(a) the budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj during each of the last three years and the current year;
(b) whether the said allocation has been curtailed over the years;
(c) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor ;
(d) whether it is a fact that due to such curtailment of allocation many programmes could not be continued in the country; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and the remedial steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE OF PANCHAYATI RAJ
(SHRI NIHAL CHAND)
(a) The budgetary allocation for the last three years (2012-13 to 2014-15) and the current year (2015-16) is given below:-
(Rs. in Crore)
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
B.E. R.E. B.E. R.E. B.E. R.E. B.E.
5350.00 4000.00 7200.00 3500.00 7000.00 3400.00 394.00
(b) to (e): Yes, Madam. The budgetary allocation (BE) for the year 2015-16 has been reduced compared to the previous year. This is due to the transfer of the schemes of Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) and the State Component of Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan (RGPSA) to States. The Central Government has accepted the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission for allocating a grant of Rs. 2,00,292.2 crore to gram panchayats for the five year period from 2015-16 to 2019-20, for delivery of basic services such as water supply, sanitation, local body roads and footpaths, street lighting, play grounds etc.
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