Row between TDP and NGOs over rural developement scheme

In fact, AP emerged as the first state in the entire country to undertake watershed schemes on a massive scale, and began reaping benefits in a reasonably short period. Of the over 7,500 watershed schemes taken up in India, around 4,200 were from AP.

This has seen the release of about Rs 400 crore in the past two years and an equal amount of money is expected to be pumped into villages through various agencies, including the State and Central Governments, World Bank and UNDP affiliates.

Trouble began when the Government chose to involve alarge number of NGOs for the implementation of the watersheds, after announcement of the scheme in 1996-97.

The activity gained momentum once the NGOs started forming watershed committees with local youth and farmers in 19 of the 23 districts, but it also led to occasional clashes between these groups and the ruling TDP leaders in many villages.

The huge amount of money involved in the programme is also cited as another factor for the tensions. On an average, each watershed committee would receive around Rs 5 lakh per annum for the next decade. 8220;Obviously, whoever controls the committees will also control the money,8221; an official admitted.

Though Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu regularly stressed on the relevance of self-help groups, the TDP men are unable to cherish the growing clout enjoyed by the NGOs in the villages that fall under their domain.

As a result, the local TDP leaders started lodging complaints against NGOs, demanding that they be sent back. 8220;This is highly impossible to do, as weare in the midst of the programme,8221; said an official from Mahboobnagar district.

The demands for driving away the NGOs were reportedly backed by some senior ministers also. In fact, the issue was raised by a few ministers at a Cabinet meeting in October, when Naidu asked officials to look into the complaints.

8220;We do not say all NGOs are bogus. We are only against the five-star NGOs who go to villages in luxury cars and use mobile phones,8221; a senior minister from a backward Telangana district told The Indian Express

. For him, such NGOs comprise only of a 8220;bunch of scandalous people8221;.

However, a functionary of an NGO refuted the charge. 8220;Yes, we have cars and mobiles. But we have not bought them out of the watershed funds. It is sad that while the Chief Minister is emulating Anna Hazare and Mohan Dharia, his partymen are trying to derive political mileage out of the scheme,8221; he said.

A senior Rural Development official, who did not wish to be quoted, felt that the actual situation wasdifferent. 8220;We are also receiving complaints from NGOs, that politicians were obstructing them or demanding money for carrying out operations,8221; he said.

Additional Rural Development Commissioner C S Ramalakshmi said that the guidelines issued by the Central Government stated that NGOs must be involved in watershed schemes. 8220;NGOs are even permitted to draw salaries not exceeding 10 per cent of the total funds,8221; she said.

Of the total 4,200 watershed schemes, around 1,500 were formed by around 130 NGOs and the rest were guided by Government staff. Surprisingly, the schemes which have the backing of NGOs, were found to be doing well.

The battle between the Deccan Development Society DDS in Medak district and the TDP stands as a classic case of the present situation. While the DDS claimed credit for success of the scheme, the TDP leaders alleged that the NGO has been misusing public money.

The other major NGOs which have been engaged in the watersheds include Youth for Action, Outreach Anantapurdistrict, Young India, Rural Development Trust, Progress Nalogonda district, Oxfarm and Assist Prakasam district.