2. GRAMYA VIKASH MANCHA
(GVM)
(A unified platform for progressive
contemplation)
Vision: “GVM envisages a peaceful, prosperous, egalitarian and exploitation free
society in every village”
Mission: GVM exist to empower the rural community particularly the
underprivileged and women to take control over the social institutions and to
improve their quality of life , thereby create a society where these people can live
with dignity
Address
NO. 1 BARDHANARA
P.O: DAKSHINGAON
PIN: 781350
DISTRICT : NALBARI
ASSAM , INDIA
PHONE: +91-3624-283740
Email: gvm_ngo@sify.com
3. Organizational Profile
• Gramya Vikash Mancha (GVM) is a non for profit, Non
Government Organisation based in Nalbari District and has
been working for the rural poor through the implementation of
various development programmes
• GVM came into existence in 1999 and registered under the
Society Registration Act XXI of 1860 on 14th September, 2000
• Presently working in 4 districts. Nalbari, Baksa (BTAD), Kamrup
(Rural) and Barpeta. The Area covers 11 dev. blocks and 400
villages
• The major working areas are Economic Empowerment, Social
Empowerment and Social Justice, Humanitarian Response,
Development & communication
4. Organisation Staff Strength
• Full time volunteers: 82
• Part time volunteers: 347
• Technical / Professional Consultants:12
5. Partners
• Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department of the European
Commission (ECHO)
• Actionaid India
• Jamsetji Tata Trust/ Sir Dorabji Tata Trust
• Save the children
• Unicef
• Child Rights and You (CRY)
• Aide et action
• National Agricultural Bank for Rural Development, NABARD
• Indo Global Social Service Society (IGSSS)
• PRADAN
• Help Age India
• Rashtriya Gramin Vikash Nidhi
• North East Development & Finance Corporation (NEDFi)
• North East Network (NEN)
• National Council of Rural Institute (NCRI)
• The Hunger Project
• Association for India’s Development (AID)
6. On going programmes
• Promotion of Diversion Based Irrigation in Nalbari, Kamrup
(Rural) and Baksa districts of Assam – supported by JTT
• Mobilizing Community on MGNREGS for ensuring sustainable
employment and development- Supported by Actionaid India
• Peoples Empowerment for Accessing Right to Livelihood –
Supported by IGSSS
• Extension of SRI and Promotion in Assam – Supported by
PRADAN
• Promotion of Livelihood through Water Hyacinth Craft –
Supported by NEDFi
• Adolescent Education in Assam – Supported by SDTT
• Child Rights project in Nalbari district of Assam – Supported
by CRY
7. Humanitarian Aid programmes
implemented for Flood affected families in
2012-13
• Emergency Response to the Victims of Flood in Assam-2012
• Assam Flood 2012 Response Programme
• Support to flood affected families in Assam
• Emergency Flood operation in Nalbari district of Assam
• Rapid Flood Response in Nalbari District of Assam
• Humanitarian Assistance to vulnerable population affected by flood in
Assam
• Assam Flood Humanitarian Response
• Supported by ECHO, JTT, Actionaid, Save the children and
HelpAge India
10. Promotion of Diversion Based Irrigation in
Nalbari, Kamrup (rural) and Baksa districts of
Assam
11. Project Profile
Project title: Promotion of Diversion Based Irrigation in
Nalbari, Kamrup (rural) and Baksa district of Assam
Supported by: Jamsetji Tata Trust
Implemented by: Gramya Vikash Mancha
Project period: 1st
April 2012 to 31st
March 2015 (3 years)
Project area: Nalbari, Kamrup (rural) and Baksa district
Total Sanctioned Amount (for 3 years): Rs. 288.25 lakh
Total sanctioned amount (For 1st
year): Rs. 85,27,000.00
(Rupees eighty five lakh twenty seven thousand only)
12. Objective & Strategies of the implemented
Project
Objective:
• The developmental objective of the project is “To improve
the quality of life of 50000 families from excluded section of
society in Nalbari, Kamrup (rural) and Baksa district of Assam
within three years “
Strategies:
• Protect natural water bodies and reduce vulnerability through
community mobilization
• Socio-economic upliftment through introducing effective use
of diversion based irrigation system
13. Process adopted for implementation
• The project started with initiating a social debate on action-reflection of different
socio-economic issues. It was basically through using PRA tools and techniques.
After series of discussion and debate we with active participation of local
community prepared cluster wise report, what we named “Participatory
Vulnerability Analysis (PVA)” report.
