Question : COMMITTEES FOR KBK REGIONS

(a) the reasons for not constituting the committee at central, state and district levels to discuss the problems of the KBK regions since the inception of KBK long- term action plan in Orissa;

(b)whether state level and district level committees ever discussed or consulted the MPs, MLAs and Zilla Parishads of KBK regions,

(c) if not, the reasons for the same;

(d) whether the Government proposes to pursue this issue with the Orissa state to constitute the committees at state and district levels and to include the MPs, MLAs and Zilla Parishads in the said committees; and

(e) if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING (SHRI M.V. RAJASEKHARAN)

(a): At the Central level, there is an Empowered Committee on Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojana headed by the Secretary, Planning Commission which discusses the Special Plan for the KBK districts submitted by the State Government for approval. At the State level, the State Government of Orissa had earlier constituted the State Level Committee, in September, 2000, with a view to monitoring and reviewing the implementation of Revised Long Term Action Plan (RLTAP) for the KBK districts and other developmental activities undertaken in these districts. In order to ensure effective monitoring and review of, as well as to further finetune implementation of RLTAP and developmental activities in the KBK districts, this committee has been reconstituted by the State Government in January, 2005.

(b)to(e): The reconstituted State Level Committee is headed by the Chief Minister of Orissa with Ministers of the State Government, Members of Parliament and MLAs of the KBK region as Members.