Question : RESTRUCTURING OF CENTRALLY SPONSORED SCHEMES

(a) whether the Group of Ministers has taken a final decision on the recommendations of the committee constituted by the Planning Commission to restructure Centrally Sponsored Schemes;

(b) if so, the details thereof including the details of the schemes being discontinued/ restructured and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Government has also decided to lay down certain criteria/guidelines to provide flexibility in the implementation of the schemes;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government for effective implementation of the restructured schemes?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS AND PLANNING (SHRI RAJEEV SHUKLA)

(a) to (b); The Group of Ministers in its meeting held on May 23, 2013 considered the proposal of re-structuring of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs) and recommended it to be placed before the Cabinet with few amendments. The matter was placed to the Cabinet, which in its meeting held on 20.6.2013 approved as follows. (a) Restructure the existing CSS/ACA Schemes in the Twelfth Five-Year Plan into 66 Schemes, including Flagship Programmes. The details of 66 CSSs schemes are indicated in the annexure. (b) Endorse 17 Flagship Programmes with significant outlays for major interventions required in health, education, irrigation, urban development, infrastructure, including rural infrastructure, skill development, etc. (c) Keep at least 10% of the outlay of each CSS/ACA/Flagship Scheme as Flexi funds.

(d) Classify and budget all Plan schemes under which Central Assistance is provided to the States together as Central Assistance to State Plans with effect from 2014-15 (BE) onwards. (e) Formulate state specific guidelines for each CSS/ACA/Flagship scheme and constitution of an Inter-Ministerial Committee for this purpose. (f) For each new CSS/ACA/Flagship scheme, at least 25% of funds may be contributed by the General Category States and 10% fund by the Special Category States including States of J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. (g) Place the funds for all CSS/ACA schemes with the Administrative Ministries and transfer CSS/ACA funds to the States through the Consolidated Fund of the States concerned. This mode of transfer to be implemented in a phased manner in BE 2014-2015. (h) These arrangements is to come into force for the remaining years of the Twelfth Five Year Plan.

(c) to (e): As per the decision of the Cabinet the flexibility in implementation of scheme is enhanced due to following (a) At least 10% of outlay of CSS be kept as flexi fund which may be used for funding innovations or taking up the activities/projects which even though not strictly as per the guidelines of the scheme, serve the broad objective of a scheme. (b) A provision for introduction of State specific guidelines in a CSS has been created. For this an Inter-Ministerial Committee under the Co- chairpersonship of the Secretary (Planning Commission) and Secretary (Department of Expenditure) with representative of the State Government and the Administrative Ministries concerned has been constituted to consider the suggestions of the State Governments for introduction of State specific guidelines for implementation of the schemes.