An In-depth study of Community Managed

Resource Centers

Submitted By
Vishwasree Boga (25051)
Bhanu Shyam Nakka (25064)

Organizational Traineeship Segment

(PRM 2004-2006)

Submitted to
MYRADA, Bangalore
June-July, 2004

Institute of Rural Management, Anand

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to express out sincere thanks to all those who have helped us in all the ways to
successfully finish this project.
First we would like to express our gratitude Ms.Saleela Patkar who helped us at the hour of
need both in terms of intellectual help and organizational help. We would also like to thank
the other staff of MYRADA head office who gave their valuable comments to make this
project a meaningful one.
The staff at the field offices of MYRADA in Kadiri, Mysore and Dharmapuri project areas
helped and cooperated with us and made our task easy. We are indebted to them.
Last but not the least we would like to thank our Faculty Guide Prof. N.C.Narayanan for his
patience and guidance all the way.

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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Title: An in-depth study of Community Managed Resource Centers

Organization: MYRADA, Bangalore
Reporting Officer: Ms.Saleela Patkar
Faculty Guide: Prof. N.C.Narayanan
Student’s Name: Vishwasree Boga and Bhanu Shyam Nakka
Objective: The objectives of this project are
1. To understand the Community Managed Resource Centers and their evolution.
2. Evaluating these CMRCs by examining their management systems (functioning).
3. To look at sustainability of these CMRCs
Scope: The study covers Kadiri in Andhra Pradesh, Mysore in Karnataka and Dharmapuri in
Tamilnadu.
Methodology and Sources of Data: Methodology is Exploratory and Descriptive. It is
basically evaluation of Resource centers. Primary and secondary data were collected. Tools
like semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and direct observations were used
for primary data. Secondary Data Sources consisted of the office documents, books of
accounts etc.
Introduction: Community Managed Resource Centers (CMRC) is a concept (2001-02)
promoted by MYRADA as a part of its withdrawal strategy. These CMRCs with local CBOs
as members (which are usually the SHGs) undertake the need based activities. The three
project areas of MYRADA which were studied are different in terms of local conditions, the
donor agencies and the programs being undertaken. The basic activities of CMRC are bank
linkages, auditing and training. Service charges specific to each activity and also annual
subscription fee are collected and used for the maintenance of office and to provide additional
services. There is only one employee from MYRADA who is now being paid the salary by
MYRADA.
Major findings: The primary stake holder’s i.e. SHGs have now started realizing the concept
of CMRC and making proper use of CMRC. In the areas where the PLAN International
programs are still going on, the CMRC is viewed as MYRADA office and not a community
institution. In majority of the CMRCs the primary stake holders are of the view that CMRC
will function as bank in future and the only purpose of CMRC is bank linkage. There are
variations in understanding of the subscription fee and service charges. Though CMRC is a
community institution at present most of its services are to women. Almost all CMRCs that
were studied are in the process attaining financial sustainability. The sources of other income
are trainings to SHGs of other NGOs, servicing line departments and services like home
appliances to members.
Conclusions and Recommendations: The establishment of CMRC as a part of withdrawal
strategy seems to a good concept. However this concept has to reach all the stake holders of
CMRC. Some of the suggestions given were
1. Proper orientation needs to be given so that the surplus fund (FD) in CMRC may
not be used for financial purposes (lending) in future.
2. The vision and demand (request) of activities of CMRC needs to come from the
SHGs rather than from the executive committee or MYRADA.
3. Activity wise income and expenditure can be introduced.
4. Monitoring book can include the services given to each member apart from
keeping track of subscription being paid.
5. CMRCs need to bring out calendars or newsletters to create more awareness of the
relevance of CMRC within the community.

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 Table of contents
Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………….…ii
Executive summary……………………………………………………………………………………iii
List of tables…………………………………………………………………………………………….v
List of figures…………………………………………………………………………………………...v
Abbreviations…………………………………………………………………………………………..vi
1. Introduction........................................................................................................................1
2. Objective and Methodology...............................................................................................1
2.1 Purpose of the study...................................................................................................1
2.2 Objective....................................................................................................................3
2.3 Scope..........................................................................................................................3
2.4 Sources of Data..........................................................................................................3
2.4.1 Primary Data......................................................................................................3
2.5 Methodology..............................................................................................................4
2.5.1 Various levels of interactions.............................................................................5
2.6 Framework.................................................................................................................6
2.7 Background of the project areas studied....................................................................7
2.8 Limitations.................................................................................................................8
3. The study and findings.......................................................................................................8
3.1 Evolution of CMRCs..................................................................................................8
3.2 Overview of Community Managed Resource Center (CMRC).................................9
3.2.1 Structure and Governance..................................................................................9
3.2.2 Activity profile of CMRC................................................................................11
3.3 Findings....................................................................................................................11
3.3.1 Organisational Management.............................................................................11
3.3.2 Financial Management.....................................................................................13
3.3.3 Vision and its realization..................................................................................15
3.3.4 Linkages...........................................................................................................16
3.3.5 Learning and evaluation...................................................................................17
3.4 Organisational Sustainability...................................................................................18
4. Withdrawal strategy of MYRADA..................................................................................22
4.1 Withdrawal...............................................................................................................22
4.2 Where does withdrawal strategy of Myrada fall in case of CMRC.........................23
4.3 Stages of dependency...............................................................................................24
5. SWOT Analysis of CMRC...............................................................................................26
6. Suggestions......................................................................................................................27
7. Issues................................................................................................................................30
8. References........................................................................................................................32
Annexure

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 List of Tables
Table 1: Details of CMRCs across 17 projects of MYRADA (cumulative information as
on March 2005)................................................................................................................2
Table 2: Sampling Plan..............................................................................................................4
Table 3 Organisational strengths of some CMRCs..................................................................20
Table 4 Income and expenditure of CMRCs in Mysore Project area.......................................21
Table 5 Income and expenditure of CMRCs in Dharmapuri Project area...............................21
Table 6 Sustainability levels of different CMRCs....................................................................22

List of Figures

Figure 1 Frame work for assessing community based institutions by Alosius Fernandez
(2000).................................................................................................................................6
Figure 2: Structure of CMRC.....................................................................................................9

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Abbreviations

APRLP Andhra Pradesh Rural livelihood Programme

CBI Community Based Institution
CBO Community Based Organisation
CLT Community Level Trainer
CMRC Community Managed Resource Centre
CRP Community Resource Person
CV Community Volunteers
DPIP District Poverty Initiative Programme
DWCRA Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas
ED Executive Director
EC Executive Committee
HIDA Hope International Development Agency
IFAD International Finance for Agricultural Development
MBk Main Book Keeper
MC Management Committee
MPDO Mandal Parishad Development Officer
MYRADA Mysore Resettlement and Development Agencies
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
RC Resource Centre (CMRC)
RDS Rural Development Service
SAG Self help Affinity Group
SHG Self Help Group
SVYM Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement
TA Traveling Allowance
VHA Village Health Activist
VHW Village Health Workers
VO Village Organisation
WDA Watershed Development Association
WSA Water Shed Association
ZP Zilla Parishad
ZPTC Zilla parishad Territorial Councilor

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