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These SHGs are successfully running their business and repaying their loans. NABARD has appreciated the good work done by NCT in the area of SHG formation and credit linkage, by conferring awards for three successive years.

Present Status:
Maharashtra: NABARD has sanctioned a 3000 SHG-Bank linkage programme during December 2007 for Nagpur, Wardha, Amaravati and Yavatmal districts. This is the biggest single sanction of NABARD to any NGO in India since its inception. Trust has employed over 70 field workers under this project. Formation and linkage of all 3000 SHG is over as on 31.03.2011

Madhya Pradesh: NABARD has sanctioned 1000 SHG-Bank linkage programme during July 2007 for Chhindwara and Seoni districts. Formation and linkage of all 1000 SHGs is over as on 31.03.2011. NABARD Managing Director, Dr. K.G.Karmakar visited this project and guided the SHG members at Sausar. NABARD has now sanctioned NCT a fresh project for formation and linkage of 5000 SHGs in Chhindwara and Seoni districts, which is a also a biggest single sanction by NABARD to any NGO in India since its inception. NCT is planning to implement the same with new technology of smart cards and hand held machines in association with local bankers.

WADI DEVELOPMENT UNDER TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT FUND OF NABARD:

Tribal development is one of the chief objectives of NCT. Tribals live mostly in geographically tough and remote areas, the features of which are hilly and undulating. Due to the geographical features and remoteness of tribal areas, they are inaccessible to modern technology, government development schemes and other benefits like healthcare, education, women empowerment etc. In spite of reasonably good rainfall, agriculture is poor as there are no water conservation facilities and hence the rain water runs off down the hills. This forces breadwinning members of the tribal families to migrate to other places in search of earnings. In the absence of these family members, the women, children and elderly members who are left back in the villages are put to lot of inconvenience. Women are especially badly hit as they have to take up responsibility of the family, walk long distances in search of potable water, work at home in congested and unhygienic condition, work in fields and face drudgery of daily life. Agriculture is neglected and hence yield is too poor to meet the needs of the families.

20 Month old Mango plant	Mango palnts in Wadi	Organic root treatment of Wadi plants

NABARD’s, Madhya Pradesh Regional Office has sanctioned a Wadi development project under its Tribal Development Fund benefitting 1104 tribal families in 14 villages of Tamia block of Chhindwara district in 2009. The beneficiaries include 90 landless labourers. The project is being successfully implemented by NCT. The main component of the project is to develop fruit orchard on one acre land per family. The plots are also being planted with various fruit bearing, commercially profitable trees such as Mango, Tamarind, Amla etc. The agricultural land is mainly used to grow corn using organic farming techniques. Prior to the project, the agriculture conditions were pitiable in the area due to wrong farming techniques which led to very poor yield. NCT developed model plots at the cost of NABARD on demonstrative basis. The yield of plots was very encouraging, up to 18 quintals per acre as against the former yield of 2-3 quintals per acre. The main reasons for this turn for better are introduction by NCT of organic farming, expert guidance and use of modern agricultural implements. Besides Wadi development, NCT has also done other interventions such women drudgery reduction in the form of installation of smokeless stoves to all households, constructing soak pits besides hand pumps in order to prevent water logging and dirtiness in the surroundings, fitting of roof aeration tiles and glass tiles for fresh air and light etc. in all houses, formation of Self Help Groups to include women members of all families in women empowerment, adult education.

The high success of this project has spurred NABARD to expand the project in the area in other states. Also NABARD, Maharashtra has sanctioned such projects in 3 districts. NABARD Chhatisgarh too has sanctioned a project in one of its districts. The details of various Wadi development projects being handled by NCT at present are as follows:

AROGYA MANDIR YOJANA (SANITATION PROJECT):

NCT has formed about 8500 SHGs till date. There are over 110 thousand women members in these SHGs. While working for promotion of SHGs it had been observed that more than 80% of the SHG members do not have toilets in their home. They resort to open defecation. This is not only hazardous to health but is also a drudgery to the women. NCT has undertaken an ambitious sanitation project to provide loans to the SHG members for construction of toilets. This project requires a whooping Rs.100.00 crores in next 5-7 years.

