Chapter 2 - Kerala Govt Logo

Chapter 2Policy, Legislation and Regulationdistrict with adequate experience and expertise in the implementation of watershed projectsor related area development works as the PIA after thoroughly examining their credentials.The PIA facilitates the Gram Panchayat for preparation of watershed development plansthrough Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), undertake community organisation and training forthe village communities, supervise watershed development activities, inspect and authenticateproject accounts.2.2.3.4. Joint Forest Management ProgrammeAfter the National JFM guidelines were issued in 1990, 22 States are now implementing theprogramme. The JFM programme has evolved to different levels across these States. WhileWest Bengal, Haryana and Orissa have completed two decades of JFM initiation, others likeAssam, Sikkim and Mizoram have issued enabling orders in 1998 and accordingly the issues forwhich they are seeking solutions are different. The 1990 guidelines have paved the way forJFM across the country and 22 states have issued enabling orders till date. The majorprovisions of the National Resolution are:Providing an enabling mechanism for participation of local communities and a platform forNGO participation,Facilitating institution building and allowed flexibility in their formation,Eliminating the involvement of commercial interests and the middlemen in the benefitsharing mechanism,Providing forest usufruct benefits to participating communities,Providing for wage employment to local communities for some forest related work,Allowing for plantation of indigenous, multi-purpose species of trees and even grasses,shrubs and medicinal herbs,Ensuring that the FD only harvests in accordance with a working scheme prepared inconsultation with local communities.2.2.3.5. Poverty Alleviation ProgrammesSwarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY)The SGSY is a self-employment programme launched in 1999 with emphasis on the following:Focused approach to poverty alleviation.Capitalizing advantages of group lending. Overcoming the problems associated with multiplicity of programmes.It is conceived as a holistic programme of micro enterprises covering all aspects of selfemployment viz. organization of the rural poor into self help groups (SHGs) and their capacitybuilding, planning of activity clusters, infrastructure build up, technology, credit andmarketing. The programme envisages to take the existing poor families above the poverty line.The programme involves assistance to the BPL households, identified through BPL census, dulyapproved by the Gram Sabha. The beneficiaries could be individuals or groups. While theidentification of individual beneficiaries is made through a participatory approach, theprogramme lays emphasis on organization of poor into SHGs and their capacity building. TheSHG may consist of 10 to 20 persons. In case of minor irrigation, and in case of the disabled,the minimum is 5 persons. Under the scheme, progressively, majority of the funding would be