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Role of NGOs in NRLM

15th February 2011Presented By:

Dr. Sudha Kothari and Kalpana Pant

Chaitanya – Empowering Women

and Youth

One of the earliest institutions to promote poor women’s financial institution

Promoted first SHG federation in Maharashtra – in 1991 – has been rated by M-CRIL and received support from NABARD, SIDBI and commercial Banks

Initiated Jankar programme – community resource persons for SHG, federations, livelihood and legal counseling

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Why NGOs?

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To identify the needs, opportunities/risks and perceptions of the community

To monitor and evaluate the program effectively

To innovate and institutionalize community-based institutions

To develop ownership among the community for continued involvement

Why NGOs?To facilitate convergence of resources To reduce cost, and ensure sustained

financial contribution to run the programme

To increase effectiveness of the programme by using local knowledge and ensure culture sensitivity

To empower the community, facilitate community involvement in decision making

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Role of NGOs in Development

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EXECUTION - Piloting, innovation Designing need based programmes Identification and reaching the

poorest of the poor Identification of community leadersSocial mobilisation, awareness

building Local institution building

Role of NGOs Contd…

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Research and AdvocacyWatchdogBuilding pressure for policy changes (RTI)

Research based advocacy

Capacity BuildingTransfer of technology Facilitating Convergence Exposure Creating learning platforms

Role of NGO vis a vis Government agencies

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Complementarity between government and NGOs:NGO researches and pilots, Govt replicates (SHG)

Govt. plans, NGOs execute (Jal Swarajya)

Government plans and executes, NGO monitors or involved in capacity building (NRHM)

NGO raises concerns, Government amends policies/programs (Forest Bill)

Role of NGOs under NRLM

Role of NGOs in NRLM - Initial remarksFluidity even at the national level –

scope to determine/ evolve the role

Everyone to participate to generate thoughts ideas to increase complementarity and evolve framework for useful partnership.

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Strategies in NRLM

Community Mobilization to promote community owned institutions

Capacity Building and trainingCadre Building through Community

Resource Persons ( CRPs)Convergence –public private

partnershipsMonitoring and Evaluation Recruitment of trained staff from NGOs

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Broader frameworkNGOs are important stakeholders –

both in planning, implementation as well as monitoring of the programme

Need investment from the government to facilitate better partnership

Develop good institutional mechanism and right structure to work with NGOs

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Challenges Selection of NGOs – not based on

merit or determined by transparent criteria, often under political pressure

Lack of coordination – resulting in delayed implementation

Passing the buck –shifting responsibility

Flow of funds – Small NGOs may not have the capacity to deal with delay in fund transfer

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Challenges Training has been not necessarily in

response to an assessment of the needMany NGOs have come in just as a

contractorVery few organisations with proven track

recordGood NGOs afraid of working with

government – corruption, delay in flow of funds

Lack of accountability and transparency

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Selection of NGOs Under NRLM

Possible Options –Centralised Selection

Tejaswini programme - Identified 3 resource organisations for implementation and consultancy across the state.

CAIM – Short-listing of RNGOs and a bid process –district level process recently initiated

Jal Swarajya – State level unit responsible for bidding – mixed results

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Decentralised SGSY – the experience of selection of

NGOs by district offices has not been good

NABARD – Recommendation by regional offices and approval by head office up to a limit (now entirely decentralised)

While centralised process results in delays, decentralised process may results in dilution of quality

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The process of selection – Best PracticesA partnership approach rather than

giving out a contractNGO empanelled on some selection

criteriaIt designs the project within the given

frameworkSome initial cost for preparation of

project proposal – helping NGOs contextualise their experience

Flexibility and resources for innovation 17

Role of NGOs in NRLM

Role of NGOs at different levels Theme based –Agriculture/ Horticulture ,

financial literacy. State or national level resource agencies could be identified as experts

Activity Based – Training, marketing, women’s empowerment, community mobilisation, micro finance. Organisations with good experience in the region could be identified

Geography Based– some districts/ regions earmarked for NGOs – small organisations at district or block level with good track record can be identified

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Implications for selection of types of NGOS

NGO location Implications (Suggestive)

Within district

Within region

Within stateOutside state

Direct ImplementationTraining of trainersExpertise as resource

organisationsConsultancy based

Need to see cost implications and expertise experience and availability

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Role of CBOExisting SHG federations, producer’s

company farmer’ club to have option to be part of the programme.

NGO works with existing federations to take this process further

Could also work with banks and other partners

Could also be invited as resource institutions

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Collaboration of NGOs with Academic Institutions TISS – Chaitanya Collaboration

Micro Finance Development and Management Course – first all girls batch with TISS – convocation expected in March 2011.

NGO Management and Resource Mobilisation – the first course is to start in February

YCMOU –ChalanaCertificate course for Animators

Explore more collaborations with academic institutions to meet the demand for resource persons

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Role of NGOs in Accreditation of CRPsDevelop a mechanism to rate the

resource persons Federations do the job of

identifying and placing them In the convention 23rd-24th

February 1000 such resource persons coming together

All are invited!

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Most importantly…NRLM builds on the knowledge and

resource base existing in the state.

Various programmes – CAIM, Tejaswini and NABARD’s SHG –Bank linkage programme have experiences that need to be built upon.

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Reiterating the need to complement the strengths

Both NGOs and Government need each other

NGOs cannot achieve the scale and impact

that is possible for the government

Government machinery may not always enjoy the sustained, intense resources and the flexibility to use them which is necessary for innovations and experiments

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Thanks

Let us Work together to Create a better Future!