Question : ALLOCATION UTILISATION OF FUNDS UNDER RURAL DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES

(a) whether funds are released by the Government to different States as per their demands for various rural development schemes running in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) the details of funds allocated/released/utilized and success achieved in terms of beneficiaries including Scheduled Castes (SCs)/Scheduled Tribes (STs) under these schemes during each of the last three years and current year; State-wise and scheme-wise;

(d) whether certain States have requested for more funds and some have even not utilized the allocated /released amount during the said period;

(e) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(f) the additional funds provided to each such State, if any; and

(g) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to remove the shortcomings in the implementation of these schemes and to ensure cent percent success rate?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI PRADEEP JAIN `ADITYA`)

(a)&(b): The Ministry of Rural Development implements through State Governments /UT Administrations various schemes in rural areas of the country. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. (MGNREGA), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Integrated Watershed Management Programmes (IWMP) and Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) are demand driven schemes and funds are released as per the demand. The other schemes namely Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY), Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) and National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) are allocation based schemes and funds are released generally in two installments as per the programme guidelines.

(c): Under the guidelines of rural development programmes, adequate safeguard has been made for providing benefits to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). The benefits given to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are compiled/ monitored under MGNREGA, SGSY and IAY. State-wise and Scheme-wise funds allocated and released/utilized and benefits given to SCs/STs during the last three years i.e. 2006- 2007, 2007-2008,2008-2009 and current year 2009-2010 (upto Jan./Feb. 2010) are given at Annexure-I.

(d) & (e): The funds allocation and releases to States/UTs are as per the programme guidelines under the above progrmames.

(f): State-wise additional funds provided under SGSY, IAY and NRDWP during the last three years i.e. 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 is given at Annexure-II. During the current year, additional funds has not been released to any State so far.

(g): The Ministry of Rural Development has developed a comprehensive system of monitoring the implementation of the programmes including utilization of funds through Periodical Progress Reports, Performance Review Committee Meetings, Area Officer`s Scheme, Vigilance and Monitoring Committees at the State and District Levels with greater involvement of Members of Parliament, National Level Monitors to monitor quality of work and adherence to implementation of schemes as per programme guidelines. The State Governments and Union Territory Administrations hakve been advised to adopt a five- pronged strategy to improve the implementation of the rural development schemes consisting of (i) creation of awareness about the schemes, (ii) transparency, (iii) People`s participation, (iv) accountability, social audit and (v) vigilance and monitoring of rural development programmes at all levels to achieve maximum success rate.