Impact of Local Governance and Community Development (lGCDP- I) on Disadvantage Group A case study of Gaushala VDC, Mahottari district, Nepal

Abstract

LGCDP-I is one of the largest program of Ministry of Federal Affair and Local Development to strengthen of good governance and community development process of local bodies. The program has been implemented from 2008 to 2012 for all the VDCs, Municipalities and DDCs of the country. The issues of social gap, disparity, privileges and disadvantaged groups of the area are still not resolved properly and the minorities of backward groups of the society are dominated by power elites. So, the title has selected and focused to analyze of impacts of local governance and community development process of Gaushala VDC. In this study, out of 3,022 household area having different castes and ethnics groups only 90 HHs have been taken sampled households heads as respondents.

This study has focuses to assess and evaluate the representation and participation status of DAGs in the planning process and decision making role at local body. Also the study has explored the factors that are responsible to support for inclusion of DAGs in local governance and community development process including causes to regulate effective services by local body. And the study aim is to find the status of Government rules and provisions are implemented properly or misused of the resources.

In the study exploratory and descriptive research design used and similarly sampling method used simple random. The sample size of DAGs and Non-DAGs including VDC personnel for qualitative and quantitative information within the periphery of Gaushala VDC. Simple statistical data used for data analysis and the study presents comparative situation of the inclusion status of DAGs in local governance and community development process at local level.

This impact study is fundamentally intending to explain the effort made by LGCDP-I for the inclusion of DAG's in local body's planning, implementing, monitoring and decision making process. It has analyzed that due to organize regular awareness programs, the DAGs has arising of their voices at local level and their participation has been increased at local structures. Also cause of mandatory provision of LSGA and LGCDP, the representation of DAGs has been ensured and increased at local level. Before the program implementation only 12 percent DAG's were found to involve in the socio-economic related development activities but after the program completion the ratio has been increased as 55 percent. So, the findings of representation of disadvantage groups has seen increased.

The study indicates that the impacts of the program has been developed the structures to planning, implementing, monitoring and ensuring by DAGs at local body and supported to improve of governance process. Also to make transparency of local resources, reducing of discriminatory practices, supported for inclusion of DAGs at local level structures. So continuity of the program can support to effective representation of DAGs in local level.