Recent Projects

Natural Resource Management

Food Security

Livelihood

Integrated Village Development

Rural Innovation

Financial Inclusion

Natural Resource Management

1. Watershed Development Leading the team in promoting model watershed projects under NABARD's Watershed development Fund in Jharkhand RO. By the end of March 2011, 16 projects were sanctioned in 10 Districts (Deoghar, Dumka, Dhanbad, Jamtara , East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Koderma, Ramgarh, Gumla, Palamau) of the Jharkhand. Two projects in Ramgarh district have been completed and are serving as model projects for the State. These projects will benefits over 15000 ha of degraded and marginal areas of the state by way of Soil conservation, water resource development, recharge of ground water, agriculture and horticulture development, afforestation, human resource development, income enhancement activities etc.

Impact Assessment of Tyma Watershed Project

Year No of project Total

geographical area

(Hectares)

Total Sanctioned

amount (Rs.

Crores)

Total disbursed

amount (Rs.

Crores) 2000-01 2 1791 1.30 1.30 2006-07 5 4651 3.67 3.41 2008-09 2 2395 0.21 0.19 2010-11 6 5910 0.50 0.29

Total 15 14747 5.68 5.19

Sr Particulars Pre watershed Post watershed

1 Net sown area 101 ha (33% of total land area) 178 ha (58% of total land area)

2 Area under double cropping 17 ha (5.5% of total land area) 102 ha (33% of total land area)

3 Area under triple cropping 06 ha (2% of total land area) 43 ha (14% of total land area)

4 Families with year round security 33.00% 80.00%

5 Av. annual income from Agriculture Rs.4,600.00 Rs.18,000.00

6 Families accessing credit from banks 17 families 138 SHG membe - families

7 Month of engagement in farming 4 month 10 month

8 Plantation and pasture development 0 33.71 ha

9 Bank loan mobilised 0 23.08 lakh

Success Story Project : Tyma Watershed

Block : Gola

District : Ramgarh

Agency : PRADAN

F.A. : Rs. 62.64 lakh

Area Covered : 1016 Ha

Beneficiaries : 632 households

Revenue villages covered: 4

Interventions:

Soil and water conservation, water resource development, Community development programme, formation and credit linkage of SHGs, crop development, drudgery reduction activities.

2. Tribal Development

Leading the team in NABARD RO Jharkhand, which is implementing 24 tribal development projects in the State covering 14 districts (West Singbhum, Ranchi, Godda, Gumla, Lohardaga, Godda, Dumka, Pakur, Jamtara, Palamu, Garhwa, East Singbhum , Sariekella Kharsawan , Hazaribagh) with financial support from its Tribal Development fund. The program is based on a silvi-horticulture farming model comprising of fruit crop based orchards, border plantation of forestry plants, which would meet the fuel, fodder, timber, food security as well as medicinal needs of the tribals beside promoting valuable intercrops during the initial years of development. It also provides for other income generating livelihood activities i.e. apiculture, goatery, piggery, poultry, Tassar, Lac cultivation etc. The other components are, improvement of health, drudgery reduction, women development etc. The border plantations could be so chosen as to promote livelihood activities like lac & tassar through appropriate host plant. Out of the 24 projects, 20 projects are purely wadi (Orchard) based projects, 2 projects are sanctioned for Tasar related activities and 2 projects for supporting poultry activities in the state. About 16000 tribal families will be benefitted from the program. The General Layout of a „wadi‟

The Progress

Sl. No

Year No of project s

No. of tribal

Families

Total Financial

Assistance (Rs. lakh)

Grant Rs.

