7. Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellows (PMRDFs) serve
the district administration in improving programme delivery and
interface with marginalised sections of the population in backward
and isolated regions of India. By their work in the field as well as
through theirsimultaneous participation in an academic programme,
PMRD Fellows also enhance their capacity in programme planning
and implementation, gain field experience, acquire professional
knowledge in development practice and become capable
development facilitators.
Driven by the spirit of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ (Together with
all, Development for all), PMRD Fellows work with the vision of a
developed local society having “involved women, productive youth,
empowered and inspired people”, clean villages with an augmented
natural resource base and flourishing agriculture, sustainable
livelihoods for all, vibrant institutions, robust infrastructure, advanced
technologies and effective market linkages.
Currently there are 226 PMRD Fellows working in 111 districts across
18 states.
This book attempts a visual story, capturing the essence of work
done by PMRD Fellows.
Scripting Change
8. The ‘Aadarsh Gram’
The Saansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) is transforming No. 2 Sootea Gram Panchayat,
Sonitpur, Assam into a vibrant model site. Convergent actions on prioritised needs
identified through participatory planning have unleashed a series of actions. Youth are
being trained and placed under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana
(DDU-GKY). As many as 1,581 toilets are being built to make the Panchayat Open
Defecation Free (ODF). Two Roller-compacted Concrete (RCC) bridges and a major
road will connect the Panchayat to the highway. The Kauri Beel Lift Irrigation Scheme can
provide irrigation in both cropping seasons. Climate-resilient agriculture is being promoted
to give development a new meaning.
Manzil Hussain, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
9. “ “I have visited areas where PMRD Fellows are working and met
the Fellows. They are doing exemplary work.
Shri Chaudhary Birender Singh
Minister of Rural Development
Minister of Panchayati Raj
Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation
Government of India
10. Resurgent Banspal
Banspal, the remotest block of Keonjhar in Odisha, has
seen a new beginning. Coordinated efforts between
government departments and other stakeholders are
striving to improve the livelihoods of Juang and Bhuiyan
tribes, which are among the poorest in the State.
Participatory planning for Natural Resource Management
(NRM) and use of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) have been
two major strategies. From a meagre 8%, the number of
NRM-based works implemented under the MGNREGS
has gone up to 36%. Improved lands and replenished
water are producing a bountiful harvest.
P. Prasanna, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
11. More than 150 fellows are involved in
MGNREGS and associated activities.
12.
13. Farmers (un)limited
Farmers in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh are uncovering
their pot of gold. Trained in the latest organic farming
methods, they are doubling the production of cereals,
millets and vegetables, cutting costs by 50% and
earning an additional INR 60-70,000 per annum. The
‘Mocho Badi’ programme of the district administration
in coordination with several government departments
has also organised them into ‘Producers’ Groups’ and
provided other support. Growing demand for organic
produce and their newfound talent is changing the agri-
landscape of this region.
Akash Badave, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
“ “PMRD Fellows are rendering excellent
service. I strongly feel the need for their
service in the LWE-affected regions.
Dr. Raman Singh
Chief Minister
Chhattisgarh
14. ‘Jhakkas’ cleanliness
The ‘Jhakkas Jehanabad’ initiative has placed sanitation at the top of people’s priorities
in the district. Self-Help Group (SHG) federations are joining hands with youth groups,
setting up sanitary marts and creating a cadre of trained sanitation workers, including
masons, on a large scale. Volunteers are going door-to-door, canvassing support for the
Open Defecation Free (ODF) concept. Residents are queuing up to register requests for
2-pit water seal toilets that convert human excreta to manure. People proudly share their
progress on a WhatsApp group that has Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) representatives
and central, state and district officials as members.
P.K. Anand, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
15. More than 100 Fellows are involved in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
16. ‘Chak de’ Simdega
Girls from the tribal-populated Simdega district abound in almost every
women’s hockey team of Jharkhand - under 15, 18, 19 years and seniors.
Many Simdega girls can now say ‘No’ to traffickers who throng their villages
with so called ‘job offers’. For Simdega, a source region for traffickers, this
is no mean achievement. Scholarships, training, infrastructure, equipment
and opportunities to participate in various championships have boosted
the girls’ confidence. The strategy of “Sports for Development” has been a
harbinger of change.
Shashi Kant Verma, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
17. “ “
PMRD Fellows are playing a crucial
role in spearheading new initiatives
like Saansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana
(SAGY), Swachch Bharat Abhiyan
etc. Their support in strengthening
development endeavours in
Jharkhand is invaluable.
