Do you agree with the view that increasing dependence on donor agencies for development reduces the importance of community participation in the development process ? Justify your answer.

→ Community engagement in the programme implementation ensures participatory democracy along with ensuring environ-mental, financial and economic sustainability of the project.

Benefits of community engagement

• When the community is involved in designing a policy or scheme for a particular area, it will be more suitable to their needs and hence will have higher levels of acceptance in the society.

For eg. water-conservation programme called 'Paani' in Maharashtra involves local communities - this ensures that acceptance of programme is maximised since programme is designed based on their needs.

• Community participation also builds trust in the governmental process. This is because when people are a part of the designing and implementing phases of the project, they know the nitty-gritties of it and hence trust the process.

eg. Jan Dhan Yojana to open bank accounts became largely successful after many NGOs and community leaders engaged in spreading message to the people, who otherwise were unwilling to get into the financial system due to distrust.

• Community participation also ensures accountability of the executive.

eg. Kisan Mazdoor Shakti Sangathan in Rajasthan - social audit of MGNREGA.

• With all these benefits, the programme can be made sustainable and effects long-lasting.