Two of the team members from CBPS visited Odisha from 1st August 2023 to 4th August 2023 to understand aspects of community engagement, budget adequacy for IEC, timely release of funds, fund flow process and major challenges to IEC activities. During the visit, the team had consultations with intermediary organisations such as Gram Vikas and Watershed Support Services and Activities Network (WASSAN) who directly work with the Government for programmes such as Jal Jeevan Mission and the Odisha Millet Mission (OMM). Through such meetings, anecdotes regarding challenges of IEC activities, process of conceptualising, contextualization and convergence of IEC activities were collected. The team also visited a Panchayat office, an Anganwadi centre, a Primary Government School and a Mission Shakti Building in Ganjam district. It was observed that Odisha follows an unique structure of implementation for different government schemes with the overarching agenda of Odisha Millet Mission (OMM) working as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) and giving a major thrust to most of the other ongoing schemes through convergence at various levels. The findings from Odisha will form an integral part of the report. More information on the project is available at IEC Study.
Some of the photographs from the visit can be viewed here:
