Question : BENEFITS NOT REACHING TARGET GROUPS

(a) whether the total benefits of the funds released by the Union Government under the various schemes meant for development of States and providing facilities and assistance to the needy and common man reach the intended beneficiaries;

(b) if so, whether the Government has put in place any system to ensure responsibility of the officials of the concerned departments as well as to review and monitor the proper utilization of funds provided to States in public interest and also collect information in regard to progress achieved therein and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether as per the report of the National Sample Survey Organisation, a large number of people’s livelihood is just a few rupees per day in the country;

(d) if so, the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to increase sufficient employment opportunities for the people of both the rural and the urban areas;

(e) whether there is any provision for increasing the unemployment allowance for senior citizens also; and

(f) if so, the details thereof ?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR PLANNING, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. ASHWANI KUMAR)

(a): Different Ministries/ Departments of Government of India are implementing a number of Central Sector/ Centrally Sponsored Schemes throughout the country, meant for development of States and providing facilities and assistance to the needy and common man. The Programme Evaluation Organisation (PEO) of Planning Commission undertakes independent evaluation of selected flagship programmes/schemes on sample basis on the behest of the Ministries/Departments of Government of India from time to time to assess the impact of the programmes/schemes on the beneficiaries at the grassroot level. The Evaluation studies of the programmes/schemes help in identifying factors responsible for their success and failure after understanding the multi-faceted interactions at the ground level. During the last three years i.e. 2009-10 to 2011-12, evaluation studies on the following schemes/programmes have been conducted by the Programme Evaluation Organisation of Planning Commission:-

i. Rural Telephony ii. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan(SSA) iii. Rural Roads Component of Bharat Nirman iv. Cooked Mid-Day Meal (CMDM) v. Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) vi. National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) vii. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) viii. Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) ix. Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil Palm & Maize (ISOPOM)

The findings of the above evaluation studies, brought out in the reports, suggest that the funds released by the Union Government for these schemes have substantially reached the intended beneficiaries, selected in the samples.

(b): The implementing Ministries/Departments of Government of India have well established procedures for monitoring the proper utilization of funds provided to States in public interest and also collect information in regard to progress achieved therein through Periodical Progress Reports, Performance Review Committee, Vigilance & Monitoring Committee at the State/ District, National Level Monitors. Besides these, field visits are also conducted by the officers of the concerned Ministries/ Departments. Meetings with the State Secretaries are also held to review the implementation of the schemes/programmes.

(c): Based on the findings of the Household Consumer Expenditure Survey of the 66th Round of National Sample Survey (Report: NSS KI (66/1.0): Key Indicators of Household Consumer Expenditure in India, 2009-10 brought out by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation), the estimated average monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) in 2009-10 according to Mixed Reference Period (MRP) is Rs. 953.05 per capita per month in rural areas and Rs. 1856.01 per capita per month in urban areas of the country. According to the Modified Mixed Reference Period (MMRP), the estimated average monthly per capita expenditure in 2009-10 is Rs. 1,053.64 per capita per month and Rs 1,984.46 per capita per month in rural and urban areas respectively.

Converting the monthly per capita expenditure to daily per capita expenditure, the figures according to Mixed Reference Period (MRP) are Rs. 31.77 per capita per day in rural areas and Rs. 61.87 per capita per day in urban areas. According to the Modified Mixed Reference Period (MMRP) the estimated average daily per capita expenditure is Rs. 35.12 per capita per day and Rs. 66.15 per capita per day in rural and urban areas respectively. (d): Various Ministries/Departments in the Government of India are implementing schemes to augment employment/livelihood opportunities in rural and urban areas of the country. Some of the major schemes being implemented are:-

i. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme

(MGNREGS) for wage employment, and ii. Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY)/ National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) for self employment under the Ministry of Rural Development, iii. Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana under the Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, iv. Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) under the Khadi & Village Industries Commission.

(e) & (f): National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS) under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a welfare programme being administered by the Ministry of Rural Development. According to which Rs 75 per month is provided per beneficiary for destitutes above 65 years. The scheme covers destitute having little or no regular means of subsistence from his / her own sources of income or through financial support from family members or other sources.