• On priority basis the problems are taken into account and discussion initiated for
finding effective and sustainable solution for such problem, both in village and
cluster level.
• Cluster level coordination committee have been formed to coordinate, review and
monitor all process and programmes in cluster level. Again, cluster has also been
divided in some sector, comprising 5-6 villages and sector level representative and
coordinator identified.
• A network committee among all farmers has been formed, comprising five
representatives from each cluster. This committee review and monitor all process
and programmes of the project in central level.
• Based on the Action Plan prepared by the community, Gramya Vikash Mancha has
initiated the process of implementation of all the major community activities like
Restoration of water bodies and construction of improvised Sluice Gate, irrigation
bandhs. Need base capacity building programmes and interface programmes with
development authorities.
15. Situation in Baksa
Where there is a great scarcity of Water and water is precious than any
other elements..like property, land and house..
16. • PVA was conducted in each Cluster to get all kind of
information of the villages like Mapping of the villages, Socio-
economic background, livelihood analysis, population break-
up, resources, different vulnerabilities, historical background,
coping mechanism etc. It shows the use, impact and problems
in accessing natural water resources.
• All major activities like Restoration work of canal,
Construction of Irrigation based structures, Capacity
Enhancement programmes are implemented based on the
Community action plan prepared by the community…….
Participatory Vulnerability Analysis (PVA)Report
27. • Approx. 60 kms. of canals were restored (through Cleaning &
Dredging work) so far in the 7 clusters under Nalbari, Kamrup
(rural) and Baksa districts
• Total 25055.92 bigha (7639 acre) of agricultural land is
expected to be benefited by the Restoration work
• A large area of land has been resumed for agricultural
activities after a long time
• Canal Management Committees are formed in Kamrup (rural)
district which is a new intervention area under the DBI
Project
• An Exposure visit was organised for the farmers/ fisherman of
Kamrup (rural) area to replicate the canal management
system of the strong Dong Bandh Committees of Baksa
• The Dong Bandh Committees of Baksa has their own
traditional canal management system since more than 70
Restoration of natural water bodies
28. In Baksa, 2500 people work altogether to maintain the bandh in Pagladia river
to get water every year for cultivation and their household need
29. The Bandh Dong Committees has strong rules & members from each family
has to contribute their labour to maintain the Bandhs and Dongs which is the
only source of water for the villages in Baksa
30. Every Winter in December more than 2500 people from 40 villages repairs the
Bandhs and Dongs (Canal) for 4 consecutive days at the source of Pagladia and
Diring river
31. Use of Canal water in Rabi crops under one Farmers group at
Bardhanara village
32. Use of Canal water in Rabi crops under one Farmers group at
Bardhanara village
33. Use of Canal water in Rabi crops by using water pumps in Raimadha
village, Nalbari district
34. Use of Canal water in Rabi crops by using water pumps in Raimadha
village, Nalbari district initiated under the PDBI project
35. Use of Canal water in Rabi crops by using water pumps in Raimadha
village, Nalbari district initiated under the PDBI project
36. Group farming was promoted under the DBI project by using Canal water in
Rabi crops through water pumps in Chatama village, Nalbari district
41. More than 200 poor woman are now engaged in product making from water
hyacinth and generating income for their families promoted through PDBI
project and NEDFi
42. Food processing trainings are organised in Baksa and Nalbari district among
woman groups that can generate income by using locally available fruits and
vegetables
43. Capacity building programme on
Food Processing
Food processing trainings are organised in Baksa and Nalbari district among
woman groups that can generate income by using locally available fruits
and vegetables
47. Farmers Convention & Media Interface
programme
Through continuous mobilisation a farmers convention was
organised in Baushi Udaypur village of Nalbari district where farmers
from 3 - districts Nalbari, Kamrup (rural) and Baksa gathered in a
common platform to raise their voice on farmers issues and
interacted with leading media representatives
• 510 farmers from 3 Districts and 6 nos. of state level media agency
both from electronic and print media participated in the event
• The Farmers Convention is an attempt to ground a multi stake holder
dialogue process across the state where the farmer communities will
be in the centre stage of policy framing
48. The Major Issues of Concern
The event started in three different groups under the 3 broad heads
at 3 different locations within the venue. Under the 3 broad heads
the participants after thorough discussions on their concerns and
demands shared it with the media persons with fact and figures:
• Production related challenges facing by Agriculture and the allied
sectors
• Market related challenges facing by Agriculture and the allied sectors
–like minimum support price of rice
• Positioning the “Farmers and Agriculture and the allied sectors” in
the present (neo) development process.
