Governance and Usefulness of Data Generating Through LLPMS IBRAHIM KHALIL UPAZILA NIRBAHI OFFICER DAUDKANDI, BANGLADESH

Local level Poverty Monitoring System (LLPMS) is being implemented by Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD), Comilla, under the auspices of International Development Research Centre (IDRC) through Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS) international Network with a view to develop a user friendly poverty monitoring system at local level. A union under the Upazila of Daudkandi has been selected to this end. The functionaries of Union Parishad showed their keen interest in that process. INTRODUCTION

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has been conducting Household Income Expenditure Survey (HIES) to monitor poverty at national level and helps to prepare macro plan. On the other hand the functionaries of Union Parishad have to play vital role in conducting different survey, census to help different line departments of the government. But unfortunately they are not user of this information due to lack of capacity of the functionaries of Union Parishad as well as lack of awareness about the power of information.

So initiative to develop poverty monitoring system at the local level would empower the local government authority as well as service provider at local level by knowing relevant information and using this data for development of local area. I have been involved in the process from last six months. The members of research team has consulted several times and the functionaries of Union Parishad and the officials of Nation Building department posted at upazila level also been oriented with the process at the early stage of the project.

Utility of Data Generating through LLPMS Feedback from the officials of nation building department including development partners, functionaries of Union Parishad and my observations has been articulated to share my realization of utility of data generation through LLPMS in a following manner:

Sensitize the functionaries of local government Assessing the need of local area Coordination of different activities Initiating Project activities without delay

 Union Plan Book  Sensitize the Policy Planner  Programme evaluation  Management Information system  Maximum Utilization of resources  Strengthening functions of Gram Sarkar  Data based decision  Identification of poor through PRA is innovative

As a chief official of the local area and part of service providers I am very much confident about its long- term benefit. As this project is not providing direct support to the people so the challenge would be to address the issue carefully at the local level. At the initial stage I had to convince the functionaries of local government by telling that resources will be channellised from the existing setup of the government and development partners on the basis of data generated through LLPMS. So it is my belief that sustainability of the project depends on developing a bridge between service provider and local government by using data generated through this process. CONCLUSION

I am very much hopeful about the success of this project in Bangladesh, as BARD has involved all stakeholders from the very initial stage of the project. As present Honorable Health and Family Planning Minister of the peoples republic of Bangladesh belongs to the project area and the project area was selected in consultation with him it would be easier to advocates for its wider replication if we success to transfer our dream into reality. Finally, from my side all sorts of cooperation will be provided to make this project a success one and ensure wider use of this database.

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