High Impact Mega Watershed Project in Chhattisgarh

We are happy to announce the launching of ‘High Impact Mega Watershed Project in Chhattisgarh’ in partnership with the Govt. of Chhattisgarh, Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation and Axis Bank Foundation. Through this four-year initiative a consortium of 13 CSOs* will facilitate land and water treatment measures covering 694,500 hectares of catchments in the upper ridges in 26 blocks of 12 districts in the state of Chhattisgarh and improve the cropping intensity in about 350,000 hectares of land. We would engage to build capacities of the front line functionaries, PRIs, community members and CSOs on ridge to valley principle of watershed implementation. The project aspires to enhance the income of 100,000 small and marginal farmers on a sustainable basis, more than 40 percent of whom belong to the Scheduled Tribes.

Why this project?

Chhattisgarh Government has come forward with this project to improve the implementation process of the MGNREGA by focusing on the watershed principles and ensuring the investments made under the Act respond adequately to the current needs of the poorest. The project aims to increase investments for creating durable assets for water and soil conservation in the three agro-ecological regions – Northern hills, Central plains and Bastar plateau through MGNREGA.

How Will It Happen?

As a consortium, along with 12 other CSO partners PRADAN will set up a project implementation and management team to provide facilitation support to the Gram Panchayats to mobilize the communities, prepare the detail project reports and technical support for on-field implementation. We will also provide capacity building and technical support inputs for Block/Panchayat MGNREGA functionaries as well as help CSOs in coordinating with MGNREGA cells at different levels.

Role of PRADAN

We will be the lead CSO in the facilitation of overall project implementation and play an active role in mentoring the CSOs and set up the Project Management Unit (PMU) to support MGNREGA cell for smooth implementation of this project. Apart from maintaining coordination between the State Government departments and the CSO partners, we will also develop the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials necessary for project implementation and building capacities of partners. PRADAN with collaboration with BRLF will engage in deployment of human resources, capacity building of project stakeholders, financial planning, coordination with MGNREGA cell at different levels for resource leverage and project monitoring.

PRADAN will also have an implementing role in two of the allocated blocks – Narharpur and Bhanupratappur in Kanker district.

* CSO Partners in the project are Bastar Sewak Mandal (BSM), Surguja Gramin Vikas Sansthan (SGVS), Shamayita Math (SM), Agrocrats Society of Rural Development (ASORD), Sahabhagi Samaj Sevi Sansthan (SSSS), Samerth Trust, CARMDAKSH, SRIJAN, Lok Shakti Samiti (LSS), SAMARTHAN, CHAUPAL and PRADAN