Question : DROUGHT RELIEF TO RAJASTHAN

(a) the details of the proposals sent by the Rajasthan Government for the welfare of drought stricken people of the State;

(b) if so, the number of proposals sanctioned; and

(c) the time by which the remaining proposals are likely to be sanction?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI A. NARENDRA):

(a) to (c) As per the information received from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Government of Rajasthan had sent a Memorandum in November, 2004 seeking financial assistance of Rs. 2378.64 crores from the National Calamity Contingency fund (NCCF) and 28.80 lakh Mts of foodgrains for relief employment, fcr drought, for the period July 2004 to July 2005. This was considered by the High Level Committee (HLC), under the Chairmanship of Hon`ble Agriculture Minister, and the HLC approved the assistance of Rs. 332.27 crores from the NCCF subject to adjustment of balances in the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) of the State and 6.99 lakh Mts of foodgrains, free of cost (valued at Rs. 700 crores), from the Special Component of Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY).The assistance provided was upto 31.3.2005.

A Team was deputed to the State to assess further requirements of assistance beyond March 2005. The HLC under the Chairmanship of Hon`ble Agriculture Minister in its meeting held on 5.5.2005 had approved the assistance of Rs. 156.71 crores from the NCCF subject to adjustment of balances in the CRF of the State and 4.00 lakh Mts of foodgrains, free of cost {valued at about Rs. 400 crores), from the Special Component of SGRY. In all, Rs. 488.98 crores from NCCF (subject to adjustment of balances in CRF of the State) and 10.99 lakh Mts of foodgrains (valued at approximately Rs. 1100 crores) have been sanctioned or the State for the drought of 2004-05 so far. No request for assistance for drought of 2004-05 in respect of Rajasthan is pending.