About the Project

The European Union in India has funded 14 projects across 20 States reaching 20 million people with the objective to increase and improve the access, delivery and quality of public services in order to contribute to reducing poverty and social exclusion. One of these projects, “Improving Access to Information and Delivery of Public Service Schemes in Remote and Backward Districts of North East India” is led by ACTED and implementing partners North East India Committee on Relief and Development (NEICORD) and Public Affairs Centre (PAC) in five North Eastern States of India. The project seeks to achieve three main results;

  • Enhancing access to, and information on, public schemes and services for service users in 7 districts, in particular amongst the most marginalized households and women
  • Improving the quality of public services in target districts, through enhanced capacities of service providers
  • Enhancing the accountability of public service delivery actors and the capacity of CSOs and communities in holding actors accountable

The project aims to improve access to quality information and services provided under 10 selected centrally sponsored schemes related to Health, Education, Livelihood, Food Security, Women & Child Development, Rural Development and Agriculture. The project also promotes active community participation and increased accountability among service providers, to advance overall living standards. The project is implemented in 7 backward districts of five North Eastern States for duration of 51 months (1st January 2014 to 31st March 2018).

The project's target groups include Civil Society Organization, Self Help Groups, Common Service Centers, media organizations, journalists/citizen reporters, District and Sub-Division Administrators, Block and Panchayati Raj Institution officials, Citizen Leaders, Volunteers

About North East India:

The North East of India is constituted by the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. The North East accounts for 3.8% of India's total population with an overwhelming majority of population (84%) residing in rural areas.

  • North East India is the most eastern region of India. It is characterized by hilly terrain and geographic isolation and is home to various ethnic groups, cultures, languages and dialects.
  • The region is politically fragmented with many militant groups in operation. The difficult geographical terrain and infrastructural constraints coupled with geographic and economic isolation hamper North Eastern development.
  • Average human development indexes (e.g. Below Poverty Line, literacy rate) across the 8 states of North East India are amongst the highest in the country. However, estimated per capita income represents just 65% of national average. The region records high unemployment levels especially among the youth. This is largely attributed to limited industrialization and poor communication networks.
  • An overwhelming majority of North Eastern population depend financially on government aid schemes due to the lack of productive economic activities in the region. Multiple Centrally Sponsored Schemes are established across the North East region, however scheme implementation needs tremendous improvement through various initiatives promoting and improving access to public service schemes.

Schemes Selected

  1. Janani-Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK)
  2. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
  3. Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY)/ Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin)
  4. Mid-Day Meal (MDM)
  5. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREG)
  6. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)
  7. Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (Total Sanitation Campaign) (NBA/TSC)
  8. Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY)/ Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY)
  9. National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)
  10. Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)

Major Activities Include

  • Surveys – (Citizen Report Cards and Community Score Cards)
  • Development and dissemination of a Service Provider Handbook
  • Promotion of Aadhaar roll out
  • Right To Information promotion and facilitation
  • Multi-Stakeholder audit and Capacity and Constraints assessment of officials at district, sub-division, block and panchayat levels
  • Information campaign
    • TV, radio and print media
    • Village level events, including house to house visits by volunteers
    • Establishment of Common Service Centers
  • Formation of District and Regional level forums and continuous provision of guidance/inputs
  • Targeted advocacy at State, District, Sub-District and Village level
  • Sharing and lessons learnt workshops at District, State and Regional level