Question : Welfare Funds for STs in NE States

(a) the details of funds for welfare of Scheduled Tribes (STs) provided by the Central Budget and other heads to North-East (NE) States including Assam during each of the last three years, State-wise;

(b) whether the Union Government monitors utilization of the central assistance and see that the funds allocated are spent in the same head under which it has been allocated;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether any report of spending the central assistance i.e. fund meant for one head being spent for another head has been received by the Government;

(e) if so, the details thereof along with the reaction of the Government thereto; and

(f) the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA)

(a): Budget allocation made to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for the various welfare schemes of scheduled tribes during the last three years is given as under:
(Rs. in crore)
Year BE (including NE States)
2012-13 4090.00
2013-14 4279.00
2014-15 4479.00
No State-wise allocation of funds is made for most of the Schemes administered by this Ministry. Funds are released to States as per the guidelines of the respective schemes of the Ministry. Funds released to North East States including Assam under some of the important schemes of the Ministry is annexed.

Various Central Ministries/ Departments are mandated to earmark certain percentage of funds out of their total outlay under the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP). The total TSP allocation by various Central Ministries/ Departments during the last three years is given as under:
(Rs. in crore)
Year BE
2012-13 21710.11
2013-14 24598.39
2014-15 32386.84

All Central Ministries/ Departments are also required to set aside 10% of the annual funds for the development of the North Eastern States including Assam.

(b) to (f): It is mandatory for various Central Ministries/ Departments to earmark certain percentage of funds out of their total outlay under the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) which is non-divertible. It is also mandatory for all Central Ministries/ Departments to set aside 10% of the annual funds for the development of the North Eastern States including Assam which is non-divertible and non-lapsable as well. No divergence of funds has come to the notice of this Ministry.

Funds under the schemes administered by the Ministry are released only on receipt of complete proposal, utilization certificate, progress report, etc. Implementation of the programmes and utilization of funds is also monitored through official visits, meeting/conference with State government officials. The Ministry also issued Operational Guidelines for Formulation, Implementation and Monitoring of TSP funds and Grants under Article 275(1) for effective implementation of schemes administered by the Ministry.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, being the nodal Ministry for the development of scheduled tribes, is regularly monitoring the utilization of funds for the welfare of scheduled tribes through an Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee with a view to ensure better convergence of financial resources and optimize the results under TSP components of various Central Ministries/Departments.
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