Abstract
In recent decades, non-government organisations (NGOs) increasingly play multiple roles effectively while acting as the bridge between the government organisations (GOs) and the grassroots population. Hence, the government is increasingly relying on these organisations in reaching many of the rural development schemes and fi nancial inclusion drive at the village level. Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) is one such leading NGO which strives towards transforming the lives of rural people through several rural intervention programmes. One of the several rural intervention programmes of SKDRDP to attain collective sustainable rural development is Krishi Melas (Kisan Melas/agricultural fairs). SKDRDP organises Krishi Melas since 1984 at different levels and intervenes in the lives of farmers and rural people with the objective of inclusive and balanced rural development. The present research attempted to study SKDRDP Krishi Mela Model, strategic perspectives of various activities under Krishi Melas, the mechanism of executing the events and more signifi cantly the extent to which Krishi Melas have impacted the rural community. The study has procured data from secondary and primary sources. The study is exploratory and empirical in nature. While analysing the primary data, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) are used. The model extracted from this exercise reveals that Krishi Mela interventions have a signifi cant impact on the empowerment of rural people, agricultural development, financial and economic well-being, and also immensely contribute to building social capital. The results of the study have significant implications for the organisation and policymakers.
Highlights
India is predominantly a country of villages
In an attempt to garner the support and participation of the rural population, the government started working with Voluntary Agencies (VAs) and non-government organisations (NGOs) which work at the grassroots level
Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) is one such leading NGO which strives towards transforming the lives of rural people through several rural intervention programmes
Summary
India is predominantly a country of villages. As estimated by the Census (GoI, 2011) the country has 640,867 villages with nearly 833.1 million inhabitants which constitute 68.84 per cent of the country’s population. Despite being the ‘backbone’ of the economy, rural India lags way behind urban India in growth arena. The nation and the policymakers have realised that their programmes would be successful only if they ascertain the people’s participation. The first official attempt to collaborate with the NGOs was in 1986 by setting up the Council for the Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART). With the setting up of CAPART, funds were granted to NGOs for their rural initiatives, and government schemes and programmes were implemented through NGOs. Since NGOs were involved in designing and implementing the successive Five-Year Plans
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