(a) the details of functions and schemes that have been entrusted and are being executed by District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) in West Bengal;
(b) the details of funds allocated to District Rural Development Agencies during the last five years including in the State of West Bengal; and
(c) the details and number of schemes/projects that have been completed during the last three years under DRDAs in the State, district- wise?
MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)
(a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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STATEMENT (a) to (c) REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*24 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2020.
(a) to (c). All District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) in West Bengal have been merged with the respective Zilla Parishads in the year 2000. Thereafter, all DRDAs have been functioning as District Rural Development Cell (DRDC) under the respective Zilla Parishads.
District Rural Development Cells are mainly entrusted with the task of implementation of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY –NRLM) which aims at reducing poverty of the rural poor families by:
1. Organizing women members from poor households into Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations,
2. Capacity building, skill training for livelihoods activities, facilitating financial assistance through bank linkage for taking up economic activities,
3. Assisting in marketing of SHG products.
Only DRDC of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in the hill areas of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts has been entrusted with the implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), in addition to DAY-NRLM.
So far as Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) is concerned, funds are allocated through State Government for meeting part cost of the salaries and contingencies of the DRDAs under the DRDA Administration Scheme of MoRD. The State wise details of funds allocated to DRDAs of States including those of West Bengal during last five years under DRDA Administration scheme is given at Annexure.
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