Project Title

Watershed Development Fund Programme in UP

Aim

To bring a balance between demand and use of natural resources for sustainable development

Objectives

• To develop micro-watersheds in a comprehensive manner, so as to create adequate and sustainable livelihood opportunities for the inhabitants of that area
• To catalyse the formation of village groups for mobilising their degraded environment through participatory self help initiatives
• To facilitate the arising and unfolding of a people’s movement for sustainable economic development along watershed lines

Structure of the Programme

It consists of two phases: Capacity building phase (CBP) and full implementation phase (FIP)

Major Activities

• Identification of watershed
• Creating awareness in the watershed community
• Organising gram sabha and other meetings to explain concept and approach of the programme, that is, shramdan (voluntary contribution of labour), banning free grazing, reduction of livestock population and banning cultivation of water intensive crops
• Supervision of shramdaan and maintenance of records
• Organising qualifying shramdaan for four days
• Constitution of Village watershed Committee (VWC)
• Singing of agreements by VWC and individual families
• Participatory net planning exercise
• Resolving day-to-day conflicts in watershed community
• Monitoring and evaluation of work
• Organising training programmes for capacity building of VWC, SHGs, etc.
• Formation of SHGs
• Submission of MIS to NABARD

The project has an inbuilt component of women empowerment. Women are involved at every stage (with 30 per cent representation) in the project. Special provision has been made by Women Development Fund by earmarking 5 per cent of project funds forming SHGs and promoting savings, for social development and Income generating activities. The activities taken up by women include: drinking water schemes, drainage repair, kitchen gardens, dairy, poultry, stall fed goat rearing, health camps, etc.

Coverage Area

Donor

Watershed Development Fund

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