INDIA: Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project

INDIA Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (P007985)
First Implementation Support Mission, June 2011
was agreed that SPMU will incorporate the comments given by the mission and share the final
questionnaire with World Bank by June 30, 2011.
10. Grievance Redress Mechanism: A toll free dedicated line has been installed at SPMU. A caller can
register the grievance / feedback between 10 AM to 5 PM. The response is provided to the caller by the
competent authority within a fixed time frame. A dedicated website with an interactive grievance redress
link has been launched.
11. Alternative livelihood for fisher folks: So far SPMU has initiated dialogue with 26 out of targeted 80
villages covering 221 SHGs. Capacity building training for administrative matters has been completed
for 77 SHGs where as skill up-gradation training has been given to another 16 SHGs. Another set of 22
SHGs have received initial grant of Rs. 50,000 each towards infrastructure development. The mission
was pleased to note that books of account are being properly maintained and every individual member is
contributing towards their SHG. The office bearers of the SHGs are literate in most of the cases. The
mission was informed that SPMU is holding discussions with various external fish contractors (e.g.,
Benfish) who can buy back the fish catch and also dry fishes from the project beneficiaries which will
help beneficiaries to earn more. A federation of fisher SHGs will be formed which in turn will be
responsible for the welfare of fisher folks including marketing.
12. Apart from Fisheries department, Directorate of Handicraft and Cottage Industries is also involved in
developing alternative livelihood options for fishermen through coir making. It is expected that the
proposed Training cum production centre will help build capacity of fisher folks in coir sector as a source
of livelihood. The Directorate had identified 5 SHGs in this regard – though capacity building activities
is yet to start.
13. Eco and Pro-Poor Tourism: The forest department and Odisha Tourism Development Corporation is
promoting community based nature tourism as a source of alternative livelihood in order to reduce the
pressure on forest and other natural resources. Government land has been identified at various locations
to set up surveillance camps, camp sites, tourist complexes, monitoring and interpretation centres.
Though community has been informed of these initiatives and community level workshop was also
conducted at Prijipur, Chilika, detailed discussion and other modalities are yet to be finalized. Similarly,
community consultations have been carried out in each heritage sites that will be conserved and improved
under the project. SPMU along with the PEA (Department of Culture) has consulted villagers in
preparing peripheral development plan of the Potagad Fort. It was agreed that project will develop micro
plans to involve community for each of the identified beneficiary villages under various eco / community
based tourism initiatives.
14. Visit to village Bada Nolia Nuagaon: The mission visited Bada Nolia Nuagaon and held discussion with
the SHG members. The SHG members sought training on fish drying apart from fish marketing, repair of
mobiles and boat engine, polyculture, etc. The SHG members showed keen interest in developing the
activities identified and also agreed for “own contribution” towards purchase of small items like tarpaulin.
The SPMU has released the fund for construction of platform for drying fish. The books of account are
properly managed by the community. The women members also want their children to get educated and
have made arrangement on their own to get a teacher who can teach their wards up to class 10th. The
SPMU plans to (i) renovate 4 existing ponds in the village to promote pisciculture; (ii) provide insulated
boxes for fish preservation; and (iii) fish landing centre at the Rushikulya mouth.
15. Visit to village Pentha: The mission also visited Pentha village, the site of installation of geo tube
embankment to prevent coastal erosion. The project activities will be carried out on the government land
and involuntary resettlement or economic loss is envisaged.
16. Visits to the sites of Multipurpose Cyclone Shelters: The mission visited two sites of MPCS and was
pleased to see the enthusiasm among the community members. OSDMA has made substantial effort to
mobilize the community and transforming them from resource users to resource managers. All MPCSs
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