Towards Community Swaraj

Contributing to the Development Policy by the People, for the People and To the People thru District level Policy Workshops

DHAN is primarily a grassroots organization, and it enables the development sector through its practices. Our approach to knowledge building is based on the practices. Our practices become principles and that set for perspective and enable larger policies. So, from time to time, we share our experiences with other development stakeholders mainly to showcase our model and advocate for inclusion.

The idea of global thinking with local action is in the DNA of DHAN’s way of work. Foot in the ground and eye in the sky help to connect the community aspirations with policymakers and the supply system. So, for the past decade, DHAN has been promoting policy workshops/ seminars at the grassroots level, and at the District and Block level to provide a platform for our community to share their experiences.

The major objectives of such policy seminars/workshops at the district level are:

• Positioning people institutions at the local level as a development organization
• Share our best/unique practices with our stakeholders for appreciation and collaboration.
• Make others follow and replicate our model of intervention.
• Influence for policy changes/programme remodification of the government system to suit community interest at the best.
• Empower community leadership and advance the leadership capabilities of our members.

This policy workshops can also be used to enable our best practices of our community institutions to make it uniform across all the places. As changing our community for a good cause is comparatively easy and more effective. In one sense, community are doing policy workshop for their own good and development is a greatest expression of “Community Swaraj”.

It is proposed to conduct two District level Policy Workshops in a year. About 40 Districts this kind of workshops were conducted during 25th Nov 2023 and 28th Feb 2024. The Topics are chosen based on the local need and it was conducted with larger community participation and stakeholders’ engagement.

In the recently held policy workshop following topics were taken into account:

• Kanchi Region: Ensuring 100% linkages with CC loan.
• CALL Cuddalore: Enabling Health Linkages
• Vizag Urban: Self-growth of Vizag urban region
• Tiruvallur Region: Mainstreaming Health linkages & NALAM Product
• Vizag Coastal: Advancing Coastal livelihoods.
• Dindigul Region: Mainstreaming Health linkages (Next time, showcasing best federation’s initiatives can be taken as a topic)
• Guntar Upper: Scaling up of Tank slit application.
• Idukki Region: Livelihoods: Collective marketing of Spice products (Cardamom and Pepper)
• Vizag Rural: Evolving Federation level Financial Policy
• Madurai (Urban): Policy and rules for scaling up of House leasing product.
• Mysore Region: Local Food System: Importance of small millets – Cultivation, Consumption and Conservation.
• Nagai Region: Ensuring 100% bank linkage.
• Narayanpur Tank: Water related cascade experiences and Saturation of cascade.
• Agniyar Region: Soil breeding with Slit application (Focus on slit application in the Command area)
• Ramnagara Region: Graduation of federation leaders.
• Rfdp Thirumangalam- SM cultivation & conservation
• Rfdp Vellore: 100% bank linkage
• Tiruppur region: bank linkage and ensure 100% repayment.
• Thiruvananthapuram: 100% bank linkage of our groups
• Pambar region: Mainstreaming insurance
• VF Thoothukudi: Integration of Agriculture linkages with Government departments
• Kothakudam Tank: Mainstreaming Silt application & package of practices for Paddy cultivation
• Yavatmal - Gatanji: advancing Financial Inclusion and SCRIPT
• KF Thanjavur: Advancing Mutual products.
• Madurai (Rural): Ensuring 100% Bank linkage.
• Theni region: Advancing Bank linkage with CC facility.
• In 14 regions Salem, Ramnad and Maharashtra / North Indian Districts advancing financial inclusion and bank linkage is taken as a topic for policy workshop.

The Policy Seminar at the district level is an effective tool to enable the People institutions to theorize our practices and also position ourselves/people institutions at the district level. This is our contribution to the sector and by doing so, we are creating documents that are serving as institutional memories for long years.