Antecedentes

Government of India has launched the “National Rural Livelihood Mission” (NRLM) in June 2011 after restructuring its centrally sponsored flagship Scheme “Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana” (SGSY) on the recommendation of several independent evaluation studies and expert committees. The NRLM functions in a mission mode for target based time bound delivery of outcomes following a demand driven approach which would allow the states to formulate their own poverty alleviation plans on the basis of available allocation, resources and skills. The Mission is designed to facilitate shift of the states from the allocation based strategy to a demand-driven strategy, enabling the states in the process to formulate their own poverty reduction plans. The Mission seeks to transform the role of the MORD into one of an enabler, facilitator and technical assistance provider, with the states being given a great degree of autonomy in the design and implementation of rural poverty reduction strategies. Thus, NRLM constitutes a significant paradigm shift in the implementation of rural poverty alleviation programmes in the country.

Objective and Components

The central objective of the Mission is to eliminate rural poverty through innovative implementation strategies involving mobilization and organization of the rural poor into sustainable community based organizations (CBOs) and their financial and economic inclusion. The three key components of the Mission are:

• Social inclusion through institution and human capacity building;
• Financial literacy and inclusion; and
• Economic inclusion through livelihood promotion and diversification.
  

Financing

The NRLM is implemented on a cost sharing basis between the Center and the States in the ratio of 75:25. In respect of the North-Eastern States, the cost is shared between the Center and the States in the ratio of 90:10. The inter-state distribution of NRLM funds, however, is based on the relative rural poverty ratios of the states as determined by the Planning Commission. In order to augment the resources for NRLM in certain less developed states (13) and districts (103), the GOI has also entered into an agreement with the World Bank for an IDA credit of US $ 1 billion over XII Plan period. During FY 2012-13, the GOI has allocated Rs.2,590 Crores for NRLM. During XII Five Year Plan, the allocation is expected to be stepped-up significantly.

Coverage

The Mission is designed to cover 70 million poor households scattered over 6 lakh villages, 2.5 lakh gram panchayats, 6,000 blocks and 600 districts across 28 states and 7 UTs, in a phased manner. The Mission is designed to be implemented through a dedicated architecture at the central, state and sub-state levels. At the national level, the Mission is implemented by a National Mission Management Unit (NMMU) comprising several thematic groups and professional experts, under the MORD. As part of transition to NRLM, the state governments are required to establish an autonomous and empowered State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM) at the state level. The states are required to set-up dedicated Mission Implementation Units at the State (SMMU), District (DMMU), Block (BMMU) and Sub-Block Units (Cluster Level).

Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP)

A significant feature in NRLM is that the targeting the poor, who are identified through a participatory process involving the community at each step. Identification of the poor is a process oriented and community is engaged in identification of the poor and the vulnerable in a three day exercise. The Gram Sabha approves the list thus generated and recommends it to Block (BMMU) or Sub-Block Units (Cluster Level) for inclusion of the target households in the program. Through a recent cabinet decision the identification of the poor and approving the list in a Gram Sabha has become mandatory for NRLM.

As many of the states do not have required technical resources for PIP, the NMMU provides the technical support and guides the states through the process. Making participatory identification of the poor exercise happen across the NRLM complaint states is the current priority.

Some of the states are practicing identification of the poor process and have established the proof of concept. The best practices from these set of states need to be collected, documented and disseminated through a modular approach.

The systems designed to operationalize the participatory identification of the poor requires to be contextualized to the states requirements. It requires a large pool of resource persons to be first trained in conducting the PIP exercise, so that they can talk the same language and roll out PIP across the states. NRLM believes in quality inputs and delivery of services, hence monitoring the resource persons in conducting PIP exercise becomes an important deliverable.

The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD)-UNDP GOALS project helps strengthen the effectiveness of key Ministry programmes by providing:

• Technical assistance to the state government and NGOs in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha to improve sustainable livelihoods with linkages to Panchayati Raj Institutions for governance in left wing extremism affected areas;
• Policy advice and technical assistance to the Ministry and the state governments to help improve the efficiency, accountability and inclusiveness of National Rural Livelihoods Mission and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme and;
• Policy advice and technical assistance to the Ministry and state governments to help “green” select schemes.
  

With respect to NRLM, UNDP provides technical support for efficient and inclusive implementation through:

• Positioning professional managers and domain experts to improve implementation at the state level;
• Strengthening the social mobilisation in favour of women from persistently excluded groups; and
• Developing and testing of context-specific, market-led, livelihood strategies that will enable institutions of the poor women to secure their role in markets and supply chains and ensure higher and sustained returns.
  

As part of its support to NRLM, UNDP is looking for a senior consultant to supplement the role of NMMU, MoRD in Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP).

