Report of the Committee on Restructuring DRDA. - Ministry of Rural ...

5.1.3 What is required as a non-negotiable in any programme <strong>of</strong> poverty
eradication is a process <strong>of</strong> motivating <strong>the</strong> poor to form <strong>the</strong>ir own institutions,
and through <strong>the</strong>ir ‘own’ institutions, over which <strong>the</strong>y have effective control,
provide long term handholding support to <strong>the</strong>ir members. The members
<strong>the</strong>mselves would decide whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y should build new organisations or use
existing ones as instruments <strong>of</strong> action. Strong institutional platforms <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>
poor, empower <strong>the</strong>m and enable <strong>the</strong>m to build-up <strong>the</strong>ir own human, social,
financial and o<strong>the</strong>r resources. They enable <strong>the</strong>m to access <strong>the</strong>ir rights,
entitlements and livelihoods opportunities, including services (both from <strong>the</strong>
public and private sector). The social mobilization process enhances solidarity,
voice and bargaining power <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poor. A key to social mobilisation is a
sensitive support organisation. Such an organisation performs a critical
function as an umbrella organization for capacity creation. The support
organisation, which can be an external organisation or an organisation owned
by <strong>the</strong> poor provides enabling environment and a sensitive support mechanism
in which people can work for <strong>the</strong>mselves to improve <strong>the</strong>ir own lives.
5.1.4 However, building institutions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poor has not been seen as a core
investment. In many development programmes, it has been merely seen as a
way <strong>of</strong> involving <strong>the</strong> poor in a specific <strong>the</strong>matic area, that too for a limited
period <strong>of</strong> time. Once <strong>the</strong> programme funds are exhausted, <strong>the</strong>se ‘people’s
institutions’ have also wi<strong>the</strong>red away. For sustainable poverty eradication it is
essential that institutions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poor need to be nurtured for a reasonable
period <strong>of</strong> time and it should be seen as a core component and as an end in
itself and not as a ‘limited’ component.
5.2 Typology <strong>of</strong> organisations <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poor
The participatory organisations <strong>of</strong> poor can be classified into four broad
categories:
i. Thrift and credit based Women’s organisation, where <strong>the</strong> poor women
are organised into self-help groups (SHGs). In states like A.P, Kerala and
Bihar <strong>the</strong> self-help groups have been federated at village and higher
levels. The state missions for rural livelihoods and NGOs are playing a
key role in this effort.
28