Socio-economic Empowerment of Rural Poor through Sustainable Community Institutions in Bihar

JEEViKA
Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (BRLPS) State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM) Government of Bihar

Bihar : Background Bihar Area - 2.8% of India, population - 8% of the country 81% depend on agriculture - 70% small & marginal farmers Average landholding - 0.07-0.22 ha & usually no irrigation Average food security - for 4-5 months for small holders CD ratio 32%, much below the national average of 73% 54.4% live Below Poverty Line

Non-existence of complementary community institutions to participate in development process Low investment by formal sector leading to poor accessing credit at exorbitant interest rate from informal sources Lower productivity alienated small holders, increasing uncultivated land & food insecurity

JEEViKA : at a Glance

BRLPS registered in 2006 & project JEEViKA started in October 2007. Outreach : Rural Poor HHs 7.5 lakh in 55 Blocks of 9 districts. Mission: Social & Economic Empowerment of Rural Poor through self managed community institutions of women Effective BRLPS Executive Committee: headed by Dev. Comm. Systematic Pro poor targeting model & Saturation approach Building Social Capital Community Cadre Convergence with Line Depts, Business relationship with Bankers & Partnership with service provider agencies Exclusive system development in COM, Fin. & Admin, procurement, HR manual & its continuous updating

JEEViKA :Vision Each SHG member should

have accessed cumulative credit of Rs. 1 Lakh.

have retired all high cost debt .

have Invested a major part of credit in a basket of income generating activities (2 or 3 livelihoods).
have generated income Rs. 10,000 / pm (incremental).

Have substantially reduced expenditure on health and become food secured throughout the year.
come out of poverty in 5 to 7 years time frame

JEEViKA : Objective

Social & Economic Empowerment of the Rural Poor through :

Creating self managed community institutions of poorest of the poor and poor households.

Self Managed SHGs established, covering at least 80% of the target household At least 50% of those who have received CIF have increased income by at least 30% of the baseline

Enhancing income through sustainable livelihoods.

Increasing access to social protection including food security through a greater voice.

At least 50% of SHG members have reduced high cost debts from informal sources

JEEViKA : Presence YEAR Block Cum. Block District BRLP BKRFP SRLM

2006
2007 2009 2010 2012

5
13 26 11 113

5
18 44 55 168

5
6 8 9 38

5
13 24 0 60

0
0 2 11 0

0
0 0 0 53

168

168

38

102

13

53

JEEViKA : Dedicated Support Structure

Dedicated Society
General Body and Executive Committee

State Project Management Unit

PD cum CEO supported by thematic experts & support staffs

District Project Coordination Unit

District Project Manager supported with specialists

Block Project Implementation Units

a Team consisting of Block Project Manager, Area Coordinators, and Community Coordinators

Cadre of Community Resource Persons,

Book Keepers and Community Mobilisers

JEEViKA : Institutional Architecture

CLF BLF

6% Interest

VO
2

CBLF

12% Interest

SHG

24% Interest

PG Members

JEEViKA : Components

1. Community Institutions Development

Formation & Strengthening of a. SHGs and its Federations b. Producers Groups

2. Community Investment Fund

a. b. c. a. b. a. b. c. Initial Capitalization Fund Livelihood Fund Health Risk Fund and Food Security Fund MF Investment & Technical Assistance (MITA) Innovations & Partnership with NGOs HR Management Monitoring and Evaluation Communication

3. Special Technical Assistance and Development Fund

4. Project Management

JEEViKA : Framework
Livelihoods Enhancement
Financial Inclusion Savings, Credit Insurance Remittances Help Desks at Banks Banking Correspondents Productivity Enhancement Agriculture (SRI, SWI, PVSP) Dairy & Small Ruminants Bee Keeping Fisheries , Makhana Non-farm incl. Art & Crafts Market Access Collective Marketing Producer Companies Market Partnerships Jobs and Skill Development

Institutional Platforms of the Poor (SHGs & Federations)

Vulnerability Reduction
Access to Entitlements
BPL Cards PDS Cards Job Cards Social Pensions

Food Security
Land Leasing Productivity Enhancement Food Rations from PDS Collective Purchase of Food

Health Security
Health Savings Loans from Health Risk Fund Women Outreach Workers Mobile Clinics

JEEViKA : Key Features

Self Exclusion Targeting Model & Saturation approach Building Social Capital - Community Cadre Working on both - Demand & Supply Dedicated support structure Investment in capacity building & performance monitoring Convergence with Line Departments, business relationship

with bankers & partnership with service provider agencies.

