DPG News Review Oct.-Dec.09 | 1

R. Bhakther Solomon

B. Praveen Joseph

D. Lalitha Kannan

D. Mareeswari

MDG New Initiative…..…..… 01

Joseph Award ………………......02

Staff Trg. Prog……………….……02

Manimegalai Awar ……….……02

Flood affected family………….03

Nirmal Gram Puraskar ….……04

Organic farming…………….…..04

RMDCS ……..……….……………..05

Focus on Tsunami………………05

Accountabilty &

transparency……………………..06

H(C)openhagen.....…………..…07

EDITOR’S NOTE

This is our third News Review. DPG received good response to our

earlier Reviews. Hence we decided to continue this initiative. This

issue covers the period from October – December 2009. This issue

brings some news about the Climate Change Conference. We do

hope readers will find it interesting and useful. Please feel free to

send your comments / news.

Place : Chennai R. Bhakther Solomon Date : 01.01.2010 Chief Executive Officer

MDG New Initiative

DPG intends to assist the Partners / staff based NGOs to undertake activities to address atleast one of the MDG goals that has more relevance in their working areas. The activities undertaken should produce long lasting benefits to the target families. It should also be a collaborative initiative with other stake holders/partners. The Duration for the project is 24 months, starting from March 2010. Grant should be spent on hardware programme rather than software programme like training, refreshment. The budget for the project period is around Rs.3 lacs. A full proposal with all relevant information should reach us on or before 30th January 2010.

SDOP – Grant proposal

� SHGs who are in existence

for more than 3 years and are promoted under DPG-NGO partner

� Grant to be used for socio-economic improvement with long lasting benefits.

� Maximum grant Rs.3 lacs on completion the grant to be transferred.

� Funds to be owned & Managed by the Gorup

For detailed Application

Approach DPG

Vol.1 Issue No.3 (For Private Circulation Only ) October –December `09

NEWS REVIEW

Editorial Desk

Contents

January to March 2010

Date Meetings

16 & 17 Jan. NGO Key staff

17 & 18 Jan. Apex Body

leader

19 – 21 Jan.

22 – 24 Jan.

Organic

farming

February

CEO & DPG

staff visit to

NGO partners

4 & 5th

Mar. Partners Meet

13 to 17th

Mar.

ACCU CEO

Meet

18 & 19

Mar.

RMDCS –

Leaders meet

DEVELOPMENT PROMOTION GROUP (DPG), Chennai

(Empowering people to build better lives)

NEWS REVIEW

DPG News Review Oct.-Dec.09 | 2

JOSEPH AWARD All partners NGOs who have submitted papers for the

above award met on 06.11.09 at our Office and after due

deliberations selected the following groups / NGOs.

Sl.

No.

Name of the In Rs.

SHG NGO Group NGO

1. Jothi Women

SHG POETS 1,00,000 40,000

2. Mukkudi Pengal

Semippukulu PAGE 50,000 30,000

3. Om Shakthi

Women SHG ASSCOD 25,000 20,000

Note: It is a pity that despite a clear 30 – 45 days time to submit

applications for award few of our partners have not submitted any

proposal. They seem to be too busy on other development issues or they

may want everything as free grant!

STAFF TRAINING PROGRAMME (Oct. – Dec.) Making of Annual report

Ms.Thenmozhi from Velankanni project attended training at KKID Coimbatore on 9th & 10th Nov. `09

Enhance Field Worker’s Effectiveness

2 staff from KAMUDHI and 1 from VELANKANNI attended a two-days Field Worker’s Effectiveness training at KKID, Coimbatore on 11th & 12th November 2009.

Formation & strengthening of CBOs

15 staff from staff based NGOs attended the above training at Myrada Kamasamudra centre, Kolur.

NGO IDEAS: Mr. H.R.Suresh & Ms. Thenmozhi attended a five days training programme conducted by NGOs Ideas on 1st December to 5th December at KKID, Coimbatore.

Note from PAGE

Apart from GRAMIYA we also sent one of our staff members for the

training programme during July 2009 at KKID .

