WELFARE DEPARTMENTS

COMMUNITY Projects and national extension service.

Origin.

In the First Five-Year Plan (1951-56), the Planning Commission of the Government of India proposed organisation of "Community Development Projects" and "National Extension Service" to initiate a process of improvement of social and economic life in the villages. These are being co-operatively implemented by the Union and the State Governments. The principal aim is to mobilise local dormant man-power for a concerted and co-ordinated effort at raising the level of rural life as a whole. Both the " National Extension Service " and the " Community Development" programmes envisage development in the fields of agriculture, animal husbandry, public health, social education, co-operation, communications, etc. in selected areas. In the areas of Community Development Projects Blocks, constructional programme is more intensive than in the National Extension Service areas. In the latter, the main objective is to bring about administrative re-organisation.

Plan.

Each block, whether of the Community Development or National Extension Service category, covers a population of approximately 66,000. The budget provided for a Community Development block is 15 lakhs of rupees for a period of three years, while the cost of a National Extension Service block is seven and a half lakhs of rupees. National Extension Service blocks are intended to spread over the whole country by the end of the Second Five-Year Plan, and approximately half the number of these blocks will, on the basis of their performance, be converted into Community Development blocks. For the first three years the State Governments will receive substantial financial help from the Central Government. After the first three years the financial liability for maintaining the development achieved in the selected area will devolve mainly upon the State Governments.

Administrative Machinery.

Special administrative machinery has been set up at the head- quarters of the State Governments and at lower levels to avoid delay in departmental routine. In the Maharashtra State the Development Commissioner, who is also the Secretary to Government, Co-operation and Rural Development department, has been made responsible for the control and supervision of the programme. The Development Commissioner is assisted by an Additional Development Commissioner. A committee known as the State Development Committee, consisting of the Chief Minister (as Chairman) and Ministers in charge of Finance, Public Works, Revenue and Agriculture, Forests and Co-operation, has also been set up. The Chief Secretary and Secretaries, Finance, Revenue, Agriculture and Public Works Departments are also members of this committee. The functions or the State Committee are to lay down broad policies and provide general supervision in respect of the implementation of the programme.

In the case of a Community Development block, the Prant Officer (Assistant or Deputy Collector), in whose charge the block area falls, has been appointed ex-officio Project Officer for the development block. This arrangement not only avoids duplication of agencies but also ensures rapid development and economy in expenditure. The Project Officer, by virtue of his position as a Revenue Officer, is in a position to exert considerable health}' influence upon the villagers in their endeavour for social and economic development.

At the district and taluka levels, committees known as ' District Community Development/National Extension Service Advisory Committee' and 'Taluka Community Development/National Extension Service Advisory Committee' have been set up to look after and tender advice in connection with the working of the programme. The committees consist of both officials connected with the programme as also non-officials. To aid and advise the Prant-cum-Project Officers in the task of all-round development, subject matter specialists like Agricultural Officers, Assistant District Cooperative Officers, Social Education Organisers, Deputy Engineers. Overseers, etc. have been appointed. Considerable delegation of powers has been made to Collectors, Prant-cum-Project Officers, etc. by way of decentralisation of powers, which necessarily avoids departmental routine and delay in the execution of the programme.

Gram Sevaks.

The lowest but the most important link in the chain of the administrative machinery devised for this development programme is the Gram Sevak who works in close contact with the villagers. A new cadre of Gram Sevaks (village level workers) has been formed by pooling the existing personnel of the Revenue, Co-operative and Agricultural departments, working at the level of group of villages in the block area. On appointment these Gram Sevaks perform revenue as well as extension duties. They are Circle Inspectors, Agricultural Assistants and Co-operative Supervisors, all in one. The talathis in charge of villages are designated as Assistant Gram Sevaks. The functions which the village level worker has to perform are of very great importance. He has to understand rural problems and the psychology of the farmer and offer solutions to his various difficulties. He has to find out the felt needs of the people and the solutions that he offers have to be demonstrated by working in close co-operation with the farmers. His success depends on the extent to which he gains the confidence of the farmers.

Gram Sevikas

Gram Sevikas have been appointed in stage I and II blocks to work amongst women and children. Their duties are similar to those of Gram Sevaks but restricted to activities which promote the welfare of women and children. These Gram Sevikas work under the supervision and guidance of the Mukhya Sevika (Lady Social Education -Organiser).

The various administrative departments and heads of departments have been directed to assign very high priority to matters relating to project works. In the district, the Collector, as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee, is also expected to bring about proper co-ordination in the work of the various development departments functioning in the project area.

Association of People.

The aim of the programme is community development and it can only take place when people themselves evince a keen interest in the programme. To this end people are sought to be associated as much as is possible with the planning of development schemes and their execution. While schemes involving large expenditure and requiring a high degree of technical skill are to be executed depart-mentally, other schemes are to be executed with as much co-operation as is possible from local agencies such as the District Local Board, Village Panchayats, etc., or, in the last resort by ad hoc committees formed of representatives of the villages.

Public Contributions.

To ensure people's participation in the development programme it has been laid down that various schemes or works are to be taken up on the basis of public contribution. The Collectors and Project Officers approve schemes only when minimum popular contributions are forthcoming. There is no limit to the maximum popular contribution which can even be cent, per cent. The scales of minimum popular contributions vary according to the nature of the schemes. Contributions may be in the form of cash, labour or materials. For schemes of irrigation the minimum contribution fixed is 33 per cent.; for drinking water wells 25 per cent.; for roads 33 per cent.; for school buildings 33 per cent.; for dispensaries or hospitals 25 per cent, of capital cost, and for community recreation centres and library buildings 50 per cent, of capital cost.

