Convergence Some experiences

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Convergence Some experiences

• Amitabh Kumar Singh
• Debate

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Background

• Gram Panchayats have been assigned the
  responsibility of basic planning at village level
• Middle tier and Zila Panchayats have the
  responsibility of rationalizing plans coming from
  grassroots level
• Power and responsibility of 22 major department
  of the state government have been transferred to
  Panchayats these devolved sectors are called
  institutions of Panchayat Sector

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Current Status

• At present Panchayats are preparing plans for
  schemes of rural development department only
  for schemes under which funds are directly
  flowing to their accounts
• Many institutions of Panchayat sector are
  preparing their plan separately e.g. SSA of
  School Education, Health, PHED, Agriculture
• Even schemes like NREGS and BRGF have become
  instrument of parallel planning

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Efforts

• Started supporting process of comprehensive
  planning at village level
• The planning process included elements of NREGS,
  NRHM and BRGF
• These plans were shared with concerned line
  departments
• In some case minor changes were required
• Finally Zila Panchayat accepted thes eplans as
  basic plan and organised meeting with line
  departments

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Efforts

• Line departments have agreed to use these plans
  for implementation of their respective schemes
• It has been agreed to support next planning cycle
  by major departments and the product would be
  used by them
• Major projects like MPRLP have agreed to support
  and strengthen the planning process in their
  project area
• MPRLP has also agreed that project will
  strengthen planning for better convergence and
  coordination among the line departments

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Important issues

• Convergence begins with planning
• Comprehensive planning involvement off all
  important stakeholders
• Common data base for planning, monitoring and
  review
• Defining role of elected representatives and line
  departments is important need to identify
  complementary roles
• State level institutions play crucial roles

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Guidelines for Decentralised Planning
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Proposed Guideline

• The process of preparing DHDR and learnings of
  two other Rural Decentralisation projects and
  action project of Solution exchange have provided
  important inputs
• The proposed guideline has two important points
• Tier wise Time table for preparing de-centralized
  annual plan
• Time table for informing local bodies of
  availability of possible or potential or
  tentative funds.

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Issues covered in the guideline

• Resource Utilization
• Plan preparation
• Formulation of local plans
• Preparation of Vision Plan
• Training for presenting vision plan
• Finalization of Plan by Local Bodies
• Vertical integration and rationalisation of plans
• Integration of Plans by DPC
• Endorsement by district planning committee

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Participation in planning

• Sector wise village plan and town plan separately
  for different social groups which are
• SC and ST
• Women
• Children

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Structure of Plan Presentation
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Clarity on Institutional Role

• Basic Planning at habitation level
• Integration and rationalisation at upper level
• Line departments function as support institutions
• Avoid duplication in planning
• Use existing system of planning for strengthening
  district planning process e.g. SSA, Village plan
  for NRHM

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Role of departments in District Planning

• For every sector, Annual Analytical Status Paper
  (AASP) be prepared and presented before local
  bodies through Standing Committees.
• The AASP should highlight sector-wise glaring
  social issues and problems.
• In AASP the progress achieved in the preceding
  year and last Five Year Plan should be
  highlighted.
• These AASPs will help the local bodies in
  formulating strategy for developing Human
  Development oriented plans
• For preparing AASP, the expertise of subject
  matter specialists may be availed
• The AASP should mention the role of local bodies
  in Millennium Development Goal (MDG).

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Sectors for District Planning