Participatory Micro Planning plays an important role in development process and ensuring people’s participation in governance system. People based planning develops a positive and healthy environment between the service providers, local community and Panchyat. When these stake holders come together on a common platform where local problems could be identified, methods for resolving them and strategies for holistic socio – economic development can be planned.

The inevitable, broad objective and significance of participatory planning is felt at every level of governance system. The Panchyats, important actors for ensuring good governance at local level, are given the right for preparing plan for each financial year, with active participation of the Gram Sabha. Keeping in mind the social justice for people and socio – economic growth of the village participatory micro level plan is made, in the present scenario it is considered to be a strategic tool for rural development. Its acceptance and positive results has made it essential for the policy makers to incorporate it in the guidelines of various government programs and schemes which legally empower and strengthen the mandate of 73rd Amendment.

Considering the imperative contribution of people centered planning in the village development, the intellects involved deeply in the process of development have raised voices to deep root the idea. With micro level planning as foundation, convergent planning is constructed.

Convergence Planning means bringing together the various departments working for rural development and making maximum use of each others financial and technical expertise for holistic village development. Looking at the other aspect of convergent planning we can say that it also strengthens the inter department relationship and builds up synergy amongst them, which is key for effective and result oriented implementation of flagship programs like "Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act".

This Act not only has the capacity for village development but also make the community a stake holder in the process of development. This act guarantees 100 days of employment for a family residing in rural areas. It is a well known fact that any development scheme is successful only if the people who will benefit from it have taken part in its planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation process. Keeping this in mind the MGNREGA has institutionalized it at all levels.

MGNREGA gives the power to the Gram Sabha members to identify the problems of the village and prioritize them - considering the holistic village development. Village plan addressing the problems of the village is developed after discussion in the Gram Sabha, where every common man of the village who is above 18 years. of age can voice his views. The works to be taken up under the scheme (Shelf of Project) will be proposed by the community and will be passed in the Gram Sabha itself. Also after completion of the said works, the quality will be certified by the community. In short the MGNREGA gives the legal rights to the community for planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the works being done for the village development. With this we can say that this Act is inclusive in nature and participatory in character.

Important aspect of the Act is sustainable and Integral Development of Village in which natural and human resource management and infrastructure development is vital. MNREGA ensures the rights of workers and at the same time reduces poverty through effective management and conservation of natural resources.

For strengthening and creating natural resourse based livelihood options for rural citizens the Convergent Action Planning has been piloted, under the "UNDP NREGS+ Convergence for Sustainable Livelihood" Project supported by MoRD in seven Panchyats of two locations viz. Niwari Block of Tikamgarh District of Madhya Pradesh and Badagaon Block in Jhansi District of Uttar Pradesh. The major focus was to conserve land, water and forest and at same time create sustainable livelihood for the villagers in link with these. Setting up sustainable livelihood options will be a base for them to move up on other socio - economic development indicators.

Under the process of making the convergent action plan, the first step was to identify the existing resources in the village. A resource mapping exercise was conducted in which the existing resources were plotted on a cadastral map, which served as a base line for tracking the problem and identify alternative methods or resources that need be generated for betterment of life and livelihood.

Many issues came up as the discussion on the village plan was carried out with the community. The issues were categorized in four major heads viz. Water Conservation and Harvesting, Land Reform- bunding and leveling, Plantation and Rural Connectivity. Other social issues were also given space in the convergent plan.

There was the problem of water logging on agricultural land due to which salt content in fields increased making it infertile for raising crop. Water conservation and management was formulized to mitigate this issue. Water harvesting structures were proposed for meeting the water demand in dry season and recharging the underground water level.

The community insisted on focusing on developing individual agricultural land because they believe that agriculture is the only means for a villager to have a better means of livelihood and it also makes them proud. Common land was proposed to be developed so that the poor families could earn their livelihood and at the same time Panchyat could have some earnings by leasing it.

During the convergent planning the villagers promoted plantation and insisted on covering most of the open land, road sides, common land and cremation ground boundary with trees. They understood that it will help them in preventing soil erosion and clean atmosphere and at the same time can provide those fruits, wood and other useful byproducts.

By observing the comparetive anology between the Shelf of Works taken up in previous years and the one prepared under the convergent planning for one Panchyat in the table - a clear picture of difference in the nature of works taken can be seen.

In a nutshell we can say that MGNREGA mainly focuses on taking up works which conserve the nature (land, water and forest) and creates more assets which strengthen the ecosystem. It gives priority to works supporting the conservation of natural resources which will in future help in fighting against natural disaster like flood, drought etc. and at the same time will open up new option of livelihood for local people.  q