On studying the project, NABARD has sanctioned another Rs. 250 lakhs for on lending to SHG members for construction of toilets in 3 districts of Maharashtra and two districts of Madhya Pradesh. NCT invites more funding agencies to support this noble cause by way of low cost loan support.

In this noble cause NCT has also partnered with an international organization known as FINISH (Financial inclusion Improves Sanitation & Health), a Public Private Partnership programme from Netherlands and India. FINISH has provided technical support, publicity and training support to NCT in this endeavor.

Present status:

1528 toilets have been constructed. NCT plans to finance another 15000 toilets during the current financial year, with help from NABARD and other funding agencies.

VILLAGE FARM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME:

NCT has, in association with NABARD, taken up the task of helping farmers in 5 villages of Wardha district, a district declared as distressed district under Prime Minister's Farmers' Package. The Trust has approached individual farmers of these villages and convinced them that only unity amongst the farmers can help them overcome their difficulties and resolve all crises. NCT has formed Farmers' SHGs and these SHGs go in for collective purchase and sale of inputs and output.
The farmers have learnt that uniting through SHGs not only help them to lend moral support to one another in difficult times, but also to rise up against the exploitation by local money lenders and agents.
They have understood very well that direct input purchase and output sale helps in considerable cost cuts on commission. The Trust has also introduced allied farming activities such as dairy farming, vermi compost making to support themselves through lean periods. The farmers have been taught the importance of organic agriculture.

Shri. Y S P Thorat, Ex-Chairman, NABARD interacting with farmers	Demonstrative model plot

Present status:
The project has been completed successfully after being implemented for 3 years starting from the year 2006. The project has benefited over 700 farmers. NABARD officials from their offices all over the country have visited the project and NABARD has given national press coverage to the project. Farmers have adapted to the new and improved techniques/ methods taught during the project implementation period.

VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (VDP) :

NABARD has selected 1000 villages all over India for over all development. NCT has been entrusted with 2 such villages, one each in Nagpur and Seoni districts in NABARD’s first phase of VDP and 4 villages in Wardha, 3 villages in Bhandara and 5 villages in Seoni districts in 2nd phase. Under this scheme NCT is working on overall development of the village such as capacity building, skill development, farm development, construction of toilet in each house, installation of smokeless stoves, health and sanitation etc. The villagers were motivated to do 'Shramdan' through which the villagers have carried out village development work like construction of road to crematorium, cleaning of village sewage system, repair of internal roads and drinking water system, construction of farm pond, construction of main gate to village etc.

NABARD officer at a VDP meeting

The Villages selected for VDP in 3 districts are as under;

WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT

NCT is implementing a Watershed Development Project at Village Gondi Mohagaon in Katol Tehsil of Nagpur District under Indo German watershed Development project, supported by NABARD. The project was started during May 2008. Village Watershed Committee (VWC) was formed and registered. The success of any project lies in the involvement of community in the project implementation. The involvement of the Gondi Mohagaon women, men and farmers is to such a great extent that ‘shramdhan’ and ‘capacity building phase’ (CBP)have started showing excellent results. NABARD has sanctioned the grant for Full implementation Phase. The progress of implementation is highly satisfactorily. Women and farmers are actively involved in implementation. For successful implementation of the project, as per the guideline of NABARD, a Samyukta Mahila Samiti (SMS) has been constituted and an application has been made with the Hon. Charity Commissioner for the registration of the same. A Farmers’ Club has been promoted under NABARD’s support in this village. The project is slated to complete during July 2012.

SHG members on an exposure	Gramsabha’ at watershed Village
	Present status : The watershed project is in its 2nd year implementation. Project implementation is progressing satisfactorily. Watershed Development Committee has been registered with Additional Charity commissioner, Nagpur. 22 women SHGs have been formed to include women of all households. The village is about to reach “Nirmal Gram’ status with 100% households having access to sanitation. Bank of India, Zilpa branch has financed over 130 members for construction of toilets.
Watershed Development at Gondi Mohagaon in Nagpur district

COLLECTION, PROCESSING AND MARKETING OF NATURAL HONEY COLLECTED BY THE TRIBALS OF VIDARBHA REGION

Since 1999, NCT has trained over 500 tribals of the region, in wild honey collection, under various schemes of Integrated Tribal Development Projects in Dharni, Pandharkawda, Kinwat, Chimur, Chandrapur, Nagpur etc. NCT has developed a novel method of collection of honey from forests by traditional honey hunters. Collection of honey using this method ensures that the bee hive is not destroyed and bees are not killed as in case of the traditional method of honey collection which is done by raising fire under the hive. The novel method involves cutting off only that portion of the hive where honey is stored. The cut portion is rebuilt by the bees in a very short time. By adopting this method, the process of honey collection is continued uninterrupted.

