Linkages with Other Development Departments

Several development departments have components in their programmes that directly or indirectly influence fertility behaviour and, as a result, determine the success of population stabilization efforts. Convergence of services at village level and coordination of programme planning and implementation mechanisms at the levels above village are crucial to achieving the desired results. Given this, the Health and Family Welfare Department will identify the key elements of each of the development programme in the state and prepare a detailed plan to integrate population stabilization activities with other development activities. Given below is a list of programmes implemented by the development departments in Uttar Pradesh

Though the scheme was launched in 1993 to provide assured employment of 100 days in lean agricultural season to unemployed unskilled rural workers, it has been restructured during 1999-2000. The scheme now will be implemented by Kshetra and Zilla Panchayats.

Jawahar Rozgar Yojana after restructuring is now being implemented as Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana. This scheme aims to create infrastructure facilities in rural areas and to strengthen facilities available. Entire amount of the scheme will now be transferred to village panchayat who have been empowered to plan, approve and implement the projects themselves without any approvals from above.

The scheme is being implemented in two parts: 80 percent of total funds are for construction of new houses for rural shelterless poor and 20 percent for shelter upgradation and conversion of kuchcha houses into pucca houses. During 1999-2000, a total of 71,886 houses have been constructed.

This scheme funded by both the Government of India and the State Government aims to provide one hand pump for 250 persons in all rural habitations. So far about 10 lakh hand pumps have been installed and transferred to gram panchayats.

This is a holistic approach covering all aspects of self-employment. It has come into existence after merging several schemes such as IRDP, TRYSEM, DWCRA, Improved Tool-Kits Programme, Ganga Kalyan Yojana and Million Wells Scheme. The scheme envisages organization of the poor into self-help groups, and their training, credit, technology, infrastructure and marketing. The main objective is to improve income levels of people below the poverty line. Nearly 30 percent of poor families will be covered in the next five years.

The broad objective of the basic minimum needs services is to ensure minimum infrastructure and facilities to improve quality of life of people in rural areas. Basic minimum services include safe drinking water, housing assistance, roads, primary health care, primary education, mid-day meal programme and public distribution system.

With a view to augmenting efforts towards improving the basic education scenario in the state, the Government of Uttar Pradesh undertook the UP Basic Education Project (UPBEP) in 17 districts in 1993 and later the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) was launched in 1997 to cover another 22 districts. By expanding to another 38 districts under the third phase, almost the entire state has been brought within the ambit of accelerated primary education projects.

Community involvement is crucial for achieving universal primary education. Both UPBEP and DPEP have been facilitating community participation and involvement with the help of grass-root structures such as the village education committee (VEC). There is a provision for at least three women members, one elected member of the Gram Panchayat, one nominated SC woman and one nominated mother in the committee. The main functions of VECs inlcude enrolment, retention, supervision, construction and maintenance of school buildings, social mobilization for girls education etc.

Apart from mobilization of women, the Mahila Samakhya provides a range of educational opportunities for different age groups. Mahila Samakhya educational interventions include the Mahila Sanghas (women's collectives), Bal Kendras (children's centres for both boys and girls), Kishori Kendras (centres for adolescent girls), and Mahila Shikshan Kendras (women's literacy centres).

Specific pockets in the DPEP districts have very low female literacy rates. To tackle this problem it was decided to work intensively in two clusters of eight to ten villages in each DPEP district with the help of MCDA. Based on encouraging results, the project has been extended to 15 clusters in each DPEP district in 1999.

The Government of Uttar Pradesh has been implementing the centrally sponsored non-formal education scheme in 576 blocks across the 83 districts in the state. This programme has extended the access to children who dropped out of school. A total of 58,241 centres have been set up in the state. Of these, 37,125 are exclusive centres for girls. Non-formal education in UPBEP districts is provided with the help of Siksha Ghar to reach out to the underprivileged children in the age group of 6-14.

The Government of Uttar Pradesh has launched the Girl's Education Mission in 1999 in order to provide equal educational opportunities for girls (6-14 years). The main objective is to provide equal access to all girls in all underserved areas and to ensure community participation to encourage girls' education.

Mahila Samakhya covers 23 blocks in 10 districts of Uttar Pradesh. There are 1,435 vibrant and strong women's collectives called Sanghas. Sanghas take up a variety of activities ranging from changing traditional practices to carrying out development activities. Mahila Samakhya's main aim is to empower women so that the women attain a position of strength to carry on their collective agenda without a major need for any external inputs or impetus.

The ICDS is designed to promote the holistic development of children under six years of age. Besides specific nutrition and health interventions, the pre-school education component is built into the programme. At present, the ICDS programme is operational in 550 blocks spread over 80 districts with 53,699 anganwadi centres. In all, 45.3 lakh women and children derive benefit from the programme. The main services provided include supplementary nutrition, growth and weight monitoring, immunization services, health check up and education, referral services and pre-school education.

This scheme is being implemented in 99 development blocks. The main objective of the scheme is to provide supplementary nutrition, health education and skill training for adolescent girls. The adolescent girls below poverty line are the main beneficiaries.

The main aim of Indira Mahila Yojana is to create awareness among rural women in order to encourage them to participate in social and economic activities of the society. Initially the scheme was implemented in two districts and later extended to cover two more districts. A total of 2,780 women's groups were constituted and 30 block level societies were registered.