Abstract:
Union Parisad is the oldest and smallest institution among the local government
institutions in Bangladesh. It has some traditional or formal and non formal sources of income.
Local resource mobilization is one of the means which play a crucial role to increase the fund of
UP and to improve the socio-economic conditions of the rural people. There are many way to
accumulate fund from non formal sources of UP as well. But UP is institutionally weak to collect
funds. There are also policies with progressive constitutional provisions, framework for strong
and effective local government. Due to some ambiguity in the policy, lack of resource generation
capacity, lack of coordination and collaboration with other government and non government
organization, lack of institutionalization UP could not able to generate resource properly and
perform the development activities for the rural poor. It was found that the people of the study
area were very much aware about the sources of income of the UP and they are willing to pay the
taxes. UP can utilize this positive motivation to mobilize the other local resources to raise the
fund.
This study is an effort mainly to find out the sources of non traditional sources of revenue
generation of the Union parisad. The study has been conducted depending on primary sources.
Moreover, different secondary information also incorporated in the study. There was intervention
through a project in the village area implemented by the BARD and ETEA Foundation, Spain to
strengthening UP and institutionalize the village organizations. By this effort additional source of
revenue earning UP has made a fund to do the welfare of the people of the union and capable to
bring confidence of the people to the UP. This effort was able to build up the capacity of Union
Parishad and institutionalize village organizations to support the vulnerable sections of people
for their livelihood development through people’s participation and ensuring good governance.
Union Parishad is the most popular democratic institution at the grassroots level. Therefore,
resource mobilization from non traditional sources through collaboration with GO’s, NGO’s at
this level is crucial and deserves special attention for better service delivery to the rural area as
well as build the capacity and strengthening the Union Parisad . This study tries to explore the
various potential non traditional sources of income and its benefits. Study findings would
immensely give some direction to make the Union Parisad more effective.
