The Link Model developed by the Participatory Rural Development Project – PRDP— of the Bangladesh Rural Development Board –BRDB—was presented before the Honorable Adviser for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives on 15th September at the conference room of the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division –RDCD--. Secretary, RDCD, Resident Representative, JICA, Director General, BRDB, Joint Secretaries of RDCD and the concerned officials of RDCD, BRDB and the PRDP were present in the presentation.
Project Director, PRDP presented the Link Model developed through long endeavor of 20 years. He highlighting the need and opportunity to develop service delivery at the Union Parishad level, formation of Gram Committee – GC--, Union Coordination Committee -–UCC— holding of meetings by these two organizations, representation in the UCCM, review of activities of Nation Building Department –NBD-- staff, making plan for service delivery, training program for the villagers, information flow, awareness development of the villagers including women, small scale scheme preparation by the GC, approval processes of the schemes by the UCCM and their implementation by the GC on the basis of cost sharing by the villagers, UP and the PRDP and their impact at the village level. Evaluations conducted so far have highlighted the effectiveness of the model in service delivery at the grassroots level, monitoring of development activities by the Union Parishad, accountability of the NBD staff, participatory project planning and implementation by the villagers, information flow and awareness development, etc. The PD also highlighted the role of Union Development Officer —UDO—, a new post needed at the UP level in supporting the UP and coordinating the activities under the model.
After the presentation the Honorable Adviser thanked JICA for long term facilitation for development of the Link Model as a strategy for strengthening of UP. He observed that the post of UDO should better be appointed by BRDB for future replication of the model. At this the Director General, BRDB informed that BRDB has staff at the 64 districts and the existing staff utilization could be considered to implement the Link Model.
The Secretary, RDCD appreciated women empowerment under the Model and observed that successful implementation of the model has been observed in only 20 UPs out of 4,498, and does not provide the optimum expectation. He suggested the expansion of the model at least to 200 UPs and has drawn the attention of Chief Adviser of Link Model.
Referring to the new UP ordinance the Honorable Adviser observed that UP is an autonomous body and it will work with all the line agencies. He also suggested that there can be merging of Link Model with the Local Government Support Project –LGSP—being implemented in 1,060 UPs with support from the World Bank and all the UPs would be covered within five years. The responsibility of implementation of Link Model may remain with BRDB which should take necessary preparation for implementation of the model in a wider range. Regarding strengthening of UP in terms of personnel the Adviser informed that there are several proposals like Union Administrative Officer, Accountant-cum Computer Operator and Sub-Assistant Engineer. The government has accepted the proposal for Accountant –cum- Computer Operator. He also felt that UPs should have more financial strength of their own to pay their staff. He informed that the government is considering reshuffling the UP Standing Committees particularly to meet the services regarding women and children and rural livelihood needs. The Adviser informed that he would present the Link Model before the Honorable Chief Adviser of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh for consideration in the future rural development planning for the country. The RDCD Secretary requested the Resident Representative, JICA to continue her efforts to expand the Link Model. The Resident Representative, JICA reacted that JICA always played keen concentration to enhance capacity building purposes. She also expressed her satisfaction to have participation in such a policy level meeting. The Chief Adviser, PRDP-2 requested the Honorable Adviser for a kind visit to the Link Model project area.