Pure, Natural ‘Vanamrut’ Honey	Kfw Germany and NABARD officials interacting with tribals	Dress developed for honey collection

It also does not interfere with pollination process as bees are not killed. The honey thus obtained is purer as the hive is not squeezed. NCT has developed special protective garments for this method of honey collection and supplied these garments to the tribals along with the requisite honey collection tool kit consisting of bucket, rope knife etc.NCT has been supported by NABARD under its Umbrella Programme for Natural Resource Management (UPNRM) which is funded by KFW-German Development Bank. The Trust has set up a honey processing unit for honey collected by traditional honey hunters who are mainly tribals. NCT has been sanctioned a soft loan of Rs. 15.15 lacs and a grant of Rs. 3.85 lacs to implement this programme (NCT has repaid Rs. 7.60 Lakhs as on 31.03.2011)

The honey collected by the tribals is picked up from various places and brought to the processing unit where it is filtered, purified, graded and packed for marketing. NCT's honey is sold under the brand name "VANAMRUT". Orders for honey are accepted on ph.nos. 91-712-2554536, 2558410. Interested parties are welcome to pay a visit to the processing unit situated at Village Vihirgaon, Tal. Katol, Dist. Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.

TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT :

One of the main objectives of NCT is tribal welfare and the Trust started its work with training tribal youths in various employment generation activities. During 1998-2007, NCT trained tribal women, men and youths in Wild honey collection, Lac cultivation, Bamboo craft making, Gum collection, Medicinal oil extraction, Orchard development, Vermi compost making, Nursery development, Cycle and motor cycle repair, motor winding etc. 140 tribal youths were trained in cycle repair, motorcycle repair, motor winding and leather goods manufacture. Over 2000 men, women and youths have been trained in above activities. These trainings have become very useful for the tribals in starting their own small enterprises, giving them self-employment. This has reduced their migration. NCT supports them in marketing many products made by them. These trainings have been sponsored by the Tribal Development Department, Government of Maharashtra.

Lac cultivation : NCT has introduced lac in tribal belt all over Vidarbha region and trained tribals in lac cultivation under Integrated Tribal Development Project and for social forest Department. This has become a source of additional income for the tribals living in forest areas.
	Tribal SHG member inoculating Lac seeds
	Medicinal oil extraction : Plants with medicinal and herbal value are found in abundance in forest areas which are mainly inhabited by tribals. NCT has trained tribals in extraction of oils from these plants. An oil extraction unit has been set up by tribal women SHG’s federation at village Sibla in Yavatmal District, for extraction of Pongamia oil. Presently the federation is selling this oil as medicinal oil and has found a means of earning livelihood
Training of SHG federation members on Medicinal oil in progress.
Gum Collection: Tribals live mainly in forest areas. Gum yielding plants are found in abundance in forests of Vidarbha region. Traditionally, tribals collect gum from these trees. NCT has trained tribal womenfolk in collecting gum, grading it and injecting the plants with chemicals which yield better and larger yield. Thus gum collection has become a source of additional income to these tribal women.
Bamboo craft : Bamboo grows in abundance in forest areas in Vidarbha region which is mainly inhabited by tribals. These tribals, traditionally use bamboo for handicrafts. But the handicrafts thus made are quite crude and not marketable. NCT has trained these tribals in bamboo craft with the help of skilled artisans and helped them to refine their art so that it becomes a source of income to them.
	Bamboo craft making training
Dairy farming and animal husbandry : NCT has also trained tribals in dairy farming, vermi compost manufacture and goat rearing. The tribals have been provided with goats, sheep, cows and buffaloes. The tribals have been helped in construction of sheds for animals, provided with fodder and medicines for animals. PROMOTION SHGs UNDER SGSY: NCT has promoted over 1900 SHGs under SGSY in Nagpur and Wardha districts since 2003. These SHGs have been training properly in various concept and skill development activities.
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AGRICULTURE EXTENSION :
PROMOTION OF FARMERS’ CLUBS:
NCT is partnering NABARD in its Farmers’ Club promotion programme. NCT has promoted 197 Farmers’ clubs in Wardha, Nagpur and Amravati districts of Maharashtra and Chhindwara and Seoni districts of Madhya Pradesh. These clubs are being nurtured under the guidance of technically qualified field workers. The clubs have taken up various innovative projects such as emu farming, organic farming, processing, dairy, poultry etc.

