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Nodal NGO Initiative: CAPART
Since Independence, Government of
India has been implementing various developmental
programmes for improving quality of life. But, despite
efforts made by the Government, the benefit of its
programme has not reached to the many segments of needy,
poor and deprived strata of the community in real terms.
Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural
Technology (CAPART) since its inception has initiated
various programmes in rural development through NGOs in
every State. Since CAPART's initiatives are not being
channelised through State Departments/District
administration, monitoring, evaluation and selection of
NGOs is done directly by CAPART Headquarters and its
regional offices. Nodal NGOs are nominated in each State
which ensures that CAPART's various programmes in rural
technology, livelihood promotion, skill development and
roof top water harvesting (water conservation) are
followed up in a focused manner with a need based and
location specific approach. This also facilitates project
and NGO mapping in real time to provide reliable
developmental information. The lead NGO uses CAPART’s
resources and its own local knowledge, experience and
understanding of ground realities to build up a database
of grassroot NGOs.
In this regard, CEE was recognized by CAPART as Nodal NGO
for six blocks (Jasdan, Halvad, Ahwa, Kaparada, Dharmpur
and Songadh) in Rajkot, Surendranagar, Dang, Valsad and
Surat districts of Gujarat since April 2007. Under this
initiative CEE is also implementing the Rain Water
Harvesting Structure (RWH) Project and Rural Sanitation
Programme (RSP) in this region. The project duration is 2
years and is being implemented at the existing 64 project
villages.
Rain Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS) Project:
The main objective of RWHS project under Nodal NGO is to
provide rooftop rain water harvesting structures for those
who have limited access to water sources and enable
families to independently store a safe, long term supply
of safe drinking water without jeopardising their
livelihoods and health of families. This project will also
provide opportunities to demonstrate RWHS and educate
rural community about their benefits of improved health,
hygiene and livelihood. Those who have limited access to
resources, who belong to castes considered low in the
social hierarchy, who are in difficult financial
conditions, this project will enable them to independently
store a year long supply of safe drinking water and will
provide free time to women who would otherwise spend hours
collecting water. In all 420 RWHS will be constructed in
the 64 villages of this project in the span of one year.
Rural Sanitation Project (RSP): Sanitation remains
one of the biggest development challenges and is
appropriately one of the millennium development goals. In
keeping with the principles of sector reforms and the
philosophy of community participation and
demand-responsive strategies, it is critical to mobilise
communities to seek solutions and to plan and implement
sanitation schemes by creating awareness and motivating
behavioural changes. Once communities are motivated to
change behaviour patterns, they seek for sanitation
facilities that ultimately lead to improved health and
self-esteem. It is not simply the lack of facilities that
keeps people away from proper sanitation practices. Lack
of awareness about proper hygiene behaviour and
socio-cultural factors are also responsible for
unsatisfactory sanitation practices. Communities must
internalise the need to adopt improved hygienic behaviour,
they must know and understand the need for proper
sanitation as well as how it can be achieved. The main
objective of RSP under Nodal NGO is construction of
innovative, practical sanitation models for rural
community; and increase understanding of safe drinking
water, personal hygiene and sanitation. In all 488
sanitation units will be constructed in the 64 villages of
this project in the span of one year.
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