Prakriti

Organisational
Understanding Component

Presented by:
Chandan Minhas 24008
Ranjeet Kolarkar 24028
 Contents
• Methodology
• About the organisation
• Vision and Mission
• Objectives of Prakriti
• Sources of funds
• Organisation Structure
• Human Resources
• Activities/Programs
• Financial Analysis
• Findings
 Methodology
• Primary data
– Semi-structured interviews with employees at
various levels
– Informal interaction with the employees
– Observations
• Secondary sources
– Annual reports
– Evaluation report of funding agency
– Other literature
 About PRAKRITI
• Brief History
– Started in 1990 at Nagpur
– Registered, in 1990, under The Societies Act,
XXI of 1860
– Started its work in nine districts of three states
– Recently began its operations in Seoni district
of Madhya Pradesh
 About the Organisation
• Governing Body
– Eight members in governing body
– All members are social activists
– Secretary of Prakriti is also Secretary of
governing body
– It meet twice a year
 Vision and Mission
• Vision
– Family centered society characterized by
rapid sustainable and equitable development,
with women being equal contributors to this
process
• Mission
– To work for women’s empowerment, justice
and equality in social, economic, political,
educational and human rights fields to create
a gender just society
 Objectives of Prakriti
• To create awareness among women as well as
men on issues affecting their growth, dignity and
self respect
• To identify potential women partners to generate
leadership and initiate programmes of social
regeneration
• To function as a linking organization of women
at local, regional state and national level to help
in enhancing their skills, understanding
disabilities and capacities for social
transformation
 Objectives of Prakriti
• To develop a resource centre whose
major task would be to undertake training
of women workers on goals, concepts,
skills and attitudes
• To develop programmes related to women
and their development and create an
environment of their growth, dignity and
self respect
 Sources of funds
• Funding Agencies
– Eeanvelischer EsDwicklunvsbienst (EED)
Germany
– NOVIB
– Ford Foundation
• Till 2001-02, EED was the major funding
agency
Organisation Structure
 Structure at District Level

District Organiser

SHG Worker Thrift and credit worker Panchayat Sakhi

 Strategic Evolution
• Early 1991
– Dearth of professionals, working for women's
empowerment, in Central India
– Fellowship programme of 18 months for post-
graduates
– Fellows required to do research at grassroots
level
– Fellowship awarded to around 150 students
– Students working for Prakriti/other
organisations in similar field
 Strategic Evolution
• 1994
– Identified need for forming SHGs, mahila
mandals and savings groups. SHG
coordinator appointed for the purpose
– Began vocational training programs for rural
women
– Started a skill training centre for the purpose
at its Nagpur campus
– Training also given to elected women
representatives
 Strategic Evolution
• 1999
– Women’s empowerment through Panchayat
Raj
– Started ‘Panchayat Sakhi’ project, headed by
‘Panchayat Sakhi Coordinator’
• 2004
– Planning for future course of operation
 Organisational Dimensions
• Complexity
– High horizontal differentiation
– Low degree of vertical differentiation
• Formalisation
– Low degree of formalisation
• Centralisation
– Highly centralised
 Human Resources
• Recruitment
– Through advertisements or by contacting
placement agencies

• Remuneration
– No specific criteria; Ad hoc salary structure
– Annual increment also varies depending upon
position and experience
 Human Resources (Contd…)
• Career Path
– Wide Horizontal spread in positions
– Few avenues for vertical growth
 Operations
• Prakriti currently covers 194 villages in
nine districts
• This is about 2% of the villages in these
districts
• Villages are located on main road and
interior villages not covered
 Activities/Programmes
• Fellowship Programme
– Started in 1991 exclusively for women
– Opened for men also in 1997
– Seeks to create a cadre of trained workers to
work in field of women’s development
– Some of them are offered job by Prakriti itself
 Activities/Programmes
Figure 4: Response to the Fellowship Programme
100

80

60
No. of Fellows

40

20
Applications received
0
1991 1992-94 1994-96 1996-98 1998-00 2000-02 Invited to the orientation
Years Final selection
Fellows Joined
 Activities/Programmes
• Panchayat Raj Initiative Programme
– Objective is to increase participation of
women in PRIs
– Training provided to women representatives
– Started Panchayat Sakhi programme as an
offshoot of this programme
 Activities/Programmes
• Panchayat Sakhi Programme
– Started because it was felt that providing
training alone is not sufficient
– Continuous support and guidance needed for
Elected Women Representatives (EWRs)
• Activities of Panchayat Sakhis
– Providing information on the role and
responsibilities of EWRs
– Handling case of EWRs in crisis
– District Level Consultations
 Activities/Programmes
• Vocational Training
– Objective is to enable people from weaker
sections of the society become self reliant and
economically independent
– Training includes
• Making Phenyl and detergent powder
• Cookery
• Repairing of gas stove
• Stitching and tailoring
• Pottery
 Activities/Programmes
• Summer camp for college students
– Started in 1998
– To develop understanding on issues such as
gender and equality among young women
– Eight camps organised till now
– Issues like gender sensitisation, women and
violence etc. discussed in the summer camps
 Activities/Programmes
• Thrift and credit programme
– Objective is to empower women through
financial independence
– Programme is being carried out in all the nine
districts
– It reaches 185 villages
– Number of SHGs promoted – 320
– Number of women/members participating in
SHGs - 4486
 Future Strategies
• No specific plans for the next five years
• Wants district centres to work
independently
• Organisational Development process
initiated this year on recommendation of
evaluators of funding agency
 Financial Analysis
• Utilisation of Funds

100%
80%
Percent 60%
Utilisation
Unutilised
40%
2002-03
20%
2001-02
0%
2000-01
Re s
ve
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ist e
g

nk
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tio
m

ta
Pr n in

W ser

To
Ta
m

la
ra
ai

A g ra

Sa

er
Tr

in

at
o
dm

Budget Heads

Source: Evaluation Report of Prakriti by EED Germany

 Financial Analysis
• Comparison Between Project Expenses and
Establishment Expenses

Year 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04

Project Expenses 2,515,034 3,658,216 3,626,374

(Rs.)
Establishment 1,575,463 2,646,657 2,403,836
Expenses
(Rs.)
Ratio 1.59 1.38 1.51
 Findings
• Although Prakriti works in 194 villages, it
covers 2% of the villages and 0.05% of
population in selected districts
• Conducts regular ‘Staff Development’
programmes
• Very few villages where Prakriti
implements all its programs. This reduces
impact of its work
• No standard procedures for fixing salary
• Decision making power not devolved to
independent District units
Thank You!
 Areas of Operation

Chhatisgarh Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra

Durg Balaghat Akola
Rajnandgaon Chhindwara Bhandara
Mandla Chandrapur
Nagpur

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