1. MONITORING & EVALUATION OFFICER NERCORMP, SHILLONG, INDIA
USING MIS TO COLLECT PROJECT INFORMATION IN A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME: CHALLENGES & SUCCESS FACTORS, IN NERCORMP, INDIA
ADRIAN MARBANIANG
MONITORING & EVALUATION OFFICER NERCORMP, SHILLONG, INDIA
BANGKOK, OCTOBER 9-10, 2006

2. PRESENTATION CONTENTS
PRESENTATION IN 3 PARTS:
MIS OF NERCORMP
PROCESS OF MIS DEVELOPMENT
PROBLEMS, CHALLENGES & SUCCESS FACTORS ENCOUNTERED IN MIS

3. 3 states 6 districts Assam Manipur Meghalaya
Karbi Anglong, North Cachar Hills (Assam)
West Garo Hills, West Khasi Hills (Meghalaya)
Senapati and Ukhrul (Manipur)

4. MIS OF NERCORMP: 4 MAJOR CATEGORIES1
MONITORING OF DISTRICT SUPPORT TEAM (DST) & ACTIVITIES: 3 STATES COVERING 6 DISTRICTS 2
MONITORING OF PARTNER NGOs : 50 PARTNER NGOs 3
MONITORING OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT GROUPS (NaRMGs): 1012 NaRMGs 4
MONITORING OF SELF HELP GROUPs (SHGs): 2852 SHGs

5. Monitoring of DST and Partner NGOs
Monthly dairy
Monthly progress report
Trainings attended/ conducted
Coordination meeting review
Summary of DST activities

6. Monitoring of Natural Resource Management Groups (NaRMG) & SHGs
Quarterly formats on :
Details of expenditure
Meetings held this quarter
Assets of NaRM-G
Component plan- including activities on Jhum cycle monitoring for crop based activities
Financial statement – Receipts and Payments
Summary of financial statements (NaRM-G & SHG wise)
Summary of financial statements (Cluster wise)
Summary of meetings held
List of NaRM-Gs & SHGs
Date of inception
Number of total male and female members
Bank details

7. PROCESS OF MIS DEVELOPMENT
Sector Heads prepare the types / kinds of information needed under each Sector & interact with MEO.
MEO discussed the same with the Monitoring Assistants from the DSTs.
Systems Administrator to design the MIS software.
Field test with the DSTs; trainings on the use of MIS particularly the Monitoring Assistants.

8. Problems / Challenges encountered in implementing the MIS
(Frequent) change of System Administrator; discontinuity in the understanding of the software; [ To overcome these problems …..on-line engagement of the first SA as consultant].
All monitoring formats are being entered into the MIS at the district office on Quarterly basis. Problems of management of large data (860 villages : average of 140 villages per district, 140 NaRMGs, 475 SHGs). Problems of lack of physical facilities (only one computer per district for MIS) & man power (only two Monitoring Assistants per district). Overcoming these difficulties by outsourcing part of the data entry work.
Untimely submission of the quarterly monitoring formats by the partner NGOs.

9. Contd……
4. Frequent change/ modification of the monitoring format that could not be integrated in the MIS software.
5. Need for monitoring NaRMG Associations & SHG Federations.
No evaluation from the MIS data; no proper analysis of the MIS data for feedback to the district on their achievements and performance.
No proper baseline available.

10. Success Factors
The system has been simplified by 35% from the previous system.
Analyzing information generating from the current system.
Using different ways of capturing information:
Systematization process of documentation.
Using human resource, better sharing of information has improved project management.
PSU supervision missions has helped the project to identify areas for improvement.
Cost benefit analysis.
Studies on fund absorption capacity of SHGs.
Case studies

11. THANK YOU
CAN THERE EVER BE A PERFECT ‘MIS’ ?