(a) whether electronic monitoring of funds utilization at Panchayati Raj Institutions is being done by the Government;
(b) if so, whether the State Governments have given approval in this regard;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Centre-sponsored DRDA is being merged with PRI;
(e) if so, the reasons therefor;
(f) whether the Union Government sought views of different State Governments in this regard; and
(g) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI MANI SHANKAR AIYAR)
(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) & (g) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN PARTS (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) & (g) OF LOK
SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 458 DUE FOR REPLY ON 26.8.2004
REGARDING MONITORING OF FUNDS
(a) No, Sir.
(b) & (c) Does not arise.
(d) to (g) As per the existing DRDA Administration Guidelines issued by the Ministry of
Rural Development DRDAs will maintain their separate entity but will function under
the chairmanship of the chairperson of the Zilla Parishad. They are expected to act as a
facilitating and supporting organization to the Zilla Parishad, providing necessary
executive and technical support in respect of poverty reduction efforts. The Guidelines
state that the DRDA is visualized as a specialized and professional agency for managing
the Rural Development programmes and have a role distinct from other agencies
including PRIs. According to the Guidelines, DRDA will, therefore, need to develop
distinctive capabilities rather than perform tasks that are legitimately in the domain of the
PRIs or the line departments. They have further stated that DRDAs are expected to
coordinate effectively with the Panchayati Raj Institutions but under no circumstances
will perform the functions of the PRIs.
A Conference of Chief Ministers and State Ministers in charge of Rural
Development and Panchayati Raj on `Poverty Alleviation and Rural Prosperity through
Panchayati Raj` was organized at New Delhi on 29-30 June, 2004 jointly by the Ministry
of Rural Development and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. The Conference decided to
hold seven Round Table Conferences to formulate a draft Action Plan towards achieving
the objective of strengthening of Panchayati Raj Institutions to enable them to become
true institutions of self-government for the planning and implementation of programmes
of economic development and social justice as envisioned in the Constitution. The first
Round Table Conference of Ministers of State Governments in charge of Panchayti Raj
was held at Kolkata. In respect of DRDAs, the first Round Table Conference agreed to
recommend to their respective Governments for joint acceptance by the Centre and the
States, the following points of action:-
(i) Reconceiving the role of District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) as an
important instrument for Panchayati Raj development through the progressive merger of
DRDAs with the District Panchayats. The technical expertise and other facilities of the
DRDAs should become available to all tiers of the PRIs under the overall responsibility
and disciplinary control of the elected authority in the PRIs at the appropriate level;
(ii) The activities of the reconceived DRDAs with respect to the three tiers of the
Panchayati Raj System should be patterned on the activity map for the devolution of
functions, functionaries and funds so that all the three tiers of PRIs have equitable access
to the resources, expertise, facilities and manpower of the DRDAs`.