Shri Raghubar Das
Chief Minister
Jharkhand
18. More than 100 Fellows are involved in
Education and related schemes.
19. Sprouting aspirations
The ‘New Leaf’ initiative in Bandipore district of Jammu & Kashmir has
shown remarkable results in improving learning levels among school
children. Teachers were trained in new participatory methods and parents
were involved in their children’s educational journey. Use of mobile apps
and group learning sessions improved learning outcomes. Cost-effective
methods addressed the issue of school dropouts. Recognised as an
innovation in school education in the state, aspects related to teacher
training and activity-based learning will now be replicated in other districts by
the Government of J&K.
Vaibhav Jindal, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
20. Reclaiming rights
Koyatribals of Sirasanapalli Gram Sabha
in Telangana have finally reclaimed their
rights over the forest that has been their
home for centuries. Long negotiations
with concerned departments ensured
their ownership in 2014 under the Forest
Rights Act, being the first case of its kind
in the state. The income from harvest
and sale of bamboo has been utilised by
the community for regenerating forests,
installing solar-powered drinking water
systems and constructing an Anganwadi
centre. Sirasanapalli is now a model for
other Gram Sabhas to follow.
Prathima Nalabolu, PMRD Fellow has
supported the initiative.
21. “In the left wing extremism-affected areas, there is
an extreme dearth of capacities to identify
meaningful interventions. Fellows have supported
the district administration in designing and implementing such
interventions.
Shri S. P. Tucker
Special Chief Secretary
Andhra Pradesh
22.
23. Justice realised
The district Anti Human Trafficking Cell
of Khunti in Jharkhand provides end-to-
end services to victims of trafficking and
vulnerable youth. The Cell responds to
SOS calls and provides assistance in filing
FIRs, rescue, counselling and rehabilitation
to trafficking victims. The Cell is also
coordinating identification of vulnerable
youth in migration-affected Panchayats
and providing them with counselling
support and skill training for a livelihood
of their choice. Families, earlier prone to
exploitation, are expressing gratitude at
their dignity being restored and justice
being just a call away.
Belmati and Sheila, PMRD Fellows have
supported the initiative.
“
“Our daughter has got a new
lease of life.
Father of a rehabilitated girl,
Tirla Panchayat,
Khunti, Jharkhand
24. Determined doers
Gram Panchayats of Jorhat district in Assam are now smart implementers of MGNREGS.
Job card registration, bank account opening, registration of demand and filling up of
muster rolls are much easier than before. Novel methods such as “Feasibility Testing” of
new works have ensured adherence to annual action plans of the Gram Sabhas. Person-
days generated in the first eight months of 2015-16 were 225% of those generated in the
same months of 2014-15. Mobile number registration of job card holders is the highest in
Jorhat and is 65% of the state’s share of registered mobile numbers. This useful service
provides real-time updates to them.
Mrunal Durgesh Deshmukh and Amit Kushwaha, PMRD Fellows are supporting the initiative.
25. “ “PMRD Fellows provide innovative solutions to
various problems faced during implementation of
development programmes.
Shri Vishal Vasant Solanki (IAS)
Deputy Commissioner
Jorhat, Assam
26. “ “
Ever since PMRD Fellows
came to the district,
working with the district
administration and
implementing government
schemes has become much
easier.
Bernik Gamango, Vice Chairperson,
Panchayati Samiti, Gumma Block,
Gajapati, Odisha
27. Swachchhta Sarvopari
Senior citizens, PRI members and
members of SHGs script a new chapter
in the sanitation history of Gajapati district
of Odisha. The ‘Mo Swachh Shouchalaya’
initiative launched by the district
administration, used the Community-
led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach to
sensitise and prepare communities to
adopt sanitation practices. As many as
20 Panchayats achieved ODF status with
Kashinagar becoming the first ODF block
in the state.
Prabeena Kumar Bebarta,
PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
28. Resolving ‘fishy’ concerns
West Champaran district of Bihar launched a pond
renovation drive to restore livelihoods of traditional
fisherfolk. More than 200 barren, defunct and abandoned
ponds have been converted into thriving water bodies
supporting fishery as well as agriculture around the
ponds. Recognised by the Government of India (GoI) as
a key convergence initiative under MGNREGS, more than
15,000 ponds have now been identified for rejuvenation
across the state of Bihar through an Intensive Participatory
Planning Exercise (IPPE)..
Chintan Raj, PMRD Fellow has supported the initiative.
