Lok Sabha Question No. 1892 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-01
Subject: Workshop on PRIs and Community based Organisations
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dayanidhi Maran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1892 ANSWERED ON 01/08/2023

## WORKSHOP ON PRIS AND COMMUNITY BASED ORGANISATIONS

## 1892. SHRI DAYANIDHI MARAN:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  specific  objectives  of  the  workshop  on  Panchayati  Raj Institutions (PRIs) and community based organisationsuniversalisation of convergence;
- (b) whether the Ministry proposes to ensure effective convergence between gram panchayats and community-based organizations and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of the various development models and livelihood projects  implemented  through  the  Kudumbashree  National Resource Organisation;
- (d) the criteria likely  to be used to select the States and blocks for implementing convergence projects in phases;
- (e) whether the convergence between Panchayati Raj institutions and  community-based  organizations  helped  in  achieving  the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the States and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the  key  recommendations  or  strategies  discussed  during  the workshop  for achieving SDGs  related to drinking water, sanitation, health, poverty alleviation, social security, gender equality, quality education, employment, financial growth and participatory planning; and
- (g) the  agreements that were signed regarding the expansion of convergence projects with Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya and Puducherry?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

- a): The  Ministry  of  Rural  Development(MoRD)  has  conducted  a National  level  Workshop  on  Panchayat  Raj  Institutions(PRI)  and

Convergence Universalisation  on 13th and 14th July 2023 at Trivandrum,Kerala with all the key stakeholders.The objectives of the workshop were

Community Based Organisation (CBO) following:

- i. Sharing  the  MoRD's  vision  for  implementing  the  PRI-CBO convergence  model  across  16  States,  emphasising  citizencentric governance, improved service delivery, and access to rights and entitlements.
- ii. Provide a platform to share stakeholders experiences, challenges faced, best practices and, lessons learnt.
- iii. Exposure visits to understand the tangible benefits and impact of  the  model  on  governance,  community  participation  and, livelihood promotion.
- iv. Engage representatives from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj(MoPR),State  Department  of  Panchayati  Raj,   State  Rural Livelihoods Missions(SRLMs), National Institute of Rural Development&Panchayti  Raj,  and  State  Institute of Rural Development to foster dialogue, collaboration, and consensusbuilding to address challenges and develop a unified approach to universalise the PRI-CBO convergence models.
5. (b): The universalisation of PRI-CBO convergence aims the following-
- i)   Develop the democratic ability of the SHG federations to improve local participatory planning
7. ii)  Increase  the  engagement  with  local  governments  and  line departments to enhance the service delivery mechanism within the community
8. iii) Strengthen institutional platforms of convergence like coordination  committees  of  representatives  of  PRI,CBO  &   line departments  at different levels

The  PRI-CBO  guidelines  have  already been  issued  by  the  Ministry. The PRI-CBO  convergence  have  been  piloted  in  2092  Local  Self Government Institutions (LSGIs) in 162 blocks of  74 districts across 15 States.

- (c): Kudumbashree  National  Resource  Organisation;  has  been working with SRLMs on mainly two development models:
- i. Convergence  between  Panchayat  Raj  Institutions  (PRIs)  and Community Based Organisations (CBOs): The PRI-CBO Convergence project focuses on enabling the working together of  PRI  and  CBO  to  strengthen  access  to  entitlements  and enhance community participation in local governance.
- ii. Enterprise  Development  :The  Enterprise  Development  project focuses on creating community-based enterprise support systems  at  the  local  level  in  the  form  of  Micro  Enterprise Consultants (MECs)/ Community Resource Persons for Enterprise Promotion (CRP-EP), Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs) for helping poor people set up, operate and grow their own enterprises. Under the enterprise development domain the focus is on the following livelihood projects:
-  Implementation  and  capacity  building  support  for  Startup Village Entrepreneurship Program(SVEP)
-  Technical  Support  for  One  Stop  Facility  under  National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP)
- 
- Technical Support for promoting Food Service clusters
-  Capacity building support for Micro Enterprise Development (MED) Project
- (d): The following are  the selection  criteria to select the State-
- 
- SRLMs  with mature Village organisations
-  Availability of sufficient Human Resources within SRLM
- States  with  NRETP  and National  Rural  Livelihoods  Mission
-  (NRLM) Resource Blocks

The criteria to select the blocks are as follows:

-  The  blocks  selected  in  the  first  phase  can  be  resource blocks of  National Rural Economic Transformation Project (NRETP)  and  NRLM  Model  Cluster  Level  Federation(CLF) blocks which may be identified by the respective State.
-  Blocks must have a nodal Block Mission Management Unit with  sufficient  Human  Resources     and  a  parent  District Mission Management Unit.
- (e): Based on the evidences from the pilot implementation of the PRI-CBO  Convergence  across  various  States,the  communities  and PRIs  is  moving  towards  achieving  Sustainable  Development  Goals through  the  comprehensive  participatory  planning  process  and

incorporation of the same in Gram Panchyat Development Plan(GPDP). (f): The focus of the workshop was on enhancing awareness and understanding of the PRI-CBO convergence model and its potential for promoting citizen-centric governance, thereby improving service delivery  and  access  to  rights  and  entitlements.   The  discussions highlighted  the  need  for  collaboration  and  partnerships  among stakeholders,  encouraging  a  unified  and  strategic  approach  for scaling up the impacts of the PRI-CBO convergence model. Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Puducherry to initiate partnership to provide technical and strategic support to the SRLMs

(g): Kudumbashree NRO signed agreements with in implementing universalisation strategy of PRI-CBO Convergence .

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