MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)
(a): Objectives and salient features of the PMRD Fellows Scheme are as below:
1. Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellowship is a short term work opportunity for young professionals to serve and learn in backward/isolated areas of the country.
2. During the two-year fellowship period, fellows remain at the disposal of States and serve the district administration in improving programme delivery and interface with the marginalized section of the population. Immediately after successful completion of the fellowship, a fellow is required to spend at least one year in public service as an employee of the State Rural Livelihoods Mission.
3. The scheme initially covered Integrated Action Plan districts of nine States. It was expanded to seven States in the North East as well as Jammu & Kashmir before the second batch of Fellows were recruited. Currently it covers IAP and backward districts in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Telangana, Tripura and West Bengal.
4. Fellows are recruited through an open competition. Before being allocated to States, they undergo orientation training for a period not exceeding three months.
5. During the fellowship, fellows also participate in a post graduate degree programme through distance learning and contact sessions, leading to a post graduate degree in development practice.
6. An academic institution of national standing acts as the knowledge partner of the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), with responsibility for recruitment, orientation, degree programme and on-field mentorship. Currently Tata Institute of Social Sciences is the knowledge partner of MoRD.
7. Fellows are paid stipend during their fellowship.
(b): Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellowship is a short term work opportunity for young professionals to serve the district administration in improving programme delivery and interface with the marginalized section of the population and learn in backward/isolated areas of the country. During the two-year fellowship period, fellows remain at the disposal of States and works under the supervision of the district collector. They implement projects under flagship schemes like MGNREGS, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Tribal Sub Plan, National Rural Livelihoods Mission, SAGY, NSAP etc. Ministry does not assign work directly to Fellows nor sanction any projects to them.
(c): The PMRDF Scheme is operational in 18 States including Jharkhand. The number of PMRD Fellows placedin States as on 29.02.2016 is as below:
Name of State No. of PMRD Fellows posted
Andhra Pradesh 4
Arunachal Pradesh 1
Assam 13
Bihar 11
Chhattisgarh 20
Jammu & Kashmir 12
Jharkhand 22
Madhya Pradesh 11
Maharashtra 1
Manipur 1
Meghalaya 2
Mizoram 2
Nagaland 2
Odisha 15
Telangana 7
Tripura 2
Uttar Pradesh 4
West Bengal 4
(d): The PMRDF Scheme is implemented in coordination with State Governments; however, no grants are provided by the Government under the Scheme.
(e): The Government has approved increasing the number of fellows posted with State Governments of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura from 2 fellows to 6 fellows in each state. For the State of Maharashtra, Government has approved increasing the number of fellows from 6 to 12.
(f): The PMRDF Scheme was publicized through print and electronic media during the recruitment of second batch of PMRD Fellows.
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