TAMIL NADU EMPOWERMENT AND POVERTY REDUCTION PROJECT PUDHU VAAZHVU The World Bank funded Project
About the Project A key Project of World Bank in Tamil Nadu to address inequity and to promote inclusive growth. Community Driven Development (CDD) approach through pro poor community organizations. Project aims at empowerment of the poor, marginalised and differently abled. Increase in household income through promotion of sustainable livelihoods.
120 Backward Blocks (in 26 Districts) Project Area 4,174 Village Panchayats 9.8 lakh Poor & Vulnerable families targeted Project period 2006 - September 2016 Outlay 1667 crores
Project Funding www.pudhuvaazhvu.org
Project Non Negotiable Principles Inclusion Equity Participation Transparency Accountability Facilitation
Institutional Arrangement State Level Principal Secretary to Government Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Department as Chairman Additional Project Directors Project Director & 21 Specialists District Collector as Chairman District Level District Project Manager 7 Assistant Project Managers Cluster Level Team Leader Facilitators www.pudhuvaazhvu.org
1. Initial Activities Project Processes Communication Campaign Participatory Identification of the Poor (PIP) 2. Institutional Building Activities Formation of Village Poverty Reduction Committee (VPRC) Social Audit Committee (SAC) Formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs) Panchayat Level Federation (PLF) 3. Capacity Building Activities CBOs (VPRC,SAC,SHG, etc) Community Professionals www.pudhuvaazhvu.org
4. Financial Linkage Project Processes SHG Bank Linkage Bulk loan to PLFs Project Fund (Livelihood corpus ) to PLF 5. Livelihood Activities Youth Skill training Individual Livelihood Activity Common Livelihood Groups (CLG) Common Livelihood Federation (CLF) 6. Consolidation Activities Promoting Second and Higher level institutions (MaKaMai) www.pudhuvaazhvu.org
Community Based Organisations at Various Levels District unit of MaKaMai (CPLTC) District level Block unit of MaKaMai Cluster Level Forum Social Audit Committee Block level Cluster level Village Poverty Reduction Committee Panchayat Level Federation Common Livelihood Group Village level Target poor Self Help Group Producers
Financial Support from Project VPRC Fund given to each Panchayat minimum Rs.6 lakhs to Rs.12 lakhs. Capacity Building Fund (40%) Special Fund (40%) Youth Development Fund (20%) Amudha Surabhi Fund (ASF) / Livelihood corpus Fund given to each Panchayat minimum Rs. 12 lakhs. CLG fund given to each CLG minimum Rs. 1 lakhs.
VPRC Fund Capacity Building Fund VPRC members Community Operational Manual I & II Social Audit Manual Fund Management SAC members Community Operational Manual I & II Social Audit Manual Fund Management SHG members SHG Manual I, II & III Fund Management Structured Module PLF officer bearers PLF Manual I, II & III Fund Management CLG members Livelihood Manual Fund Management Exposure Visit Cross learning www.pudhuvaazhvu.org
VPRC Fund Special Fund Bottom most segment of the very poor are targetted. Assistance provided as a stepping stone to join SHGs. Individual assistance may be Medical aid Debt redemption Small livelihoods Insurance support - Niramaya
VPRC Fund Youth Skill Fund Unemployed youth data base maintained in each VPRC. Effort to utilise demand supply gap in skilled manpower. Training to improve employability. Partnership with industrial houses.
Major Partner Business Houses Intimate Fashions
Panchayat Level Federation Federation of SHGs at Village Panchayat level. Registered under Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975. General Body (GB) and Executive Committee (EC) Habitation Level Forum with each SHG. one representative of Eligible PLFs are graded and received incentive fund of Rs. 1 lakhs. Rs.12-20 Lakhs is given to each PLF as Grant.
Common Livelihood Group Aggregation of similar individual livelihoods into small groups. Small groups involved in similar or related activities are federated at Village/Cluster level Major activities Dairy, Goat rearing, Agriculture, Poultry, Charcoal, Garment, etc
Common Livelihood Federation Aggregation of similar activities are federated at block / district level. Registered under Tamil Nadu Societies Act 1975.
Common Livelihood Federation Further value addition and address higher level economic and Marketing issues for Sustainability. Dairy, Goat rearing & Agriculture.
Governance & Social Accountability Project Process Monitoring is done on a continuous basis by Independent Agencies. Professional Audit Firms have been appointed to audit the accounts of all CBO s. Environmental Resource Agency to ensure the compliance to environment safeguards. Monthly Review meeting. Nodal visits.
Governance & Social Accountability Community All information are displayed in the Notice Board. All decision s are approved in the grama sabha. Social Audit Committee. Community bookkeeping system. Problem solving communication tree.
Other New Initiatives Tamil Nadu Entrance Exam Admission counselling to rural youth. Business Correspondents. Health card. Village Knowledge center. Sanitation IHHL & SWM. Self Help Group Mobile Application.
Increased participation of households (31.42% higher), and women (65.48% higher) in Gram Sabha meetings. www.pudhuvaazhvu.org Results of the Impact evaluation (2013-2014) Reduced burden of high cost debt by 29.29% and a shift in the debt portfolio towards more productive uses Increased asset holdings and higher expenditure on items such as house construction and repairs Increase in household members working in more skilled jobs as their primary occupation (31.57% higher in PVP areas)
Results of the Impact evaluation (2013-2014) Increased say of women in intra-household decisions, including purchase of household durables (9.96% higher), children's education (9.84% higher) and choice of livelihood activities (21.01% higher). Increased participation of women in public action. MGNREGA has been more effective as a social safety net in PVP areas. As a secondary livelihood activity for a household, percentage of individuals working in MGNREGA is 15.27% higher.
Awards & Recognition The Fifth Annual People First Awards on Social Accountability. Best Practice Award - implementation in JSDF pilots. Honorable mention in beneficiary Feedback report. Best e-governance Project Silver Award for the Project TALLY ERP initiative, by PC quest.
To conclude, within a period of Nine + years, PVP has been successful in empowering the very poor, vulnerable, differently abled and tribals by including them in decision making processes. creating well governed community institutions, thereby developing social capital within the community. bridging the information gap between industries and unemployed rural youth through job oriented skill training. increasing household income through rural livelihood promotion activities. www.pudhuvaazhvu.org
Pudhu Vaazhvu (..New Life..) Project