(a) whether the Government have received any proposals for seeking financial assistance for Watershed Development Programme, particularly in view of prevailing drought situation in the States;
(b) if so, the details thereof; State-wise especially from Andhra Pradesh; and
(c) the reaction of the Government thereto and the quantum of Central assistance proposed to be provided to the States for the programme?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SUBHASH MAHARAIA)
(a), (b) & (c) The Department of Land Resources in the Ministry of Rural Development is implementing three main programmes namely Integrated Wastelands Development Programme (IWDP), Drought Prone Areas Programme (DP AP) and Desert Development Programme (DDP)under the Guidelines for Watershed Development. Under IWDP, projects are prioritized in consultation with the State Governments in the beginning of the year. The projects are then sanctioned in favour of ZPs/DRDAs subject to the conformity to the Guidelines and availability of funds under the programme. The number of projects prioritised for sanction under IWDP during the year 2001-02 alongwith the tentative area allocated, State-wise including Andhra Pradesh are contained in the Annexure.
Under DPAP and DDP, the number of projects (each covering 500 hectares) is sanctioned and allocated to the ZPsIDRDAs for the pre-identified Development Blocks by theDepartment keeping in view eligibility of the States and their capability to utilise the funds. However, the watershed project villages are decided by the Zilla
PanchayatsIDRDAs. The allocation of central assistance during 2001-02 for these
programmes is Rs. 430 crore for IW~P, Rs. 210 crore for DPAP an.d Rs. 160
crare for DDP .
Annexure
Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 279 due for reply on 20.11.2001
The number of projects prioritised for sancti9n under IWDP during the year 2001-2002 along with the tentative allocated area, state-wise are given as under:
SI.No. Name ofthe State No. of Projects Tentative prioritised allocation of under IWDP area (in ha.)
1. Andhra Pradesh 9 50,000
2. Assam 9 50,000
3. Bihar 6 30,000
4. Chhatis1!arh 7 30,000
5. Guiarat 7 30,000
6. Haryana 1 12,000
7. Himachal Pradesh 6 30,000
8. Jammu & 5 30,000 Kashmir
9. Jharkhand 6 30,000
10. Karnataka 10 40,000
11. Kerala 3 12,000
12. Madhya Pradesh 13 50,000
13. Maharashtra 9 40,000
14. Manipur 4 30,000
15. Me2halaya 7 30,000
16. Mizoram 4 30,000
17. Nagaland 5 30,000
18. Orissa 8 30,000
19. Punjab 4 12,000
20. Rajasthan 9 40,000
21. Sikkim 2 10,000
22. Tamil Nadu 8 40,000
23. Tripura 4 20,000
24. Uttar Pradesh 15 60,000
25. Uttaranchal 6 30,000
TOTAL 167 7,96,000