Cluster level training of Settlement Improvement Committee’s (SICs)

Settlement Improvement Committees (SICs) in Ajmer have been active in pursuing the issues in their respective settlements.  The initial efforts in mobilization of the community around the issues of their concerns has motivated SICs enough to act in collective way.  The feeling of “collective” or “community” efforts even for individual issues is evident in many of the settlements. The members of SICs are using all the platforms and opportunities to interact and engage with local authorities and public representatives.  Recently, local administration is organizing “Jan Kalyan Shivir” (camps) in all the wards. These camps are occasion when all the departments of municipal corporation and Ajmer Development Authority are present to receive complaints and resolutions for various works.  The SICs in Ajmer have been using these platforms and presenting their plans and demands to concerned officials. The efforts of SICs are gaining fruits in terms of increased access to basic services in some of the settlements.

There is a limitation to the results or impacts that can be drawn with individual SIC efforts.  In view of this, it is important to share these efforts with other settlements and co-learn from efforts or experiences of other communities.

The purpose of the above mentioned training program is to facilitate exchange of experiences amongst the SIC members from various settlements and to plan for providing support to each other. The possibility of forming a city level federation will be discussed in this forum. During the preparation for these cluster level training programs, efforts will be made to identify active leaders who are willing to work with other settlements.  
In view of above rationale, PRIA Ajmer has planned to facilitate cluster level trainings program of SICs in Ajmer.  The cluster is defined as 7 to 8 SICs from 4 adjacent wards. A total of 15 cluster level one-day training programs will be conducted.

The first such cluster level training program is being organized on May 18, 2017 in Gautam Nagar Ramganj.  Members from a total of 8 SICs will participate in this program.  The topic for the training program is “the role of Settlement Improvement Committees in improving the access to basic services in Ajmer”.