(a) whether the Government has expanded the coverage under the scheme of Backward Region
Grant Fund (BRGF) in the States during 2007-08 where the District Planning Committees
(DPC’s) have been constituted; and
(b) if so, the details of the additional districts covered under BRGF?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI MANI SHANKAR AIYAR)
(a) & (b): Formation of District Planning Committees in accordance with Article 243 ZD
of the Constitution is an essential pre-requisite for planning and implementation of the
BRGF programme in States and areas covered by Part IX and IXA of the Constitution.
Participatory plans prepared by each Panchayat and Municipality are to be consolidated into
the district plan by the District Planning Committee constituted in accordance with Article
243 ZD of the Constitution. Constitution of DPCs is, therefore essential for the release of
developmental grant under the programme. However, this is not the criteria for inclusion of
additional districts under the Programme. The BRGF programme covers 250 districts. The list
of districts is annexed. 18 of the 250 districts in J&K, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Nagaland and Tripura are not covered under Parts IX and IXA of the Constitution. Alternative
arrangements have been proposed for these districts for planning and implementation of the
Programme under the programme guidelines. Planning through Panchayats, Municipalities and
District Planning Committee is a mandatory requirement in the remaining 232 districts. There
has been no expansion in the coverage of districts in 2007-08.