Rural Development Ministry sanctions assistance to eight States

The Hindu, 9th June, 2008

NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned Rs. 1,344.49 lakh Central assistance to Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Chattisgarh, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh for the implementation of the Drought Prone Area Development Programme (DPAP) under the “Haryali Guidelines” during 2008-09. The guidelines empower panchayat raj institutions to plan, execute and manage development activities.
Of this, Rs. 281.21 lakh have been sanctioned as the third instalment of the Central release for the Prakasam District of Andhra Pradesh for 42 projects, while Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand has been sanctioned Rs. 39.87 lakh for six projects in the current year.
The Panchmahal District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) in Gujarat has been sanctioned Rs.268.59 lakh as the second instalment for 40 projects, while the Nasik DRDA in Maharashtra will get Rs.94.30 lakh as the second instalment for 26 projects under Haryali-I scheme during the current year.
In Karnataka, of the sanctioned Rs.208.74 lakh, the Gulbarga Zilla Panchayat will receive Rs.87.82 lakh as the sixth instalment for Batch VII 15 projects and Haveri Zilla Panchayat will get Rs.120.91 lakh as the third instalment for 14 projects under Haryali-II scheme.
The Janjgir-Champa Zilla Panchayat in Chattisgarh will get Rs.40.45 lakh as the second instalment for six projects under Haryali-IV during the current year. The Kalahandi DRDA in Orissa has been sanctioned Rs.310.45 lakh as the third instalment for 46 projects under Haryali-III scheme in the current year.
In Madhya Pradesh, of the sanctioned Rs.100.85 lakh, the Panna Zilla Panchayat will receive Rs.53.72 lakh as the second instalment for eight Haryali-IV projects and Rajgarh Zilla Panchayat will get Rs. 47.13 lakh as the second instalment for seven projects under Haryali-III scheme. The grant is towards plan expenditure and its utilisation is subject to the terms and conditions laid down in the guidelines for watershed development, the Ministry said.
It is incumbent on the Project Directors of the beneficiary DRDAs and the Chief Executive Officers of the concerned zilla parishads to ensure proper utilisation of funds. The Ministry has asked the State governments to release their due share to the DRDAs/ zilla parishads within 15 days from the date of release of the Central funds.
The next instalment of the Central share would be released only after all unspent balances and 50 per cent of the instalment currently being released were spent. In other words, the unspent balance at the time of seeking the release of next instalment should not be more than 50 per cent of last instalment released.