Village Institution Program

The Village Institution Program creates alternative and autonomous platforms of participation for villagers to be involved in their own development process. Through democratically elected committees (Gram Vikas Committes or Village Development Committees), citizens (organize themselves to) manage a common fund (Gram Vikas Kosh or Village Development Fund) based (built) on their own contributions.

 

The need:

Official villages institutions do not ensure (satisfying) participation of villagers in their own development. Seva Mandir believes this lack of involvement leads to less effectiveness in terms improvement of villagers’ lives.


Impact:

Till now (up to now), Seva Mandir has supported the formation of 509 GVCs and 612 GVKs holding a total of 34,000,000 INR for common good and self-governance. Through diversified trainings led by Seva Mandir, the members of these committees have become able to strengthen community capacities in managing bank accounts, implementing development projects responsive to local needs and supporting villagers’ initiatives.

 

Current Situation:

  • There are 339 GVC’s are monitoring all of Seva Mandir’s local village activities like, Shiksha Kendras, Balwadi Centers, health activities and Natural Resource Development as well as paying all local level volunteers and employees from their fund interest.
  • There are 17 GVC’s that are all paying local level volunteers from their fund interest.
  • There are 26 GVC’s that are paying the majority of local level volunteers working in the various Seva Mandir activities.

 

Future Challenges:

The Village Institution Program faces several challenges:

  • A lack of recognition from official government institutions, which slows down the effectiveness of the GVCs.
  • A lack of participation from women in leadership roles within GVCs
  • Low levels of literacy in region can lead to difficulties in both accountancy and leadership responsibilities.

 

Specific interventions


Trainings: The Village Institution Program has made training a priority, conducting 5 different kinds, each of them aiming to raise villagers’ awareness and make GVCs more effective in their work toward villages development.

These trainings are:

  • Newly-elected GVC training: This training is to provide newly elected committee members information about Seva Mandir programs and the basic tools to manage a common fund.
  • Support to People’s Initiative (SPI): This training focusing on teaching GVC’s about the Seva Mandir programs running in their villages and the specific responsibilities for supervising and managing those development activities
  • Follow-up GVC training: This training is to strengthen existing GVCs in assessing their previous work and expanding upon their knowledge of development.
  • Government welfare schemes trainings: In this training a representative from every Panchayat zone that Seva Mandir works in is selected and informed about the major governmental welfare programs and schemes.  It is then the responsibility of that representative to go back to their zone and inform all its constituents about these programs and schemes and assist them in participating wherever possible and necessary.
  • Women members’ trainings: This training is specifically to develop women leaders.  It teaches women about development and enables them to participate and become more involved in their villages development process.
  • Accountant training: This training is to strengthen committee members’ financial knowledge and understanding of basic accounting and banking techniques.

 

If you would like to support our Village Institution Program or any of its specific interventions please visit our Donation Page

For more information please Contact Us