For certain reasons, mainly administrative, it was not considered desirable to have in this State separate and scattered units covering a population of 66,000 persons each and to style such units as National Extension Service blocks. It was considered that National Extension blocks should be made co-extensive with the limits of talukas and that such talukas, depending on their population, be considered as comprising one or more blocks for purposes of financial allotment.

Work in the District.

In the district, the Community Development programme was first introduced in 1953, by opening of a Community Development Block in Mandangad-Dapoli, on 2nd October 1953. It covered the whole of Mandangad Taluka and 25 villages of Dapoli Taluka. This block reverted to post-intensive stage on 2nd October 1956 after completing successfully its Community Development Block stage. Mandangad block entered Stage II with effect from 1st April 1958. The position of development blocks under different categories as on 1st May 1960 is as under:-

There are 13 development blocks of the Community Project Area pattern in Ratnagiri District, as mentioned below:-

Kudal block was in pre-extension stage up to 1st April 1960 and has been converted into Stage I with effect from 1st April 1960.

The following talukas and mahals in this district are yet to be covered by development blocks.

(1) Rajapur Taluka.

(2) Lanje Mahal.

The expenditure position of the Stage I and Stage II blocks as on 1st May 1960 is as under: -

Agriculture.

(i) Irrigation and Reclamation.-There is no scope for irrigation in this district. The loanable provision available under these items is, therefore, mainly utilised for granting loans for conversion of varkas lands into paddy lands by levelling and constructing bunds etc. In Dapoli, Khed and Sangameshwar blocks there was a demand for loans for this purpose. In Khed block, loans to the extent of Rs. 1,62,000 have been advanced to the cultivators.

The works of small bandharas have been taken up in the development blocks mentioned below: -

(ii) Horticulture.―There is much scope for horticultural development in this district. The major portion of provision available according to the schematic budget under the heads, " Irrigation and Reclamation" has therefore, been earmarked in Stage I block for granting loans to cultivators for mango and cashewnut plantations. The horticulture scheme involving financial provision as shown below has already been sanctioned by Government.

Out of the total loanable provision of Rs. 26,60,500 available under the heads, " Irrigation and Reclamation " in Mandangad, Dapoli, Khed, Sangameshwar, Ratnagiri and Sawantwadi block, loans amounting to Rs. 16,63,104 have been advanced to the cultivators up to 1st May 1960 for conversion of Varkas lands into paddy lands, mango and cashew plantations etc. The Blockwise figures of loans advanced up to 1st May 1960 are as under: -

Area of about 20,000 acres has so far been brought under mango and cashew plantation in all the Stage I and II blocks.

An area of about 42,200 acres has been taken up for construction of bunds, levelling, etc. and for conversion of varkas land into paddy lands in all the above development blocks.

(iii) Paddy Pilot Scheme.-The below mentioned talukas and mahals have been included in the paddy pilot scheme and talukawise targets have been fixed.

(i) Chiplun Paddy Pilot block..

In addition to these targets, it has been decided to implement the scheme in Mandangad, Ratnagiri, Vengurla and Malvan blocks The targets for these blocks are as under:-

Paddy Pilot Scheme was introduced in the district during 1958-59.

(iv) Cashewnut Development Scheme.-In addition to horticultural development schemes taken up in Stage I Blocks from the Block funds, the cashewnut development scheme of the Agricultural Department has been taken up for implementation in the entire Ratnagiri district. The following targets have been fixed for this scheme:-

The Director of Agriculture had placed at the disposal of the mamlatdars/mahalkaris amounts as detailed below for granting loans under this scheme for the period ending 31st March 1960.

Loans have been advanced to cultivators for the development of cashew plantation.

Education, Health and Welfare.

The people in all the blocks are particularly eager to have new primary school buildings and drinking water wells constructed in the villages. Popular contributions are easily made available by the villagers and/or by their societies in Bombay. The grant-in-aid works taken up in State I and Stage II Blocks in this district belong mainly to the following categories:-

1. Primary school buildings of 1 to 5 rooms.

2. Drinking water wells.

3. Samaj Mandirs (at Mandangad, Dapoli and Deorukh).

4. Veterinary Aid Centres.

5. Causeways.

6. Kaccha roads.

7. Jetties (in Mandangad and Khed blocks).

The progress in general, under the heads, ' Education and Health and Rural Sanitation' in all Stage I and Stage II Blocks is satisfactory. The major item under the head, ' Health and Rural Sanitation' is establishment of primary health centres in Stage I Development Blocks. The Government have so far sanctioned primary health centres in the following blocks.

Of these five primary health centres, the two primary health centres viz. at Kotawada in Ratnagiri Block and at Wave, T. Khed in Khed Block have started functioning.

The schemes for establishment of three primary health centres with nine sub-centres in Sangameshwar Stage I Block and two primary health centres with six sub-centres in Sawantwadi Stage I Block have been submitted to Government for approval.

Rural Crafts and Industries.

Rural Arts, Crafts and Industries.-Different training schemes have been taken up for implementation under this head, in Stage I and Stage II Blocks in the district. Training schools of the categories mentioned below are at present functioning in the blocks in this district.

Trainees from block areas take advantage of these schemes. Each trainee receives monthly stipend of Rs. 20 during training period. Societies of trainees are being formed in each block, and steps to give loans to the trainees to enable them to pursue the trades in rural areas are also taken.

Housing.

Housing.- It is observed generally in all the blocks that the people are reluctant to take loans for rural housing. There is thus no scope for utilising the provision for rural housing. However, loans have been advanced in Khed, Sangameshwar and Ratnagiri blocks during the last two months for carrying out repairs to the houses in rural areas.

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