Lakh

Loan Rs. Lakh

1 2005-06 1 1000 396.37 360.34 36.03 2 2008-09 1 1000 412.92 392.92 20 3 2009-10 3 3000 1225 1135 90 4 2010-11 11 7435 3194 2939 255

Total 24 15955 6562 6070 491

Food Security

1. System of Root Intensification System of Rice Intensification

I have been spearheading the SRI movement in Jharkhand through 52 pilot projects on SRI undertaken by us in Jharkhand during 2010-2012, with the support of 49 PIAs and 5 RAs. Under the pilot projects 34000 farmers were assisted covering 8400 acres. The yield attributes of the SRI paddy, representing upland, midland and low land situations involving more than 60 varieties of paddy reflects much higher values for SRI paddy in comparison to the traditional method of cultivation: the number of effective tillers per hill (32 for SRI as against 11 under traditional method); the number of grains per panicle (185 for SRI as against 115 under traditional method); Grain yield in Q/Ha (69.5 for SRI as against 35.5 under traditional method); Straw yield in Q/Ha (71.72 for SRI as against 44.2 under traditional method). Similar trend was observed for each paddy variety and under all the three topographical situations. The results clearly established the additional food security potentials following SRI method of cultivation i.e. 155 days, 546 days and 1109 days for land holding class 0-1acre, 1-2 acre and above 2 acres respectively. The results also showed better cost : benefit ratio for SRI method over traditional method in all the three land types. The Project also showed drastic reduction in seed requirement as well as draught proofing mechanism of SRI. The SRI method is also being tried in wheat, mustard and other crops by our PIAs in Jharkhand. The success of the pilot projects attracted attention of Dr. Norman Uphoff, Professor, International Institute for Food, Agriculture and Development, Cornell University, NY, who had come down to Jharkhand during 4-6 January, 2012 to share his experiences and also to meet the stake holders of SRI in Jharkhand. The results of the SRI projects in Jharkhand was presented by me at the Jan 13th round table organised by the National Consortium on SRI (NCS) for the 12th Five Year Plan, held at the Council for Social Development, Lodi Road, New Delhi.

Food Security 2. Intensive vegetable cultivation through Drip

The program was conceived by me to explore the possibilities of improving the cropping intensity, especially by bringing more area under cropping during Rabi season, through the application of drip irrigation to vegetable cultivation and improving its productivity. A program was drawn up to promote the activity in areas having irrigation facilities, through selection of beneficiaries eligible for bank finance and subsidy under National Mission on Micro-Irrigation through experienced NGOs, which are to provide the required support in terms of capacity building, exposure visits, on-farm extension support, supply of inputs including planting materials, for which poly-nurseries have been provided to each project. The program is to cover 3500 farmers in 12 districts with the management support of 24 NGOs and technical support from ICAR Research institute for Eastern Region and the SAU. The program is Bank finance linked. The initiative of NABARD has resulted in installation of more than 1500 drip systems and 25 Poly nurseries in the State so far. Many more farmers are joining the program. Apart from the regular capacity building programs, the system providers are also conducting demonstrations on installation and maintenance of Drip system. So far 2600 beneficiaries have been trained. A grant of Rs.1.80 Crore has been sanctioned under the program to 25 NGOs under the project. An amount of Rs.78.10 lakh has been disbursed so far under the program.

Progress

Objective of the program

Standardize the cultivation practices & production parameters of different vegetables under Drip Irrigation

Enhance unit area productivity

Increase in Farm Income

To reduce water requirement

Better adoption of the technology

Outcomes of the project

The package of practices, yield parameters and economics worked out in r/o 08 crops so far

Yield increase by 35-60% observed

Increase in income - more than Rs. 50,000 from 25 decimal area.

40-50% reduction in water requirement observed

To be assessed post-project

Livelihood Promotion Sericulture (Tassar Cultivation) In Jharkhand, Tassar Sericulture is being practiced traditionally by the Tribals since time immemorial. Considering the availability of rich forest area and available skill, there exists immense scope for sustainable employment opportunities through sericulture activities. Kharsawa district of Jharkhand is considered to be the epicentre for Tassar silk. Jharkhand state alone accounts for more than 40% of Tassar Silk production in India.