29. More than 90 Fellows are involved in Agriculture
and associated activities.
30.
31. Unleashing potential
‘Gyanarjan’, a technology-aided framework has infused
school education with a spark in Mandla of Madhya
Pradesh. Nearly 100 high schools and 70 higher
secondary schools have benefited from a unified time
table and online Management Information System
(MIS). A call centre has brought parents, the school
administration, teachers and students together on
a shared platform, leading to greater accountability.
Attendance has improved and so have academic results.
The pass percentage for Class 12 has gone up from
77% in 2012-13 to 93.5% in 2014-15. Gyanarjan has been
chosen as a best practice under the Saansad Aadarsh
Gram Yojana (SAGY), for replication across the country.
Neha Gupta, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
“ “PMRD fellows provide catalytic support to the district
administration in bridging the gap between the system
and the grassroots.
Dr. J. Vijaya Kumar, IAS
CEO, Zila Panchayat
Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
32. Khelay Khelay Shekha
Hailakandi district, located in the underdeveloped Barak valley of Assam, is promoting
“Khelay Khelay Shekha” (learning by playing), a special volunteer-led initiative for
improving science learning of school children. A series of hands-on science workshops
are being conducted in schools, especially near the scenic tea gardens. Science
clubs are being promoted to ensure continuous engagement of children. Volunteers
from nearby engineering colleges and other institutions are training teachers and local
volunteers and the project is steadily expanding across the district.
Rutwik Phatak, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
33. “ “PMRD Fellows bring fresh perspective to dealing
with developmental issues and provide great support
to the district administration.
Laya Madduri, IAS
OSD to Chief Minister’s Secretariat
Assam
34. “
“Now I am in the driver’s seat, of my autorickshaw and my life.
Geeta, widowed at age 34, now president of
Ambikapur auto union
35. Empowering the vulnerable
In a unique initiative, the district administration
of Surguja, Chhattisgarh has identified and
assessed the needs of 8,998 widowed,
abandoned and divorced women through a
“Women Vulnerability Index”. The women have
been supported under multiple government
schemes to ensure safe, comfortable and
dignified lives for them. The initiative is now
being replicated across Chhattisgarh by the
Department of Social Welfare.
Arpit Asthana, Divya Gupta and Ravi Kaza, PMRD
Fellows have supported the initiative.
36. Championing democracy
Members of Women Self-Help Groups acted as “Election Ambassadors” in Bandipore
District at the LoC in North Kashmir. They ensured that all their family members had
voter ID cards and shouldered the responsibility of being booth-level officers. Their
doggedness succeeded in overcoming extreme volatility and chronic challenges of
the area during elections. Sonawari assembly constituency recorded 90% electoral roll
coverage, and a historic high of 80.52% voter turnout in the J&K Assembly Elections of
2014. The other two assembly constituencies in the district closely followed.
Sadashiv Nayanpally, PMRD Fellow has supported the initiative.
37. More than 70 Fellows are involved in Voters’
Awareness and participation and associated activities.
38. “
“After the road was built, our village gained independence in the true sense.
Megesa Muthamajhi, senior citizen
Garadama Panchayat
Gajapati, Odisha
39. Accessing India
For decades, residents of the remote and
LWE-affected Panchayat of Garadama in
Gajapati district of Odisha had waited for
a road in vain. This time however, people’s
action with the help of the Integrated
Action Plan (IAP) produced results. Local
government officials were mobilised,
funds were arranged, and the ghat-cutting
road project was implemented by slicing
through two mountains. The road has
opened up many avenues for villagers
and their next plan of action is to get the
village electrified.
Prakash Kumar Sahoo, PMRD Fellow is
supporting the initiative.
40. ‘Avval’ initiative
More than 3,500 pregnant women have had safe deliveries as part
of Project ‘Avval’ implemented by the Integrated Tribal Development
Agencies (ITDA) in Adilabad district of Telangana. A simple tracking
mechanism is linking pregnant women to health workers and
institutions facilitating institutional deliveries. A 24×7 call centre alerts
the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), Auxiliary Nurse Midwife
(ANM), staff nurse, Medical Officer and District Medical/Health Officer
to ensure that the woman reaches the health facility in time and
delivers safely. The initiative has enhanced institutional deliveries by
60% in the district.
R.K. Anantha Krishnan, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
41. “ “Never in my life had I imagined that with
just one phone-call, an ambulance would
take me to the hospital for delivery.
Arka Bhoom Bai
Jamini village
Jainoor, Adilabad
42.
