Structure of the Implementation system and roles of respective bodies

• Major Focus areas: A total of around 56 blocks of 6 districts to receive impetus from MGNREGA. This would include 20 Blocks of Purulia, 14 Blocks of Bankura, 8 Blocks of Jhargram, 2 Block of West Midnapore, 7 Blocks of Pashchim Bardhaman and 5 Blocks of Birbhum. The key question here is- how to orchestrate bigger actions around the concept? Bringing on board good / credible NGOs, DMMUs, expert organizations to a common platform.
• The implementation structure on the ground is the Panchayat. Support mechanisms will be strengthened around panchayats to enable these bodies implement MGNREGS efficiently, ensuring durable asset creation for marginalized communities as also improvement of the overall hydrology of the area, thereby rejuvenating the rivers and streams.
• The Panchayat Pradhans would be facilitated to work with the SHGs, Upa-Sangha and Sangha to develop village-wise, area-wise watershed plans. For this, the PRI and SHG collectives would be made aware of the watershed principles, understand natural resource endowments and the procedures of DPR preparation, rights of Gram Sabhas to ratify the DPR and subsequent processes of implementation and monitoring. Further, the Government administrative apparatus (BDO, Nodal Officer) would be supported to understand the key elements of the watershed approach, both technical and process interventions in order to effectively monitor and guide the implementation.
• NGOs with proven track record, presence in these regions, quality human resources and sound internal systems of governance and management may be invited to participate in the programme as a consortium. Their major roles would be to strengthen community collectives such asUpasanghaand Sanghas to build interface with PRI and Block Administrations, supporting Upasangha and Panchayats to prepare DPRs, introduce a result frame to monitor progress around key watershed parameters and coordinate with the office of the NREGA Commissioner and relevant stakeholders to build concerted actions on the ground.Post assetisation, the NGOs would play significant roles in the promotion of appropriate farming system for the sustainable use of natural resources
• The State proposes to strengthen the office of the MGNREGA Commissioner with induction of a GIS expert and an MIS manager. The GIS expert will help in the determination of geo-physical features of any targeted area for treatment, calculate catchment and command areas, identify suitable sites for specific land and water conservation structures, estimate impact of the structures and geo-tagging of the same post implementation. In a nutshell, his expertise would aid in the process of planning and monitoring at the apex level. The MIS Manager would assist in collating and tabulating data around key indicators, put it in an analytical frame to generate different reports, to aid the process of planning and reporting. Thirdly, the office of the MGNREGA Commissioner have spoken about need for consulting experts in the relevant fields, who can bring in knowledge contents as also support the State by ways of developing standard operating procedures to integrate watershed approach with MGNREGA, engaged in perspective building and training of stakeholders at all levels, create a pool of village based watershed experts (Dhara Sevaks) and set up a result frame to aid in monitoring and evaluation of the initiative. It is proposed to create a pool of experts drawn from PRADAN, ACWADAM, WASSAN, AKRSP and some individuals well known in the field. Their engagements would be periodic, as per the requirements of the State.