Tassar activities MASUTA, a producer Company, based at Deoghar, promoted by PRADAN and JHARCRAFT, a GoJ promoted producer organisation, based at Ranchi are the major players in the sector. MSUTA is a producers' company of Tassar yarn reelers and spinners. However, this activity has spawned a host of other activities in the region like Arjun plantation on degraded land, Tassar cocoon growing, growers of seed cocoons, grainages, etc., bringing about a slow but steady economic, social and environmental evolution in the region. Finished yarn is sorted, graded and packed at the grading centers. The sorting and grading is done by experts and the producer gets remuneration as per the grading of the produce.

Our Intervention Realising the potentials, based on value chain analysis of the sector, NABARD, Jharkhand RO, has been providing working capital assistance to the two organisations i.e. MASUTA and JHARCRAFT, for purchase of cocoon and marketing. The MASUTA project has supported 2500 tribal women under NABARD loan assistance of Rs. 200 Lakh. With this effort the average income of each beneficiary has increased by Rs. 25000 per annum.

A project on 'Improved Solar Powered Spinning Machines' has been sanctioned to PRADAN for providing improved solar powered spinning machines to the women Tassar yarn spinners in Dumka district with grant assistance of Rs. 9.58 lakh. The intervention has led to increased productivity, drudgery reduction and spinoff benefit in terms of increased study period for the children at night. As a backward integration we have supported PRADAN for Tassar based 'Wadi' program, in Godda district

Lac Production Lac is an importance economic activity for the tribal population of the State. Based on its value chain analysis, we have drawn up a strategy in consultation with the stakeholders to address the various issues confronting the sector, starting with technology for cultivation and supply of good quality brood lac to value addition and marketing. Our Interventions 1. Support for improvement in technology of lac cultivation involving

higher productivity, survival and returns, through Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums (IINRG), Ranchi.

2. Action research programme on Kusumi lac cultivation on ber (alternate host) was sanctioned to 04 agencies in Ranchi, Khunti, West Singhbhum districts. The 04 agencies were given a total grant assistance of Rs. 34.53 lakh which benefitted 1100 families.

3. Our intervention in this regard has helped in improving availability of

brood lac and also increased its productivity during 2010-11.

4. In order to promote scientific cultivation of Kusumi Lac involving two alternate host plants i.e. Kusum and Ber during summer and monsoon respectively, 05 projects have been sanctioned with a total grant support of Rs. 40.53 lakh for 3 years (2010-2013). This program would benefit 2400 lac growers in the state in transfer of advanced technology of broodlac prodution. The scientific package, involves identification of good host plants, improved pruning techniques, superior practices for brood innoculation, rotation of brood, spraying of insecticides and fungicides in a regulated schedule, follow up on male insect emergence, predator attacks, proper growth, proper time for harvest and better conversion (around 2.5 to 4 times).

5. We are also supporting lac processing, product development and

value addition for which, a grant support of Rs. 10 lakh was extended to BIOVED, Allahabad, to impart training on cultivation of lac as well as lac based handicrafts to the beneficiaries in Jharkhand at their doorsteps.

Financing Small Holder Women Poultry Growers Society

In order to promote livelihood opportunities of tribal women, we have been looking for avenues to support producers organizations for the required interventions in the value chain. Jharkhand Women Self Supporting Poultry Cooperative Federation ltd. provided us the opportunity for the much needed intervention. It is a state level federation of women poultry cooperative societies. The aim of the federation is, storage, marketing, processing, input supply, veterinary services, health care, insurance, capacity building of the growers etc. Presently, the federation has 9 member Co-operatives with operations spread over Lohardaga, Gumla, Khunti, E.Singbhum, Bokaro, Koderma, Godda and Dumka districts. The current scale of chick placement in all the cooperatives is to the tune of 6 lakh day-old chicks per month. At this scale, the Federation sustains the largest organised poultry operations in eastern India with 3600 producer members.

