TRIBAL WOMEN ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT PROJECT

 

 

 

 

 

PROGRESS REPORT

FROM JULY - 2006 TO JULY - 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Submitted  to
RIGHT SHARING OF WORLD RESOURCES (RSWR) USA

 

 

 

By
COUNCIL FOR RURAL ENLIGHTENMENT (CRE)
ARIKALAVARIPALLI VILLAGE, EGAVOOR POST
VIA BHAKARAPET, CHITTOOR DISTRICT
ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA
PIN : 517 194.
August, 2007

COUNCIL FOR RURAL ENLIGHTENMENT

PROGRESS REPORT :: JULY, 2006 - JULY, 2007

PROGRESS OF ACTIVITIES

The CRE has been implementing the activities for the enhancement of livelihoods of Scheduled Tribe households in Y.V.Palem mandal of Chittoor District, A.P., with the support of RSWR. The project activities are under progress in 5 remote and inaccessible ST habitations of Y.V.Palem mandal. They are V.R.Colony, Buttonigunta, Kotakadapalli ST colony, Kamsalamitta and Subbaramapuram.

 

Situation Analyses for planning of the Activities

Assessment of present situation in the project area is conducted for identification of interventions. The assessment is done in 5 remote and inaccessible habitations of Y.V.Palem mandal. They are V.R.Colony, Buttonigunta, Kotakadapalli ST colony, Kamsalamitta and Subbaramapuram. The assessment is focused on identification of various issues, accessing of government schemes by the STs and other areas of interventions,

Total households                             :      372

Total Population                              :      992

No. of landless households               :      128

No. of houseless households             :      150

No. of households depend on NTFPs   :      276

From the above data, it is clear that 35% of households are landless and 40% are houseless and 74% of the households are totally depends on NTF products and remaining households are on agricultural labours.

 

Social Mobilization and facilitation for the formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs):

The SHGs were recognized as best sources for the promotion of sustainable livelihoods of the poor in India in general and Andhra Pradesh in particular. There is provision for mutual learning, sharing and peer pressure for various activities. The SHGs were also identified as knowledge sharing centers for enhancement of existing livelihoods and options for new livelihoods. Due to the living in the remote area and lack of educational facilities for all the ST habitations they are not in a position to recognize the importance of SHGs.  The CRE followed the same theme and facilitated for the formation of SHG5 in the project habitations. The progress of SHGs and households organized into the SHGs are presented in the table — 1 given below.


Progress of SHGs and households organized into SHGs

Sl. No.

Name of the habitation

No. of SHGs formed

No. of Households Covered into SHGs

1

V.R. Colony

03

39

2

Buttonigunta

02

28

3

Kotakadapalli ST Colony

02

35

4

Kamsalamitta

04

44

5

Subramapuram

02

22

Total

13

168

 

From the above table it is clear that 45 % of ST households were organized into SHGs by CRE field staff and process of sensitization of the other households are going on.

 

Capacity Building

The concept of capacity Building playing a pivotal role in building the awareness of the Tribal households on livelihood related and other social aspects.

The CRE field staff is providing trainings to the SHGs on managerial aspects, sharing of better livelihood options and other issues related to day — to — day transactions.

The CRE conducted Training for 120 households of NTFP collectors by involving highly skilled resource persons. The main objective of the training is to create awareness and skill development to the collectors of NTFPs for collection of various products on eco-friendly basis.

The CRE has been providing constant support for 13 SHGs in 5 habitations.

 

Training to NTFP collectors

 

Financial support for enhancement of livelihoods

The CRE has provided direct financial support for enhancement of livelihoods of the poor has to get ownership of the STs in the utilization of financial support, the CRE has released funds to the SHGs. The SHGs in turn released to the individual households. The following are the major areas of financial support.

 

Support for Basket making

Basket making is one of the primary livelihoods of the STs. Due to lack of investment to purchase of raw materials; the STs are selling the baskets even there is no remunerative price to meet the family needs. The CRE has provided financial support of Rs.45,000/- for the benefit of 30 Households for basket making activity in V.R.Colony & Kotakadapalli ST Colony. The finished goods will be stored up to some time to get good price. The SHG members loan amount will be paid to the SHGs in 10 monthly installments with 12% rate of interest.

Women members basket making

 

Support for Milch Animals

Growing of Milch animals are one of the livelihoods of STs. Due to availability of grazing lands and marketing facility in the local. The STs families are depends upon milch animals. The CRE has provided financial support of Rs. 75,000/- to Subharamapuram 2 SHGs. The SHGs intern given loans to six members among the above SHGs to purchase milch animals.

 

Support for Electric motor

There are 75 acres of land became waste due to lack of water source in Kotakadapalli and V.R.Colony. The bore drillied by local politician during  the election period but they could provided electrical motor. 46 families of 2 villages depends on the land only. The villagers represented the Government to provide financial support to fix the electric motor to the bore well. But the villagers were not get any response from the local government. All the households of 2 villages have discussed and resolved to represent the CRE to provide financial help of Rs.35,000/- out of cost Rs. 45,000/- the rest of Rs. 10,000/- contributed by beneficiary community. The electric motor is fitted to the bore well and the water problem was solved. As a result the 45 families of 2 villages getting enough water from the bore well to rise enough water to their milch animal to get good supplementary income for their livelihood. The CRE has anticipated that, the water source is useful to not only dairy development but also mango plantation.

