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INTRODUCTION.

The Working Group is the most important formation in the decentralized planning system. It has the most creative role to play. Also it has the most difficult task to carry out. In a sense the development decisions of a local government depends to a large extent on the quality of support it gets from the Working Group.

The Working Group is expected to add to the capacity of local governments to make good plans. It should assist the local government in developing a vision of what it should achieve - a vision based on experience, expertise and field reality as revealed from analysis of data.

ROLE OF THE WORKING GROUP

The Working Group is the key to realization of some of the core principles of decentralisation. They are:-

Determination of local priorities

The Working Groups are expected to identify priorities based on objective data linked to the expressed need of the people and linked to the local potential as revealed by expert opinion. While deciding local priorities it should be based on a grand vision of development of the sector and the priority should reflect local development consensus to be arrived at through democratic discussion and dialogue.

Decision making at the local level

The Working Groups should support proper decision making at the local level. It is expected to provide multiple options and sufficient information on the positive and negative features of each option so that the local government can make an informed choice based on transparent norms. The decision should reflect an equilibrium of the felt need of the people, the professional opinion of experts and the policy priorities of the local government.

Tapping of local expertise

Working Group is a professional support system. It is necessary to ensure that the best talent available is attracted for the purpose. The elected local government should go out of its way to persuade experts to join the Working Group and contribute to the development of the locality. Experts can be drawn even from outside the jurisdiction of the local governments if they are willing. It is up to the local government to ensure that there is an atmosphere for voluntary participation of experts. For this, the Working Group has to be above partisan politics and should be able to respect different points of view.
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COMPOSITION OF THE WORKING GROUP

3.1 The expertise expected to be included in the Working Group is multi-dimensional from four general sources.

The practitioners or the stakeholders

People who have acquired knowledge in the sector

People who are working or have worked in the sector whether in Government or outside

Socially committed people working in the sctor either individually or through NGOs.

3.2 Every local government should strive to achieve excellence in the composition and functioning of Working Groups. The Chairperson of the Working Group would be an elected member and the senior most official in that sector its Convener. The Vice-Chairman should be the leading expert in the Working Group. The Working Group would have the power to co-opt members as well as set up Task Forces to perform assigned functions.

FUNCTIONS OF WORKING GROUP

4.1 Stock taking of the Ninth Plan

Stock taking of the Ninth Plan would consist of the following elements.

Determination of the correct physical and financial achievement

The data will have to be collected from the records available with the implementing officers.

Verification of physical assets

All community assets including roads, bridges, buildings, water supply and irrigation schemes, electricity line extension schemes have to be inspected. For each of these items the present condition may be indicated and in the case of water supply schemes the level of water availability and number of families benefited should be indicated. In the case of irrigation schemes the benefited number of farmers (crop-wise), approximate increase in production and the ayacut area benefited should be indicated. Under electricity line extensions also the number of households benefited should be indicated. Wherever such schemes have been taken up under SCP or TSP the number of SC or ST beneficiaries and other beneficiaries may be indicated separately.

All unutilized public buildings may be listed out and the reasons for their non-utilisation found out and noted.

Movable assets given to co-operative societies may be verified.

Movable assets given to individual or group beneficiaries may be verified and their present level of use noted. In case they have been alienated or lying useless this fact may also be noted.

All houses, toilets and wells given to individual beneficiaries should be verified and whether the work has been completed and the entire money has been utilized should be found out.

For asset verification, squads may be constituted consisting of Working Group members and other volunteers from NCC, National Service Scheme etc. The services of NGOs may also be used.

Special Verification

The assistance given to co-operative societies and charitable societies would have to be found out. In each case it has to be verified whether it was used for the purpose for which it was sanctioned. If there is only partial achievement or zero achievement it has to be clearly mentioned. The assets created/distributed using funds transferred to co-operatives and charitable societies have to be noted.

The amounts spent on co-operatives and charitable societies organized by the local governments themselves have to be verified separately. Here in respect of each organization the following details are to be given.

