Women groups managing natural resources get Rs 3.62 cr from UNDP

New Delhi, Nov 21 (UNI) The 'Social Mobilisation around Natural Resource Mobilisation around Natural Resource Management and Poverty Alleviation', being implemented by the Government with the assistance of UNDP in Orissa, Rajasthan and Jharkhand, has received Rs 3.62 crore during 2006-07.

The amount has been released to various implementing agencies working for the special five-year project being implemented from 2003 in 11 districts of these three States.

The Ministry of Rural Development will also ensure that an equal amount is available from 'Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojna' for appropriate activities to be undertaken by women's groups in these districts.

A special project is meant to support 5000 women's groups to promote decentralised management of natural resources on which the poor, including women, depend for their livelihood through provisioning of resources and training to women's groups.

The project aims at strengthening partnerships among women's groups, civil society, PRIs and local government to facilitate greater cross-learning, knowledge and information sharing, access to resources and technical capacities and wider dissemination of tested social mobilisation approaches. It is also to facilitate dialogue between women's groups, NGOs and policy makers for influencing relevant policies and programmes.

It is being implemented through 17 NGOs such as PRADAN, LGSS, FEMALE, AAA and KSRA in Jharkhand; VLKALPA, LOKADURSTI, WIDA and AMMA in Orissa; and ASTHA, FES, ARAVALI, SAMARTHAK, BAIF, SANKALP, GVT and CECOEDEDCON in Rajasthan.

UNI AJ RL DS1506