 

Financial support for permanent housing

The housing is one of the basic needs of the poor. The Government has given sanction to construct permanent houses to 82 houseless families. However, the government will be released the amount after base level of constructing will be completed only. Due to lack of amount with the poor tribes, no family has come forward to construct a house. Further, the CRE sensitized the mandal level government officers to sanction the permanent houses for all the STs in the mandal.

In this connection the CRE has provided financial support to 36
households to complete base level construction of House of Rs. 1,000/- each household.

 

Foundation of Permanent housing

 

Liasoning support for Ration Cards

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has been providing essential commodities with subsidized rates under public distribution system. To get the commodities every month, the government issued Cards for identification. The CRE provided support for all the ST households in accessing household ration card (house hold identity card). All the ST households are getting commodities particularly rice with subsidized price.

 

Support for identity cards of STs to enter into the Forests:

Due to severe drought conditions, some Non STs are also depends on Forest produces to meet their day to day needs. The Forest department officials are not permitted Non-STs to enter into the Forests to protect the forest resources. The Non-STs are having no skills to extract the products from the forest. In such circumstances, the forest department has been giving identity cards to STs only, who depends on forest from their ancestral period. The CRE sensitized the forest officers and ensured to get identify cards by all STs.

 

Liasoning support for Land development

Some of the ST households are having some portion of waste lands near by forest. The land is suitable for growing Groundnut and some pulses after some developments and the land is depend on rainfall for water resources.

The CRE provided liasoning support in getting financial support from the existing government programs. Prepared project proposals on behalf of the ST households and submitted to the Govt. and sensitized the government officials to release the amount.

The Govt. released for Rs.3,00,000 for the benefit of tribes for the purpose of land leveling, bush clearance, mango plantations, including bore wells. 30 Acres of land under various developmental activities.

 

Bush clearing & digging pits

 

Support for regular wage employment

The CRE also providing liasoning role in getting regular wage employment under Andhra Pradesh Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (APREGS). Under this scheme, the tribes will take up various activities in their own lands. 25 Acres of land developed under APREGS in Subbarampuram village. The major activities taken up under this scheme are farm ponds, supply channels, leveling etc.


Educational support for children

In V.R. Colony, there are 16 ST children. Though there is a government primary school, the children are not regular to the school due to lack of understanding of their parents. To provide education for children, one special teacher identified and positioned in the village. Rs.250/- © Rs.20/- per child per month paid every month.

 

Children at primary school


Support for marketing activities

Majority of the ST households depends on NTFPs (Non Timber Forest products) for their livelihoods. The villages are remote and inaccessible for buyers of NTFPs. Though the Girijan Cooperative Corporation (GCC) working for the marketing of NTFPs, the STs are depends on middlemen for selling of the various commodities. The CRE provided tie-up support with the GCC and Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) for remunerative price. The IKP established godown facility local NTFP collection center in the village. One among the NTPF collectors as a anchor person also positioned for regular collection of NTFPs. All the STs are getting remunerative prices at present for their commodities. The CRE also taken initiative in value addition for the commodities collected by the Tribes.

 

Weighing of products drying of products

 

Support for Brick making

Making of bricks is one of livelihood activity in the V.R.Colony. There is a huge demand for bricks for construction of houses in the village. 8 SHGs were involved in the brick making activity. The CRE provided support for the activity of Rs.20,000/- towards the raw material cost 4 teams. The STs are used the bricks to construction of their houses and remaining stock will be sold to other villagers to get additional income. Membership in District Yanadies Union (District level ST Union): All the tribes in the project area are belonging to Yanadies caste. There is a district level Yanadies union to protect the rights and opportunities of Yanadies. All the ST households in the project area are joined together identified two representatives from the mandal, taken membership in the district union. The district union submitted representative to the District Collector on various issues of tribes. The CRE provided support at all levels.

 

Community Activist identified, trained and positioned

One educated and active person (Mr. Venkatesh) identified by the community to see the day to day activities in the village on behalf of the CRE. The CRE paid monthly remuneration to the Activist © Rs.500/- + TA & DAs per month.

 

Support for solution of Land problems

There are some land related problems identified in the villages. The CRE sensitized the Revenue officers towards the seriousness of the problems of STs. To solve the problems at the villages, the Mandal Thahasildhar visited village and solved the problem on the spot. As a result 13 households have got land pattas of 20 acres of land in V.R. Colony and Kotakadapalli villages.


Impact in the villages

The ST households are conducting meetings monthly once and discussing various issues related to the livelihoods and other social issues. There are two types of meetings - SHG meetings and village level meetings. The Village level meetings focused on the support received from the CRE, repayments to the SHGs and other livelihood related aspects.

Further, the meetings also focused on the support required from the CRE. The villagers are expected to take up various initiatives by the CRE.
The CRE is proposed to organize all the STs in the Y.V.Palem mandal into one “mandal level federation” to take up various activities related to NTFPs collections and value addition products in the forth coming couple of years.

 

 

 

 

(C. CHANDRASEKHAR REDDY)

President