The structure and bylaws of the VDS will enable it to fulfil the following characteristics:
Transparent: All efforts shall be made to provide proper information to all members to ensure proper transparency in all policy and management decisions.

Democratic: All the powers and responsibilities are decentralised. The General Body, consisting of male and female members of all households, is empowered.

Gender sensitive: There are joint and separate platforms for both men and women.

Conceptualisation and initiation: The concept of VDS has been evolved during the review of the institutional arrangements in the first phase of ISPWDK and the successive planning process. Project partners as well as outside experts contributed to the conceptual thinking. Experiences in other areas within and outside Karnataka were taken into consideration during the conceptualisation.

Selection of the Villages: no real selection of villages took place, as all the villages in the area of the watershed are to be covered. In all watersheds, the villages at the ridge point of the area were selected first as watershed development activities will be taken up following the ridge-to-valley principle.

How and why were these institutions established? What is their mandate and responsibilities?
On the basis of the learnings during Phase 1, the VDS concept emerged to take care of the family as a unit of development. This is unique because usually watershed development projects look at land as the unit to be looked at.

The VDS was formed a year back and for the past 6-7 months, they have actively taken part in planning, implementation, and monitoring the programme with guidance from PRAWARDA.

It is envisaged that these societies (VDS) will take up overall development activities pertaining to the village in the future. They will draw resources from the government and other agencies to do so.

What has been the role of the NGO in establishing and capacitating these institutions?
Based on the experiences of Phase 1, the NGO has initiated and formed VDS with the help of the Programme Support and Management Unit to involve the people efficiently in addressing all angles of development. Selected VDS members are trained on planning, implementation, and monitoring of activities. They are informed about any new activities undertaken by the project and given adequate exposure to successful projects.

Which sector in Natural Resource Management do they address? What are the examples of development, maintenance, and management activities taken up by these institutions
They have addressed the renovation of Pandhara. Water conservation to support drinking water to cattle/sheep/ goats/ and recharging open wells around Pandhara (water spring in Marathi) is a spiritual aspect of Nirgudi village. Last year, NSS voluntary workers and villagers contributed labour to construct small boulder checks to conserve soil and water. But this was not sufficient to meet the need of drinking water for the cattle. So VDS members decided to construct an earthen nala bund to conserve water.

For whose benefit are they working?
For the benefit of all the villagers.

What is a Gram Sabha?
Gram Sabha are special meetings called by the VDS to implement new activities/ decisions, especially when they need the opinion of the villagers.

How is the VDS linked to other institutions?
VDS has one representative from the village Panchayat. They are also taking services from the livestock dept, banks etc.

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