Fundamentals of Extension Education

Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas (DWCRA)

 
• Our planners realized that women did not reap as much benefit out of IRDP as they were expected to. Hence, it was felt necessary to devise a special programme for women and children in rural areas. The rationale was that if people have a minimum basic nutrition only if they have a minimum income. Initially, income can be generated by giving access to rural assets. Moreover better skill endowment and training for women will enable them to derive better results from their work efforts.

Objectives of DWCRA
The basic objective of DWCRA is to provide rural women with productive income generating assets and credit, and enhance their skills.
It also seeks to provide an effective organizational support structure so that the women can receive assistance in the production of goods and services more effectively.

Features of DWCRA
1. The target group of DWCRA is those, families which have an annual income of less than Rs. 4,800.
2. Under DWCRA, it is not individual families which receive assistance but the group.
3. It encourages the formation of groups each consisting of 15 to 20 women.
4. The financial assistance which is available for a group is as follows
i. Rs. 15,000 in the form as a onetime grant contributed in equal measure by the Government of India, State Government and UNICEF which may be used as.
• Working capital to process raw materials and for marketing purposes.

• Infrastructural support for income generating activities.

• Child care facilities.
ii. Travelling allowance at the rate of Rs. 2,000 per year for one year for the group organizers.
5. It was launched in 1982-83 as a pilot project in 50 districts chosen on the criteria of high infant mortality rate and low female literacy.
6. Although DWCRA is basically a programme to generate productive seats, it is not confined to providing economic benefits.
7. It includes supportive services like mother and child care, adult education, immunization etc.,
8. The task of planning, implementing and monitoring of DWCRA has been entrusted to DRDA, as DWCRA is part of IRDP.
9. One woman BDO, two woman VLW’s and one Grama sevaka are responsible to implement the programme at the block level.
10. Project officer of DRDA remains the coordinating officer at district level; and the BDO at the block level.
11. The main financial assistance is provided by the central government’
12. The groups utilize grants for various purposes such as to build up infrastructural support and marketing facilities, purchase of raw materials, purchase of training kits, equipment for child care facilities.
13. DWCRA is to improve the socio economic conditions of women and children in rural areas, it is important to train women in viable activities such as tailoring, Knitting, bamboo making, fishing, soap making, candle making and pottery etc.
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