Integrated Natural Resource Management and Poverty Reduction in Haryana

The Household Survey on “Integrated Natural Resource Management and Poverty Reduction in Haryana” is part of the effort to assess various poverty indicators, village resources and to find out strategies to reduce poverty in these areas. The present survey has made a serious attempt to deepen our understanding of the poverty status in villages, needs and areas of concern relating to reduction of poverty. The survey has been conducted in 85 villages of seven districts from the state of Haryana.

Objective

To undertake household survey across a sample of caste and class structure, including gender, in project designated villages to understand the existing inequity and assess poverty status.

Coverage

The survey covered nearly 15,000 households taking around 150 to 200 households from each designated village who were interviewed through Household Questionnaire. Our sample is dispersed among 7 districts and 85 designated villages of Haryana. The total population figure around 4,766,06 from a total of 82,730 households. Data were collected through intensive field survey using a structured interview schedule and supported with participant observation through village level survey. The study duration was for five months.

Methodology

The survey methodology was based on participatory interaction and observation through focus group discussions with the villagers of the designated villages through village level meetings to identify among others the key indicators of the study. The second part of the survey was based on stratified random sampling to target one-third of households in each village. The adoption of sampling technique would be in such a way that it represents the actual overall position of the households combining together in the targeted village. For that, one third respondents from each section i.e. BPL/APL households, landless, landholders, SCs, BCs, and general castes, would be taken to represent the actual population of the village being surveyed.

Key Indicators

• Identification of actual annual income and expenditure
• Income sources, the percentage of people into agriculture, animal husbandry, labour, service class, business class and into other diversified segments
• Identification of poverty level, i.e. number of households living below poverty line in villages as per Planning Commission of India / BPL ration card provided by state government
• Land holding pattern amongst the communities: landless, small and marginal farmers etc.
• Livestock details
• Identification of Caste composition
• Identification of Head of the household
• Education standard of the household
• Awareness / Participation level regarding SHGs
• Awareness level regarding natural resources management, e.g. soil and water conservation, plantation, and management of forestry

Project Summary