NCHSE
works in the field of Natural Resource Management, Rural Development, Poverty Alleviation and scores of other Human and Environment related issues.

Has focus on both:
- Urban and Rural areas,
- Men and Women,
- Planning and Implementation.

Meet our Chairman Dr.M.N.Buch

Book by M.N. Buch

Articles by M.N. Buch

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NCHSE GIS WEBSite

The National Centre for Human Settlements and Environment (NCHSE) is registered with the Registrar of Societies under the Madhya Pradesh Registration of the Firms and Societies Act, 1973 on 19th June 1984. NCHSE was established to act as a nodal centre for applied research in global field of human settlements and their interaction with the environment.  Dr. M.N. Buch, after seeking voluntary retirement from IAS in 1984, is its Founder Chairman. 

NCHSE operates in Madhya Pradesh through its headquarters at Bhopal and branch offices in Jhabua, Dhar, Ujjain, Hoshangabad, Harda, Barwani and Betul.

NCHSE’s MISSION: 

-     We dedicate ourselves to our mission of participatory sustainable development of the area and its people with special focus on weaker section of the society for a rapid social mobilization and significant economic development.

-   We draw on our experience and collaborative relationship to address the underlying causes of poverty and social injustice through:

-    Increasing representation and participation in local governance.

-   Influencing critical policies, programmes and services.

-   We work towards the ecological restoration and conservation of land and water resources, in conserving the uplands and other eco-fragile, degraded and marginalized zones of the state and to set in place the processes of co-ordinated human effort and governance to achieve this objective by using GIS and other IT tools. 

NCHSE’s VISION

v      To view all human settlements and activities holistically instead of compartmentalizing them into urban & rural.

v      To look at every aspect of a settlement and its impact on people, their economy, their rights and entitlements, their social structure, their environment in which they live.

NCHSE has six divisions of activity:
(click on title to see Details)  

Research and Socio-economic Surveys division.                                            

Monitoring and Evaluation division.

Project Implementation division.

Computers and Information
Technology  Applications division.

Consumer Grievances Redressal Division

A project entitled  "The Integrated Watershed Development Programme, in Jhabua",  implemented by NCHSE  with funds from the Government of India has bagged UNEP Award also. (click here to see the project details).

 Details of all Projects

NCHSE has carried out over 80 Research Studies. Many of these got the recognition to the level of review of policy by the Government.

NCHSE has prepared an Urban Perspective Plan for 2021 for Madhya Pradesh. The report is available in 9 Volumes with all details about the perspective development of the State considering the fast growth of urban areas. Similarly, NCHSE also has prepared PURA (Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) proposals. This work is a part of Vision given by Ex-President of India Dr. Abdul Kalam, which aims at identifying need and recommending the Amenities in Rural Areas surrounding Urban centres which receive high pressure on its infrastructure due to influx of large number of people from Rural Areas for availing the facilities. The Programme has now started being implemented.

Funding organisations which NCHSE has worked with: 

Several International funding organisations have sponsored a large variety of assignments and projects to NCHSE.

Some of them funded repeatedly for different projects considering the successful performance of NCHSE. This is our strong presence at the grass root level and understanding of the local problems, that has lead to involve us by these foreign organisations in the projects and programmes in such large numbers.

The prominent sponsors at the national level have been:

The Ford Foundation, 
International Labour Organisation (ILO), 
International Development Research Centre (IDRC),
Asian Development Bank (ADB), 
Australian High Commission (AHC), 
Church's Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA), 
Action Aid, 
UNICEF, 
UN-World Food Programme,
Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), 
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA),
Telford Challenge, Engineer against Poverty - United Kingdom,
Tetra Tech (USA).

NCHSE has a unique character which distinguishes it from others. It has a very strong presence at Grass Root level.  All its works are always impactful and lasting because of people's involvement right from the beginning of programmes i.e. from the level of Planning of the programme including the activities to be carried out. Thus, NCHSE follows a principle of working "With People, for the People".

Besides this, the more important character is to employ 'Technology'  into its functions. Most of the programmes ensure extensive use of IT and GIS (Geographical Information Systems), which are put to use for Planning and Monitoring of the activities. 

Many special Techniques have been developed by NCHSE to integrate the field inputs with the GIS and even Remote Sensed based information to work out action plans.  One amongst many solutions is 'WATMAN' that is a package of Software and Documentation which helps create an excellent balance between the Technology and Community's Driven approach and ensure Technology to work in tandem with Field Requirement. Above all, these are simple-to-use and cheaper solutions.

Government of India through its Ministries, Departments and organisations have sponsored a large number of projects of various types. Most of these were implemented in Madhya Pradesh in rural and urban areas. Few others were also done in other States.

Thus, NCHSE has been able to fulfill the requirement of quality service and performance at the level of the central government also.

The outstanding performance of the field staff, the control and direction of the Experts - as a combination, has maintained the tradition of working for giving guaranteed impact whatever the programme.

The prominent sponsors at the national and state level have been:
The Ministries and Departments of the Government of India,
Departments of the State Government of Madhya Pradesh, 
National Planning Commission,  National Wasteland Development Board,  
National Afforestation and Eco-Development Board (NAEB), 
National Dairy Development Board(NDDB),
Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI),
Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL),
Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology (CAPART),
Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO),
New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA),
Indian National Trust for Arts & Cultural Heritage (INTACH),
National Institute of Urban Affairs Narmada Valley Development Authority,
Narmada Control Authority,
Rajiv Gandhi Prodyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, etc.

NCHSE is registered under FCRA and allotted a permanent No.63160035 dated 15th September 1992 by the Ministry of Home Affairs (FCRA Division), Government of India, New Delhi.

The Centre is also registered with the Income Tax Department as a Trust/Society under Section 12 A (a). The Centre has been exempted under Section 80-G regarding donations made to the Centre. The permanent Account Number (PAN) of NCHSE is AAATN2922N.