Basic Facts of TSC

• Total sanitation campaign is operational

in 593 districts with a total outlay of

Rs.17.885 crore

• The toilet model to be constructed with

increased cost will be “Twin Pit – Pour

Flush” model

• Central share of individual beneficiary

incentive to BPL families increased from

Rs.900 to Rs.1500, state to provide Rs.700

• 10% of project funds to be used for solid

and liquid waste management in each

Gram Panchayat.

• More than 5.91 crore rural household

toilets constructed since 2001

• Goal to achieve open Defection free India

by 2012. DPG: Sorry for not including PAGE staff in our previous Reviews

It was probably one of the biggest fundraising events as part of the Joy of

Giving Week across India. Not by way of participation alone, but also

Organized by Oriental Cuisines with support from Savera Hotels on

Thursday, raised over Rs.85 lacs in donation, proceeds of which will go to 63 non-governmental organisaitons that

were part of the event. The event, which saw around 1800 participants, served as a platform for donors to contribute

to a social organization of their choice, and as a thank-you gesture, they got to taste the signature dishes prepared by

each of the eight participating hotels and enjoy live music by noted singers.

Note: DPG has raised in total Rs.95,000/- from 15 individual donors.

Tamil Nadu Government : Manimegalai Award

Seven years after its formation, a federation of women’s self help groups in the Nilgiris has won the prestigious ‘Manimegalai’ award as one of the five best-run panchayat – level SHG federations in Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister M.K.Stalin gave away the award and a cheque for Rs. one lacs at a big function here on Monday.

All these

were

possible

due to ESP

Scholarship

programme

THE BATTLE OF BUFFET PAYS OFF

Source: THE HINDU dated 03.10.09

DPG News Review Oct.-Dec.09 | 3

PROVISION OF FIRE ROOF TOP MATERIALS TO THE FLOOD VICTIMS FAMILIES

IN PUDUKOTTAI DISTRICT

Name of the Village : Kattakulavaipatti

of the Panchayat : Varappur

Name of the Beneficiary : Mrs. Chitra

Number of Children : 2 boys

Her parents divided the properties among their children,

and the house was handed over to her elder brother.

Hence, the parents asked her to vacate the house and

adviced her to look for another location for herself. She

made a make shift shed in a nearby location and in the

rain in 2008, it was flooded with water. Chitra

approached GRAMIYA and the Apex Body for

assistance in this regard. The Apex Body members

intervened and they convinced her relatives to

contribute their manual labour to put up the

house etc. Chitra decided to avail

the loan from the SHG in which

she is an active members. Besides

this, the local brick kiln owner

supported the family with bricks

for the construction. DPG

provided support under the flood

affected scheme. The tiles and

roof top wood materials were

provided by DPG. Thanks to a

collaborative efforts of all Chitra

now owner of a home worth

Rs.1.3 Lakhs- REPORT FROM

GRAMIYA.

Promotion of SHGs and Networking with the Credit Co-Operative

The following partners have submitted the proposals : ASSCOD, POETS,

GRAMIYA, MVM, MVKS and BGM. All of them met at our office on 27th

November 2009 and decided to scale-up.

Note from PAGE

We carefully looked into the invitation and have discussed with the staff members and also with some of the SHG members. Monthly savings at an organisation outside the village is not welcomed by all and our area people are not interested. DPG: We appreciate free and frank opinion like this from our partners on

issues/ initiatives / programmes. Better share your opinion. Do not sleep over

letters / reports / announcements and then later regret!!

here if no free meal.

ATTENTION TO PARTNERS

Profile of the staff participated in

our training programme at Madurai

held on 8th

& 9th

September `09.

Ref.our 2nd

Quarter News review

(Vol.No.1 Issue No.2). In response to

this, PAGE has submitted profile of

its staff members.. Other NGOs have

done anything on this.

URGENT – URGENT – URGENT

We once again request all NGOs

to submit the profile of their staff.

DPG News Review Oct.-Dec.09 | 4

Rural Development, Government Of India What to do for Nirmal Gram Puraskar

The Nirmal Gram Purasakar has accelerated the pace of sanitation coverage in the country. We need to consolidate our achievements to provide access to safe sustainable sanitation facilities to every citizen in the rural areas. A clean, green and healthy rural India will be the most enduring sign of our country’s progress and development.