The units were initially of smaller size with 300 birds, which have increased to 500 birds at present. It was observed that some of the units which are in operation for 8 years, have gained sufficient experience and have expanded to 1000 birds, with own savings. The cost of shed & equipment was reported to be Rs. 75/Ft2 and rearing cost to be Rs. 55/bird as under.

The rearing period varied from 30-35 days and each cycle of 45 days. The number of batches varied from 6-8 in a year, with an average of 7 batches. The net income was in the range of Rs.2500-3000/ batch of 500 birds. The services extended by the Co-operative includes, Supply of Day Old Chicks; production of feed at its feed mixing plant ; Supply of feed to growers; Supply of medicines & vaccines; Marketing and Capacity building of members. Realising the potentials of the sector, we took the initiative of carrying forward the program by supporting the 1000 new units in Godda and Dumka districts by providing a total loan amount of Rs, 208 lakh and a grant support of Rs, 33 lakh under its UPNRM window and an additional grant amount of Rs.84 lakh out of its Tribal Development Fund. Successful implementation of the project would give opportunities for Banks and NABARD to finance such producer‟s organizations in the state..

Village Development Program (VDP)

The development indices of the State, indicates that the average family income, infrastructure development and human development of rural Jharkhand is far behind the national average and the gap is even wider when compared with the advanced states. The most glaring deficiencies are in the areas of Irrigation coverage, road connectivity, access to electricity, power consumption, per capita income, pucca houses, sanitation, drinking water facilities, literacy rate, the net sown area and cropping intensity. It is in the above backdrop that NABARD felt the need for integrated village development addressing the issues of rural infrastructure, water resource, natural resource management, improvement in farm income, intensification of crop production and productivity, crop diversification, promoting livelihood (allied agriculture/forest based/non-farm activities), cluster development, use of renewable energy, human development, social development, financial exclusion, value addition at producers level, marketing etc. Such integrated village development is possible only through convergence of various development programmes / schemes of the State / Central Government, NABARD, various development agencies; credit support from the financial institutions, technology transfer from research institutions and support from the civil society organisations. With the above objectives in mind, I have been leading the team at NABARD RO, Jharkhand, which has launched VDP in 34 villages all over the State. The results are very encouraging in terms of post-development indices. The results from one such village is presented here.

The Story of Tardiha Village VDP in the village Tardiha in Mohanpur block of Deoghar district is an on-going project. The village is very backward from the point of view of infrastructure, agrarian production & productivity, livelihood opportunities, human development and financial inclusion. The cropping intensity is a mere 60%. The livelihood opportunities are not many. The Progress.....

Particulars Pre-Project Present Status

Irrigated Land (Ha) 11.3 22.3

Wasteland (Ha) 3.7 2.7

Cropping intensity (%) 60 145

Yield of Paddy (Qtl./ Ha) 15 50

Yield of Wheat (Qtl./ Ha) 11 42

Yield of Maize (Qtl./ Ha) 9 25

Poverty Induced Migration (%) 50 20

Degraded Resource

Soil erosion.

Scanty Rainfall.

Forest disappeared

Increase in population

Increase in animal husbandry

Drought

Decrease in agricultural productivity.

The Revival

Improved agricultural

productivity

Increased Livelihood opportunity

Improved energy use

Improved Health status

Improved Literacy

Financial Inclusion for all

Improved water and sanitation.

Improved Housing

Resource Mapping

Rural Innovations

A project to assess its efficacy of rearing Khaki Campbell breed of duck through backyard management as viable enterprise, was supported to Ramakrishna Mission KVK at Ranchi and supervised by me. It has proven to be one of the most profitable enterprise for the rural people especially the tribal people of Jharkhand. The same has spread to other parts of the State as a viable livelihood opportunity.

While engaged in a discussion with the scientists at ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region Centre at Plandu, Ranchi, it appeared to me that the technology of ultra-high density orcharding of guava if developed fully, could offer a viable package of practice for the upland areas of Jharkhand. An experimental projects was thus sanctioned to the institute. The results of the trials indicate yield possibility of 15-18 tons/acre, compared to productivity of 3-5 tons/acre under traditional method. Thus, it may be concluded that the yield per unit area following the technology, is 4 times the existing production. A profit of Rs.1.16 lakh can be obtained over a period of 4 year.

