Lok Sabha Question No. 3453 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-16
Subject: Forest Villages
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: ABHISHEK SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3453 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2018

## Forest Villages

## 3453. SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the total number of forest villages located in reserved areas in the country under Gram Vikas Yojana in Chhattisgarh;
- (b) the details of the funds sought by the State Government of Chhattisgarh for development works in the said villages during the last three years and the current year;
- (c) whether the Union Government has sanctioned the said amount; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof,  district/year-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) to (d) The  villages in forest areas may  include forest villages, old habitations, unsurveyed villages and other villages in the forests, whether recorded, notified or not into revenue villages. As per information available with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, a total of 425 forest villages/ habitations are in the State of Chhattisgarh.

Further, Ministry of Tribal Affairs had implemented a programme for development of forest villages since 2005-06 as a one-time measure for integrated development  of  forest  villages  with  a  view  to  raise  the  Human  Development Index  (HDI)  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  forest  villages  and  for  providing  basic facilities and services in 2,474 forest villages/habitations that were covered under the scheme spread over twelve States including Chhattisgarh in the country. The programme was implemented as a part of the Special Area Programme 'Special Central  Assistance  to  Tribal  Sub-Plan'.  The  programme  included  infrastructure works  relating  to  basic  services  and  facilities  viz.,  approach  roads,  healthcare, primary education, minor  irrigation, rain water harvesting, drinking water, sanitation, community halls etc. and activities related to income generation.

Components funded under Gram Vikas Yojana are covered under other schemes of Ministry of Tribal Affairs particularly Special Central Assistance to Tribal SubPlan (SCA to TSP) and grants under Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India where grants have been increased. During the last three years and the current year funding requirement of the various components of the said special area programme has been done through other schemes of the Ministry.  The details of BE and expenditure under these programmes during the last three years and the current year is given in Annexure-I.

The  overall  contribution  to  the  Tribal  Sub-Plan  (now  Sub-Scheme)  across Ministries  by  the  Central  Government  is  now  Rs.31919.51  crore  for  the  year 2017-18.  Centralised monitoring of TSP allocations for focused development of tribals has been  taken  up  by  the  Ministry of Tribal Affairs.    Budgetary requirement for development of tribal villages is duly addressed by the Government

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## Annexure-I

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  to  (d)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3453 DUE FOR ANSWER ON16.03.2018 ASKED BY SHRI SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH REGARDING FOREST VILLAGES

The details of BE and expenditure under these programmes during the last three years and the current year is as under:-

## Grant under SCA to TSP

(Rs. in crore)

| Year    |   BE | Expenditure                         |
|---------|------|-------------------------------------|
| 2014-15 | 1200 | 1039.61                             |
| 2015-16 | 1250 | 1132.17                             |
| 2016-17 | 1250 | 1195.02                             |
| 2017-18 | 1350 | 1166.66 (sanctioned upto 12.03.2018 |

## Grant under Article 275 (1) of the Constitution

(Rs. in crore)

| Year    | BE                     | Expenditure               |
|---------|------------------------|---------------------------|
| 2014-15 | 1317.00                | 1132.64                   |
| 2015-16 | 1367.00 (R.E. 1392.28) | 1392.26                   |
| 2016-17 | 1400.00                | 1265.81                   |
| 2017-18 | 1500.00                | 1374.44 (upto 12.03.2018) |