Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of ‘Gram Swaraj’ has come true in Ulindakonda Village in Kallore Mandal of Kurnool district. Visitors are amazed at the practices of the members of the village organisation.
Since the village covers a large area it has four watersheds assigned to it. It was included in the APRLP programme so that the landless poor could benefit from the development interventions. Earlier the village had 10 self-help groups, but with the introduction of the APRLP programme, the number rose to 39. The leaders of these self-help groups formed the village organisation. Every member of the self-help groups was charged a membership fee of Rs.10. As a result, a total of Rs.2, 650 was collected and kept in the village organisation’s account at the
local bank.
The village organisation laid down a set of rules for itself:
• The village organisation must meet twice a month.
• All the leaders of the self-help groups must attend the meetings.
• Every new group must pay a membership fee to the village organisation.
• The governing body must change once every two years.
• The village organisation’s accounts must be audited every year.
• The general body meeting must be convened every four to six months in the year.
• All members must participate actively in social development programmes.
• The books of accounts must be presented to all the members every month.
• Members who have taken loans from the village organisation must use it for the purpose it was intended.
• Loan installments must be repaid on time.
The management and governance of this village organisation has been exemplary.
They received Rs.8, 19, 000 as a revolving fund which was kept in the village organisation’s bank account. After receiving it, the village organisation conducted a PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal) in the village, through which they identified 138 families as POP (poorest of the poor) and 278 families as poor. Based on the assessment of the availability of raw materials, skills, resources and market demand, 35 types of possible livelihoods activities suitable for the village were identified.
The village organisation decided that the poorest would be given highest priority as recipients of support. The members of the village organisation meticulously screened group loan proposals to ascertain the viability of the proposed activities. Loans were to be sanctioned after one month from the date of application.
The borrower had to repay the loan in easy installments in 10-15 months. An interest of Rs.1 (12% per annum) was charged on the loan. Out of this 0.50 paise went to the self-help group and 0.50 paise to the village organisation. So far, 214 members have received loans for various livelihood enhancement activities.
The village organisation members have formed three sub committees:
• Procurement Committee – to check whether members have made the proposed purchases.
• Repayment Committee – to check whether the borrower is repaying the money regularly.
• Social Mobilisation Committee – to constantly provide information to villagers on various government schemes, and ensure that they reach them. Important among them are:
(i) Family planning,
(ii) Enrollment in formal schools of children involved in child labour
(iii) Pulse Polio Programme,
(iv) Awareness on AIDS, and
(v) Child marriage.
Members of the village organisation also prepared an action plan to achieve:
• Homes for the homeless.
• Awareness of higher education for the children of the poor.
• Stop seasonal migration.
• 100% literacy.
• Higher productivity.
Thus, the village organisation is marching ahead with a clear action plan, transforming ordinary women into successful entrepreneurs. Its endeavour is to banish poverty from the village. There cannot be any better beginning than this for our communities.
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