The Major concerns raised and discussed in the farmers
convention cum Media interface programme
50. The meeting concluded with the decision to submit the concerns and
the demands raised by the farmers to all the Ministers and Members of
Assam legislative assembly
51. • The event has been covered in details by 5 nos of state level daily
vernacular on the very next day of the event.
• Till date 6 nos of daily vernacular have started covering the issues raised by
the farmers in the editorial page.
• A talk show have been organized by one of the electronic media in and
around the concerns raised by the farmers on the convention-cum-
interface event engaging 5 nos of distinguished social workers cum activists
across the state.
• A talk show was been organized by the same electronic media on the
concerns and issues raised by the farmers under the theme “Market related
challenges facing by Agriculture and the allied sectors” engaging 10 nos of
farmers participated in the convention-cum-interface meeting under the
head.
• GVM is working jointly with a selective farmers group to put the concerns
and the demands in a systematic way and submit the same to all the
Ministers and Members of Assam legislative assembly.
Outcome of the Farmers-media interface
programme
52. Regular Networking meetings organised among farmers and cluster
representatives from Nalbari, Kamrup(R)and Baksa districts to review
implemented works and planning of activities
53. Interface Programmes organised in Kamrup (rural) and Nalbari district to
initiate face to face interaction of Agriculture Department with farmers to
generate awareness to access Government schemes and services
54. • In 2009-10 and 2011-12 total 101.96 Kms of canal restored in
5 clusters. This year total 60 kms of canals been restored
through cleaning work (till January 2013). The restoration
work would benefit 6465 farmer and fisherman families .
Total 25055.92 bigha (7639 acre) of agricultural land is
expected to be benefited by the Restoration work
• Mainstreaming and renovation of the canals would again
revive the natural irrigation system and reduce the problem
of water logging at the time of flood. This will eventually
reduce the gradual increase of poverty due to regular floods
and migration to other areas in search of alternative
livelihood
• Installation of improvised Sluice Gate (1 No.), Concrete Low
Bandh (3 Nos.), has reduced regular person days involvement
in such process and provide opportunities to involve in
Significant Outcome
55. • The restoration of natural canals/ dongs/ creeks has helped the
farmers to initiate farming and cultivation in areas which were facing
water logged situation in Nalbari and Kamrup (rural) district.
• Through Networking and advocacy meetings and community
dialogue at village level a large group of farmers/ fisherman/ woman
groups have been organised in a common platform to initiate
community action to resolve common issues
• Capacity building trainings enabled rural woman and youth and
farmers/ fisherman to initiate various income generating activities
which would eventually enabled them to increase their level of
income and reduce their vulnerability.
• Networking and linkage with resource based institutions; Govt.
departments have paved the way to generate awareness among the
targeted community and leveraging of community work through
Govt. schemes and services.
Significant Outcome
56. • On 27th June 2012 the first wave of flood came in Kamrup (rural)
and Nalbari district through the breaches in the embankment
• Total five breaches took place and inundated nearly 45 villages in
Kamrup and 46 villages in Nalbari district
• The second wave of flood came in August as the incessant rainfall
in the upper reaches of Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh
• The ethnic conflict inflicted in Bodo Territorial Autonomous
Districts (BTAD) on 18th July 2012 and soon spread to the entire
lower Assam within a week. BTAD area (that includes Baksa
district), Kamrup (rural) and Nalbari district was strictly came under
the vigilance of the Administration after the occurrence of a
number of unlawful incidents like killings of people by miscreants,
blazing bus and vehicles and bridges.
Challenges
57. • The sudden occurrence of both natural and manmade disasters has
disrupted smooth implementation of all process and programmes
in the villages for more than three months (Starting from mid of
June to end of September).
• Community meetings, Restoration works and other field based
programmes could not be organized in many villages during high
flood time in Nalbari and Kamrup (rural) districts and in Baksa due
to the ethnic conflict.
• In Baksa tension prevailed since mid of July till mid of September
due to the ethnic conflict which triggered violence by miscreants in
many villages. The disruptions slowed down the implementation of
all activities for more than three months.
Challenges
58. • More emphasis will be given to multiple cropping and group
farming
• Strengthening of the Canal Management Committees
specially in Nalbari and Kamrup (rural) area to sustain the
works implemented under PDBI project
• Leveraging of DBI works into Govt. schemes like MGNREGA
• Awareness and mobilisation of the community on protecting
natural water resources and grow awareness on the effects of
climate change on agriculture practices
• Create a common platform for the marginalized farmers to
raise their issues and can pave ways to access to their rights
Way Forward
