Livelihoods Resource Center at cluster level
The capacity building strategy recognizes the need for an easily accessible and dependable capacity building infrastructure and facilities for village level functionaries like members of Grama Panchayati; villager Organization, User Groups, SHGs, labor groups, volunteers, secretaries and so on. It is important to understand that the LRC would provide the necessary infrastructure and facilities for capacity building, while a Pool of Resource Persons (PRP) takes up the functional responsibilities and provides capacity building inputs.
1. Structural Aspects of LRC:
i. For every cluster of 50 to 60 watersheds (under different stages) and/or 5 to 6 PIAs, a Livelihoods Resource Center (LRS) would be established. These LRC would act like a “One Point Stop” for all learning needs of the primary stakeholders in 50 to 60 watersheds under its command area.
ii. The LRC will be preferably be located in a Velugu Mandal Resource Center, which is centrally located to the 50 to 60 watersheds in the given mandals. Alternatively,
· Wherever good infrastructure facilities are available with NGOs in the region could also be considered.
· Any other government/ institution with required infrastructure could be considered for LRC.
iii. Details of the process to be adopted for selection of resource centers, the minimum facilities to be available, etc will be issued separately.
iv. Institutions with adequate infrastructure
v. This LRC would be equipped with adequate training facilities and relevant resource materials (modules, communication material, audio visual aids and so on).
vi. This center would be repository knowledge and best practices and act like Knowledge Center at cluster level for all the associated watersheds and PIAs.
vii. This LRC would be having a skeletal staff of two persons to facilitate the capacity building inputs and manage the center. These two persons are
· A Course Coordinator
· One or Two Assistants
viii. The staff of LRC would be imparted orientation and aspects of related to the management of LRCs at state levels.
2. Functional Aspects of LRC:
i. The LRC would act like a learning center for members of Village Organization, User Groups; SHGs; Labor Groups; PRI members; village level functionaries and others.
ii. It is envisaged that the LRC would be able to access the services of a large number of experts/ resource persons/ facilitators to support the capacity building activities in their center/-attached watersheds. This group of resource persons would be called “Pool of Resource Persons”.
iii. Individuals and representatives of the following institutions could be selected and trained as members of PRPs.
· Experienced Farmers in the catchment of the LRC
· Experienced members/ leaders of existing CBOs in associated villages
· Representatives of NGOs/ PIA associated with the LRC (WDT/ NGO Coordinators/ Any other experienced person)
· Representatives of PRI/ NGO working in the region
· Representatives of Velugu working in the region
· Government officers from line departments
iv. The members of PRP would be formally empanelled by based on certain objective criteria by a committee. Details of this committee and the process of selection of PRPs would be issued separately.
v. This center also acts like a nerve center for a variety of functions that strengthen watershed activities in the given cluster. (e.g. Participatory monitoring; process review and monitoring, data management and so on).
vi. The cost norms for conducting different types of capacity building activities would be communicated in a separate circular.
3. Action Plans for Capacity Building:
i. The group of PIAs or Network of NGOs associated with a LRC would develop an action plan for project and related capacity building action plans.
ii. The group of PIAs/ Network of NGOs would compile these action plans for capacity building for a given time frame. This sets the agenda of LRC in terms of capacity building inputs to be provided at the LRC.
iii. Similarly action plans for capacity building would be developed by each Village Organization for different actors at the watershed level, with the support of PIA. These action plans also would be compiled at LRC level.
iv. Based on these action plans from group/ network of PIAs and VOs, the Course Coordinator would develop a calendar of events for the 50 to 60 watershed projects. This also becomes the basis for coordinating with PRP to deliver the capacity building inputs at the LRC.
v. MDT concerned would initially scrutinize the action plans for capacity building and community organization. The final approval of the action plans would be made in a process similar to that of other plans, for which separate guidelines are issued.
4. Finances:
i. The community organization and capacity building portion of the budget should be transferred to the VO through the Grama Panchayati concerned. The VO in tern will sponsor the trainees to the LRC, by paying the required fees.
· In Case of Ongoing Watershed Projects: The unspent amounts available under CO and CB to be transferred to the Grama Panchayati and then eventually to VO.
· In Case of New Watersheds: The budget of CO and CB budget should be transferred to Grama Panchayati and eventually to VO.
ii. The utilization of this budget is according to the action plan for capacity building and community organization at VO level.