Question : DEVELOPMENTAL SCHEMES FOR PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS

(a) the details of the target fixed and achievements made in respect of the developmental schemes for the people living in rural areas during the Tenth as well as the Eleventh Five Year Plans in the country, State-wise including West Bengal;

(b) the details of the rural areas developed and the persons benefited in each State including West Bengal by the implementation of such schemes alongwith the amount spent on each scheme in each State during the above period;

(c) whether any new scheme is being contemplated by the Government for the development of rural areas in the country in the coming years; and

(d) if so, the details thereof ?

MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. C. P JOSHI)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

Statement referred in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No.521 due for reply on 03-05-2010.

(a) & (b): The Ministry of Rural Development implements major schemes for rural development namely the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for wage employment, Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) for self-employment, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana(PMGSY) for rural connectivity, Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) for shelter, Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) for area development, National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) for safe drinking water, Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) for sanitation in rural areas of the country through State Governments and Union Territory (UT) Administrations. The wage employment programmes of Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yogana (SGRY) and National Food for Work Programme (NFFWP) were subsumed in MGNREGA.

The State-wise amount released under the above major programs during 10th Plan and 11th Plan is given at Annexure- I. State-wise physical target fixed and achievements made under these programmes during 10th Plan and 11th Plan upto 2009-2010 is given at Annexure- II.

(c) & (d): The restructured scheme of Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) for the development of rural areas in the country is to be implemented with a budgetary provision of Rs. 248 crore in the 11th Plan. The objective of PURA is holistic and accelerated development of compact areas around a potential growth centre in a Gram Panchayat (or group of Gram Panchayats) through Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework by providing livelihood opportunities and urban amenities to improve the quality of life in rural areas.