Communication Need Assessment for Ministry of Rural Development

Statement of Purpose
Why create this technical assessment? To create adequate awareness generation among the beneficiaries, grass root implementers of programmes regarding entitlements under each of the programmes and also the processes involved in getting these benefits so that there is adequate and proper articulation of demand and efficient delivery of services. Additionally, sensitize the policy makers, implementing agencies and other stakeholders, tax payers, opinion makers, NGOs, CSOs, PRIs, Banks and other financial institutions about the aims and objectives of the Ministry and its programmes.

Business Need of Communication

What is the Need for this Communication? The ministry of Rural Development wants a develop a comprehensive communication strategy so as to inform and educate the rural population about the schemes and programmes of the Ministry of Rural Development, which can help the poor to obtain the maximum benefits of these schemes. Also create awareness among other stake holders to ensure proper planning, implementation and monitoring of these programmes and schemes.

Audience:
Who is the Audience? Internal or External? Multiple Audiences? Primarily the audience is External and of multiple types, each target audience needs to be targeted differently. Primary Audience: o Beneficiaries and Prospective Beneficiaries of Schemes like MNEREGA, PURA, NREGS, NRHM, SSA, BRGF, Mid-day Meal Scheme, R.G.Rural Drinking Water Supply Scheme, ICDS, PMGSY, IAY, RKVY, NSAP, CAPART, PMRDFs, Bharat Nirman, SGSY, NRLM, Diksha etc... Secondary Audience: o Govt. Departments and Bodies involved in implementing and monitoring the programmes o NGOs involved at grass root level involved with these programmes, o Policy Planners o Funding and Development Agencies Tertiary Audience: o Media, Social Scientists and Subject Experts How large is the Target Audience? Primary audience: large in number and are concentrated in rural areas of the country. (All Rural Audience in all States and regions of the country). 70 % of Indias population lives in Rural Areas.

Secondary Audience: medium with thousands of people working in rural development sector, policy, planning, development and monitoring. Tertiary Audience: small and is segmented at key centres, organisations and institutions.

What is expertise of Target audience regarding the subject matter? Primary audience: The Rural Audience, for whom the programmes have been designed, have no formal and professional expertise in the subject matter of rural development sector. Secondary Audience & Tertiary Audience: The Policy Planners, Govt institutions and bodies involved in implementation and monitoring, NGOs, Social Scientists and Subject Experts, Funding and development Agencies have varied skill and level of expertise pertaining to the subject of rural development.

Situation
What is the Context or environment the audience will receive the communication? Primary audience: Since the primary audience is large, varied, multi-lingual, multicultural, with no or limited formal education and lives in rural and backward area with little or confined scope of communication medium. Therefore unique set of communication methods and channels are required like AV film presentation, Radio Messages, TV promotion, Postal Media Posters, Pamphlets, Leaflets, Direct interactive sessions organised through NGOs, Loud Speaker Rounds, SMS and Recorded Messages Via Mobile Phones, Traditional Media like street play, puppet show, magic etc. Secondary Audience: Written Through Newsletters, Handbooks, Web based information and forums, Workshops and training programs and Self learning module. Tertiary Audience: Advocacy, Web based information sharing.

Geographic location? One or Multiple languages? Primary audience: Huge Geographic Location to be covered, With Multi-Lingual support to all types of communication media. Secondary Audience: Large geographical area to be covered but information can be shared easily if database of the stakeholders can be created. Primary language of communication would be English and Hindi with some Multi-Lingual support as required. Tertiary Audience: Concentrated and English.

Other physical limitations or special needs? Primary audience: Mostly to be uneducated or with limited formal education would be difficult to communicate with them using written form. Forms of oral communication must be preferred. Secondary Audience: None Tertiary Audience: None

Is the audience likely to be resistant? Primary audience: No, (Accepting) Secondary Audience: No, (Cooperative) Tertiary Audience: No, (Cooperative)

Will the audience require special equipment or software to receive the message? Primary audience: Most Likely through Audio-Visual Equipments, V-sat Communication Platforms, etc., Locally Organised Theatre and performance groups for road-shows. Secondary Audience: Training Modules, Manuals, Flip Charts, Web Access. Tertiary Audience: No

Goals of Communication
What results do you expect the technical communication to deliver? Primary audience: Accepting and enrolling them-selves for receiving entitlements as provisioned through various programmes of the Ministry of Rural Development. Secondary Audience: Channelize energies towards better coordination, planning, implementation and monitoring. Tertiary Audience: To create favourable opinion of the Ministrys Programmes.

What new skill, actions or behaviour are you trying to elicit in the audience? Primary audience: Enrolment in MoRD Programmes. Secondary Audience: Better Management of MoRD Programmes. Tertiary Audience: Create Positive Attitude for MoRD Programmes.

Requirements
Are there any special requirements for technical communication? Primary audience: No. Secondary Audience: No. Tertiary Audience: No.

What type of communication is most suitable? (Print, electronic, web, other) Primary audience: Radio Jingle Messages, TV Promos, Traditional Media like Folk Theatre and street shows, Mobile SMS and Recorded Message Playback. Audio Visual Documentary Film Presentation. Loud Speaker Messages. Secondary Audience: News Letters, Handbooks, Manuals, Posters, Pamphlets, Leaflets, Workshops and Training Modules. Web based information portals. Tertiary Audience: Web based information portals, advocacy

What type of material would be best? (Help system, instructors guide, slides video presentation) Primary audience: Radio Jingle Messages, Street Performances and Folk Theatre, TV promos Secondary Audience: Training Modules, Workshops, News Letters Tertiary Audience: Advocacy

Expertise of Writers/designers
Who will design and develop the communication? PR Team will develop the Communication Strategy and Media Plan, The design work will be given to Expert Teams for design the Print, Electronic and Web based strategy, The Written Material will be designed by Subject Experts. Workshop and Training module will be designed in collaboration with various agencies. What is their level of expertise? Subject Experts and Professionals will provide the requisite knowledge for a desired communication media (channel).