Meta-analysis on Flagship Schemes at Village Panchayat Level: A Study In Bankura District of West Bengal

Objective: (1) To critically evaluate the effectiveness of these two flagship schemes in fulfilling and implementing the objectives as enshrined in the policy guidelines. (2) To make a comparative analysis of the performances of the schemes in two different political set up namely, the Left front ruled government and the Trinamool congress ruled government and lastly. (3) To make future policy recommendations.

Methodology: Meta-analysis using SPSS software package was meticulously done to decipher the financial lapses obtained from the voluminous unpublished audit reports on fifteen sample Panchayats. Meta-analysis actually helps summarizing the unclassified various observations. The model encompasses problem formulation, data collection, data evaluation, data analysis and interpretation and public presentation.

Findings: The reality check through this unique meta-analysis approach using data from the unpublished local audit reports of the respective village Panchayats with regards to the functioning of the two important flagship schemes namely, MGNREGS and IAY at disaggregated level during 2005-06 to 2015-16 in Bankura district, West Bengal revealed that their overall performances for both security of livelihood especially for providing enough man-days of employment and women empowerment were subversive in nature and not at all in commensurate with the stated objectives as enshrined in the guidelines. It became clear that during the left front rule not a single village Panchayat could fulfil this minimum criterion of providing 100 man-days of guaranteed employment and the situation during the TMC Rule did not improve rather deteriorates. The change in political establishments did not alter the situation significantly.

Application/Improvement: Meta-analysis approach for analysing the effectiveness of the two important flagship schemes is very rare and we have not come across this type of study so far.