On 19th May – 21st May 2011 Ekta hosted a training session for Task Force members and Panchayat Raj Institions (PRIs) on Village Development Plans. The Participants were 40 Taskforce members, PRIs from Padmapur GP of Koraput Block, and the three-day event was held at the Centre for Participation and Learning (CPL), Duruguda, Koraput.
The objective behind this training was to (1) sensitize to PRIs and Task force member on preparation of village development plan (2) Approval this plan in a Palli Sabha (3) Sharing this plan with the Panchayat bodies and finally (4) Incorporate this plan into Block and District Plan through Gram Sabha.
Day-1 (19th May)
The training program was stated with the welcome address given by Miss Susmita Suna, Project Associate. Then the participants introduce them self after that Mr. Amit kumar Nayak, Project Coordinator, sharing the objective of the training program. He informs that after the training taskforce member and PRIs prepare VDP in their respective villages and incorporate in GP plan through approval in palli sabha. Mr. Durga Prasad Mohanty, President EKTA, focusing on development planning process, Gram Swaraj, provision under Panchayati Raj system, role of Palli Sabha and Gram Sabha.
The day-1 was covered only one tool i.e. Historical transect and Historical time line. These tools are important in VDP to know the village history.
Day-2 (20th May)
The tools i.e. Seasonality Map, Social Map and Resource Map were covered in the second day of training program.
Seasonality Map:
Through the Seasonality map one can know the agricultural pattern, employment (both Govt. and Private), lean period, Migration, Diseases (both Human and Animals), availability of NTFP (Non Timber of Forest Produces) status in a village throughout the year. Identify the problems, find out the root cause and prepare plan accordingly is the primary motto of this tool.
Social Map:
Social Map will help us to understand the demography profile of the village, status of entitlement holder under various government schemes and programs, Political status, employment opportunities and Migration etc. in the village. It is very much helpful during development planning.
Resource Map:
Resource Map will inform us to availability of village resource i.e. Forest (community forest dependency on NTFP), Water (stream, river), Land (up, middle, low and revenue land) etc. this tools help us to making a development plan through utilize the resources.
Day-3 (21th May)
In last day we discussed on identification of problem, Problem ranking, Priorities given on Problems, Future plan etc. The taskforce member and PRIs should take the lead role for making this Village Development Plan and approval it in Palli Sabha and Gram Sabha and finally they incorporate it in the District Plan.
When the discussion completed on the tools which are required for making VDP then future plan of action was prepared by the Participants.
The methodology during training program was presentation, Group exercise, Group presentation and Games. The trainer was Mr. Amit Kumar Nayak (Project coordinator), Miss Susmita Suna (Project Associate), Mamta Sahu and Mr. Ranjan Machha (Field assistant) who already participate TOT on Participatory Village Development Plan which was organized by CWS-ORC at Bilenjhore (Sahabhagi Vikas Abhijan (SVA), Sonpur Dist.)