Exclusive system development & its continuous updating

JEEViKA : Journey of Nirmala Devi, Shekhwara

Before joining SHG: Landless Mahadalit, got 1 acre Bhudan land - low-productive Family - Husband & 3 Sons Average 15 days/month daily labour 2 quintal of rice/annum (Rs. 2000) Incurred high cost debt of 10,000 @ 120%/annum Mortgaged half of her land

As the interest was rising, sold the only cow & repaid 5500
Lost all hopes Joined Suraj SHG in 2006 motivated by CRPs from AP

JEEViKA : Journey of Nirmala Devi, Shekhwara

After Joining SHG: Took 3 small loans from savings: 200, 300 & 500 for health needs

Took 5000 from ICF to start a grocery shop, earning 2000/month

Two sons trained under DRF & earn 150/day for 15 days/month She is a senior CRP now, moves out to mobilise and earns also

She cleared all high cost debts and mortgaged land

Husband tried SRI and got 5 quintal amounting Rs. 5000 Her family income raised from 1500 to 7000/month

Gets regular food grains - right price & quantity from VO run PDS
Set to take another loan to settle her last son in business/dairy Great difference she feels is a debt free, tension free happy life

Social Inclusion
TARGETING
SC 34.9

ST

3.2

EBC

14.6

BC

41.2

General

6.1

General

BC

EBC

ST

SC

JEEViKA : PROGRESS
S.N. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 11. Parameters No of HH Mobilized into SHG fold No of SHG formed No of VO formed No of CLF Formed No of SHGs having Bank Account No of Groups recd. ICF No of SHGs Linked with Banks Amount Mobilized from Bank (Rs in crore) No of Youth Placed No. of SHG members in Livelihoods intervention No of DCS Formed No. of VOs Participated in the Food Security Achievement (till June,12)

771693 59105 3795 36 43140 37415 26877 137.47 2600 192000 234 2012

12.
13. 14.

No. of VOs Participated in Health Risk Intervention

No of SHG member linked with Social Security No of SHG member linked with the Insurance

2314
32859 123000

JEEViKA : IMPACT
Sample 2666 HHs completed 3 years, shown the following results100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

90%

49% 34% 29%

Repaid High Cost Debts

Improved Food Security

Increased Land Access

Increased Livestock Access

SIGNATURE LITERACY

JEEViKA : IMPACT
Sample 4000 HHs - 400 villages completed 3 years, shown the following resultsECONOMIC EFFECTS HHs showed better saving habit in Treatment Villages ----- 58% more HHs taking High Cost debts in Control Villages ----- 2.67 times more HHs likely to invest their loans in Livestock's in Treatment Villages- 2.4 times more 177% HHs increased their ownership of Bullocks. 59% HHs increased their ownership of Cows.

FOOD SECURITY 27% HHs faced lower food shortage in Treatment Villages EMPOWERMENT 33% more women can sign & 4% more women could read in Treatment Villages. 5% more Women participated in Panchayat meeting in Treatment Villages. 5% more Women visited Health Centers.

