CDHI fosters local innovations and initiatives. These are in the form of products, processes and strategies. Following are some of the innovations which CDHI has facilitated. For details please contact us:

 

Fuel saving pumps: Irrigation, in the region, is dominated by lift irrigation pumps which are fuel intensive. By, one estimate, a five HP lift pump consumes one litre of diesels per hour. CDHI in collaboration with our Dutch partner, Practica Foundation, we have been able to reduce the fuel consumption by half by small change in the configuration costing about Rs.600/-. Government of West Bengal has mainstreamed the changed version and many of the pump manufacturers have started integrating the same in their assembly line. As an extension we are trying to work out the reduction in the carbon emission and thus positively influence the climate change.

 

Making grass roots governance effective: West Bengal has an incredible example of grass roots democracy spanning over three decades. To make grass root planning contextually compatible with strong professional inputs the Government has envisaged constitution of Gram Unnyan Smiittee (GUS).There are 42,000 GUSs provided for in the state. Their functioning, however, has witnessed serious gaps. Starting with one Gram Sansad-Khairkhal-in Maynaguri block CDHI has worked with more than 10 Gram Sansads and together with the Panchayat has created local capacity to plan and implement.

 

The initiatives once started as a self initiated program is now being supported under the West Bengal Civil Society Support Project (WBCSSP) funded by the DFID and facilitated by PRIA. The strategy innovation has attracted the local PRIs who want such capacity building inputs.