• Panchayati Raj institutions can win cash prize ranging from Rs.50,000/- to Rs.50 lacs under the Nirmal Gram Puraskar if:

• All households in the Panchayat area have access to sanitary toilets All schools and anganwadis have access to toilet facility

• The Panchayat area is free from open defection, and

• Clean environment is maintained.

Note from DPG: We do hopeNote from DPG: We do hopeNote from DPG: We do hopeNote from DPG: We do hope that atleast few of our partner NGOs will work towards thisthat atleast few of our partner NGOs will work towards thisthat atleast few of our partner NGOs will work towards thisthat atleast few of our partner NGOs will work towards this

Ecological based Sustainable Farming

One day exposure visit was conducted for the above partners. 37 members attended this meeting. 12 Project Directors, 13 workers and 10 farmers at Vanagam Farm, Kadavalur on 11th December 2009 a farm maintained by Mr.Nammazhalvar. After the day’s orientation by Mr.Nammazhalvar the following decisions were taken.

S. No.

Decision Taken Responsibility

NGO DPG

1. Identification of field workers and five marginal farmers

���� -

2. Selection of 100 farmers from villages (6-10 farmers from each villages)

���� -

3. Cropping pattern of the proposed site of farmers and soil test before 15th Jan.

���� -

4. Organizing three days training programme for selected field workers. Name of the field worker Name of the farmers

(Note: 50% of the cost

should ne met by

the farmers)

����

Note: We feel sorry for those who missed this chance

Proposal received from BGM / GRAMIYA / MVKS /

MVM / KDI / VDS / PAGE / DPG – Velankanni /

ASSCOD / POETS / KDP / HADRIN / DPG – Kamudi

/ SNC / NEED .

Aim: To motivate a minimum of 100 small / marginal farmers from each project area to take up organic farming with the collaboration of Government, Krish Vikash Kendra and other institutions.

DPG News Review Oct.-Dec.09 | 5

ROSE MALAR DEVELOPMENTAL CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY LIMITED

Till 31st Dec.`09, 2160 members have become share holders. The share holders have started regularly saving - range Rs.50 to Rs.1000/-. The society has also started to give loans @ 18% rate of interest – reducing balancereducing balancereducing balancereducing balance. So far, 197 members have received loans amounting to Rs.14,90,000/-.

International programme on Capacity Building for providing Alternative Livelihood opportunities for poor – Study Tour

ni-msme, Hyderabad is organizing 8 weeks programme on International programme on Capacity Building for providing Livelihood Opportunities for poor from 16th November 2009 – 8th January 2010. There are 12 delegates from 9 developing countries. The participants are senior officials from different Ministry Women Affairs, Social Welfare, Rural Development, Agriculture development. As a part of the training programme the participants visit organization, NGOs, Bank involved in implemented on poverty DPG CEO & staff had the pleasure of spending 2 hours with them.

“On December 26, 2004, giant waves lashed coastal India and left behind a trail of death and destruction. It also left behind lessons in resilience for many. The tsunami anniversary kindles memories of loss and offers, for the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that helped the victims in their trying times, an opportunity for introspection. Development Promotion Group (DPG) was one NGO that stepped in to help though it had no experience in relief and rehabilitation of the sort that a disaster of the magnitude of the 2004 tsunami warranted. What began as an immediate response to the disaster has continued for almost five years. Today, it has enlarged its mandate from mere relief

to community sustenance. The organization has extended its post - tsunami relief work across the districts of Nagapattinam, Tuticorin, Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. As per its estimates, about 5 per cent of the total work was entrusted to it by the government. This entailed construction of over 822 houses in three phases in Nagapattinam district. The places were the houses were built included Vizhundhumavadi, Vaanavamahadevi, Vellapallam and Kameshwaram. Over 102 permanent shelters

were constructed for Dalits, with each person contributing in equal share to the construction of a house, said Bhakther Solomon, director, DPG. Every NGO has followed its own method of project implementation. According to Solomon, DPG followed a joint consultative process involving fishing panchayats to identify beneficiaries. Joint ownership by wife and husband was ensured for all DPG houses. Additionally, wherever possible, local labour was hired to provide them income security, said Solomon” The above is an extract from Frontline Magazine dated 2nd January 2010 for full report, read the magazine or visit: http//www/flonnet.com (focus: Tsunami Relief & Rehabilitation)

“But while most tsunami-affected territories have re-emerged physically – if not psychologically – better, not everywhere has recovered at the same pace, including India's Tamil Nadu."What is bad is that in the villages on the seashore there has been little clean-up. We can still find boats left five years on which had been washed up and have not been cleaned up. It's more than an eyesore," said Bhatkher Solomon, chief executive officer of the NGO Development Promotion Group.

