Centre for Policy and Planning

CPP in the DHAN Collective Structure

The structure of the DHAN Foundation is circular wherein the community is positioned as core. It communicates the philosophy of ‘Building on the native wisdom’. The wisdom of community is consciously learnt and conceived in the form of themes, programmes and later graduated to thematic institutions to scale up the development technologies without compromising the heritage and cultural rhythm. The specialized institutions, the central office for integration and DHAN networks fall in the consecutive orbits of the community in such a way as to percolate the thematic investments towards the community horizon.

Keeping Community as a centre DHAN Collective built four major layers to serve the community.

• The first layer is programmes, which are the direct field level thematic interventions with a well-defined people institution structure and systems.


• The second layer is called as SPICE (Specialised people Institutions for Community Empowerment). These are serving as verticals on a particular service/component which are highly essential to community in advancing their quality of life. These SPICE institutions will work to community thru Programmes.


• The third layer of integrating centres at Central office of DHAN will provide and coordinate resource support to Programmes, SPICE and people institutions mainly on four dimensions namely, human resources, financial resources, knowledge resources & Physical resources.

• Centre for Policy and Planning: Centre for Policy & Planning is housed under the integrating knowledge resources of DHAN Collective. All the centres have a mandate of contributing to three streams namely, to the institution, to the community and to the sector. So, all centre’s activities are designed in a way that they are balanced in contributing to all the three streams.


• The fourth layer of networking with development stakeholders both at national and international levels provides a platform as a sounding board to share grassroots experiences with a global perspective.


• As the approach of DHAN Foundation is building sustainable people institutions around the identified theme and enabling the community to anchor the development process, the role of central-level integration and facilitation becomes very crucial. So, as part of the central office, the centres are serving as key integrating units in the DHAN collective system.

Objectives of CPP

• To support in development and refinement of policies for Programmes and Subsidiary Institutions of DHAN Collective towards achieving DHAN’s vision.


• To develop and refine statutory policies related to HR, Financial and Legal compliances for DHAN and its collective institutions.


• To enable people institutions for the development and refinement of policies in line with DHAN’s framework.


• To showcase and advocate community-level practices to the sector for incorporation of grassroots learning into sectoral policies.


• Evolve and monitor the strategic plan of DHAN Collective institutions

Policy Eco-System in DHAN Collective

Our approach to Public Policy

DHAN’s policies are based on Gandhian principles and continue to evolve through five dimensions: ‘The Trusteeship Model’, ‘Economy of Permanence’, ‘Community Swaraj’, ‘Localizing SDGs’, and the ‘ESG Framework’.

These dimensions advocate for moral inquiry and ethical value judgment across social, economic, environmental, and governance aspects of society.

DHAN believes that policies grounded in the principles of decentralization, self-sustainability, equality, nonviolence, and truthfulness foster a just society and sustainable ecology."

DHAN Way of Mainstreaming Community policies

Policy and Planning is the key element in the institution-building process. It serves as a tool for culture building among young DHANites and facilitates desirable culture creation among the senior DHANites. It is also interwoven with all the programmes, SPICE, Centres, and people institutions in creating DHAN’s identity and shared understanding.

Policy and Planning is the key element in the institution-building process. It serves as a tool for culture building among young DHANites and facilitates desirable culture creation among the senior DHANites. It is also interwoven with all the programmes, SPICE, Centres, and people institutions in creating DHAN’s identity and shared understanding.

Collaborate with us

DHAN invites interested organisations, to jointly work on the policy and planning areas. We expect interns from reputed institutions to take up policy-related studies, academia, voluntary organizations to offer DMPs on Policy & Planning and Government agencies to develop pro-poor policies.

You may reach DHAN thru cpp@dhan.org to explore with us.

