(a) Whether additional Central Assistance had been provided every year for
the completion of Indira Gandhi Canal Project for the development of
Indo-Pak border area;
(b) If so, whether the Union Government have since agreed to provide
assistance for this project which was discontinued previously;
(c) If not, the reasons therefor, and
(d) The amount spent so far by the Union Government as well as by State
Government of Rajasthan for the completion of the project?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF DISINVESTMENT, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRIES OF
PLANNING, STATISTICS & PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION AND
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE
REFORMS AND PUBLIC GRIEVANCES (SHRI ARUN SHOURIE)
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF LOK
SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 343 REGARDING INDIRA
GANDHI CANAL PROJECT BY SHRI GIRDHARI LAL BHARGAVA
DUE FOR ANSWER ON 13.12.2000.
(a) Yes, Sir. Special Central Assistance has been provided since the Seventh
Five Year Plan for the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project under the Border Area
Development Programme.
(b) Central Loan Assistance (CLA) is now provided to the Project under the
Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme. However, the allocation of
Special Central Assistance under the Border Area Development
Programme(BADP) has been phased out as BADP has now been
revamped and is a state-wise programme. Prior to 1993-94, Special
Central Assistance under the Border Area Development
Programme(BADP) was allocated for four schemes on the Indo-Pakistan
border, namely, schemes of the Ministry of Education in border areas,
Pilot scheme for Photo Identity Cards, Research Study on border areas and
the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project. In 1993-94, BADP was extended to the
Bangladesh border and revamped wherein allocations are now made to
State Governments giving equal weightage to three criteria namely, the
length of international border, population of the border blocks and area of
the border blocks. BADP now covers the border blocks of all the
seventeen states which have international land borders.
(c) Does not arise.
(d) A total amount of Rs. 2091.22 crore has been spent till March, 2000 on
the project out of the amount released by the Government of India and
the amount provided by the Government of Rajasthan with break-up as follows:
(Rs. Crore)
1. Government of Rajasthan 1534.36 2. Government of India 556.86
Total 2091.22