Why we evaluate? How?

1. Why we evaluate? How? MSRLM

2. Maharashtra - Background information • 33 rural districts, 351 blocks and approximately 27000 Gram Panchayats (with population ranging between 700 to 70000) in approximately 44000 habitations • Approximately 5 lakh SHGs already formed out of which 2.37 lakh under SGSY • Despite having good mobilization, poor bank linkage of around Rs. 600 crore • Skewed HDI distribution and skewed income distribution • Regional imbalances and variations in aspirations of people • Active interventions from various departments of the State Government • Various livelihoods programs are on-going – e.g. CAIM, Tejasvini, MACP, WSHG, IWMP, NABARD schemes

3. Work done so far… • NRLM launched in July 2011 • Maharashtra State Rural Livelihoods Mission Society established in August 2011 • First round of recruitments for State level was conducted in January 2012 • Second round of recruitments for State level was conducted in September 2012 • First round of Cluster level recruitments for 8 Resource Blocks was conducted in August 2012 • First round of District, Block level and second round of Cluster level recruitments is being conducted now

4. Strategies adopted • Resource Blocks strategy :- 4 districts and 8 blocks with the help from RO i.e. SERP • Home grown models :-- 3 blocks in Wardha district with the help of “Sanghatikas” trained under SGSY- 6 blocks in 3 districts with MAVIM where considerable work has happened under IFAD funded “Tejasvini” project

5. Livelihoods Innovation Forum • To identify existing best practices which have worked in the area of Rural Poverty alleviation, recognize and award them and forge partnerships in future

6. Monitoring and Evaluation • When interventions start rolling, you need to monitor them and use the data as a feedback for course correction and firming of the implementation strategy • SO team’s report on RBS • Field visits by State Coordinators • Transitory MIS • Regular review by District and Block Teams Robust MIS is what is needed at this stage! (Data for action)

7. Monitoring strategy • Need for single SHG database – SHG inventory collection work started in 66 blocks after doing a pilot in one block • Data sharing agreements with banks on SHG –Bank linkage • Regular data collection from SHGs, VOs through MIS – either SANGRAM centers at GP level or tablet based book keeping? • HRIS for linking field results with individual performance and use it for feedback and evaluation • Process Monitoring once work begins in three strategic areas – RBS, Homegrown Models and Intensive Strategy in the rest

8. Some more pertinent questions… • What do we evaluate? • Can we single out impacts that are achieved by NRLM?

9. Evaluation strategy • Visit of SO team and NMMU team to field areas to understand the field realities • Selection of appropriate methodology that will reflect adequately of the impact of the Mission (RCT, Regression Discontinuity Design, Tracking Survey), Sampling methodology • Detailed discussions with SO team and Prof. AshwiniDeshpande and Prof. Aniruddha Krishna • SO, plan to take up tracking survey over 6 years (3 rounds starting with a baseline) with Propensity Score matching methodology • Few studies planned for quality of Institutions and people’s collectives, status of Financial Inclusion and access to Financial Services to poor and Livelihoods status Immediate need of doing baseline when the Mission is at the critical juncture of take off!

10. Next steps… • Study of SHGs and People’s Collectives : RfP issued. Agency will be finalized this month • ToRs for FI and Livelihoods study ready, to be completed by appointing Individual Consultants • Draft ToR for Impact evaluation through Tracking Survey prepared. ToR will be finalized by August end and procurement of Survey agency to be initiated in September. Survey to begin by December 2013. • Pilots planned for MIS with SANGRAM, Tablet based SHG Book keeping. Proposals will be sent to NMMU by September

11. Thanks!