Report on Evaluation of Rural Manpower Projects

Abstract

Rural works projects for the utilisation of rural manpower were started in 1961. The main objective was to provide employment on supplementary productive works in rural areas with heavy incidence of unemployment and underemployment. The Planning Commission laid great stress on a concurrent evaluation of these projects. Accordingly, the Programme Evaluation Organisation had been conducting current evaluation of the Rural Manpower Projects from 1961 upto 1964. The individual case studies and summary reports, based on project level material, were prepared and circulated in the years 1962, 1963 and 1964. The important findings of the reports already circulated have been summed up in Part II of this report. In Part III of the report, data collected from labourers at the selected work sites have been analysed. An attempt has been made in this section to assess the need for employment and how far this was met by the work on project and outside project. The last part contains summary of findings and suggestions for improvement of the programme.