NABARD sponsored Farmers’ Club inauguration

ORGANIC FARMING: 6 districts of Vidarbha region namely Wardha, Amaravati, Yavatmal, Akola, Washim and Buldhana have been declared by the Prime Minister as farmers’ suicide areas and he has sanctioned a special package for farmers there. The farmers are in distress mainly because of high cost of input and low return on outputs. The only solution to this difficulty is organic farming. NCT has taken up introduction of organic farming methods in a big way in Wardha district to help distressed farmers. NCT is implementing organic farming projects for NABARD, Agriculture Department and Regional Centre for Organic Farming.

VERMI COMPOST PROJECT: NCT has set up vermi compost units for 1000 farmers in Wardha district on behalf of the Agriculture Department. Vermi compost helps farmers in reducing the cost of inputs and thus helps in alleviating the distress of farmers.

HANDLOOM CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT:

The Trust has been entrusted with a cluster development of handloom weavers at Lodhikheda in Sausar Tehsil of Chhindwara district by the Development Commissioner, Handlooms, Ministry of textiles, Government of India under its Integrated Handloom Cluster Development Scheme. The Scheme was launched by the Textile Minister Hon. Dayanidhi Maran and Transport Minister Hon. Kamalnathji at Chhindwara. Under this programme, the Trust is developing a handloom cluster at Lodhikheda. The Trust has hired the services of renowned textile designer Shri. Anupam Majumdar for design development and market linkage. Various trainings on new type of weaving have been imparted to the weavers. Over 100 weavers have joined the cluster and are availing the benefit of the programme.

Inauguration of weaving programme	Training of weavers in new designs

During the year the Handloom Commissioner has sanctioned one more cluster to be developed in village Mohagaon in Sausar Tehsil of Chhindwara district

Introduction of Soya Cultivation in Orissa: The Trust is mainly working in Maharashtra, MP and Chhattisgarh. During March 2010, the promoter of eKutir from Daspalla in Nayagarh district, a friend of the Trust promoters wanted the Trust to help them in exploring the possibility of Soya cultivation in hilly, Daspalla region as the farmers were not cultivating anything during July-Sept months in the up lands. The Secretary Shri. HMB Murthy and Shri. Sunil Konde, the agriculture expert and consultant visited Orissa and interacted with the farmers at Daspalla region. They also visited the fields of the farmers. It is found that the land and the rainfall pattern are suitable for Soya cultivation.

Immediately after the visit, it was decided to take up 10 acres of Soya cultivation, with Trust’s own funding. The Trust invited 10 farmers and eKutir supervisors to Nagpur during July 2010, for an exposure of Soya cultivation. Farmers visited various farms, interacted with farmers of Nagpur region. The Trust provided a day class room training to the farmers at Nagpur. All inputs were supplied from Nagpur to Daspalla and 10 farmers have successfully cultivated Soya with our guidance. The details of farmers with per acre yield are as under;

This has led to a change of mind set of farmers. If proper package of practice is followed, Soya can be a lucrative cash crop with low or scattered rainfall. Now, the Trust has submitted a proposal to NABARD’s Orissa Regional office to expand this project with 100 acres of Soya cultivation under NABARD’s RIF initiatives.

MICRO FINANCE:

NCT is promoting SHGs since 2001 and has promoted over 8500 SHGs. All these SHGs have been linked with local banks. However, it is observed that the local banks are not fulfilling the requirement of these women SHGs to start their own income generation activities. NCT has tried its best to convince the bankers. But the response from the banks is not encouraging.

