All the members of the Consultative Committee for Rural Development expressed unanimity in favour of increasing allocations under Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) and National Food For Work Programme (NFFWP). Addressing the Committee Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said that these programmes provide additional wage employment and food security through creation of need-based economic, social and community assets in the districts, like roads, primary school buildings, kitchen sheds for schools, dispensaries, veterinary hospitals, marketing infrastructure, community centers, Panchayat Ghars etc. In fact, these two programmes directly attack rural poverty. NFFWP was launched in the most backward 150 districts of the 27 States in India on 14th November, 2004. This programme is being implemented as a cent per cent centrally sponsored scheme.
During the Consultative Committee Meeting, Ministry also made a presentation on SGRY and NFFWP. It was also mentioned that amendments have been made in the guidelines recently to make it more flexible to provide the wages to the poor in cash or in kind, in case of non-availability/inadequate availability of foodgrains/wages.
During the meeting, Members raised queries about the criteria for selection of 150 most backward districts in the country, the monitoring mechanism for ensuring implementation of the schemes, the criteria for drawing below poverty line in the country, the provisions under the scheme for those areas where Panchayati Raj Institutions/SC population do not exist like in Nagaland. Replying to the queries the Minister informed the members that the 150 districts have been identified by the Planning Commission in consultation with the Ministry of Rural Development. On the basis of three criteria viz, (i) Agricultural provability per worker,(ii) Agricultural Wage Rate, (iii) SC/ST population. Regarding BPL, the Minister informed that BPL census 2002 has been completed but the results have not been finalized, as the matter is sub-judice before Supreme Court. This BPL census is an important version of an earlier census and takes into account the other Indicators like – size of the operational holding of land, average availability of clothing, food security, sanitation, indebtedness etc., etc. Regarding monitoring mechanism, it was informed in the meeting that the elaborate monitoring mechanism right from Village level Monitoring Committee to , district and State level Monitoring Committees are in place at the State Government level. Minister of Rural Development himself reviews the progress report and the physical achievements at Central Government level. Secretary, Rural Development also attends various monitoring meetings under the Planning Commission. Under the new initiatives of the Ministry of Rural Development Districts level Monitoring Committees have been reconstituted wherein the MPs are the Chairmen and the District Magistrates are the Secretaries of the Monitoring Committees. Besides, 300 National Level Monitors have been appointed to give feed back to the Ministry through detailed evaluation reports, photographs etc for strict vigilance over the programmes. It was also informed in the meeting that where Panchayati Raj Institutions are not in existence the criteria provides substitution by Traditional Village Councils. Regarding non-availability of SC population in North East like –Nagaland, it was informed that the guidelines permit expenditure on ST population in case of non availability of SC population.
The Consultative Committee for Rural Development was attended by S/ Shri A.V.Bellarmin, Prakash V Patil, Rupatai Diliprao N Patil, Anant G Geete, Shailadra Kumar, Sugrib Singh, C.S. Sujatha, Thawar Chand Gehlot and W. Wangyuh, all MPs from Lok Sabha and Indramoni Bora and Saif-ud-Din Soz, MPs from Rajya Sabha. The meeting was also attended by Secretary, Additional Secretaries and senior officials of the Ministry.
(Release ID :5937)