UNDP India Blogs

      • Findings from Delhi Cash Transfers Pilot Study | Shefali Misra

        16 Jul 2012

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        Photo: Tom Pietrasik/ UNDP India

        The Food and Civil Supply Minister called a meeting in his chamber to review the Cash in lieu of PDS study undertaken by Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) under the UNDP supported Innovative Support to Social protection project. Alexandra Solovieva, Deputy Country Director (Programmes), UNDP India and I attended this review meeting. SEWA, UNDP's institutional partner which undertook the PDS study in Raghubir Nagar sought a meeting with the Minister Food and Civil Supplies, Government of Delhi and presented the end line research findings of the UNDP supported pilot. UNDP and Mission Convergence were invited. The study findings point to the conclusion that women who received cash made better food choices (such as buying more protein rich food such as eggs and meat). The cash also enhanced their ability to access private health care and did not result in the money being used for wasteful expenditure (such as on alcohol). The Food and Civil Supply Minister Mr. Haroon Yusuf and the Food Commissioner Mr. Dharampal remarked that the study was significantly positive in its outcomes and was indicative that people utilize cash very effectively. They thanked SEWA and UNDP for the successful research. This PDS study has enhanced relevance in the light Read More

      • UNDP’s Support to Rajasthan Mission on Skill and Livelihoods | Alexandra Solovieva

        02 Jul 2012

        UNDP’s Support to Rajasthan Mission on Skill and Livelihoods | Alexandra Solovieva
        Photo: UNDP India

        UNDP’s support to the RMOL project (Rajasthan Mission on Skill and Livelihoods) since 2004, recently culminated in a terminal evaluation that found it highly satisfactory in all dimensions. On 28 June, 2012, I attended the state level dissemination workshop at which the findings of the evaluation were discussed. In the workshop in Jaipur, attended by the State Minister, Primary and Secondary Education Mangi Lal Garasia; former Chief Secretary who has looked after RMOL from its establishment; Principal Secretary, Labour and Employment; Managing Director of RSLDC (to succeed RMOL); Senior Vice President of BASICS, other officials, evaluation findings were shared and way forward discussed, including good experiences on skills and livelihoods. RMOL has demonstrated good results with strong government’s ownership, institutionalizing RMOL as RSLDC (Rajasthan Skill and Livelihood Development Corporation), and allocating significant government’s resources to this work, to the tune of Rs. 140 crore in the 12th Five-Year Plan. The mission mode created in Rajasthan was replicated nationally through NRLM. Good practices and models were created on skill development that can be replicated, e.g. our planned work in Assam, as well as with IKEA in Rajasthan itself and in other states. The evaluation in fact recommended that UNDP can support similar Read More

      • Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellowship Programme Training on Human Development | K Seeta Prabhu

        01 May 2012

        Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellowship Programme Training on Human Development | K Seeta Prabhu
        Photo: Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellowship Programme

        I was recently invited to address and interact with the first batch of 109 recipients of the Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellowship (PMRDF). Given UNDP’s work on Human Development, we were invited to provide training on the human development approach. The Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellowship (PMRDF) was announced on the 13th of September, 2011 by the Union Minister of Rural Development Mr. Jairam Ramesh. The objective of the fellowships is to engage the talents of young professionals in facilitating change in the most backward districts in India. The fellows will be placed in 78 backward districts, covering 9 states identified as Integrated Action Plan (IAP) districts that have a high concentration of tribal and marginalized populations where the fellows will function as development facilitators and assist the Collector by actively pursuing a district programming approach. It is envisioned that the fellows will strengthen the district resource base for programming, explore alternative ways of delivering services to reach the most deprived communities and facilitate district-wide social mobilization processes particularly among the youth. The first batch of fellowships were awarded to 156 young professionals, who were selected following a rigorous selection process. The fellows come from different educational backgrounds like engineering, medicine Read More