Question : MERGER OF DRDA WITH ZILA PARISHAD

(a) whether a policy has been prepared for the merger of district rural development agencies with Zilla Parishads in order to strengthen Panchayati Raj;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the purposes it is supposed to fulfil;

(c) whether the policy also envisages the proposal to absorb the employees of district rural development agencies in Zilla Parishads;

(d) if so, whether there will be a common inter-se-seniority of the employees of district development agencies and Zilla Parishads and they will be entitled to other facilities available to the Government employees after the merger;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the number of states where district rural development agencies have been merged with Zilla Parishads?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT(SHRIMATI SURYAKANTA PATIL)

(a) to (b) The guidelines of the DRDA Administration Scheme issued by the Ministry of Rural Development do not prescribe merger of DRDAs with Zilla Parishads as a general policy. However under the guidelines the State Governments have been allowed flexibility to operate the DRDAs as a distinct cell in Zilla Parishads having a separate identity.

(c) to (e) As per the DRDA Guidelines there is no uniform policy for engaging and/or recruiting the staff by the DRDAs. As a matter of policy, the DRDA should not have any permanent staff nor are they allowed to make direct recruitment. With the objectives to strengthen DRDAs and to equip them with professional capacity and have a flexible- standing pattern DRDAs are urged to take staff on deputation. In respect of the Staff that is currently borne on the DRDA, the State Rural Development Department had to draw up a 3-5 year plan for absorption of the staff into the line departments. Under no circumstance the Scheme envisages absorption of DRDA employees in Zilla Parishad. Therefore, the question of maintaining inter-se seniority and providing facilities to them does not arise.

(f) In three states namely Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal the DRDAs have been merged with the Zilla Parishads. Position regarding other states is annexed.

Annexure

Annexure referred to in reply to part (f) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5371 due for answer on 29.04.2005.

THE STATE-WISE STATUS OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DRDAs

S. NO.	STATES	CHAIRMAN
1.	ANDHRA PRADESH	DY. Commissioner
2.	ARUNACHAL PRADESH	DY. Commissioner
3.	ASSAM	Chairman ZP
4.	CHATTISHGARH	Chairman ZP (DRDA Cell within ZP))
5.	BIHAR	Chairman ZP
6.	GOA	Chairman ZP
7.	GUJARAT	C.E.O.
8.	HARYANA	DY. Commissioner
9.	HIMACHLA PRADESH	Chairman ZP
10.	JAMMU & KASHMIR	DY. Commissioner
11.	JHARKHAND	DY. Commissioner (No ZP)
12.	KARNATAKA	Chairman ZP(Merged)
13.	KERALA	Chairman	ZP
14.	MADHYA PRADESH	Chairman ZP(Merged)
15.	MAHARASHTRA	Chairman ZP (DRDA Cell within ZP)
16.	MANIPUR	Chairman ZP
17.	MEGHALAYA (Panchayat Act	DY. Commissioner
18.	MIZORAM not applicable) DY. Commissioner
19.	NAGALAND	DY. Commissioner
20.	ORISSA	Chairman ZP
21.	PUNJAB	DY. Commissioner
22.	RAJASTHAN	Chairman ZP (DRDA Cell within ZP)
23.	SIKKIM	Secretary RD
24.	TAMIL NADU	DY. Commissioner
25.	TRIPURA	Chairman ZP
26.	UTTAR PRADESH	Chairman ZP
27.	UTTARANCHAL	Chairman ZP
28.	WEST BENGAL	Chairman ZP(Merged but with separate account))