Role and Functions of the District Rural
Development Agency
- If effective
programme design is critical to successful implementation of rural
development programmes, so is an effective delivery agency. None of the anti- poverty programmes can
have impact unless they are implemented with a clarity of purpose and a
commitment to the task. It is here
that the DRDAs play a critical
role. The DRDAs are not be
implementing agencies, but can be very effective in enhancing the quality
of implementation through
overseeing the implementation of different programmes and ensuring that
necessary linkages are provided. To
this extent the DRDA is a supporting and a facilitating organisation and
needs to play a very effective role as a catalyst in development process.
- The District Rural
Development Agency is visualised as a specialised and a professional
agency capable of managing the anti- poverty programmes of the Ministry of
Rural Development on the one hand and to effectively relate these to the
overall effort of poverty eradication in the District. In other words, while the DRDA will
continue to watch over and ensure effective utilisation of the funds
intended for anit-poverty programmes, it will need to develop a far
greater understanding of the
processes necessary for poverty alleviation/ eradication. It will
also need to develop the capacity to build synergies among different agencies involved for
the most effective results. It will
therefore need to develop distinctive capabilities rather than perform
tasks that are legitimately in the domain of the PRIs or the line
departments. The role of the DRDA
will therefore be distinct from all the other agencies including the Zilla
Parishad.
- DRDAs must themselves
be more professional and should be able to interact effectively with
various other agencies. They are
expected to coordinate with the line departments, the Panchayati Raj
Institutions, the banks and other financial institutions, the NGOs as well
as the technical institutions, with a view to gathering the support and
resources required for poverty reduction effort in the district. It shall be their endeavor and objective
to secure inter-sectoral and inter- departmental coordination and
cooperation for reducing poverty in the district. It is their ability to coordinate and bring about a convergence
of approach among different agencies for poverty alleviation that would
set them apart.
- The DRDAs are
expected to coordinate effectively with the Panchayati Raj The institutions. Under no circumstances will they perform
the functions of PRIs.
- The DRDAs are
expected to oversee the implementation of different anti-poverty
programmes of the Ministry of Rural Development in the district. This is not to be confused with actual
implementation, which will be by the Panchayati Raj and other
Institutions. The DRDAs will monitor
closely the implementation through obtaining of periodic reports as well
as frequent field visits. The
purpose of the visit should be to facilitate the implementing agencies in
improving implementation process, besides ensuring that the quality of implementation of programmes is high. This would include overseeing whether
the intended beneficiaries are receiving the benefits under the different
programmes.
- The DRDAs shall keep
the Zilla Parishad, the State and the Central Government duly informed of
the progress of the implementation of the programmes through periodic
reports in the prescribed formats.
Special report, as and when called for, shall be provided.
- It shall be the duty of the DRDAs to oversee and ensure
that the benefits specifically earmarked for certain target groups (SC/ST,
women and disabled) reach them.
They shall take all necessary steps to achieve the prescribed
norms.
- The DRDAs shall take
necessary step to improve the awareness regarding rural development and
poverty alleviation particularly among the rural poor. This would involve issues of poverty,
the opportunities available to the rural poor and generally infusing a
sense of confidence in their ability to overcome poverty. It would also involve sensitizing the
different functionaries in the district to the different aspects of
poverty and poverty alleviation programmes.
- The DRDAs will strive
to promote transparency in the implementation of different anti- poverty
programmes. Towards this end, they
shall publish periodically, the details of the different programmes and
their implementation.
- Keeping in view, the
substantial investment that are being made in poverty alleviation
programmes, the DRDAs shall ensure financial discipline in respect of the
funds received by them, whether from Central or State Governments. They shall also ensure that the accounts
are properly maintained including in respect of the funds allocated to
banks or implementing agencies in accordance with the guidelines of
different programmes.
- Thus the role of the
DRDA is in terms of planning for effective implementation of anti-poverty
programmes; coordinating with other agencies- Governmental,
non-Governmental, technical and financial for successful programme
implementation; enabling the community and the rural poor to participate
in the decision making process, overseeing the implementation to ensure
adherence to guidelines, quality, equity and efficiently; reporting to the
prescribed authorities on the implementation; and promoting transparency
in decision making and implementation.
- In addition the DRDAs
shall coordinate and oversee the conduct of the BPL Census and such other
surveys that are required from time to time.
- The DRDAs shall also
carry out/ aid in carring out action research/ or evaluation studies that
are initiated by the Central/ State Governments.
- The DRDAs should deal
only with the anti-poverty programmes of the Ministry of Rural
Development. If DRDAs are to be
entrusted with programmes of other ministries or those of the State
Governments, it should be ensured that these have a definite anti-poverty
focus. Entrusting of any programme
to the DRDAs, other than anti- poverty programmes of the Ministry, be it
of any other Ministry of Government of India or the respective State
Government will have to be done with the approval of the Secretary, Rural
Development of the respective
State(s), who should examine such request in consultation with the
Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, In such cases, it must
be ensured that adequate provision is made for requisite staffing needed
for proper implementation of the programme.
Back
In
order to be effective, the DRDA must have an appropriate staffing structure as
well as suitable personnel policy. Keeping
in view the role and functions of the DRDA listed in the previous chapter, the staffing structure of DRDA must
include positions for Planning for poverty alleviation, Project formulation,
Social organisation and Capacity building, Gender concerns, Engineering
supervision and Quality control, Project monitoring, Accountancy and Audit
functions as well as Evaluation and Impact studies. An indicative staffing structure is given in
Annexure and is also detailed below. The
State Government may modify the structure suitably, but without altering the
basic design, to take care of the needs of individual districts keeping in view
their size as well as specificity.
However, this will also be subject to the overall ceiling of
administrative costs admissible to the DRDAs in the State. By and large the staff appointed should be
dedicated to DRDA- related works and should not be frequently transferred.
Back
