Question : NSAP

(a) the salient features of the National Social Assistance Programme;

(b) the funds allocated and spent under the said programme during each of the last five years and the current year, State / UT-wise;

(c) whether the beneficiaries of the said programmes are selected from BPL families;

(d) if so, whether the criteria is justifiable and if so, the reasons therefor;

(e) whether the Government proposes to take concrete steps to implement the said programmes in effective manner and extend the benefit of the same to the needy people; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
( SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT )

(a) Salient features of the National Socials Assistance Programme (NSAP) are at Annexure-I. Details of funds allocated and spent under NSAP during each of the last five years and the current years are at Annexure-II.

(b) & (d) Beneficiaries under the schemes of NSAP are selected from the households living Below Poverty Line(BPL) on fulfilling the eligibility criteria prescribed by the Government of India. The number of beneficiaries is calculated taking into account the 2001 Census and poverty ratio of 2004-05 given by the then Planning Commission.

(e ) & (f) : Schemes under NSAP are for the most vulnerable section of the society. To ensure an effective and efficient public service delivery system, the progress of implementation of the schemes is regularly monitored by the Ministry of Rural Development through Monthly Progress Reports given by the States/ UTs in prescribed format. The performance of the programme is reviewed with State Secretaries once in a quarter during Performance Review Committee (PRC) meetings of the Ministry. The programme is also monitored by National Level Monitors (NLMs) during their field visits. NSAP is included in the schemes to be reviewed by the Vigilance & Monitoring Committees (V&MCs) constituted at the District level, along with other Rural Development Schemes. MPs are represented in the V&MCs in the districts. In order to involve community in the monitoring of NSAP social audit has now been mandated for the programme. The progress is also monitored through data collected through the management software NSAP- MIS.


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