Exposure of the Project

Her Excellency, Honorable President of India, Mrs. Pratibha Patils Presidents Secretariat has invited JEEViKA on 11th August 2010 for presentation on rainfed farming : its opportunities and challenges with specific reference to System of Rice Intensification (SRI) and System of Wheat Intensification (SWI). The World Bank President Mr. B. Zoellick and Country Director Mr. Roberto Zeiga visited the Project and met community members from the project. A NATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON SCI was organised by the Project in which Prof. Norman Thomas Uphoff from Cornell University, USA; Dr. Erika Styger with experience of working in Africa and Ms. Susan Burnell Edwards, Director-Institute for Sustainable Development-Addis Ababa, Ethiopia have participated. The Project was honored by the SKOTCH CHALLENGER AWARD for livelihoods intervention.

JEEViKA : Positive Factors

Display of leadership / Team Work:

Pilot of all interventions with small numbers in a focused manner Expert agency/Special spearhead teams to undertake the pilot Based on learnings, refinement made in implementation strategy Standard guideline prepared for scaling up

Sustainability factor:
Institutions managed by the community Financial viability over time Active Sub-committees in the VOs CRP Strategy Community professionals as driving force o For effective monitoring of outcome indicators

Web Enabled MIS:

JEEViKA : Dedicated Support Structure

Dedicated Society
General Body and Executive Committee

State Project Management Unit

PD cum CEO supported by thematic experts & support staffs

District Project Coordination Unit

District Project Manager supported with specialists

Block Project Implementation Units

a Team consisting of Block Project Manager, Area Coordinators, and Community Coordinators

Cadre of Community Resource Persons,

Book Keepers and Community Mobilisers

JEEViKA : Sustainable CBOs

Formation of CBOs and their quality nurturing

Mobilisation starts from the poorest hamlets Focus on vulnerable sections like SCs, STs, minorities, differently able, landless, migrants, isolated HHs etc Formation of quality SHGs based on affinity & neighbourhood Standardized COM, Training modules etc for intensive capacity building of the SHGs and their federations Development of livelihood groups (Producer Groups) and their federations (Producer Cooperatives/Companies) Creating the federations as centre point of all entitlements Block Level Federation to act as sustainable community managed agency in a span of 5-7 years

JEEViKA : Sustainable CBOs

CBOs to be self managed, supported by community cadres i. Taking support of Community Resource Persons (CRP):
o o o Selected & trained best practising members mobilise in new areas CRPs as agents of change & no dependence on outside factor Development of Master Trainer CRPs for training by the community

ii. Knowledge Rooting at Community Level:

Social assets - cadre of Community Mobilizers and Book Keepers Community managed extension system in agriculture VRPs The federations monitor & release payment to community cadres Sub committees function to plan, execute and monitor activities

JEEViKA : Financial Inclusion

Financial assistance to the poor through Capitalization:

Uniform books of records Participative Micro Planning (MP) at community level Community Investment Fund (CIF) for capitalization Range of requirements kept open ended and as per MP Debt reduction & mitigate other vulnerabilities Designing of financial products :
Health Risk Fund Food Security Fund

Streamlining Mainstream Bank Finance:

Partnership (MOUs) with Commercial Banks & RRBs Banks came forward to facilitate the process Financial Inclusion

JEEViKA : Financial Inclusion

Exposure Visit of Branch level & Senior Officials of Banks Improving quality of service delivery by setting up Bank Mitra-Help Desks at branches
Bank Mitras are community members trained to facilitate banking procedures at the branches for SHG members It reduced banking time for the poor Ratification of Bank Mitra policy by SLBC

Formation of a Steering Committee of SLBC on SHG financing and Financial Inclusion

Enhancing the credit limit of SHGs to minimum of Rs. 50,000/ Ensuring issuance of directions from different Banks HOs Ensuring timely supply of stationery from Banks for SHGs

JEEViKA : Reduction of Vulnerability

Strategies for Enhancing Food Security

i. Productivity enhancement in cereal crops ii. Community managed Food Security Mechanism (FSF) iii. Enhancing access and management of PDS by the CBOs

Strategies to enhance Health Security

i. Dedicated financial product for Health (HRF and its saving) ii. Service at doorstep by Women Outreach Workers iii. Access to the public health facilities (Community Clinics)

