[Dec 2007, Volume 4 Quarterly Issue] Pdf File size - The IIPM Think ...

REIMAGINING INDIA
have a detailed consultation with the stakeholders.
Barak Valley Contexts
An Integrated Development Plan for any
area comprises three inter-related documents,
namely:
(1) A Policy Framework Paper (PFP)
that spells out the strategic thrust, the
strategy content and the budgetary and
institutional framework within which various
projects and programmes will configure,
explicitly linking the region to the
national Vision 2020;
(2) The Operational Framework of the
area Development Strategy which takes
the form of a Medium Term Expenditure
Framework (MTEF). The MTEF is linked
to the Macroeconomic Growth Strategy
through the PFP, the latter reflecting the
objectives of national Vision 2020; and,
(3) The Action Plan for the target area,
which highlights the Implementation Strategy,
the Participatory Plan and the organizational
setting within which strategic
action is implemented, monitored and
evaluated.
The integrated development plan, as opposed
to the state or country level plans, is
intended to be a comprehensive “local development
framework” that links macroeconomic
growth with poverty reduction
strategies. The objective of the plan is to
ensure greater focus on poverty reduction
through generating employment avenues
and renewed emphasis on faster job-sector
growth within the valley outside the traditional
‘government job syndrome’ that ails
the mindset of the potential workforce in
the valley. It is essentially a prerequisite
for sustainable development efforts in the
valley to change that mindset and build an
‘employable workforce’ out of the thousands
of ‘degree-holding but unemployable’
manpower that exist today in the
region.
The integrated development plan is to
serve as the first building block for opera-
The integrated development plan serve as the first building
block for operationalizing an overall development mission
that is locale-specifi c, based on the aspirations of the local
people and don't follow the ‘trickle-down approach
tionalizing an overall development mission
that is locale-specific, based on the aspirations
of the local people and do not necessarily
follow the ‘trickle-down residual
flow approach’ of development. All the
proposed development projects and programmes
financed by government, international
development partners, NGOs,
civil society will be implemented within
this framework of the plan. The rationale
is to move away from the prevailing peacemeal
project approach in the development
process and to give a road-map for the region
that will be a reference point in formulating
programmes/projects to ensure
maximum impact and focus on priorities.
It essentially calls for a more efficient use
of local (in country) and external resources
in support of the ultimate goal of economic
development. The essential feature
of the Barak Valley Integrated Development
Plan is that it is locally owned implying
that it reflects the needs of the people
whose interests are being attended.
An important element of the process is
monitoring and evaluation. This entails
the establishment of benchmarks of performance
indicators by all the sectors in
the implementation of the plan which will
facilitate the measurement of progress towards
the achievement of targets.
Targets And Programme Areas
In line with the international development
goals, a Barak Valley Integrated Development
Plan (BVIDP) will be in tandem with
national and international efforts towards
the achievement of poverty reduction targets,
such as:
• A reduction by one-half of the unemployed
population in the valley.
• Enforced Universal “employable lifeskill”
Education in
• Equality and empowerment of women
by eliminating gender disparities
• Access through the primary health care
system, to reproductive health services
for all people of appropriate ages as
soon as possible
• The implementation of a regional strategy
for sustainable development so as to
ensure that current trends in the loss of
environmental resources are effectively
reversed
• Creation of economic opportunities for
the poor in order to substantially reduce
income and food poverty and the general
feeling of insecurity related to food
176 THE IIPM THINK TANK