A STUDY ON OWN FUND REVENUE GENERATION THROUGH COMMON PROPERTY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN MADANMOHANPUR GRAM PANCHAYAT, WEST BENGAL

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1 A STUDY ON OWN FUND REVENUE GENERATION THROUGH COMMON PROPERTY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN MADANMOHANPUR GRAM PANCHAYAT, WEST BENGAL INTRODUCTION:- Self-Governing Institutions are an integral part of the Indian Rural Society. And a variety of intersecting grassroots self-governing institutions operates. Most of the common properties of the villages like irrigation, tanks, grazing lands, fisheries and minor forests have been managed by them. Indian Parliament enacted the 73 rd amendment act and created village Panchayat at grassroots. Not less than one third of the positions in the Panchayat reserved for women and Panchayats have become more inclusive. About 2.50 lakh village Panchayats are functioning at grassroots and have powers to manage common property resources at the grassroots. Out of the 29 subjects allotted to Panchayats at least 14 subjects are related to common property resources. But studies have pointed out that despite these legal powers, the Panchayats have limitations in managing common properties in variety of reasons. Failure of Panchayats has led to the conversion of these useful common resources into overused, exploited, neglected and mismanaged resources. Local Institutions and people are seeking alternative arrangements to manage such common resources for the benefit of the community. However in some cases village Panchayats are effectively manage the common property resources for own resource mobilization of the Panchayat through collective action. Now in all over India common property is decreasing. Some of the common properties are captured by the private, so the importance of common property is not able to fulfil the need of the common people. In West Bengal there is no policy or act on this matter. This a very good resource for Panchayat as well as common people for meet the basic need. Panchayat can utilize this resources for increasing the own fund revenue of the Panchayat. This resources can meet the dally needs of the poor people like; fuel wood, fish, fodder etc. From this point of view researcher first try to find out that, in West Bengal whether any Panchayat is doing work on this. That time Madanmohanpur Gram Panchayat s name came in the light. in this particular context Madanmohanpur Panchayat can be considered as pioneer Panchayat of West Bengal.

2 BACKGROUND:- In West Bengal most the Panchayat is facing shortage of own fund revenue. This is not only a problem of Panchayat of West Bengal but also all the other state in India having same problem. After getting huge amount fund from central scheme like MGNREGA, Panchayats are not very serious about their own fund revenue. The problem of Central fund or State fund is all those funds are tied fund. For meet some special require, Panchayat need untied fund. The Biggest source of un-tied fund is own fund revenue. Some of the Panchayats are very serious about increasing their own fund revenue but they do not have the idea about the various source of own fund revenue. Specially, in West Bengal each Panchayat should have at least 3 lakh own fund revenue per year but the average annual own fund revenue of Panchayat is1 lakh to 1.5 lakh. Common Property can be used as economical support system of poor people as well as it can be used as income generation source of Panchayat s own fund. From this context this research has started. A BRIEF ABOUT THE AREA OF STUDY:- For understanding the situation a brief knowledge about the area is needed. One village is different from other, in the context of natural resource, people, educational status and so no. Madanmohanpur village is situated in Kotulpur Block, Bankura District. This village is full of green. Generally Bankura District is not very good in agriculture because of soil condition but this area s soil is very productive. In present time this Panchayat is a pioneer Panchayat in West Bengal. This Panchayat total area is divided into 16 sansad (word). Each sansad has one elected members. Mrs. Rinku Porel is the present president of this Panchayat. Population:- In this Panchayat total population is high. Women population is 48% of total population. Out of total population 52% people is belong to male. So, male population is higher than women population. Total numbers of households are Out of this SC house hold members are 2250 that means 47%. In this area SC households are higher than other caste. Total ST Households are 342. Minority households are also very less. Only 272 households are belonging to minority family. Hare minority family mainly belongs to Muslim family. Total BPL households families are 1726.

3 Educational Status of the area:- All most all the basic educational institutions are available in this area. For schooling children are not going other village. The educational status means literacy rate is not very good. Specially, women literacy rate is very low. But new generation little bit come forward for the education. For encouraging children in education Panchayat is giving scholarships money and free books to the meritorious student. Natural resources:- This village is very rich in natural resources. Different kind of natural resources are available in this Panchayat area. River Dwarakeswar is the biggest natural resource of the village. This village is full of green. The agriculture lands of this village are very fruitful. Potato, paddy and other seasonal vegetables are the main agricultural product. A small woodlot is there which can be called as a natural resource. Big and small size ponds are there which another biggest natural resource. Agriculture - This area mostly people are depending on agriculture. Most of the villagers are depended on agriculture either directly or indirectly. The soil of the area is capable for agriculture. Transportation - The main road is approx. 5 K.M for the Panchayat Office. The main road to village there is no government transport Facility. For this road private vehicle is the only solution for the villagers. In main road enough Bus facility is available. Road - Most of the roads are kutcha. Some of the roads are made by Moran. Some part road is Pucca. RESEARCH DESIGN The nature of the study is both descriptive and explanatory type. The study tries to describe a new area that is Common property which is well managed by the Modanmohanpur Panchayat and through this the Panchayat own fund revenue generation is high. Poor people of the Panchayat area are getting benefit by the Common Property Resource. In this study, the researcher try to find that, the new technique which was adopted by the Gram Panchayat for increasing the own fund revenue. It could also been seen in this study is that one single resource

