- Producer Group (PG): Producer Group is a group of 5-20 members who comes together for production of same activities to upscale and produce surplus for marketing and cater their need through collective inputs
- Vulnerable Producer group (VPG): are similar to Producer group. Only the difference in membership criteria and little bit more financial benefits to the vulnerable producer groups members.
| VPG Membership Criteria: | PG Membership Criteria: |
| 1-Antoday man/woman. | Except for VPG HHs) |
| 2-Landless Man/woman | 1-BPL card holder. |
| 3-Widow. | 2- APL HHs have land holding up to 0.5 hectare (as individual HHs). |
| 4-Handicapped man woman. | Not Eligible HHs 1-Regular Government Employees. 2-Income Tax payers. 3-HHs have land holdings more than 0.5 hectare. |
| 5-SC/ST man/woman |
- 5 to 20 Member in a PGs- (3 office bears)
- Regular Group Meetings, saving and thrift.
- Book/Record keeping-Regular.
- Participation in capacity building programmes.
- Planning for livelihood activities once a year (FSIP) (for production enhancement.)
- Collective input procurement-against FSIP.
- Collection of surplus produce for marketing.
- Livelihood collectives membership and shareholding.
- Project support Rs 3600 after preparation of FSIP.
Formation of PGs and Coverage: Formed 8184 PGs with coverage of 74321 households. All PGs are involved in saving and thrift activities after MTR recommendations. Saving enhance by Rs 54 to 75 per month/HHs. Average Repayment is approx 75 (74.94) % in PGs.
- “Livelihood Collectives in the project are second level institutions of the primary institutions such as Producer Groups/SHGs. Livelihood Collectives (LCs) are registered legally under “Uttarakhand Self-Reliant Cooperative Act 2003”.
“Livelihood Collectives” (LCs) are formed out of about 50-70 Producer / Vulnerable Producer Groups (PGs & VPGs) of the respective cluster. The location of LCs has depended on the ease of – access of members of PGs & VPGs, potential market linkage and achieving economies of scale.
The administrative boundaries are not given much weightage and therefore clusters are formed keeping in view the proximity aspects related to the business. All PG-VPG members are taking membership of LC.
The members will purchase seeds and agriculture inputs from LC and provide surplus produce for marketing through Livelihood Collectives. The LC is required to coordinate with PG/VPG for implementation of “Agriculture Up-scaling Plan” (AUP). The marketing of produce will also be done by LC.
Grade wise status of Institutions: ILSP has self grading system for Livelihood collectives which generate automatically based on the defined criteria and achieved marks against them which automatically converted in the grade. Grading in PGs and VPG are done many by the Livelihood facilitator each year and fed into the MIS. PG/VPG grading is self and participatory by PG/VPG members by themselves to realize the status of group. As of now 6238 PGs/VPGs graded. Out of these 53 % , 40% and 7 % groups are in A,B and C categories respectively. Similarly out of 131 Livelihood collectives 36% , 45% and 19 % Livelihood collective are in A, B and C grade.
Business of Federations and LCs During 2018-19 and cumulative Business status: Total 174 (131+43) LCs and federations were engaged in business activities and incurred turn over Rs.2113.04 Lakh with profit of 226.35 (168.88+ 57.47) lakh in LC and federations during the year 2018-19. Cumulative turnover of federation and LCs is Rs 7638 lakh with profit of Rs 591.40 (271.38 LC+ 320.02 Fed) lakh.
Status of AGM and Legal Compliances: AGMs in all 131 Livelihood collectives (LCs) and 43 Federations conducted in all districts by July and august 2018. Federations’ and Livelihood collectives submitting their documents to Assistant Registrar of cooperatives in District and also doing the process for ITR.
- Gender equality is an essential component for sustainable economic development and empowering rural women to improve their livelihoods and overcome poverty. Women participation is an important aspect of the developmental processes.
As per the project document of Integrated Livelihood Support Project (ILSP), it is mentioned on gender that –
- “The flow of benefits directly to women would be ensured by having at least 50% of female membership in producer groups. The project would also ensure that women participate in higher level Livelihood Collectives, Water and Watershed Management Committees and other institutions involved in project management. The project would promote livelihood activities that specifically address the needs of women – such as by improving access to fodder and fuel, and easing the manual work involved in crop production”.
- Promoting economic empowerment to enable rural women and men to have equal opportunity to participate in, and benefit from, profitable economic activities in the project area:
- To engage in productive activities effectively and efficiently both women and men require access to and control over assets – inputs, technologies and finance; more secure land tenure rights within both statutory and customary systems; and stronger links to profitable markets. They also need access to economic services – such as extension, training and business development – and the opportunity to participate in decent work. They also need to have access to and control over the benefits arising from their endeavors, in particular, income and equitable remuneration for work performed. Under ILSP, all these aspects are covered well.
In ILSP project, both men and women are given equal opportunities to form collectives at the primary and secondary levels and also undertake economic activities. Under the project Producer groups/ Vulnerable Producer groups of women as well as men are promoted. It has been ensured that under the project, access to land, infrastructure facilities, productive assets are provided to women as well as men.
- Ensuring participation of women at the institutional level
- Participation in business Activities
- Participation in Training and Skills development
- Enabling women and men to have equal voice and influence in rural institutions
- Promoting Women’s Autonomy and Empowerment
- Involvement in Community Affairs/Decision Making
- Reducing Women’s Drudgery
- Committee to solve sexual Harassment cases