District Policy Workshop : Click Here

National Policy Workshop : Click Here

Policy Brief

Policy Brief 1 - Encroachment of small-scale water bodies: Emerging solutions for eviction

Neglecting regular desilting of tanks and inlet channels reduces storage capacity, leading to groundwater pumping and ecological imbalance. Encroachment of water bodies causes flooding and runoff into the sea. Despite legal provisions for eviction, delays and legal battles embolden encroachers. To address this, a single government unit should be empowered to handle eviction-related works, ensuring timely implementation of laws.

Policy Brief 1.1 - Encroachment of small-scale water bodies: Emerging solutions for eviction

DHAN Foundation's Tank Rehabilitation program includes ongoing encroachment eviction efforts. In 2007, the organization collaborated with the Madurai District Administration to evict encroachments from seven tanks. Four tanks were successfully rehabilitated, resulting in increased water holding capacity and boosted agricultural production. Documented case studies demonstrate the tangible impact of these eviction efforts.

Policy Brief 2 - Financial Inclusion: Integrating Micro Finance into Water and Agriculture

Livelihood opportunities and risks vary across contexts. Microfinance has proven effective in fighting poverty since the late 1990s. Self-help groups (SHGs) focused on farming increase economic activity and ensure sustainability. Integrating microfinance with water and agriculture has tremendous potential. To achieve this, commercial banks and NABARD should support bankable projects, offer soft loans and provide incentives. Additionally, institutions of higher learning should conduct studies to identify scientifically viable and bankable microfinance activities.

Policy Brief 3-Role of Tanks in Groundwater Management

Tanks play a crucial dual role in providing irrigation water and recharging groundwater. However, their neglect over time has led to decline. Factors contributing to this decline include free electricity and individual electric pumps, reducing incentives for tank maintenance. Restoring tanks to their former potential is essential. Educating farmers on judicious groundwater use, sharing community well water and promoting community participation will ensure sustainable resource management, equitable income generation, integrated conservation and development.

Policy Brief 4 - Historical Perspectives of Tank Technologies and their Relevance in Modern Era

India, particularly Tamil Nadu, has a long history of rainwater harvesting through small-scale water bodies. These ancient tanks, constructed using local materials and knowledge, have survived the test of time. The book "In Search of Ancient Wisdom: Irrigation Tanks" by DHAN Foundation showcases the traditional wisdom behind these tanks, including innovative sluice designs and sustainable water management practices. This policy brief builds on this knowledge, outlining policy and practice changes to protect these water bodies and promote better water management for tank-fed agriculture.

Policy Brief 5 - Crop Insurance for Sustaining Agricultural Production

Crop insurance is crucial for sustaining agricultural production, given the risks posed by monsoon variability. Despite various government and private sector schemes, crop insurance penetration remains low due to inadequate manpower, data dependency, and adverse selection. DHAN Foundation's People Mutuals initiative has successfully piloted life, health and rainfall insurance programs based on the mutuality concept. This brief emphasizes the need for crop insurance that benefits not only farmers but also landless people, artisans and others dependent on agriculture, highlighting the potential of mutuality-based approaches.

Policy Brief 6 - Cultivation Practices for Improved Tankfed Agriculture

Tamil Nadu has an extensive network of tanks, which are often the primary source of water for rainwater harvesting. These tanks play a crucial role in supplementing rainfall and stabilizing crop production, contributing significantly to the livelihoods of poor households, who rely on them for up to one-third of their income. Additionally, poor households depend on tanks for various other needs including fuel wood, grazing and livestock water.

Policy Brief 7 - Conflict Resolution in Conservation and Management of Tanks (small scale water bodies)

Tanks, as small-scale water bodies, offer multiple benefits including easy operation, diverse uses and groundwater recharge. They cater to various village community groups such as farmers, fisherfolk, artisans, animal rearers and women. Traditionally, Indian societies resolved conflicts over shared resources through mediation and village institutions like Panchayats. However, over time these institutions have weakened, leading to a breakdown in conflict resolution mechanisms.

