(a) whether the Government proposes to strengthen and equip the District Planning Committees to coordinate with the Zilla Panchayats and other Government and non-Government organizations;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has received any report from the sub-committee on Panchayati Raj institution; and
(d) if so, the details of the recommendations made therein?
MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ ( SHRI MANI SHANKAR AIYAR)
(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN PARTS (a), (b), (c) & (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 137 DUE FOR REPLY ON 07.03.2007 REGARDING STEPS TO STRENGTHEN DISTRICT PLANNING COMMITTEES.
(a) & (b): Article 243ZD(3)(b) of the Constitution provides that the State may specify institutions and organisations which may be consulted by every DPC in preparing the draft development plan of the district. The Planning Commission has issued comprehensive guidelines on 25.8.2006 for the preparation of district plans in the Eleventh Five Year Plan. These provide that the State Governments constitute a Technical Support Group in each district to assist the District Planning Committees in preparing vision documents and vet the draft plan proposals. The Technical Support Group may consist of Departmental officers (where available) mandated and nominated for the purpose in addition to their duties or retired persons locally available or a local academic institution or established NGO with a proven record.
In order to strengthen and equip the District Planning Committees, Ministry of Panchayati Raj will provide financial support through the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF). An amount of Rs. 250 crore has been especially earmarked for the capacity building of Panchayats in 250 districts covered under the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme. Securing assistance for Panchayats and the District Planning Committees is one of the components of capacity building which can be funded from the allocation of Rs.250 crore.
(c) & (d): The Empowered Sub-Committee of the National Development Council constituted for the financial and administrative empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions considered the issue of strengthening District Planning in its third meeting held on 12 June 06 . It endorsed the action points identified during a Workshop on Grass root level Planning held on 8-9 May 2006 to ensure that the Eleventh Five year Plan of the State is built through a participative bottom up process. One of the main action points enjoined that the Planning Commission’s guidelines for the preparation of the Eleventh plan will mandate the preparation of district plans through District Planning Committees. Subsequently, the Planning Commission has issued its guidelines on 25 August 06 referred to above.