We supported one unique initiative of Naree Samvedana and Jharkhand Alternative Development Forum, for setting up Micro Thermal Power Plant in a remote village (Dalbhanga) of Kuchai block in Saraikela-Kharsawan district. The project is able to provide electricity to more than 200 households in the village. The 10 KW thermal power plant fired by biomass, the availability of which, is immense in the forest around the village, help in lighting the homes and also runs machines like oil expeller, atta chakki, and water lifting devices.

An intervention on use of renewable solar energy has been made in watershed project areas by Indian Rural Association (IRA) with our support under Rural Innovation Fund towards setting up of 7 nodes of solar home light system, comprising of 30 SHL units and one charging station per node at a cost of Rs. 8.40 lakh. The SHL units have resulted in increase in productivity of the handloom units by 3 hrs. per day and the children are able to use the same for study in the evening hours. The charging stations beside earning Rs 200/- per day from charging of SHL systems are able to earn additional amount of Rs. 300/- from charging of mobile telephones.

With a view to providing alternate livelihood opportunities and also to address the issue of malnutrition, we have supported a pilot project on spirulina cultivation to RACHNA, an NGO in Deoghar, for setting up of a mother unit and capacity building of 20 SHG members for production and marketing of spirulina. The women members are earning around Rs3000/- per month from this activity.

Financial Inclusion

As per the National goal for financial inclusion, banking outlet has to be provided in every village having population above 2000 by March 2012. There are 1541 such villages in Jharkhand and as per SLBC plan, banking outlets in all those villages will be set up in two phases i.e. 730 in 2010 – 11 and in 811 in 2011 – 12. Moreover, all the households in the state need to be financially included by 2015.

FIF & FITF: Around 75 percent of population in Jharkhand is yet to be financially included. Dr. Rangarajan‟s committee has identified 12 districts as extremely financially excluded. There are two funds with NABARD – the Financial Inclusion Fund (FIF) and the Financial Inclusion Technology Fund (FITF) with an initial corpus of Rs. 500 crore each, subsequently enhanced by another Rs. 100crores, to be contributed by GoI / RBI / NABARD. The FIF focuses on interventions like, “Farmers‟ Service Centres”, “Promoting Rural Entrepreneurship”, “Self-Help Groups and their Federations”, “Developing Human Resources of Banks”, “Promotion of Resource Centres” and “Capacity Building of Business Facilitators and Correspondents”, while the FITF will focus on funding of low-cost technology solutions.

NABARD initiatives In Jharkhand RO, we have supported a number of programs under FIF & FITF to the Banks & NGOS to meet the above goals:

FIF : Financial literacy camps in 740 villages with grant of Rs. 25 Lakhs 10 stake holders‟ capacity building program (Rs. 14 Lakhs) 2 programs on Bank Linkage of 5300 households to ISMW & Basix Doordarshan program for 24 episodes on financial inclusion Assistance of Rs. 14 lakhs to the 2 RRBs to conduct street plays in

150 villages FITF : To address the need for low – cost technology solutions NABARD has

provided grant assistance of Rs. 16.99 Crores to both the RRBs in the state for implementation of card based ICT solutions and conversion of all their branches to CBS.

Additional support for hand held devices, smart cards & personalization 423 villages with population more than 2000 but unbanked.

As a result of such interventions, coupled with efforts of other banks, the number of “No Frills Accounts” in the state has reached 40 lakh as on 31 March 2011 with a lot more in the offing.

Level of Exclusion : 75% Unbanked Villages : 1541 (>2000 population)

Progress under FITF & FIF Pilot project : 2 lakh Cards (to 2 RRBs) Addl. Prog. : 9 lakh Cards (423 villages) No Frill A/C : 40 lakh (By Banks)