Role of voluntary organizations in conservation and management of natural resources: a comparative study of Punjab and Haryana

Abstract

The present study is a modest attempt to assess the role of voluntary organizations in conservation and management of soil and water resources in the states of Punjab and Haryana. The main objectives of the research were to study the causes and implications of depletion of soil and water resources, to assess the role of voluntary organizations in generating awareness about depletion, and conservation and management of soil and water resources, to identify the programmes and methodologies adopted by voluntary organizations in achieving these objective, and to suggest a holistic functional model for designing and implementation of various programmes on soil and water conservation and management. newlineAs evident from the title of the research, it is comparative in nature. For the purpose of the present study two districts i.e. Patiala and Ropar of Punjab and Karnal and Kurukshetra from Haryana have been selected for making the comparison as universe of the study. A sample of 300 beneficiaries and 100 chief functionaries of the voluntary organisations were drawn from the four selected districts of the states of Punjab and Haryana. Multi stage random sampling method was adopted to draw the sample .From among these 300 beneficiaries, 150 were from the state of Punjab and 150 were from the state of Haryana. Along with this, 100 chief functionaries of the voluntary organisations under the study who were directly responsible for the implementation of the programmes on soil and water conservation and management were also contacted. Therefore a total of 400 subjects including 300 beneficiaries and 100 chief functionaries of the voluntary organisations were selected for the purpose of the present study. For data collection the researcher primarily used self designed interview schedule and questionnaire, supplemented by observation and verbal reports of significant others. Interview schedule was used for beneficiaries and questionnaire was used for chief functionaries of the voluntary organizations.