Activity Reports

Chitrakoot in UP Bundelkhand is one of the most backward districts of the state and the country. According to the Planning Atlas, Uttar Pradesh, 2006, which ranked districts of the state on 36 indicators of economic and human development, Chitrakoot falls in the “very low development” category, along with Banda. Even other districts of UP Bundelkhand have a higher development level. While migration can lead to a substantial increase in family incomes, the migrants from Chitrakoot, and Bundelkhand at large, are at a disadvantage as they generally do not possess education or skills to secure high-wage work in cities. Mostly, they… Read more

This report pertains to a baseline study of adolescent girls in select villages of 11 gram panchayats (GPs) of Bargarh cluster of Chitrakoot district, in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh (UP). The girls and the villages are covered under a multidimensional development project initiated by Akhil Bhartiya Samaj Sewa Sansthan (ABSSS), with support from ChildFund India (CFI). One of the project dimensions is improving the health and self-confidence of adolescent girls. This objective is sought to be achieved through an initiative called ARSH (adolescent reproductive sexual health), which covers girls who are ‘enrolled’ under the CFI project in the… Read more

This report pertains to a baseline study of life stage (LS) II children in select villages of 11 gram panchayats (GPs) of Bargarh cluster of Chitrakoot district, in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh (UP). The children and the villages are covered under a multidimensional development project initiated by Akhil Bhartiya Samaj Sewa Sansthan (ABSSS) with support from ChildFund India (CFI). The study was undertaken in December 2016-January 2017. Download Report Read more

Under the Bundelkhand Rural Poverty Alleviation Model (BRPAM) development Project in Tikamgarh block of Tikamgarh district, MP, Akhil Bhartiya Samaj Sewa Sansthan (ABSSS) encouraged small and marginal farmers, particularly of SC/ST groups, to take up vegetable production on a small but commercial scale. The Project also motivated 38 families to take advantage of a state government subsidy scheme and invest in drip irrigation systems for small-plot vegetable cultivation. The present study is aimed at understanding the benefits and implications of subsidized drip irrigation for vegetable cultivation by small and marginal farmers. The study was conducted through focused group discussions (FGDs)… Read more

Traditionally, Bundelkhand is not known as a major vegetable production region. Cultivation of vegetables for sale in market and generation of income has been restricted to a few locations, such as Newari block of Tikamgarh district, and/or households of certain socioeconomic groups (eg Lodhs) having irrigation facilities, many heads of cattle (and thus FYM), and tradition of cultivating vegetables. However, there is scope and need for promoting vegetable cultivation as an alternative source of income for small farmers in the Bundelkhand region, for the simple reason that on a per unit of land basis, vegetable cultivation is far more profitable… Read more

With support from WaterAid, Akhil Bharatiya Samaj Sewa sansthan organised Global Hand Washing Day on October 15, 2014. The programme covered 1,103 girls and 1,072 boys in 25 schools of Bundelkhand region. Download Report Read more

As poverty is a complex and multifaceted issue that cannot be solved only through a rights-based approach, ABSSS also started to work on livelihood development of marginal and small landholders. ABSSS worked as a Project Facilitation Agency across five districts, under a NABARD watershed development scheme, in association with the UP State Government. Based on that work, ABSSS got the opportunity to implement an integrated watershed development project at two sites, in Chitrakoot and Banda districts, with financial support from SDTT and technical support from Pradan. This document is an attempt to capture the main facets of the SDTT-supported project… Read more

Bundelkhand is a cultural and agro-ecological region which includes several districts of southern Uttar Pradesh and northern Madhya Pradesh. The name is derived from the Bundela Kings who reigned here and the region has a rich historical legacy. The Hindu God Rama is said to have spent a part of his exile here. Medieval rulers built world-renowned monuments like the temples in Khajuraho which attract millions of tourists every year. The legendary freedom fighter Rani Laxmibai also hailed from this area. Today this largely agrarian region is facing enormous problems of crushing poverty and lawlessness. According to the Sarma Committee… Read more

Bundelkhand is a cultural and agro-ecological region which includes several districts of southern Uttar Pradesh and northern Madhya Pradesh. The name is derived from the Bundela Kings who reigned here and the region has a rich historical legacy. The Hindu God Rama is said to have spent a part of his exile here. Medieval rulers built world-renowned monuments like the temples in Khajuraho which attract millions of tourists every year. The legendary freedom fighter Rani Laxmibai also hailed from this area. Today this largely agrarian region is facing enormous problems of crushing poverty and lawlessness. According to the Sarma Committee… Read more

This is a study conducted by Aastha Sachdeva and Azeez Narain, TAS probationers, under the guidance of Bhagwat Prasad, Director of Akhil Bharatiya Samaj Sewa Sansthan, Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh. The study had four-fold objectives: 1. Study of local economy2. Identiication of potential livelihood opportunities3. Analysis of vegetable sub-sector for livelihood of small landhholders4. Implementation strategies for ABSSS Download Report Read more