PREPARATORY PHASE

The major objective of this phase is to build appropriate mechanisms for adoption of participatory approach and empowerment of local institutions (WC, SHG, and UG). WDT will assume a facilitating role during this phase. In this phase, the main activities will include:

• Entry point activities.
• Initiating the development of Village level institutions such as Watershed Committees (WCs), Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and User Groups (UGs) and capacity building of different stakeholders on institutional and work related aspects.
• Environment building, awareness generation, undertaking of intensive IEC activities, creating involvement and participatory responses.
• Baseline surveys needed for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR), selection of sites and beneficiaries. Every effort must be made to collect gender-disaggregated data to adequately reflect the situation and priorities of women.
• Hydro-geological survey of the watershed to map out zones of potential groundwater recharge, storage and sustainable groundwater utilization.
• Building up a network of technical support agencies.
• Preparation of the DPR, including activities to be carried out, selection of beneficiaries and work-sites and design and costing of all works, ensuring that the interests, perceptions and priorities of women, dalits, adivasis and the landless are adequately reflected in the DPR.
• Working out detailed resource-use agreements (for surface water, groundwater and common/forest land usufructs) among User Group members in a participatory manner based on principles of equity and sustainability.
• Participatory monitoring of progress and processes.