Strategies to enhance Entitlements

i. ii. VOs facilitated to access Social Security Schemes Implementation of MGNREGA through community institutions

JEEViKA : Integration with Livelihoods

Comprehensive agriculture intervention with small holders

SRI, SWI & SCI, PVSP, Vermi Compost for productivity enhancement

Formation of Womens Farmer Producer Companies Promotion of Honey producers network Organizing SHG HHs into Dairy Cooperative Societies Fishery & Makhana: Mobilizing fisher-women in cooperatives Cluster based approach for selected art & crafts sectors Assessment of the skill gap and placement in jobs Community Based Extension Mechanism : Key to success
Village Resource Person (VRP) is a local farmer identified by the VO Conduct micro-plans & handhold 50 80 members in the entire cycle Service charge designed to mobilize & motivate vulnerable sections

DAIRY 24000/-

Financial Product, Awareness & access to health services/entitlements of Govt. through CBOs

OFF/NON FARM GOAT REARING / POULTRY / BEEKEEPING / FISHERY / SKILL BUILDING 20000/-

Financial Products, Demand Driven Land /Pond Leasing, Assetization, Selling marketable surplus through CPC / PC / DCS / Etc.

HH level Income from Rs. 15-20 K to 100 K

Collective Procurement, Public Distribution System, Productivity Enhancement

AGRICULTURE 50000/-

Information sharing at CBO level, Demand Driven educationSkilled, NREGS & other programmes, Signature to Functional Literacy

MGNREGS 14000/-

JEEViKA : Strategies : Project Management

HR & OD :
o Multiple recruitment options: Open Market, Deputation, Internal selection, Campus, Intern model o Partnership with academic / training institutions for CB o Staff deployment with tapering strategy linked with graduation of CBOs

M&E:
o Institution based MIS - Web-based monitoring system
o Qualitative measurement with Process Monitoring & Thematic Studies o Concurrent management review, learning system and impact evaluation

KM / Communication & Governance / Accountability

o Use of new mediums with traditional channels for both Internal and External Communication o Integration of IT with CBOs for transparency & credibility

JEEViKA : Innovativeness & Replicability

Learnings of JEEViKA incorporated in National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) Framework and Guidelines. BRLPS designated as SRLM for rolling out NRLM in Bihar. The model of JEEViKA approved for scaling up in the whole state under NRLM targeting 1.25 Crore poor HHs. State Perspective and Implementation Plan (SPIP) for NRLM approved by the State Cabinet and MoRD, GoI. System of book keeping for CBOs is being accepted by Banks & CSOs. Results of SRI pilots instrumental in GoB launching SRI Kranthi in 3.5 lakh ha across the state. BRLPS providing resource support to similar projects.

JEEViKA : Key Results by 2021-22

Social Inclusion and Institution Building
1.25 Crore women mobilised, 10 Lakh SHGs, 65 Thousand VOs, 1600 CLFs 3.75 Lakh of Community Para Professionals providing services to CBOs 3100 Crore in Savings & Rs. 12,000 Crore Credit from Banks Atleast 70% SC/ST/Vulnerable HHs access funds Atleast 80% HHs improved Food Security Atleast 50% HHs covered under Health Safety Net & Social Security Schemes Atleast 70% HHs achieved 40% increase in Income Atleast 15 lakh jobs created with placement in formal & informal sectors

Financial Inclusion

Vulnerability Reduction

Livelihoods Enhancement

Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar interacting with SHG at Gangapur Village, Muzaffarpur

President World Bank Shri R. B. Zolleick interacting with community at Patna

Minister RD, GoI Shri Jayram Ramesh interacting with VO at Shekhwara Village, Gaya

British Parliamentary Committee discussing with households at Bhusia Village, Gaya

Shri Norman UpHoff from Cornell University, US with SRI farmers in Ghantadih Village, Gaya

Country Director, WB, Shri R. Zagha interacting with VO at Bhusia Village, Gaya

THANK YOU

A Presentation by

JEEViKA :
Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society State Rural Livelihoods Mission, Bihar