Policy Brief 8 - Financial inclusion - savings and its relevance to poor: issues and solutions

Poor households have the desire and ability to save money, which helps reduce vulnerability to unexpected events like natural disasters, illnesses or job losses. Saving creates a safety net, allowing households to set aside income for future consumption or investment, whether kept at home, deposited in a savings account or invested in various assets.

Policy Brief 9 - Resource Mobilisation for Rehabilitation of Tanks With People's Involvement

Resources are crucial for tank rehabilitation programs, generating and managing them wisely is a significant challenge. Raising resources locally can enhance the program's credibility, giving stakeholders a sense of ownership and involvement in the tank's restoration and maintenance. Implementing cost-effective solutions can also increase the program's acceptability and sustainability.

Policy Brief 10 - Tank Based Watershed Development for Sustaining Farmers Livelihoods

The Watershed Development Programme aims to prevent soil erosion, sedimentation in water bodies, and enhance soil moisture and groundwater recharge. However, despite being a crucial component, tanks within watersheds are often overlooked and excluded from watershed development initiatives, despite having a significant stake in the program's success.

Policy Brief 11 - Farm Ponds for Enhancing Food Security

DHAN Foundation's Vayalagam Programme has successfully demonstrated in-situ water conservation through farm pond construction in rainfed areas, benefiting small and marginal farmers. Collaborating with agencies like NWDPRA, NABARD-WDF and others, the program has shown significant impact in stabilizing crop production, improving pisciculture and enhancing livestock productivity, showcasing the effectiveness of scaled-up farm pond implementation.

Policy Brief 12 - Tank slit Application for Agricultural Production Enhancement - Scope, Issues and Challengers

DHAN Foundation conducted field demonstrations (2008-2010) on applying tank silt with soil moisture retainers (farm yard manure/coir waste mulch) in agricultural lands under the FPARP program, funded by the Ministry of Water Resources. The technology showed promising productivity results, encouraging farmers to seek loan support for silt application under NABARD's UPNRM program.

Policy Brief 13 - Role of small irrigation tanks and village ponds in enhancing community oriented inland fisheries for rural food and nutritional security – Policy and Practice Changes

Aquaculture is farming aquatic organisms, including fish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants. It enhances production through interventions like stocking, feeding and protection. Aquaculture contributes to poverty alleviation by providing nutritious food and employment. DHAN promotes community-based inland fisheries in rural village tanks, creating supplemental storage for fish rearing and drinking water for cattle. The policy brief recommends changes to existing policies to support rural poor with nutritious food and income.

Policy Brief 14 - Effective Practices for Financial Inclusion

Inclusive growth is a high priority on the national agenda to address poverty and inequality. DHAN Foundation and Corporation Bank have collaborated to advance financial inclusion through the SHG bank linkage program. Around 6,000 groups promoted by DHAN have been linked with Corporation Bank branches in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, facilitating savings and credit. The partnership focuses on intensive linkages, financial literacy, mobile banking and SHGs as business facilitators. This collaboration promotes effective practices for deepening and sustaining financial inclusion, enabling groups to progress from basic savings to pension services.

Policy Brief 15 – Cash Credit to Self Help Groups

Financial inclusion promotes inclusive growth by providing access to financial services for poor and low-income households. The SHG bank linkage program has successfully linked 8 million SHGs to the banking system, covering 100 million households with accumulated savings of 8,000 crores. However, the program's average loan amount of 6,000 rupees per member is inadequate for livelihood activities. To address this, alternative loan facilities with flexible credit limits, longer tenure reduced borrowing costs are needed, making the cash credit system an appropriate solution.

Policy Brief 16 – Advancing Financial Inclusion

Financial inclusion is a national priority in India, where many households lack access to formal financial institutions. Initiatives like Jan Dhan Yojana, SHG bank linkage and financial literacy programs are promoting inclusive growth. These initiatives help connect poor rural households with the banking system, providing access to credit, micro-insurance and micro-pension. Transparency and affordability are key to these initiatives, which aim to support marginalized communities and promote financial inclusion.