4 can be utilize for many purpose and it can be benefited for many people. As part of this study along with Common Property Resource the area profile also has `done. Sample Size The researcher has taken 50 respondents in the sample, 40 of them are common people who are resident of the village. 6 Panchayat level government officials include as part of respondent of this research. 4 respond was from the elected members of the Panchayat. Simple random sampling was being adopted for the whole process of data collection. Tools for Data Collection The researcher was constructed a structured interview schedule. For this study the researcher was made two types of questioner. First one was for common people and second one was for both for elected members as well as Panchayat level officials. Personal interviews were being conducted with all the respondents for cross check and counter check. The data was collected in a period of 7days from a maximum number of 50 respondents. Brief Note of Collection of Data The data was collected in the form of primary as well as secondary data. Primary data was the data that was collected directly from the respondents. Secondary data refers to the data that is being collected from books, journals and various other reports and articles. Method of Data Analysis Data collected during field surveys have been compiled, processed, coded and analyzed with the help of MS excel and MS office. The percentage and other countable part have done by Researcher manually. COMMON PROPERTY RECOURSE AS PER MADANMOHANPUR PANCHAYAT:- As per the Panchayat rules and regulation the resources like land, water and forest which is available inside the Panchayat not naming on any individuals that is called common property. The common property is for village people use only. Common property of this Panchayat can be classified into two categories. Natural common property Manmade Common property.

5 Natural common property means that property not created by man. All ready those properties have being exiting from long time before naturally. Like Pond, Grazing land, Woodland, River, Cultivation land, Village road, Water tap, Waste land. Through this they are making Fund. Panchayat have waste land, pond, Garden; park, woodland, road, hand pump, river, water tap etc. are common property resources of the Panchayat. From Panchayat own fund revenue has Panchayat purchased some assets. Those assets also consider as common property resource of the Panchayat. Panchayat has Ambulance, Tractor, Roller, Water Van, Building, ICDS centre, Primary health Centre, Primary School etc. those assets are the man-made common property resources. As the concern subject is natural resource management for that, only natural common property resources will be discussed. List of Common Property:- River Woodland Cultivation land/ threshing floor Pond Village road Water tap Waste land River:- River Dwarakeswar is the biggest natural resource of the Panchayat. This river is mainly use for fishing and sand mining. Panchayat is taking care of sand mining from the river. Over mining is called exploitation. Panchayat is very concern about it. For agriculture purpose common people can use water of the river. Very poor people depend on the river for their livelihood purpose. Panchayat is taking a leading role for take care of the river from over sand mining. Woodlot:- Basically this Panchayat do not have forest. Some years before Panchayat had a big size of gazing land. Panchayat made a plan to use that gazing land into a woodlot. Woodlot is totally managed by the forest committee and Panchayat. Panchayat has some agreement with forest committee that when Panchayat will plant the small tree they have to take care of the plant and after that when the trees will grow than Panchayat will sell the trees and instead of those trees Panchayat will place new trees. The selling time Panchayat will get 1/3 of the share which will

6 be adding with own fund revenue. Another 2/3 will go to forest committee. Forest committee can use fuel wood from the wood lot. Cultivated land:- In Madanmohanpur village there is a small agriculture land. That land is too small for business purpose cultivation. Panchayat took a decision about utilization of the land. The land is too small for that Panchayat do not give that land to any one for cultivation. Every year Panchayat get some amount free seeds from the Block Development Office for the poor farmer. That free seeds if Panchayat try to distribute among the farmer than it cannot be possible to give all the needy. Panchayat use that seeds for cultivating more seeds for the farmer. For that making seeds Panchayat use that cultivated land. For the poor farmer seeds are distributed free but for other farmer those who have ability to purchase they can buy the seeds from the Panchayat. From the seeds selling money Panchayat get own fund revenue. Pond:- Panchayat has many small and medium size ponds. Panchayat use to give those ponds on lease to the very poor people of the area so that poor people can get better livelihood through fishing. Panchayat charge a very nominal amount for the lease of the pond. Village rood:- Panchayat has its own road which is not comes under PWD road. Those connecting roads are use for reaching the Dwarakeswar River very fast. Every day number of truck use to come for sand mining. Panchayat fixed toll system. Those trucks use Panchayat road they have to pay money as toll tax for every trip. Own fund revenue of the Panchayat s, a line share comes from this source. Panchayat is responsible for take care of the village rood. From the toll tax money Panchayat maintain the road. Water Tap:- Water is a natural resource. For bring the water from the earth People use hand pump, Tap, electrical pump etc. Panchayat has water committee. All the villagers are the member of the committee. Committee members check all the members are following rule or not. Committee people only take care from over exploitation of this natural resource. Committee members check that people are wasting water or misusing water. Panchayat provide all the area of the Panchayat safe drinking water for free of cost. This is one of the basic amenities. Waste land:-