FRONTLINE dated 01.01.2010

The non-governmental

organisations that worked

amongst the tsunami-affected in

coastal Tamil Nadu complete a

satisfactory phase

WAVE OF SUPPORT – P.V. SRIVIDYA

in Nagapattinam

No. of share Holders 2160

Regular Savers 1183

Amount of savings Rs.4,00,705

No. of loans &

amount

197

Rs.14,90,000

Ms.Lalitha and Mr.Murugan will help us to manage the affairs of this society with the advice from Ms.Anitha & Ms.Mareeswari.

After the 2004 tsunami:

rebuilding lives, salvaging

communities – source

www.guardian.co.uk dated

23th December 2009

DPG News Review Oct.-Dec.09 | 6

Accountability & Transparency NGOs told to maintain transparency in financial management THE HINDU dated 06.10.09

“Transparency in financial and other administrative matters of

non-governmental organizations is essential to enable

stakeholders know the full information. Such a measure will

improve social audit system also. These approaches were

discussed in a special workshop on ‘Financial Management

System for NGOs’ held at Gandhigaram Trust at Gandhigram

here on Monday. Resource person and Chief trainer from

Account Aid, India New Delhi Anil Baranwala advised to budget

for each component of the programme.

• A total of 37,24 non-profit organization or associations were

registered under the Foreign Contributions Regulations Act.

But only 19,011 NGOs have filed returns. Top three donors

for NGOs were Germany, the USA and Spain, he added.

• Under the new tax code, all NPOs would be required to

prepare accounts for welfare activities on cash basis for tax

purposes. Income from incidental business activities has

been included within the welfare activities.

• Therefore, accounting for the business would also be on cash

basis, he added.

• Moreover, the new code proposes that all NPOs must spent

cent per cent of their receipts each year. If there was any

shortfall, they have to pay a tax of 15 per cent. You could not

make a provision for unspent grants as income would be

calculated on cash basis. Tax for donors also: Even donor

agency that gives grants to other NPOs would end up in

paying tax unless it disbursed all funds by March, he added.

• In his special address, Gandhigram Trust, Treasurer

K.Shivakumar said that the maintain of the workshop was to

develop proper accounting system for small and grass-root

level non-governmental organisation. It would help NGOs

create a regulatory mechanism and could approach the

government with clean accounting system. Moreover,

people, the real beneficiaries, should know what amount the

NGOs received for various welfare projects and the amount

spent. These measures would restore Gandhian trusteeship,

he added.Earlier, the trust secretary M.R. Rajagopalan

inaugurated the session. Basic system in accounts, book

keeping, internal control, FCRA formalities and its key

limitation for NGOs, and budgeting were explained to 30

participants from 17 NGOs from all over the state”

RBS Comments: We , the NGO fraternity need to be little more careful when administering the grant fund. We should realize, that it is our duty to provide data / information / reports / accounts to our Donor partners, be it a small grant or large grant. The Donor has the right to ask for reports & account.

DPG News Review Oct.-Dec.09 | 7

COPENHAGEN “After two weeks of delays, theatrics and last-minute deal-making, the United Nations climate change

talks concluded here early Saturday morning with a grudging agreement by the participants to “take note” of a pact shaped by five major nations. The final accord, a 12-paragraph document, was a statement of intention, not a binding pledge to begin taking action on global warming — a compromise seen to represent a flawed but essential step forward. Robert C. Orr, the United Nations assistant secretary general for policy and planning, said that virtually every country had signaled that it would back the accord, and that “take note” was shorthand for acceptance. But many delegates of the 193 countries that had gathered here left Copenhagen in a sour mood, disappointed that the pact lacked so many elements they considered