Objectives

Activities of the Co-operative/Charitable Society

Present management structure

Present level of control by local governments

Assets and liabilities

Revenue and expenditure

Staff if any and cost of staff

Accountability systems like audit, publishing of accounts, verification by local governments etc.

Assessment of the present level of functioning including whether it can stand on its own.

A list of deposit works with KWA, KSEB and other government agencies should be drawn up agency-wise indicating year of deposit, nature of project, whether fully, partially or non-executed, amount deposited and amount spent.

Just as in the case of deposit works a similar exercise should be done for works entrusted to accredited NGOs.

Determination of spillover works

All the spillover works which need to be continued and which require funds from the Tenth Plan should be identified and listed out clearly indicating the amount required and the time required for completing the projects.

Evaluation

Using the data gathered from the above process and based on other modes of assessment a quick evaluation of the Ninth Plan should be done with special reference to the following:

Achievement of objectives

Level of achievement of targets

Following of prescribed process and procedures

Efficiency of expenditure in relation to the funds spent

The level to which felt needs were addressed

How much of local potential was exploited

Quality of achievement including quality of assets

Outputs and outcomes

The lessons for future based on what succeeded and what failed should be summarized. The evaluation should also document outstanding successes as case studies.

4.2 Developing a Vision

4.2.1

     The Working Group may follow the methodology outlined below for developing a vision of development and identifying priorities.

Preparation of a draft for discussion by the Convenor. This draft should provide a status picture of the sector, the performance in the last five years, the various issues and the suggested priorities based on need, possibilities etc.

Collection of additional data required, analysis and interpretation.

Consultation with stakeholders

Seeking of expert opinion both within the local government and outside if possible.

Describing the present level of development, determining the minimum level to be achieved in the sector (in terms of infrastructural standards, quality of services, coverage, production, productivity, income etc. - depending on the sector) and quantifying the gap.

Describing the steps required to fill the gap giving various options available.

Quantifying the resources required and indicating how they can be mobilized. There should be scope for a plan being implemented by the people with the local government only providing a catalytic organizing role.

Scope for attracting flow of credit directly and indirectly.

4.2.2

     Following this methodology the priorities may be suggested with adequate reasons. This should feed into revision of Development Report as well as preparation of the draft plan for discussion in the Grama Sabha and later in the Development Seminar.

4.2.3

     A rapid exercise may be done for the local government to make suggestions for the revision of the District Plan.

4.3 Preparation of draft Plan

4.3.1

     The draft Plan should come out of the process described earlier. It should be linked to the general guidelines issued by Government and the local guidelines issued by the DPC. The Working Groups may use the Handbooks issued by the State Planning Board for guidance on the subject.

4.3.2

     The Working Group should take care of cross-sectoral issues especially in poverty reduction, plan for special groups like Scheduled Castes, women, disabled, children, aged etc.

4.3.3

     Local economic development and natural resource management:- The plan should be linked to resources; in addition to plan grant, own fund, beneficiary contribution, community contribution and institutional finance have to be considered.

4.3.4

     The draft plan should have clear targets; and it should go beyond and indicate outputs and outcomes. The Working Group will also highlight the reform issues related to that sector. The suggestions for preparing the Reform Plan are:

The objectives of the Reform Plan are

To improve the way of functioning

To improve the quality of governance

To enhance the efficiency of governance

To broaden and deepen people's participation

To achieve efficiency in resource use

To make administrative systems in accordance with rules

To identify innovative mode of raising resources for development purposes

To eliminate corruption and nepotism

To improve the performance level of officials

The reform plan should clearly state how each of the above objectives are to be achieved by the local governments. The methodology to be followed, the action points and the milestones will have to be clearly indicated.

The reform plan should cover all the transferred offices, institutions and officials.

The reform plan should list out the services given by the local governments to the citizens and state how fast it can be given and in what improved quality.

The reform plan should also prescribe a grievance redressal system.

4.4 Preparation of Five Year Plan

4.4.1

     For preparation of a Five Year Plan the following steps are suggested.

