Mysuru-based Grassroots Research And Advocacy Movement (GRAAM), a research and public engagement organisation, has inked a Statement of Intent (SoI) with the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog, for strategic and technical collaboration to strengthen monitoring and evaluation of government policies and programmes in India.
A statement issued by GRAAM said the signing ceremony took place in the presence of Sekhar Bonu, Director General, DMEO, Alok Mishra, Deputy Director General, DMEO, NITI Aayog officials and GRAAM’s Chairman R. Balasubramaniam along with other staff in New Delhi on November 23. The memorandum on behalf of GRAAM was signed by the organisation’s Executive Director Basavaraju R. Shreshta.
Dr. Balasubramaniam said evaluation agencies played a critical role in implementing data driven programmes and policy evaluations with focus on quality and standard of the programmes. “There is a need to strengthen and encourage them further”, he said.
As part of the SoI, GRAAM will provide technical assistance to DMEO in preparation of technical and policy documents, conduct joint studies and facilitate capacity building programmes on monitoring and evaluation of government policies and programmes for public officials at the Centre and States, local researchers, regional institutions and other stakeholders, said a statement.
After conducting evaluation and research studies pan India in partnership with WHO, UNICEF and other policy/academic institutions, GRAAM will also be organising events, exchanging and disseminating best practices, developing communication and other activities comprising technical assistance, the statement said.
Dr. Bonu said that DMEO is looking forward to engaging with GRAAM to build a robus evaluation agency system across the country.
