(a) the details of working of District Planning Committees (DPCs);
(b) whether there is any set of guidelines that govern their functioning;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) the formula for distribution of grants among Panchayats in various districts, out of the total money earmarked for Panchayats; and
(e) the procedure for distribution of funds across the three tiers of the Panchayats?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI V. KISHORE CHANDRA DEO)
(a) to (c): Under Article 243ZD of the Constitution, a District Planning Committee (DPC) shall be constituted at the
district level in every State to consolidate the Plans prepared by Panchayats and Municipalities in the district and
to prepare a draft development plan for the district as a whole. The composition and functions to be assigned to the
DPCs are decided by the State Legislature. While preparing the draft development plan, DPCs have to take into consideration (i) matters of common interest between the Panchayats and the Municipalities including spatial planning, sharing of water
and other physical and natural resources, the integrated development of infrastructure and environmental conservation and (ii) the extent and type of available resources whether financial or otherwise. The Planning Commission has issued guidelines for preparation of district plans in August, 2006. A comprehensive Manual for Integrated District Planning has also been prepared in 2008. Moreover, Ministry of Panchayati Raj has issued guidelines dated 29.05.2009 to the States in this regard.
(d) & (e): Grants to Panchayats are given under the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF), Thirteenth Finance Commission,
etc. The formula for distribution of grants among the Panchayats is decided by the State Governments. The procedure for distribution of funds among the three tiers of the Panchayats also varies from scheme to scheme.