43. Bridging access, digitally
More than 1,300 video lectures in sciences,
mathematics and English for classes 10,
11 and 12 have proven to be an excellent
supplementary learning tool for students in the
LWE-affected district of Kanker in Chhattisgarh.
These videos were produced under Project
‘Pragya’ with the help of local subject specialist
teachers during the school vacations. The
video lectures are being played in about 115
schools using a hard disk and an LED TV/
computer/projector. They are also available on
YouTube.
Siddharth Pillai,
PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
More than 100 Fellows are involved in
Education and associated activities.
44. ‘Food’preneurs
Turning the need to produce hygienic food
for children and adolescent girls into an
economic opportunity, Women Self-Help
Group (WSHG) clusters in Purulia district of
West Bengal have donned the mantle of ‘food
entrepreneurs’. The district administration
has provided them with know-how, machinery
and other support. Currently, three units are
producing ready-to-eat food packets and
providing supplementary nutrition to 64,000
children and adolescent girls. The three
WSHG clusters have registered a monthly
turnover of INR 35 lakhs, leading the way for
others to follow.
Animesh Ghosh, PMRD Fellow is supporting
the initiative.
“ “PMRD Fellows have brought new skills
to the district administration.
Shri Subhash Chandra Biswas
Project Director, DRDC
Purulia, West Bengal
45.
46. Fulfilling dreams
The district administration in East Singhbhum, Jharkhand
launched an initiative to create post-schooling avenues for
tribal girls of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs).
Emerging from their interest and aspirations, avenues for
further studies, skill and placement were created. Many
of the girls are now Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs)
and General Nurses and Midwives (GNMs). Others are
undergoing technical training courses under Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) tie-ups. The initiative is being
replicated in all nine KGBVs of the district.
Neetisha Besra, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
47. More than 130 Fellows are involved in
Skilling and placement-related initiatives.
48. More than 130 Fellows are involved in Livelihood
Promotion and associated activities.
49. The alternative route
The district administration of Upper Subansiri
in Arunachal Pradesh coordinated with
tourism, sports and youth departments in
piloting an adventure trek from Siyum to
Menchukha, part of an old route between India
and China. Local youth were involved in GPS
mapping of the route. Key stations along the
trek were identified along with possibilities for
rescue and hospitality-related arrangements.
Tribes inhabiting remote villages along the trek
are hopeful that efforts to boost tourism in the
region will open new vistas.
Nyatum Doke, PMRD Fellow is supporting
the initiative.
50. Smart development
The extremism-affected district of Chatra in Jharkhand is experiencing a flurry of developmental
activities. Over 1,200 irrigation wells irrigate lands; 27,234 beneficiaries get pensions through
Direct Benefit Transfer and nearly 140 Business Correspondents facilitate financial inclusion.
More than 4,000 solar lanterns are in regular use by villagers and “smart classrooms” enhance
learning outcomes of school-goers. All this and more have been implemented from a well
thought-out Area Development Plan and coordination between various departments.
Tabish Azeem, PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
51. More than 90 fellows are engaged in Additional Central
Assistance-related projects
52. Saksham Jamui
An innovative educational initiative is bringing
new hope in remote, extremism-affected villages
of Jamui district in Bihar. Local youth, trained as
tutors, have set up Saksham Kendras. They provide
supplementary primary education to children and
learning aids to youth using videos and apps on
tablets. The model has been recognised as one of
the top 50 innovations in ‘Digital India’ and among
the top 50 best practices worth replicating in the
Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY).
Chichanbeni Kithan,
PMRD Fellow is supporting the initiative.
“
“I learn by teaching children. I am now hopeful
for the children as well as for myself”
Mamta Kumari
Khairma village
Jamui
53.
54. “ “PMRD Fellows are an excellent resource for bringing
about innovation across development schemes. Being exposed to a
variety of field situations, they bring
fresh ideas with a broader vision.
Dr. B.B. Bode
Chief Medical Health Officer
Jashpur, Chhattisgarh
55. Blossoming ‘Fulwaris’
Mother volunteers are steering the ‘Fulwari’
scheme in Chhattisgarh which introduced
community-driven crèches. Panchayats are
playing a major role in supporting the effort
along with Mitanins (female health workers).
The district of Surguja paved the way by
piloting the scheme. From 300 ‘Fulwari’
crèches in Surguja in 2012 to 2,850 centres
in 85 tribal blocks across 19 districts, the
state government now aims to operationalise
6,000 centres by the end of 2015.
Satish Tajne, PMRD Fellow has supported
the initiative.
