MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. RAGHUVANSH PRASAD SINGH)
(a) to (g) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Statement refereed in reply to part (a) to (g) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No.
461 due for Answer on 23.12.2005.
1. The Ministry of Rural Development has introduced Area Officers` Schemes w.e.f.
1.1.1994 which aims at Monitoring the major programmes of the Ministry with special
reference to quality, adherence to implementation guidelines, flow of funds, proper
utilization of funds and achievements of physical and financial targets etc, through field
visits. Senior Officers of the level of Deputy Secretary and above are assigned specific
districts of the States for periodic visits and monitoring.
2. 26 Area Officers of the Ministry have visited their allocated States during 2004-
05. The brief observations of the Area Officers are given in Annexure –I.
3. While sending the observations and issues brought out in the report of the Area
Officers, the State Governments are requested to furnish the Action Taken Report. The
Action Taken Reports have not been received from the States of Maharashtra, Karnataka,
Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tripura, Meghalaya, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu,
Uttaranchal, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat,
Chhattisgarh and Orissa for the years 2003-04 and 2004-05. The Ministry has regularly
advised the State Governments to furnish these reports.
4. In order to check mal-practices, the Ministry has evolved a comprehensive system
of monitoring the execution of the Programmes through periodic Progress Reports
received from the States/UTs, field visits by Area Officers of the Ministry and
discussions with the State Secretaries and with the Project Directors of the District Rural
Development Agencies/Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishads/Panchayats,
monitoring by the District Level Monitoring agencies and National Level Monitors. The
Ministry has adopted a four pronged strategy comprising
(i) creation of awareness about
the schemes
(ii) transparency
(iii) people`s partnership and
(iv) accountability which
helps to reduce lapses in programme implementation.
Annexure-I
Annexure referred in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 461 due for reply
on 23.12.2005.
The main observations of the Area Officers are given below:
# On the whole, programmes are being implemented in almost all the Districts in
accordance with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Rural Development.
# The rural poor have been benefited and a number of them have crossed the
poverty line over the years.
# The Area Officers have documented a number of success stories in regard to
micro-enterprises development, provision of self employment, improvement in
quality of life of people, solidarity of Self Help Groups etc.
# A large number of durable community and social assets have been created under
the wage employment programme in several districts of the country. These
assets, by and large, have proved useful to the community.
# In several States houses built under IAY has been very useful in improving the
quality and living environment of the rural poor. Beneficiary selection under IAY
has also been largely made by the Gram Sabhas.
# People`s participation in programme implementation is seen in almost all the
States
# There is a visible improvement in the socio economic life of the village
community.
The Area Officers have also brought out certain deficiencies in programme
implementation which are as follows: -
# In some cases wrong selection of beneficiaries/swarozgaries is reported
# In a few cases there is delay in release of State share to the Implementing
Agencies
# There is bunching of loan applications under SGSY/delay in disbursement of loan
to the SHGs
# At times there is lack of coordination among various Implementing Agencies/Line
Departments.
# In a few cases the need to strengthen the monitoring arrangement is felt.
# Shortage of staff in Block and Districts is reported.
# There is wage differential in the male and female workers in some cases.
# Distribution of foodgrains under SGRY sometimes is delayed mainly because of
the low priority accorded by the FCI in supply of grains under this programme.
