Guidelines to remove confusion over Rural Development Fellows

Given the confusion about their role and where they fit into the established structure of the district administration,the ministry has written to Bihar,Uttar Pradesh,Jharkhand,West Bengal,Chhattisgarh,Orissa,Madhya Pradesh,Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra drawing attention towards fresh guidelines. It also called for greater “sensitization” of stakeholders.

In a letter written by Secretary,Rural Development,S Vijay Kumar,the ministry said the scheme is “different from others since it involves deployment,utilization and professional growth of highly motivated,bright young minds.”

“It is necessary that stakeholders at the local level are sensitized,and do nothing to reduce the potential of the Fellows by viewing their work in a negative way,” the letter states.

Noting the “innovative means” deployed by the states for utilising the Fellows,it attention to new guidelines to remove ambiguities by defining their role as “development facilitators” and emphasizing the function of district collectors as “supervisors” who allocate work to them.