7 Waste land Panchayat is giving to the poor people for using as a grazing land. There is no charge for using this grazing land. From the own fund revenue Panchayat purchase some other man made common property. Those are Building Ambulance Tractor Mobile water Van Roller Those manmade common properties also contribute a lot for increasing own fund revenue. Own Fund Revenue through Common Property Resources for the Panchayat S. No. Source of Income Amount 1 Road Tax 24,62,591/- 2 Ferry Ghat 1,50,500/- 3 Tree selling 7,56,800/- 4 Common pond lease 2,500/- 5 House rent 2,250/- 6 Flower plant selling 13,221/- 7 Water tank rent 92,121/- 8 Approval for tree selling 425/- 9 Ambulance 1,33,530/- Source: Panchayat s handbook 2013 Spending money for developmental purpose:- State funds or Central funds have some guideline to spending the money. Panchayat cannot use that money as per their wish. Own fund revenue is un- tied fund. That fund Panchayat can use as per their wish. Madanmohanpur Panchayat able to make a huge amount own fund revenue for

8 that Panchayat can use that money as per their wise. Panchayat has some unique field to use that money. Some special initiatives are given below- Every year Panchayat arrange agriculture fair. This area is mainly depended on agriculture but every year people are losing interest for agriculture. For encourage the farmer Panchayat arrange this fair on the month of February. The farmer who can cultivate big size vegetable he will be win as best farmer of the area. Likewise Panchayat give award as best mother for healthy baby. The baby of the area will very healthy, in the fair people will identify the baby and give the best mother of the year award to the mother of the healthy baby. In this area, women literacy rate is very low. Women are unaware about taking care of the baby. Some years before, the death rate of the babies ware very high. For that Panchayat has taken this initiative. In that fair Panchayat give awareness programme on how to take care of the baby. Under that Panchayat SHGs are there. One SHG is making baby food. That baby food is made by wheat, rice, dal etc. Panchayat is purchasing this baby food and distributing to the underweight children. Anganwadi worker find out the underweight baby and give the report to the Panchayat. For the underweight children this baby food is given free but for other they have to pay money for it. It is very cheap so people can easily buy. Panchayat is giving old age pension to the poor old people, those who are not in the list of BPL. Panchayat is giving scholarship, free book to the meritorious student. Other than this special initiative Panchayat is doing developmental activities of the area. SUGGESTIONS For suggestion there is very limited space for the researcher. Already Panchayat is doing excellence work. Some more minor thing is lacking in the process for managing.own fund revenue. Those are 1. West Bengal Government should take initiative to make Common property resource policy for proper usage of these kinds of common resources. 2. Common property can be use as a source of income of unemployed youth. In that area still now so many Common land is there. Those lands can be used for helping the poor youth for employment. 3. River Dwarakeswar is very valuable resource of the Panchayat. Panchayat not utilizing this resource in fruitful manner. The poor youth can earn a money by utilize the river for fishing.

9 4. Panchayat should do some initiative to develop the transport facility of the Panchayat. 5. Panchayat should do the resource mapping for find out more natural resource and the status of natural resource. 6. Panchayat should take care of Common Property that it should not over exploited by the user group. CONCLUSION:- This study is a micro level study on Common Property Resource Management. So far many studies have done on Common Propertywhich gave focus on impact of common property on poor people. This study is unique study because this study has focused on Panchayat s source of income from Common Property. If the resource never use than that resource cannot be called as a resource, it will become waste. The productivity of the resource will become less. Again over use of the resource also can be over exploitation of the resource. Here Panchayat is balancing both the thing. Fund is one of the main components for self- sufficient. Without financial independence the real empowerment will not come. As this Panchayat has a good amount of own fund revenue, this Panchayat never depend on State Government or Central Government. Now, Panchayat is able to do many developmental activities independently.