(a) whether the Government has constituted Inter-Ministerial Committee to formulate State specific guidelines for Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)/ Additional Central Assistance(ACA) / Flagship Scheme;
(b) if so, the details and composition thereof;
(c) whether States have received any guidelines in this regard; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)
(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. Following restructuring of Centrally Sponsored Schemes, an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) has been constituted by the Planning Commission on July 15, 2013 to consider State specific guidelines for Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) with the following composition : Secretary, Planning Commission: Co-Chairperson Secretary, Planning Commission: Co-Chairperson Implementing the concerned CSS Member Chief Secretary of the State Government Member Adviser (Plan Coordination and Management Division) Planning Commission Convener
(c) & (d): One of the objectives of the restructuring of Centrally Sponsored Scheme is to provide flexibility to States in these schemes in order to improve their implementation. For this purpose, Government has approved that at least 10% of allocation in a scheme for a State in a year would be kept as a flexi fund. Decision to spend money from these funds largely rests with the State Governments as long as such expenditure are towards meeting the broad objective of the scheme. A guideline for operationalizing flexi-funds was issued on January 6, 2014 by Department of Expenditure. This provision has been made operational with effect from the current Financial Year. A copy of the guideline is enclosed. The other method of providing flexibility in implementation of scheme, approved by the Government is introduction of State Specific Guidelines in a CSS for which the IMC mentioned in part (a) and (b) of the question has been constituted. Planning Commission has requested all State Governments / Union Territories to undertake a review of the CSS from the perspective of the State and to suggest modifications in guidelines specific to the State.