Karbi Anglong:

1.   Introduction

 

Karbi Anglong is one of the two hill District of Assam, which lies in the center of Assam. It is bounded by Meghalaya on the west, Nagaland and the districts of Nowgong and North Cachar Hills on the north and south respectively. Karbi Anglong is located between latitudes 25degee 33’ and 26 degree 35’ North and longitudes 92 degree 10’ and 93 degree 50’ East. The Project area of Hamren sub-division is located in West Karbi Anglong. It is 218 kilometers from Diphu, the headquarters of Karbi Anglong District. The Geographical area of Hamren sub-division is 256,171 Hectare. It is located between latitudes 24 degree 5’ and 26 degree 46’ North and longitudes 52 degree 8’ and 53 degree 59’ East. Karbi Anglong district has an area of 10432 square kilometers. Assam comprises an area of 78,523 square kilometers (30,318 square miles). The altitude varies from 600 meters in the North range to 900 meters in South range, while that of the valley area ranges from 75 meters to 150 meters. Average elevation of Hamren sub-division is 350 to 450 MSL. The average maximum and minimum temperature of the district are 30 degree Celsius and 18 degree Celsius respectively. The average rainfall is 1,200 mm approximately. The average annual rainfall of Hamren sub-division is 1212 mm. Average annual mean temperature is maximum 25.4 degree Celsius and minimum 14.4 degree Celsius. The total population of the Karbi Anglong District as per 1991 census is about 662,000. The density of population is about 64 per square kilometer. While the urban population is recorded to be 70,000, rural population is estimated at 592,000. It is estimated that the male population is 347,000 and female is 315,000. The total population of the Hamren sub-division as per 1991 census is about 195,000. The density of population is about 38 per square kilometer. While the urban population is enumerated to be 12,000, rural population is estimated at 183,000. It is estimated that the male population is 101,000 and female is 94,000.

 

Karbi Anglong is an autonomous territory within the state of Assam constituted as Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) as per the provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Indian Constitution by Act of Parliament with the following spectrum of functionaries:

 

i)                    Legislative (Power over 14 subjects)

ii)                  Executive (Power over 30 departments)

iii)                Judiciaries and Local Customary Laws and Revenue Laws.

 

The District has three Civil Sub-divisions, namely Hamren & Bokajan. There are ten Development Blocks.

 

2. Profile of the Participating Agencies

The profile of participating agencies along with different time period is given below: 

Sl. No	99-00	00-01	01-02	02-03	03-04	04-05	05-06	06-07	07-08 (till Sept,07)
No. of Village	19	19	60	60	120	166	166	166	166
No of Household	655	655	1463	1463	4245	6823	6823	6823	6823
No of NaRM-G	19	19	19	60	120	166	166	166	166
No of SHG	-	40	71	149	251	320	411	417	417
No of NGO	2	2	1	5	13	13	13	9	7
No of Cluster Association	-	-	-	6	6	12	16	16	16
No of SHG Federation	-	-	-	6	6	12	16	16	16
Amount Budgeted (Lakh)	6.76	72.92	115.80	153.93	351.55	587.96	639.65	533.66	372.00
Fund Received (Lakh)	6.76	39.00	100.00	123.00	162.00	530.00	326.40	370.00	171.00
Fund Disbursed as VDF	-	22.52	50.62	66.02	72.53	429.00	238.84	285.52	128.16

 

3. Major Strategies to implement different activities in 2007 - 2008

 

1. Upscaling and Replication of  Cluster approach
2. Focus on Livelihood
3. Increased SHG’s Corpus Fund
4. Capacity Building of NaRM-G Cluster Association and SHG Federation with special reference to Exit strategies of the project.
5. Enterprise Development at village/cluster level.
6. Commercialization and scaling up of production of medicinal and aromatic plants.
7. Strengthening Cluster marketing.
8. Focus on Soil and Water conservation measures in villages
9. Linkages with Financial and other Organization
10. Development of  new DISTRICT SOCIETY,  DST’s own Office Building
11. Value Addition, CFC establishment, Business Approach at all level
12. Establishment of Micro Finance Institute (MFI) for SHGs

4. Significant Changes of a Village out of Project Interventions:

The project since its inception i.e. 1999-2000 had conducted series of Training, Meeting or Discussion on resource management, technical issues, implemented several Demonstration and Extension Activities on different innovative areas and has taken  series of Income Generating Activities along with several social mobilization activities. It has been observed a remarkable impact on the part of the community members in changing their attitude, accepting new technologies followed by practice and extending the new ideas as well as in obtaining assured food security. The  visible change that has been observed  in all the villages can be summarized  as follows:

i.                    The Income Generating Activities are giving income to the families. As a result, the living conditions are improved. Changes has been seen in the Wealth Ranking Status.

ii.                  The general hygiene is improved remarkably. The Low Cost Latrine helped the villagers remarkably.

iii.                Visible Home Garden in all the Household.

iv.                The House Boundary are fenced which was not common earlier.

v.                  No. of Tin Roof House are increasing

vi.                The Drinking Water is available near house for many of the villages. As a result women’s work load has reduced. Women’s position in the society has improved.

vii.              In many houses now male members are coming forward to help their wife for household activities.

viii.            Domestic Animal tide with rope.

ix.                Decreased rate of school drop out cases has observed. Enrollment of newly school-going children has increased. Adult literacy in some of the villages. Most of the old women SHG member are now know how to give their signature.

x.                  Organized farmland. Systematic plantation of pineapple or other horticultural plant was not in earlier days. Changes in the method of cultivation in Home Garden and in Jhum have observed.

xi.                Replication in and out of the villages is taking place. SHG formation in non project villages is happening.

xii.              General law and order is improved now. Intra and Inter village conflict has reduced to a greater extent.

xiii.            Every village is having protected forest.

xiv.            Cohesion, togetherness and common feeling among the villagers under one platform i.e. NaRM-G.

xv.              There are many examples of increased number of Household asset like TV, Radio, Bi-cycle etc. Similarly, most of the Household have also got Farm asset like Terrace land or Plain wet paddy area, plantation, livestock etc. under their possession.

xvi.            Better Health facility through awareness programme. Role of trained Village Health Worker is remarkable.

xvii.          Approach Road or inter village road are existing now.

xviii.        Social work is seen frequently.