Lok Sabha Question No. 147 (STARRED), answered on 2019-07-02
Subject: Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Heena Vijaykumar Gavit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 147

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.07.2019

## AAJEEVIKA GRAMEEN EXPRESS YOJANA

- *147. DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE: DR. HEENA GAVIT:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has implemented Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY) to facilitate transport facilities in rural areas and if so, the details thereof, State-wise and the number of States which have implemented AGEY as on date;

- (b) whether  the  Union  Government  has  taken  steps  to  implement  the  schemes  in  all  the States/UTs which will facilitate transport facilities in the rural areas and if so, the details thereof;

- (c) the funds allocated/utilized since the inception of the Yojana and the main rural transport vehicle that is being provided under the said Yojana;

- (d) whether any special provision has been made for women under the said Yojana and if so, the details thereof; and

- (e) the  other  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  set  up  and  develop  transport facilities in rural areas for betterment of rural people?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT  (a)  to  (e)  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. *147 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.07.2019.

(a) & (b): Yes,  Sir.  The  Ministry    is  implementing  Aajeevika  Grameen  Express  Yojana (AGEY),  the  sub-scheme  under  Deendayal  Antyodaya  Yojana-National  Rural  Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) to facilitate transport  facilities  in  the  rural  areas  and  also  provide  job opportunities  to  members  of  Self-Help  Groups  (SHGs)  under  DAY-NRLM.  The  scheme  was launched in August, 2017.

## AGEY has the following two objectives

- i. To  provide  safe,  affordable  and  community  monitored  rural  transport  services  to  connect remote villages with key services and amenities (including access to markets, education and health)  for  the  overall  economic  development  of  the  area  by  making  use  of  the  supports available within the framework of DAY-NRLM.
- ii. To provide an alternative source of livelihoods to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their families under DAY-NRLM by facilitating them to operate public transport services in backward rural areas, as identified by the States.

The  scheme  has  been  approved  for  all  34  States/UTs  and  allocation  of  250  blocks  to  the States/UTs is detailed in Annexure I.

Project proposals have been approved for 22 States/UT. Presently 17 States are implementing the scheme and 730 Vehicles are operational. The details are in Annexure II.

- (c): There  is  no  separate  budgetary  allocation  for  AGEY.  Under  the  programme,  the Community Investment Fund (CIF) provided to Community Based Organisations (CBOs) under the existing provisions of DAY-NRLM are utilised for providing interest free loans to the SHG members. Till date, an amount of Rs 27.21 Cr has been spent from CIF till date for supporting the scheme.

The guidelines do not specify any specific variety of vehicle but only a cost ceiling of Rs 6.50 lakhs under the scheme. The Cluster Level Federation (CLF) and Village Organization (VO's) identify  the  vehicle  based  on  the  local  need  and  commercial  viability.  However,  based  on  the records available, 37% of the vehicles belong to the Light Commercial vehicle (LCV) category. 29% are E-rickshaws, 14% are Auto rickshaws, 10% are Medium Commercial Vehicle (MCV) and 10% belong to others categories.

- (d): The  beneficiaries  are  selected  from  among  the  SHG  members  of  the  DAY-NRLM network.
- (e): Ministry  is  not  implementing  any  scheme  specially  targeting  development  of  transport facilities in rural areas. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana being implemented by the Ministry of  Rural Development aims to provides all - weather road connectivity to remote locations in rural areas.

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## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *147 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.07.2019

Annexure I

| No   | State             |   No. of Blocks Allocated |
|------|-------------------|---------------------------|
| 1    | A&N Islands       |                         1 |
| 2    | Andhra Pradesh    |                         6 |
| 3    | Arunachal Pradesh |                         4 |
| 4    | Assam             |                         8 |
| 5    | Bihar             |                        17 |
| 6    | Chhattisgarh      |                        18 |
| 7    | D &NHaveli        |                         1 |
| 8    | Daman &Diu        |                         1 |
| 9    | Goa               |                         1 |
| 10   | Gujarat           |                         7 |
| 11   | Haryana           |                         6 |
| 12   | Himachal Pradesh  |                         4 |
| 13   | Jammu &Kashmir    |                         6 |
| 14   | Jharkhand         |                        20 |
| 15   | Karnataka         |                         8 |
| 16   | Kerala            |                         4 |
| 17   | Lakshadweep       |                         1 |
| 18   | Madhya Pradesh    |                        19 |
| 19   | Maharashtra       |                        13 |
| 20   | Manipur           |                         2 |
| 21   | Meghalaya         |                         3 |
| 22   | Mizoram           |                         3 |
| 23   | Nagaland          |                         5 |
| 24   | Odisha            |                        21 |
| 25   | Pondicherry       |                         1 |
| 26   | Punjab            |                         6 |
| 27   | Rajasthan         |                         9 |
| 28   | Sikkim            |                         2 |
| 29   | Tamil Nadu        |                         9 |
| 30   | Telangana         |                         5 |
| 31   | Tripura           |                         3 |
| 32   | Uttar Pradesh     |                        24 |
| 33   | Uttarakhand       |                         4 |
| 34   | West Bengal       |                         8 |
|      |                   |                       250 |

Annexure II State where the Projects have been approved and present status of Vehicles on Road

| No   | State             |   No. of Vehicles Operational |
|------|-------------------|-------------------------------|
| 1    | Andhra Pradesh    |                            16 |
| 2    | Arunachal Pradesh |                             0 |
| 3    | Assam             |                            53 |
| 4    | Bihar             |                            57 |
| 5    | Chhattisgarh      |                           177 |
| 6    | Gujarat           |                            20 |
| 7    | Haryana           |                            29 |
| 8    | Jharkhand         |                             5 |
| 9    | Karnataka         |                             0 |
| 10   | Kerala            |                             0 |
| 11   | Madhya Pradesh    |                            63 |
| 12   | Maharashtra       |                            40 |
| 13   | Manipur           |                            13 |
| 14   | Meghalaya         |                             2 |
| 15   | Mizoram           |                            48 |
| 16   | Punjab            |                            10 |
| 17   | Sikkim            |                             0 |
| 18   | Tamil Nadu        |                             0 |
| 19   | Telangana         |                            15 |
| 20   | Uttar Pradesh     |                           166 |
| 21   | Uttarakhand       |                            11 |
| 22   | West Bengal       |                             5 |
|      |                   |                           730 |