[rts] RTS - Discussion - Coments on Dieter's ideas

[Ranjith de Silva]

Dear Colleagues

I am impressed with Dieter's write up and would like to suggest the following
steps based on ITDG experiences in Sri Lanka & Kenya.

1.      Transport infrastructure
ITDG Sri Lanka is going to work out a national level plan with the LFRTD (Sri
Lanka NFG) to get the labour-based rural road construction & maintenance with
participation of community & local authorities (Pradeshiya Sabhas - PS) at
provincial level. ITDG pilot projects show that the participation of the
communities is of a high degree. This is not only just participation but the
village road committees together with the local authorities plan, implement and
have authority over the road. The labour rate here is half that of the
prevailing rate in the area and the other half is community contribution.

The problem I see here is the wider replication of this approach. In the
national context, the construction and maintenance of rural roads have been
neglected due to very low financial resources at the PS level. The proposed
national rural road development strategy of the LFRTD includes setting up of a
training centre on labour based technologies and social mobilisation. The world
bank should be able to finance the PSs and Community Based organisations in
such rural road development programmes. The contribution of NGOs is vital here
in drafting bank's strategies regarding this. These experiences should be
incorporated into national rural development plans of developing countries.

2.      RTS & IMT

Credit Schemes

ITDG Sri Lanka worked with three community based organisations in the
dissemination of cycle trailers. During the project a revolving rural credit
schemes were started to enable the poor to purchase Cycle Trailers. The scheme
was working well with over a 90% pay back rate. The details of this scheme is
available with ITDG SL. The constraint here was the NGOs not having sufficient
funds to expand the credit scheme.

As Priyanthi mentions, the Community Bus project of the LFRTD is a good example
of community managed RTS. The mid-term evaluation report of this project is in
the draft form now and will be made available soon. It has many pluses and
minuses. However, the "Community company" managed to operate this project over
the last  three years. Their main constraint is the high bank interest rate on
the loan. The Ministry of Transport in Sri Lanka pay a subsidy on uneconomical
bus routes for the private bus operators. This subsidy can be paid by a once
and for all payment, adding all subsidiary payments for 3 or 4 years together
and that can be used a the capital to purchase a bus by communities. At the
same time bank interest rates should also come down for community operated bus
services. A similar project is undertaken by ITDG in a remote village in the
North Western Province, with a community managed IMT service. The community
here is very poor where as the former is predominantly middle income one.

It is interesting to hear about tricycles made in Tanzania. It is strange that
information had not gone to neighboring Kenya. There is a potential market
among bicycle taxi operators in Kenya to use tricycles. ITDG East Africa is
planning to undertake a pilot project to promote tricycles in West Kenya. 
Dieter, I am interested to know more details on the Tanzanian tricycles.

Regards.

Ranjith


Ranjith de Silva
Senior Specialist - Transport
International Transport Programme
Intermediate Technology Development Group
South Asia Regional Office
No.5 Lionel Edirisinghe Mawatha
Kirulapone
Colombo 5
Sri Lanka

Telephone: (++ 94 1) 852149, 829412 - 5, (++ 94 74) 510238
Fax:    (++ 94 1) 856188
Email:  ranjith at itdg.lanka.net
Alternatives:
ranjith_itdg at hotmail.com
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