in EC Report was 21,216,000 financial disbursement for institutions in tribal and rural areas , euro. Of the total outlays EC contribution was 61.3 %, CARE and Contribution was 4.0%, Government Contribution was 15.5%, (iv) Following up of NABARD guidelines for institutional Community Contribution was 13.2% and NGO Contribution was assessment for loan disbursement to women headed institutions. 6.0%. Table-1: Institutions, decision making and people’s involvement Sl Institutions Peoples Participation Contribution Ranking No 1 Water User Group (WUG) Men and Women Male use to take the decision and management of water bodies of the village 6 2 Village Cultural Committee Men and Women Women and Selected men 4 3 Panchayat Raj Institutions Men and specified Participation for the sake of formality 4 percentage of Women 4 Forest Protection Arbitrarily decided the No visible contribution 4 Committee (FPC) membership 5 Village Development Men and specified Nothing to share 4 Committee-VDP percentage of Women 6 Mother Committee Only Women Looking after pregnant ladies and lactating mother for accessing Anganwadi 3 services 7 Village Health and Men and specified Rainy season village cleanliness activities 3 Sanitation Committee percentage of Women 8 Village Education Men and specified Monitoring students attendance in schools 2 Committee percentage of Women 9 Self-help Groups Exclusively women with Regular monthly meeting for Income Generation Programme, MCP, Food 1 focus on POP Security (Grain Bank management)and other village development issues 10 Agriculture Development Men and specified No contribution 5 Committee (ADC) percentage of Women 11 Land and NR Management Men and specified No contribution 6 Committee percentage of Women 12 Community Action Group- Men and Women Overall Village Development 4 CAG Source: Participatory Rural Appraisal (Institutional Ranking, across STEP operating ITDA’s of Andhra Pradesh)

12835 Susanta Kumar Barik/ Elixir Soc. Sci. 55 (2013) 12830-12837

Table-2: Parameters of Women Involvement in Decision Making

S.L No Parameters of women involvement Level of involvement (in Per Cent age) 1. Level of education 80 2. Contribution to Household Income 88 3. Member in SHG/VO/MMS 75 4. Member in other Village level Institutions 70 5. Exposed to City Culture 60 6. Have Interaction with Government Officers 60 7. Member in Panchayat 90 8. Owning the Valuables 70

9. Self-employed/ Salaried 95

10. Ist wife 75

Source: Village Survey, ITDA’s (Paderu, Parvathipuram, R.C.Varam and Seethampeta), Andhra

Pradesh

Note: The percentage is the average of findings across the villages of ITDA’s of the state.

Table-3: Initiatives for Women Empowerment in ITDA’s of Andhra Pradesh Sl No Parameters Paderu Rampachoda Seetham Parvathi Total Varam Peta Puram 1 Training to SHGs 12357 7935 5244 13810 39346 2 Training to SHG Bookkeepers and CRP 1920 0 390 600 2910 3 Exposure of SHG members 256 1103 503 264 2126 4 RF Support 289 709 1782 263 3043 Source: Delegation of European Commission in India, New Delhi

Table-4: Organic Coffee in Paderu ITDA and Beneficiaries Year Coffee Coverage in acres Coffee Shade Plantations Shade Training/Exposure Received Beneficiaries in acres Beneficiaries

2009-10 11,746 11,183 6,391 6,228 1820

2010-11 11,754 11,516 6,662 6,246 2352

2011-12 7,424 7,345 13,121 12,758 980

Total 30,924 30,044 26,174 25,232 5152

Source: ITDA Paderu, Visakhapatnam District

Table-5: Realization of Economic Benefits by Tribals of ITDAs S.l No. Parameters No of Participants Assigned Ranking NGO Comty 1 Enhancement of Family Income 28 62 10

2 No of Days of employment 28 50 10 3 No of Days of availability of Good Food 28 76 10 4 Gainful use of resources ( including human resources) 28 70 7 5 School Fees given in-time and children going school 28 86 8 6 Family realizing round the year food stock 28 72 8

7 Health Services are accessed 28 70 6 8 Marketing for Agri Produce streamlined 28 80 6 9 More Women Engaged in IGPs 28 80 5 10 Number of Petty Shops Increased in Villages 28 80 5 Source: Information Collected from Stakeholders and NGOs of all 4 ITDAs Note: All 28 NGOs participated in the study

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Table 6: Realization of Ecological and Environmental Benefits by Tribals

Sl No Parameters No of Participants Benefits Realized

(NGOs) 1 Community Initiated school and road 28 Community understood the side plantation enhanced benefit of plantation and its contribution in long-run 2 Use of chemical Fertilizer reduced 28 Lower yield over the years realized 3 Use of Organic fertilizer in 28 Enhanced yield using vermin cultivation Increased compost realized 4 Village sanitation enhanced 28 Community cleanliness programme adopted by all 5 Kitchen Garden Initiated in each 28 Consumption of vegetables at habitation free of cost and in all meals is tasted 6 Group based fruit bearing tree 28 Cultivation of Fruits and Plantation activity vegetables have been taken on a commercial scale by the self-help groups 7 Community Land Development 28 Common land preparation Activity for Agriculture and programme and use by all Horticulture programmes

8 Coordination with agriculture, 28 Free access to seed, fertilizer horticulture and allied departments and plant growth materials enhanced from Government departments 9 Restoration and creation of water 28 563 water bodies created bodies in villages across hill-top tribal villages

Source: Information Collected through Group Discussion with Tribals of all 4 ITDAs

Table-7: Realization of Social Benefits by Tribal of ITDAs

Sl. No Parameters Ranking Parameters of Success 1 Women participation in Panchayat 10 23% women own in the election elections conducted in Panchayats of studied

ITDAs 2 Girl Marriage at marriageable age 6 Benefit of girl child at marriageable age is understood by all and is in limited practice 3 Education for all children at school 8 Parents do understand the benefit of going age education and its contribution in

shaping the life of the children 4 Women participation in decision 6 Level of women participation in making at household overall decision making has been improved moderately

5 Women participation in Gram 8 Importance of women in Gram Sabha Sabhas is realized and their involvement has significantly been improved i.e. from mere participation to participation for problem solving 6 Functioning of Self-help Groups 10 Agility and drive for a development

life has been injected through the

SHGs and the benefit is realized by all members on rotational basis Source: Information Collected through Group Discussion with Tribals of all 4 ITDAs

12837 Susanta Kumar Barik/ Elixir Soc. Sci. 55 (2013) 12830-12837

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