pri pilot
intervention

Capacity building for Gramapanchyat to undertake NRM

To date most watershed development programmes have operated through project specific community based organisations (CBOs) notably Watershed Development Committees (WDCs) or in the case of ISPWDK, Village Development Societies (VDS) and Watershed Management Committees (WMCs).

These exist in parallel to the local level political and administrative unit of the Gram Panchayat. The Gram Panchayats, under the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution, are vested with significant powers of decision-making over local development activities, and in many ways they are the logical unit through which to channel development support.

That this has not happened widely to date is due to a variety of factors, not least of which is the political nature of Gram Panchayats. Nevertheless, Gram Panchayats have the potential to be a major force for equitable and sustainable development in India if their domination and control by vested interests can be avoided.

Under the approved ISPWDK project document, there is a budget allocation to collaborate with Gram Panchayats in watershed development activities on a pilot basis.

In July 2005, The Government of Karnataka passed an order approving the pilot intervention “Capacity building for Gramapanchayat to undertake NRM”. The time frame envisaged for this pilot phase is two years. This initiative is fully in line with the new `SDC India Country Programme 2003-2010' particularly with respect to promoting decentralization.