SBI officials in a SHG loan distribution meeting

NCT is a strong believer of SHG movement started by NABARD. It is experienced and a fact that an empowered women can change the future of a rural family, provided she gets easy access to low cost fund for starting an income generation activities. But this is not happening everywhere. The SHGs promoted by NCT in early years have savings of up to a Lakh or Rs. 1.50 Lakh. Banks have lent a meager Rs. 10000 or Rs. 25000 (In most cases). NCT has promoted SHG federations. There was a constant demand from SHGs for more loans. Until 2009, NCT was not interested in financial lending activity. However, NCT felt that, these poor rural SHG members require funding for their betterment and also to keep the SHG concept alive, NCT started MF activities as a “SOCIAL MFI”. SBI was kind enough to fund NCT with Rs. 120.00 lakh Cash Credit limit for on lending to SHG members to start income generation activity. The Trust is grateful to the Hon. Additional Charity Commissioner, Nagpur division, Nagpur for granting permission for availing MF loan from SBI. NCT is lending to the SHG members at a reasonable rate of interest. The repayment from the SHGs is 100% (Actual) as all these SHGs have been promoted by the Trust and are known to it since about 10 years. As on date NCT has supported over 2000 members for starting their own income generation activities.

SWABHIMAN PROJECT:
NCT is associated with NABARD since 10 years. NCT has implemented a pilot programme known as Village Farm Development programme for NAABARD in 5 villages of farmers’ distressed Wardha district from 2006-09. While implementing the project, with the help of its Agriculture consultant, Shri. Sunil Konde, NCT has developed a low cost-high yield package of practice for lead crops such as Cotton, Soyabean, Wheat, Gram etc. First NCT has developed model plots in all project villages and demonstrated to the farmers its effect. The yield obtained in model plots was almost double and the cost remained the same or less than the normal one. This method was disseminated to other farmers in coming years and the method was accepted by the project village farmers.

Meeting of NABARD officials with FArmers' Club members.	Field visit of NABARD team

NCT tried this technique in the Tribal development project at Tamia in Chhindwara district Corn cultivation. Corn is the major crop in 14 project villages of this project. The normal yield was between 1-2 quintals per acre. The normal rainfall in this area is about 1800 mm. But because the farmers were not adopting proper practice for cultivation the yield was abysmally low. Here also NCT established model plots of corn and proved that tribals can produce up to 18 quintals on the same land by just changing farming method and by use of improved agriculture implements. During the next kharif season in 2010 over 600 farmers came forward to adopt this method. NCT arranged KCCs for all farmers from local bankers BOM. The average yield now being obtained by the farmers is 15 quintals per acre. This has helped NCT-NABARD to arrest the migration of tribal farmers.

NCT wanted to disseminate this method to more and more farmers, along with building a farmers’ association or a producer company to manage input purchase and marketing of their farm produces. NABARD has sanctioned a project named “Swabhiman” under its farmers Technology Transfer fund. This project envisages to promote Farmers’ Clubs in 19 villages of Ashti Tehsil of Wardha district, promote the federation of farmers’ Clubs, develop model plots for low cost-high yield technology / method, inculcate habits of collective purchase and sale, introduce vegetable cultivation, support additional income activities such as dairy, vegetable cultivation etc and promote farmers’ Producer company over a period of 3 years.

NCT has set up an office at Ashti for implementing this project. This office would also act as information centre for farmers. The farmers would get information on weather, market price, advice from experts, link them to Agriculture universities, KVKs etc through internet. The man objective of the project is to support the farmers in increasing their farm yield and income by 30-50%. The project was launched on 1st April 2011 and it is planned to achieve the objectives in next 3 years.

Rural Innovation Fund (RIF) Project:

NABARD has sanctioned a RIF project for commercial cultivation of Lac in dry and waste land at Tamia block of Chhindwara district. The innovation in this project is to disseminate the commercial cultivation in dry and waste land in hilly and tribal areas of the district. NABARD has sanctioned Rs. 9.65 lakhs under this project to establish 2 acre host plants for 8 beneficiaries.