crucial, including firm targets for mid- or long-term reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and a deadline for concluding a binding treaty next year.Even President Obama, a principal force behind the final deal, said the accord would take only a modest step toward healing the Earth’s fragile atmosphere. Many participants also said that the chaos and contentiousness of the talks may signal the end of reliance on a process that for almost two decades had been viewed as the best approach to tackling global warming: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and a series of 15 conventions following a 1992 climate summit meeting in Rio de Janeiro The process has become unworkable, many said, because it has proved virtually impossible to forge consensus among the disparate blocs of countries fighting over environmental guilt, future costs and who should referee the results”.

With India involved in the last minute negotiations that produced the compromise accord, our minister, Jairam Ramesh, called it "a good deal and satisfactory solution". Sitaram Yechury, complained that the final draft was "well short of expectations". The Hindu newspaper called it an "important beginning" but noted that it contained few specific figures, commitments or timelines. The Hindustan Times felt that "without a legally binding document, the summit turned into a damp squib". The Mail Today concluded that "something is better than nothing", even if trying to get so many countries to agree on anything would strike many as "an exercise in futility". But environmental groups were critical of the Indian government's performance. "This has been a shirking of global responsibility by India and a weak outcome has so far emerged from the UN climate talks," Greenpeace India complained.

The H(C)openhagen conference ended with a watershed down experiment that some observers believe will be in effective in slowing global warming. During the meeting U.S. agency to contribute funds to help the poorer countries to deal with

climate change. The European union pledged $ 3 billion in such aid starting next year. A new report released earlier this month found that an overall global warming trend is continuing and another study suggested that the steps needed to slow, or severse, it will cost trillions of Dollars.

The Chennai based Great Lakes Institute of Management, in association with the University of Houston, is planning to toll out what it claims will be the first MBA programme exclusively focusing on energy research and management. The course is aimed at the top honchos of Indian corporate, who are potential CEO material and associated with energy sector companies with the two-year programme priced at Rs.13.5 lakhs

Centuries ago Buddha exhorted every individual to plan and nurture atleast five trees in one’s life time

We are indeed glad to note that under the able leadership of Mr.Stanely “the 31 FCFC” has done an

excellent job at Copenhagen. Hope to know more from the team regarding mitigation efforts at the micro level

Extract - A Grudging

Accord in Climate

Talks By ANDREW C. REVKIN and JOHN

M. BRODER, Published: 19.12.09

MBA course in carbon

credits Courtesy Economic times

dated 22.12.09

Reactions

The polities of

Global warming!

Climate Change Mitigation

DPG News Review Oct.-Dec.09 | 8

Copenhagen climate conference : The grim meaning of “meaningful”

Deal to Save Forests Could Be Copenhagen's Bright

Spot

Extracts from Editorial, The Guardian, Saturday 19th

December 2009 U.N.-backed REDD program could mean billions of dollars for developing countries and forest communities as rich nations buy carbon offsets to meet their emissions reduction obligations at home.

Photo: AP This 2008 file photo shows the rainforest in Kakum, National Park, Ghana After two weeks of sometimes tense negotiations at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, one bright spot has been support for ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation. For the first time in decades of international climate talks, an incentive to save tropical forests is on the negotiating table.

“The climate change summit had three big tickets on its agenda:

emissions, financial assistance and the process going ahead. And on

each of these counts the accord – which was effectively hammered

out not by the whole conference, but rather by the US, India, China

and South Africa – fell woefully short. There was no serious

cementing of the positive noises on aid that had emerged earlier on

in the week. On emissions, a clear-eyed vision for the distant future

was rendered a pipe dream by outright fuzziness about the near

term. And most alarmingly of all, there was no clear procedural

readmap to deliver the world from the impasse that this summit has

landed it in.

China’s premier Wen Jiabao used his own speech to harry the

developed world to make good on the cash it has pledged to the

poor , an important demand but one that would have carried more

force if it had been married to the explicit acceptance that China will

soon have to find the means to prove to a skeptical world that it will

curb its emissions as it promises. Throughout the evening, Europe

seemed bent on clinging to its trump card of increasing its emissions

offer from a 20% to a 30% cut, refusing to think beyond the horse-

trading that has been falling the climate for years.

