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UNDMT activities
in Rajasthan
United Nations Disaster Management
Team, India is currently involved in drought assessments in the districts of Bikaner,
Churu, Hanumangarh, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Nagaur, Jaipur, Alwar, Tonk, Bundi, Kota, and
Jodhpur. The aim is to identify and contact grassroots NGOs and also the district
officials in order to assess the field situation and coordinate and facilitate drought
management activities. Various other proposals for food-for-work programs, drought
proofing, water harvesting and fodder/ grain / seed banks in collaboration with various
agencies are being explored.
UNDMT, Jaipur is
an active participant in meetings interface between NGOs and support agencies for the
mapping of agencies, resource mobilization and coordination of different drought
management approaches. Currently, an IT/Operations specialist and a Water specialist are
involved in identification and mapping of key players in Rajasthan and also the collection
and collation of data; assessing water resources and related activities, respectively.
UNDMT is studying
proposals for water harvesting, fodder management, drought proofing and providing rural
livelihoods through food-for-work programs to be implemented through various Depts. of
Govt. of Rajasthan, NGOs, CBOs, and other grassroots level agencies.
Current
activities and proposed interventions
 UNDMT/UNDP has initiated special efforts for fodder management in
the two districts of Rajsamand and Bikaner. Several projects for immediate livelihood
generation, which also has the objective of drought risk reduction, have been formulated
with partners and sent to Delhi for further necessary action.
At various platforms UNDMT, Jaipur has raised the issue of preparedness, risk reduction
and permanent measures of mitigating the recurrent phenomenon of drought. In a open
discussion organized by Jaipur Doordarshan, Facilitator stressed upon the need of drought
policy and inclusion of drought risk reduction and mitigation in regular development
programs.
UNDMT,
Jaipur is also actively coordinating and facilitating the efforts of various NGOs where
regular meetings are being organized. In these meetings government functionaries are being
invited to have an interface with NGOs with respect to gaps and government action.
Partnerships and collaborations are being forged with media groups, INGOs and local clubs
for advocacy and mass mobilisation for drought mitigation.
A special program has been formulated for drought risk reduction, mass mobilisation,
capacity building of communities and construction of atleast one water harvesting
structure in worst affected 500 villages of the state for advocacy by demonstration
effect. |
Several other projects for effective coordination and special initiatives like use of GIS
and its application in water management have been designed for which resource mobilisation
activities are being carried out.
A project on distribution of fodder seeds in 6 districts has been sanctioned and is
awaiting approval of GoR.
UNDMT, Jaipur has proposed a special project of establishing 40 fodder banks in various
districts which has been sent to selected international donor agencies for support. This
project contains an element of innovation by introducing appropriate technological tools
in order to increase the productivity of existing systems after carrying out a detailed
gap analysis.
UNDMT has designed projects for drought proofing in association with the industries dept.
and also reputed NGOs by providing additional and alternative livelihood opportunities by
way of rural industry in the sectors of handlooms, dyeing, printing, spinning/weaving,
jewellery, stone cutting and polishing, wood and metal craft and also by the export of
these products by e-commerce and also by putting up national, international and local
exhibitions and also by participating in them.
The potential for drought proofing by promoting dairy industry and focussing on the
rearing of milch cattle, a user friendly activity, especially for the 4.5 million landless
labourers and small/marginal farmers is to exploited in association with the NGOs, dairy
federation, DRDAs, Banks, SIDBI and NABARD, UNDMT has initiated discussions with these
agencies and area specific plans are in various stages of planning for expeditious
execution.
UNDMT is presently reviewing:
 Identification
of NGOs, CBOs and PRIs who could execute the programmes
Identification of areas of action
Identification of capacity building exercises
Monitoring utilization of ongoing govt./ community works
Mobilizing communities for drought proofing, water harvesting and management strategies.
| Priority needs in the drought affected regions of the State |
| Coordination |
Mapping of the
all the key players in the state and coordinating information on their activities to
maximise utilization of available resources and minimizing duplication of efforts by the
stakeholders. Acceleration of on-going UN programmes
with focus on livelihoods and community assets in the management of food, fodder, water
supply, and health facilities. |
| Livelihood
support |
Assist in the
development of wool, stone, wood, metal, leather and other rural industries for providing
alternative opportunities of livelihood. The
development of the tourism industry and local crafts in rural areas for drought proofing
by ensuring supplemental and alternative employment and reducing the dependence of small
and marginal farmers and landless labourers on agriculture. |
| Health |
Assisting the
Medical Dept. in disease surveillance; providing training, mobile medical vans, medicines,
and equipment. Providing cooked food as a supplement
in certain areas to raise the nutrition levels of children, pregnant and lactating
mothers.
Facilitating the supply of vaccines/medicines for
livestock, mobile vans in distant regions. |
| Capacity
Building |
Capacity
building of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) for community action towards enhancing
coping mechanisms against the drought. Promote
community action and capacity building especially amongst women and the other vulnerable
sections of the society. |
| Water
Management |
Subsidising the
transportation of drinking water in critical areas. Help
in providing funds for watershed management in critical areas.
Assist in the conservation and management of water bodies
by providing technical and financial support. |
| Provisions |
Provision of
grains, pulses, vegetable oils and ready foods to supplement the public distribution
system and addressing the gaps in the nutrition of women, children and the aged. Establishment of fodder, grain and seed banks in most vulnerable
areas.
Provide better quality seeds to farmers in the Rabi season,
especially for fodder cultivation. |
IT support |
Infrastructure
support for strengthening govt. information and monitoring systems. Provide IT support to the govt. for better networking and collection
/dissemination of area specific information regarding drought.
Network with private operators to setup telecommunication
broad band networks in rural inaccessible areas.
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Rajasthan -
Drought Status
