(a) whether the Union Government proposes to transfer the surplus amount
available in the Contingency Relief Fund (CRF) at the end of the financial year 2004-
05 to the States as per the recommendation of the 11th Finance Commission to meet
any calamities;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the time by which the orders in this regard are likely to be issued?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD
PROCESSING INDUSTRIES AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI HARISH RAWAT)
(a) to (c): Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance has informed that as per
the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) Scheme, based on the recommendations of the 11th
Finance Commission (FC-XI) for award period 2001- 05, the unspent balance in the
CRF as at the end of financial year 2004-05 would be available to State Government
as a resource for the next plan (para 12). However, the CRF Scheme was continued
in the award period of the Twelfth Finance Commission and it was categorically
clarified in the scheme of CRF based on the recommendations of the 12th Finance
Commission, which superseded the scheme framed as per recommendations of FC-
XI, the unspent balance in the CRF as at the end of the financial year 2004-05 shall
be the opening balance of CRF for 2005-06 (para 12).