Plantation with Human Gabion

Pic: Naudiha, Immamgunj

Pic: Gaya in Bihar State

Pir. Women as Human gabion "Vanposhak" Naudiha, Imn amguni,Gava

pi ; Bff--IF.--)r

Social Forestry in the form of 'Plantation with human gpiQp been taken up by the Gaya district team to combat the-41004'1gs of drought, high poverty, unemployment and left wing egtrernis -under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment GuarantelAt,

Gaya District

Gaya district is one among the so-called naxal affected red corridor areas of the country. Upheavals in the day-to-day life due to naxal activities have

become a routine activity in this area. Some parts of the district, especially in the south are highly disturbed due to naxal activities. Carrying out of development activities is considered to be a

real challenge in these areas.

The district comprises of 24

blocks spread across an al .:n 4976 sq. kms., which is 5% of total land area of Bihar stat,e,_ The population is 34,73,428 i.e. 4% of the total population of Bihar. High concentration of scheduled caste populatior, more than 50% is another feature-of the district. The econ6e4 the district is primarily driven 139_

agriculture. Nearly 81% or . the

population is primarity

dependent of agriculture , far

livelihood but the area is highly

drought prone. 70% of the land holdings are of small an0

Total works Jridertaken under MGNREGA FY 2012-13 is 24,626 out of which 12,907 wQf • are of plantation. This has been taken up. as* social forestry initiative across the district.

marginal farmers. Average landholding is 0.07-0.22 ;t! only. Total no. of BPL households is 3,60,848 i.e. 70.62V-of the population is living below poverty line.

MGNREGA, Gaya FY 2012-13 Employment Provided to Households 1.21093 lakhs

Total Persondays Generated 48.98 lakhs Total Expenditure Rs. 13884.31 lakhs Total Works Undertaken 24,626 Plantation Works 12907

Social issues in terms of high illiteracy (29.64%); unemployment, high poverty and left wing extremism

envelope the area. The district administration has taken up the challenge to increase the penetration and reach of development activities onto the difficult terrains of

411

...14174T(P.R.S.) 50/D/Tra4iplq

the district. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has been used as a weapon to combat

the developmental issues.

MGNREGA, Gaya

During Financial Year 2012-13, the no. of households provided employment is 1.21093 lakhs. Total persondays generated is 48.98 lakhs.

Persondays%

Total expenditure has been Rs. 13884.38 lakhs. Total works undertaken has been 24,626 out which 12907 works are of plantation. This has been taken up as social forestry

initiative across the district.

Social Forestry - Plantation .•

Though, the first seeds of social - forestry in the form of plantation

under MGNREGA have been sown during FY 2009-10 itself, with planting of 6 units i.e. 1200 plants in Amas block. During 2011-12, the total no. of units planted have been 5385 i.e. 11,22,000 plants. The major breakthrough happened in this social forestry initiative with planting of 26,446 units i.e 52,83,800 plants. Till now more than 60 lakh plants have been planted across the district. Be it the highly affected blocks like Dumaria and Immamgunj or the blocks near the district headquarter like Bodhgaya and Belagunj, the "Vanposhaks (Human Gabion)" are cultivating green gold in form of the growing plants.

Pic: Gafakhurd, Bodhgaya

Pic: Gafakhurd, Bodhgaya

People are happy being able to take care of their families with the money earned in wages.

Preference is given to ladies especially old and widow, persons with disability and old age persons while allotting the work as "Vanposhak".

Advantages of plantation are: -

4- Providing fixed 36 days of employment to unskilled labourers

4- Economic support to people 4- Environment friendly asset creation 4_ People started to cultivate seasonal fruit-

vegetable like bottle gourd (Lauki), Watermelon (Tarbuj), KAKRI etc. as inter cropping and reaping the benefits as additional returns

4. Increment of green cover 4_ People will benefit with the full grown

tree and its produce like fruits and timber thereon

4. A check onto the increasing air pollution 4. Advantages in the long run,

(1, Socio-economic upliftment of people and hence society Increment of green cover shall result as a check to imminent issue of global warming Improvement in water table

4) Help check soil erosion g, Carbon trading can be done under

clean development mechanism (CDM)

Case studies of different success models of plantation are being discussed in this document. Different blocks have customized the model of plantation based on th( and availability.

Case study - Success Model of Plantation 1

Block Immamgunj, Panchayat - Naudiha, planting has been done near the plateau barren land. This area is highly naxal affected and drought prone. A total of 95 units have been undertaken in this Panchayat with an estimated cost of Rs.74,33,100/- This work has been undertaken during FY 2011-12. The land is rocky and it is difficult to believe that plants can survive in these tough terrains. The concentrated efforts have turned this into a reality and today a total of 16,400 plants of Karanj, 1000 plants of Guava, 400 plants of Lemon, 600 plants of Pomegranate, 200 plants of Mango and 400 plants of Aonla are flourishing upon its successful completion of nearly two years upon plantation. The ladies working as `vanposhak' narrate their success stories in their own different ways.

Case study - Success Model of Plantation 2

Block- Belagunj, Panchayat - Erki planting has been done near the riverbed. The river falgu flowing across the district is a sandy river. In this Panchayat, 175 units of different plants including fruit bearing, timber and bio-diesel plants have been planted across the river, whose one end touches the border of the district with Jehanabad. Total estimated cost of the work is Rs.3,18,51,300/- A large number of fruit bearing plants like Gauava and Lemon along with bio-diesle plant Karanj have been planted along the river bed. This model is a success in itself and a good fit for the blocks running along the rivers.

Case study - Success Model of Plantation 3

Block- Dumaria, Panchayat - Narayanpur Planting has been done across the aahar pyne in this Panchayat. A total of 87 units of bio-diesel plant Karanj as 21 projects has been planted in different directions to increase the green cover, where the estimated cost per thousand plants is Rs. 9,13,000/- In the beginning, it was an unanswered question that plants will survive or not. Thus, Karanj being less water requiring and fit to survival on tough terrains was taken as the project plant. Seeing this success, this year the people of this Panchayat along with its Mukhiya are planning to take more and more of fruit tress.

Pic: Raushangunj, Bankey Bazar

Case study - Success Model of Plantation 4

Block- Bankey Bazar, Panchayat - Rausangunj and

Block- Immamgunj, Panchayat - Vabhandi planting has been done on the uncultivated and unoccupied land of "Kabristan" (Graveyard). Fruit bearing trees of Guava, Mango, Lemon and Pomegranate has been planted in these panchayats. Concerted efforts of the MGNREGA officials, staff, Mukhiya and the people as led to the successful planting and nurturing of the plants in these places. Now, people are awaiting to enjoy the fruits of these plants.

Replicability and future plan

4- Phased Implementation The Social Capital created through the MGNREGA plantation work is crucial for scaling up and sustainability

4- Human gabions "Vanposhaks" especially poor women whose lives have been transformed through the support of this social forestry work play a very important role in replication of the project

4- Three years down the line, 20 trees will be allotted to each Wanposhak'. They will take care of the tree and reap benefits from its fruits, shade and the non-timber forest products

Pic: A Human Gabion watering the plants at Narayanpur. Dumaria

strict Rural Development Agency Gaya, Bihar

Pic: Guava Plantation, Erki, Belagunj