Develop an overall vision of development of the local government with clarity on development of sectors as well as cross-sectoral areas like natural resource management, poverty reduction, local economic development, special plan for women, Scheduled Castes, Children aged, disabled etc.

From this vision the local government may decide what needs to be done in five years on special priority. This should include development utilizing plan funds, own funds and people's fund.

From this perspective the annual plans may be decided.

4.4.2

      While preparing the plan the following points may be kept in mind.

Details of all public works i.e., roads, bridges, buildings, irrigation works, electricity line extension, water supply etc., should be given in full - the name of the work, the dimensions of the work like length, area etc., approximate cost and so on. For costing annual increase of 5% may be assumed to take care of inflation.

In the case of beneficiary oriented programmes involving creation of infrastructure, the number of beneficiaries for each kind of infrastructural asset and the annual cost should be indicated for all the five years of the plan.

In individual or group beneficiary oriented programmes involving self employment, training etc., only the general details needs to be given for the last four years of the Plan. The detailed projects can be worked out before the start of every year.

For agricultural schemes only the broad details of projects need be indicated for the last four years of the plan showing the sub-sectors and the important elements of the project.

For quality improvement project in education, health etc. only general details need be given for the last four years of the plan.

4.5 Facilitating the process

4.5.1

     The Working Group members should actively participate in Grama Sabha/ Ward Sabhas and Grama Sabha equivalents and facilitate meaningful discussion.

4.5.2

      The stakeholder consultation by local government should be enriched by the role of Working Group members individually and collectively.

4.5.3

     Development seminar should also be converted into a forum for development dialogue and consensus formation.

4.6 Functioning of the Working Group

4.6.1

     The Working group should have as many members as possible. It should be strengthened through a process of inclusion. The group may assign work to individual members or sub-groups.

4.6.2

      As far as possible the group should network with other Working Groups. It should tap outside expertise both institutional and individual wherever practicable. The Working Group should make an effort to study from the best practices of the People's Plan Campaign.

4.6.3

      It is necessary to ensure that the representatives of Banks participate in the Working Group on Agriculture and Allied sectors as well as on Local Economic Development.

4.6.4

     There should be at least eight Working Groups in Village Panchayats. More Working Groups would be needed at Block Panchayat, District Panchayat, Municipality and Corporation levels. Local governments including Village Panchayats are free to constitute as many Working groups as may be required depending on availability of experts.

4.6.5

     Working Groups should keep crisp records of the major points discussed and its decisions.

CONCLUSION

It is the quality of functioning which is most important. Under no circumstances should the Working Group go through the motions just to satisfy the requirements of the guidelines. It should not get routinised or trivialized on its sincere and effective functioning depends the development interventions of the local governments.

S.M.Vijayanand
Secretary to Government (Planning)

The Director of Panchayats.

The Commissioner of Rural Development.

The Director of Municipal Administration.

The Principal Secretary, Rural Development.

The Secretary to Government, Local Self Government (Rural).

The Secretary to Government, Local Self Government (Urban).

All other Principal Secretaries and Secretaries to Government.

The Member Secretary, State Planning Board.

The Director of Public Relations (For immediate press release).

All Chairpersons of District Planning Committees.

All District Collectors & Secretaries to District Planning Committees.

All Presidents/Secretaries of Grama Panchayats.

All Presidents/Secretaries of Block Panchayats.

All Presidents/Secretaries of District Panchayats.

All Mayors/Secretaries of Corporations.

All Chairpersons/Secretaries of Municipalities.

All District Planning Officers.

All Departments in the Secretariat.

Copy to:

The Principal Secretary to Chief Minister.

The Private Secretary to the Minister, Local Self Government.

The Private Secretary to the Minister, Rural Development.

Private Secretaries to other Ministers.

The P.A. to Vice Chairman,, State Planning Board.

Joint Secretary to Chief Secretary.

All Members of State Level Coordination Committee for Decentralised Planning.

Planning & Economic Affairs Department.

Local Self Government Department.

Rural Development Department.