Only two years ago, the world’s leaders swore this would be the

summit to build a new carbon order. The threadbare agreement

thrashed out last night has not even laid the foundations. The

progress on financial assistance over the fortnight is welcome, but

with much of the money earmarked for climate adaption, the

global community is left resembling an alcoholic who has decided to save up for a liver transplant rather than give up drink. It is a sad

tribute to collective failure that the all-important questions at the end of Copenhagen is: what happens next?”

RBS Letter to the Editor in the HINDU dated 08.12.09RBS Letter to the Editor in the HINDU dated 08.12.09RBS Letter to the Editor in the HINDU dated 08.12.09RBS Letter to the Editor in the HINDU dated 08.12.09 “That 56 newspap“That 56 newspap“That 56 newspap“That 56 newspapers from 45 countries came together to voice their concern over ers from 45 countries came together to voice their concern over ers from 45 countries came together to voice their concern over ers from 45 countries came together to voice their concern over an impending disaster and appealed to the representatives of the 192 nations gathered in Copenhagen shows how much the world an impending disaster and appealed to the representatives of the 192 nations gathered in Copenhagen shows how much the world an impending disaster and appealed to the representatives of the 192 nations gathered in Copenhagen shows how much the world an impending disaster and appealed to the representatives of the 192 nations gathered in Copenhagen shows how much the world is is is is worried about climate change. This novel effort by the fourth esworried about climate change. This novel effort by the fourth esworried about climate change. This novel effort by the fourth esworried about climate change. This novel effort by the fourth estate, we are sure , will have the desired impact on the eyes, ears and tate, we are sure , will have the desired impact on the eyes, ears and tate, we are sure , will have the desired impact on the eyes, ears and tate, we are sure , will have the desired impact on the eyes, ears and hearts of the heads of nations. The media should keep up the initiative to bring the world together”.hearts of the heads of nations. The media should keep up the initiative to bring the world together”.hearts of the heads of nations. The media should keep up the initiative to bring the world together”.hearts of the heads of nations. The media should keep up the initiative to bring the world together”.

“Copenhagen in Denmark is a place of happening today where more than 195 countries have come together to discuss various steps to prevent and reduce global warming. Micro level: While that might be happening at a macro level, thousands of miles away from India, Vanagam organic farm at

Kadavalur village in Karur district, Tamil Nadu made its micro contribution towards preventing global warming by involving about 35 representatives from 15 NGOs in a day’s training programme to take the first step to bring about 1,500 acres under organic farming. The training was organized for a group of farmers and NGO staff by Development Promotion Group (DPG), a Chennai based Non-Governmental Organisation. Chemical dangers :Realising the dangers of chemical fertilizers on the land and the impending water short fall, farmers are now resorting to good agricultural practices. DPG is planning this initiative as a pilot phase to motivate the farmers to go for organic farming in a big way in the coming years. The idea is to bring every year about 5,000 acres of land spread over 15 villages (11 in Tamil Nadu & 4 in Karnataka) under organic farming methods using traditional seeds and bio-fertilizers. This will be a three project initiative, as by 2012/2013, the growers will also be helped to get organic certificate for their products. Expenditure: DPG expects to spend about Rs.35 lakhs under this scheme and most of this money will be utilized towards Vermi compost, Japan method compost unit, cow urine pits, Azolla cultivation and fodder resource development. Reduce, recycle, reject: During the training Dr. Nammalvar emphasized the importance of three R’s (RRR), Reduce, Recycle & Reject. He said healthy soil brings healthy seeds, healthy seeds give healthy food and healthy food leads to a healthy life. DPG is working in 486 villages in Tamil Nadu and has established more than 4,000 SHGs covering 65,000 poor families”

Development Promotion Group (DPG) “Joseph Centre”, 60, 3

rd Street, Officers colony, Metha Nagar,Amainthakarai, Chennai – 600 029.

Phone : 044 – 23744647 E mail.: info@dpgsulo.org

Website: www.dpgsulo.org

Organic Farming to mitigate global warming

THE HINDU dated 24.12.09

DPG News Review Oct.-Dec.09 | 9