Deberes y responsabilidades

The Senior Consultant will work under the guidance and supervision of the Mission Director, NRLM and Programme Analyst, UNDP. S/he will be responsible for the following:

Lead/anchor provision of technical assistance in ensuring that the Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP) processes are grounded in various states under NRLM – specifically in the form of:

• Disseminating best practices of conducting PIP and organizing orientation workshops for the states;
• Preparation systems and templates for conducting PIP;
• Identifying and inducting resource persons/resource pools/resource organizations for supporting PIP processes and action plans;
• Support in planning, implementing, monitoring and reviewing the PIP processes/action plans in various states.
  

Facilitate/support/develop participatory processes/methods in NRLM in consultation with the thematic groups at NMMU and the states.

Support/facilitate induction and capacity building of the staff, community cadres and community institutions at various levels in NRLM in processes/methods/tools of participation and inclusion across NRLM – specifically in the form of:

• Best practices;
• Modules, toolkits and materials;
• Resource persons, resource pools and resource organizations including empaneling, induction and deployment;
• Rolling out training programs on participatory process.

Facilitate developing systems and process of participatory monitoring and community monitoring in NRLM, in consultation with the thematic groups at NMMU and the states; design report forms for NMMU, SMMU, DMMU, BMMU and Gram Panchayat/Village Organization; provide support for designing capacity building programs for the NMMU, State and Community in participatory monitoring/community monitoring; facilitate adopting of systems by the states and the community.

Facilitate/support the processes of visioning in NMMU, SRLMs and Community Institutions.

Facilitate/support other activities in inclusion, capacity building, knowledge management, communications and monitoring and learning.

Any other task assigned by the Mission Director and Programme Analyst, UNDP in the areas of planning, appraisal, monitoring and evaluation.

Deliverables and Timelines:

• A comprehensive workplan will be drawn up in consultation with the Mission Director, NRLM and UNDP;
• Report on the work undertaken and accomplished will be submitted at the end of each month;
• Back-to-office reports will be submitted at the end of each travel and meetings, giving details of objectives, outcomes and follow-up actions of the travel/meeting.
  

Competencias

Functional Competencies:

• Skills in development of training material and delivery of participatory training to different tiers of functionaries;
• Mastery of Processes, Skills and Tools of Participation and Participatory Training;
• Excellent writing and oral skills in English;
• Good research and analytical skills including skills in data analysis and report writing (demonstrated by national and international reports/publications);
• Excellent communication-presentation skills;
• Ability to plan and organize work programme;
• Consultative and collaborative capacities;
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Corporate Competencies:

• Acts as a team player, facilitates team work and shares knowledge with others;
• Approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Generates new ideas and approaches, researches and documents best practices and proposes new, more effective ways of doing things;
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Economics, Social Sciences, Management, Political Science or related field. PhD will be an advantage.
  

Years of experience:

• 20+ years of relevant experience at the national or international level;
• Extensive experience in PIP design of systems including PIP roll out;
• Wide ranging experience in conducting training and facilitation, assessments in the areas of rural development, poverty studies, studies on financial inclusion and livelihood promotion and studies involving community-based institutions and related themes.

Language Requirement:

• Excellent command of English is required;
• Working knowledge of Hindi and any state language/s would be an advantage.

Travel:

• Willingness to travel.

Submission of proposal:

Financial Proposal:

• Consultant shall specify his/her per day consultancy rate;
• Travel related to the assignment will require UNDP approval including tickets and lodging prior to travel and will be reimbursed as per actuals in line with UNDP rules and procedures. In general, UNDP does not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

CV:

• Consultant should submit his/her updated CV with three references.
  

Notes:

• Any kind of miscellaneous charges i.e. internet, phone etc. would not be reimbursed;
• Individuals working with institutions may also apply, contract would be issued in the name of institution for the specific services of individual;
• Please note proposals without financial proposal will not be considered;
• CV and Financial proposal can be clubbed in one file for uploading.
  

Payment Schedule:

• Payments will be made monthly to the Individual Consultant based on the number of days worked.
  

Cumulative analysis:
The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
Responsive;
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation;
Technical Criteria weight - 70%;
Financial Criteria weight - 30%.
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Criteria for Technical Evaluation would be as under:

• Educational Qualification- 10%
• Proven experience in conducting PIP in large scale government and/ or donor funded social sector  programmes-20%
• Experience of developing Best practice documents and research partnerships
  with leading national / international agencies-20%
• Experience in conducting training and facilitation, assessments in the areas of rural development, poverty studies, studies on financial inclusion and livelihood promotion and studies involving community-based institutions and related themes-20%
  

Kindly write to sandeep.sharma@undp.org for any query. Proposals have to be submitted online only.