Better achievements under National livelihood Mission in Madhya Pradesh have been lauded by the World Bank. Representatives of the World Bank held detailed discussions with Additional Chief Secretary Panchayats and Rural Development Aruna Sharma and other senior departmental officers on implementation of the mission at Mantralaya here on Wednesday.
The World Bank team comprised Task Manager at the bank’s Delhi headquarters Kevin Crockford, Rural Development Expert of National Rural livelihood Mission and Task leader Parmesh Shah and senior officers of the Union Government.
The World Bank representatives, expressed satisfaction over integrated implementation of the mission in Madhya Pradesh during last one year. They also stressed the need to promote innovations in the context of livelihood activities in the State. They suggested appointing Bank-Mitras to provide banking facilities to rural beneficiaries easily. These Bank-Mitras will be selected from among members of self-help groups.
Suggestions were also put forth regarding efforts to associate cent percent rural beneficiaries with livelihood Mission and their social mobilisation. The World Bank representatives said that positive efforts made with regard to climate change in targeted districts under Madhya Pradesh Rural livelihood Project should be carried forward.
During review, the team also lauded better coordination between field staff and bankers. The World Bank also praised training imparted to jobless youths in the districts of the first phase, making them self-reliant through self-employment and providing them jobs in private institutions.
State Rural livelihood Project CEO lN Belwal informed the World Bank team the 46 development blocks of 10 districts have been covered under the project’s first phase. So far, 5,234 new self-help groups have been formed while 5,795 old SHGs have also been linked with the mission. Besides, 655 rural organisations have also been formed. Targets of formation of self-help groups in mission’s districts are being achieved at a rapid pace. Praiseworthy works have also been carried out towards revolving funds and providing bank linkage to groups. Widespread success has been achieved specially in bank linkage to self-help groups in Sheopur and Mandla districts.
Belwal informed that baseline survey of 14 lakh beneficiaries in mission’s intensive activity areas is being carried out and details about their socio-economic condition are being compiled. Similarly, village profiles of about 6000 villages are also being prepared. This initiative will help in exact assessment of positive change brought about in these families’ socio-economic condition after conclusion of livelihood Mission.