Question : Smart Villages

(a) whether the Government proposes to introduce any scheme for creating ‘smart villages'' for providing better basic facilities in rural areas especially in backward areas and developing such areas on lines of cities with the use of modern techniques, if so, the details and the salient features thereof;

(b) the time by which the smart village scheme is likely to be implemented and the expenditure likely to be incurred thereon, State/UT-wise;

(c) the manner and extent to which the said scheme is likely to mitigate the problems of poverty and unemployment along with improvement in the living standard and economic welfare of the rural people; and

(d) the steps taken by the Government to publicise such initiatives among the rural people and the role of panchayats therein with special emphasis on flood-prone areas of the country?

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

(a): The Government proposes to develop rural clusters in the country under Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission(SPMRM). The Mission aims at development of 300 clusters in all States and UTs. These clusters would be developed by provisioning of economic activities, developing skills& local entrepreneurship and providing infrastructure amenities The Rurban Mission will thus develop a cluster of Smart Villages.The State Governments will select Gram Panchayats/cluster of geographically contiguous Gram Panchayats with a population of about 25000 to 50000 in plain and coastal areas and a population of 5000 to 15000 in desert, hilly or tribal areas as a SPMRM cluster and implement the Scheme in Mission Mode. It is desirable that the State Government identified Gram Panchayats that are potential
growth centers with resources available in the area and could lead to the economic transformation of the region. There would be two categories of clusters, Tribal and Non-Tribal.

(b): An outlay of Rs 5142.08 crores has been provided for the scheme for the period 2015-16 to 2019-20.

(c): Under the SPMRM, the State Governments shall identify existing Centrally Sponsored,Central Sector or State Government schemes relevant for the development of the cluster and converge their implementation in an integrated and time bound manner. Fourteen components have been suggested as desirable for inclusion in the development of Rurban Cluster.
i. Piped water supply

ii. Agro Processing, Agri Services, Storage and Warehousing.

iii. Sanitation

iv. Solid and liquid waste management

v. Village streets and drains

vi. Street lights

vii. Health care connectivity

viii. Upgrading school education facilities

ix. Skill development training linked to economic activities

x. Inter-village road connectivity

xi. Citizen Service Centres- for electronic delivery of citizen centric services/e-gram connectivity

xii. Public transport

xiii. LPG Gas Connections

xiv. Full Digital Literacy

Further the State Government may at its own discretion additionally converge any other State or Central Government scheme not falling under the above components. These could be finalized after due consultation with the Gram Panchayats and should aim at addressing the unique needs of the ‘Rurban Cluster’ and enable it to leverage its full economic potential.

(d): The Mission should be adopted by the Gram Sabha of all the participating Gram Panchayats through Gram Sabha and PanchayatSamiti resolutions. PRI members are to be consulted at all stages of the project cycle from planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and maintenance of assets created during the project period. The Clusters selected by the State/UTs can be in the flood prone area also.

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