T.P.Khaund
A silent revolution is taking place in the remoter countryside of the remote State of Mizoram, ‘half hidden from the eye’, that has the promise of changing the rural canvas of the State. A bold attempt at socio-economic resurgence is being made through the State Govt’s flagship project, the New Land Use Programme (NLUP in short), an innovative, people centric development initiative possibly not experimented elsewhere in the country.
This multi-disciplinary programme has, as its core objective, financial empowerment of the people by providing them sustainable land-based livelihood means plus non‑farming income boosting activities at micro and cottage level. It envisages weaning away farmers from the wasteful traditional subsistence farming known as Jhum (slash and burn method of cultivation), improving both production and productivity levels and, very importantly, preserving the fragile ecology and environment. NLUP is a well drilled attempt to achieve inclusive growth in harmony with nature. It embodies a new concept of socio-economic development with technically appropriate and institutionally effective intervention and, at the same time, sensitive to the cultural and social ethos of the people.
The concept and design of the NLUP are unique. The project has been designed to address multiple economic and environmental issues with a totally new approach. It lays emphasis on involvement of the community in planned growth process and development of the traditional village institutions to enable them to play their role effectively as catalyst for progress. It also seeks to provide to the beneficiaries proper and adequate service facilities, such as credit, inputs supply and market linkage for sustained development. While the primary objective is economic empowerment of farmers and improvement of rural economy, NLUP also takes care of problems such as food security, product market linkage and value addition, opening of new employment opportunities, strengthening community bonds, maintenance of ecological balance through regeneration of forest and water sources and prevention of soil erosion.
The project aims at assisting farmers to take up such sustainable livelihood activities that will create productive assets, and improving income level of both rural and urban poor through on-farm and off-farm activities. It envisages providing assistance to 1,20,000 families in identified areas of livelihood activities with focus on land reclamation, promotion of agro-horticultural and plantation crops, animal husbandry, fishery and micro enterprises and regeneration of natural resources, particularly forests, and preservation of bio-diversity.
The project is expected to help farmers progressively discarding jhum practices for permanent occupation which are more profitable, eco-friendly and are in tune with their culture and tradition. While the farming community in rual area is the primary target, the project has a provision to cover urban poor for livelihood activities in the animal husbandry and industrial sectors. One of the unique features of the programme is the integrated land use planning at the village level. The plan will ensure that 60% of village land is earmarked for rain forest, 10% for community reserve forest for protection of catchment areas water supply sources and another 10%as fuel/ timber reserve forest to meet community’s consumption and 15% for cultivation. The remaining 5% will be earmarked for human habitation, roads, industrial area etc. A significant component of NLUP is comprehensive land survey and land settlement to ensure that land really belongs to the tiller as against the traditional community ownership system which has been widely abused by vested interests. Mizoram is, thus, the first State in the North East to undertake land reforms and land settlement in tribal areas. The other notable feature of the programme is a calculated component related convergence with Centrally Sponsored Scheme(CSS) like MNREGA, PMGRY, National Bamboo Mission, Technology Mission etc. Such an arrangement not only eliminates possibility of duplication and cross-purpose working, but also reduces need for additional fund.
There is a built-in mechanism to ensure transparency and accountability involving third party independent monitoring and through State, District and Village level Monitoring Committees with total community participation. The beneficiaries are paid through and into their bank accounts which means financial inclusion in real terms. The State Bank of India has given “viewing rights” to the Implementation Board to closely monitor fund flow and payments made to the recipients. NABCONS, an agency under NABARD with proven efficiency, has been assigned the task of undertaking mid-term appraisal.
The project is estimated to cost Rs.2873.13 crore over a period of five years. Almost the entire cost will be borne by Govt. of India in the shape of grant. The beneficiaries will contribute to the tune of Rs.346.15 crore which will make them truly involved participants in this great endeavour.
A 3-tier management system has been put in place for planning, implementation, review and monitoring of the programme components. The NLUP Implementation Board at the highest level comprises of all Ministers and MLAs, bureaucrats, NGOs, experts in different disciplines, representatives from Planning Commission and select Central Ministries and prominent citizens from the intellectual circle and is chaired by the Chief Minister. Similar Committees have been formed at the district level headed by the concerned Deputy Commissioners and the district Officers of concerned line departments and progressive farmers/NGOs as members to supervise and monitor the project implementation, organize training and demonstrations etc. The key implementation agency at the grass root level are Village Level Committees headed by the Presidents of the Village Councils and include prominent citizens of the village.
NLUP was formally launched on 14th January, 2011 which was declared by the State, Govt. as State Farmers’ Day highlighting the crucial role of the farming community in the overall scheme of development. Actual implementation was preceded by formation of a comprehensive land-use plan at the village level identifying the types and quantum of land for a variety of productive use and a household survey for selection of beneficiaries. The beneficiaries are families which have had no access to any institutional finance and a little over 50% of them are daily wage-earners.
The State Govt’s bold experiment in breaking the economic intertia and giving a dynamic and progressive thrust to growth with equity has started yielding positive results as has been indicated by the third party appraisal report. It has given the common man a range of choices, both financial and social, to augment their income. Already more than 15% of the beneficiaries have confirmed that their income has enhanced by10 to 20 percent. Besides, it gives them the required exposure on project management and market integration which leads to capacity building at the lowest level. In terms of physical achievement, about 40% of the nearly 80,000 families engaged in shifting cultivation have, in the meanwhile, discarded the wasteful practice in preference to permanent avocations. That, by any standard, is a significant achievement.
New Land Use Programme has attracted international attention. When on 29th December, 2012 the State Govt. had made a presentation before a distinguished gathering of top officials of Govt. of India, captains of industries, agriculture experts and representatives of international agencies, the programme caught the imagination of UN agencies. The India representative of the Food & Agriculture Organisation(FAO) while appreciating the objectives of NLUP said that these were similar to those of FAO and other UN agencies and added that these bodies would like to be partners in that unique development initiative in Mizoram. Sequal to that was the launching of UN Joint Initiative Project on Eco-system Based Livelihood, in which FAO, ILO, IFAD, UNDP and UNIDO that would address some critical issues related to livelihood and gender mainstreaming. The joint endeavour is expected to evolve the most viable models for better management of natural resources, preservation of bio-diversity, creation of job opportunities, both farm and non-farm for women and youths, preservation of indigenous knowledge for resource management and raise productivity level.
The Bible says: “where there is no vision people perish”. But Mizoram has a vision backed by firm commitment of the State Govt. and the people. Chief Minister, Lal Thanhawla, whose brain child the NLUP is, succinctly puts it: “We have a vision for inclusive growth and financial inclusion. We are committed to transparency and promotion of all round development of the poor families”. Mizoram is poised to usher in a brighter tomorrow for its nearly 1.2 million people. And in so doing, will set an example for others to emulate.
[The writer is a retired IAS Officer currently serving Govt. of Mizoram as Principal Adviser]