Lok Sabha Question No. 328 (STARRED), answered on 2019-01-03
Subject: Backward Regions Grant Fund
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: HEMANT TUKARAM GODSE, LAXMI NARAYAN YADAV

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *328

ANSWERED ON 03.01.2019

## BACKWARD REGIONS GRANT FUND

## *328.   SHRI GODSE HEMANTTUKARAM:

## SHRI LAXMI NARAYANYADAV:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken any decision to change/relax/revise the parameters of Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the number and the details of additional districts in the country which are to be benefited by the said revision;

(c) the names of the districts in Maharashtra along with the amount of funds given to them through BRGF during the last two years and the current year;

(d) whether the Government proposes to increase the allocation of funds given to hilly States under BRGF and ifso, the details thereof; and

(e)  whether  the  Government  has  included  local  Members  of  Parliament  in  the  monitoring committee for monitoring/reviewing the works undertaken in the districts under BRGF, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons there for along with the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PANCHAYATI RAJ (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

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

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  PARTS  (a)  to  (e)  IN  REPLY  TO  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 328 FOR ANSWER  ON  03.01.2019  REGARDING BACKWARD REGIONS GRANT FUND

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(a) to (e) Consequent upon the implementation of the recommendations of the Fourteenth  Finance  Commission,  the  scheme  'Backward  Regions  Grant  Fund  (BRGF)' became a part of devolution to the States. Accordingly, no fresh allocation has been made since 2015-16 to the States. Share of States in the net proceeds of the Union taxes has been significantly  enhanced  from  32%  to  42%  of  the  Centre's  net  tax  receipts  as  per  the recommendation of the  Fourteenth Finance Commission. This enhanced  the availability  of funds  with  the  States  allowing  them  greater  autonomy  for  financing  and  designing  the developmental schemes, especially for the vulnerable and backward regions.

As the BRGF Programme (District Component) has also been delinked from the budgetary support of the Central Government since 2015-16, no district of Maharashtra has been given any fund under BRGF during last two years and the current year and there is no proposal for enhancement of allocation under BRGF for the hilly States.

Annual  Action  Plans  covering  the  works/  projects  to  be  taken  up  under  the Programme were used to be prepared at the Panchayat level by the Elected Representatives of Gram Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies. The Annual Action Plans prepared in a District were  consolidated  and  approved  by  the  District  Planning  Committee  (DPC)  constituted  in accordance with Article 243 ZD of the Constitution of India.

For monitoring the works/ projects undertaken under the BRGF Programme, Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) prescribed auditing of Panchayats funds/ works and the Audit Reports to be submitted to the Ministry along with other requisite documents for the release  of  funds.  The  utilization  of  funds  was  monitored  by  MoPR  through  various documents  viz.  periodic  Physical  and  Financial  Progress  Reports,  Utilization  Certificates, Audit  Reports  of  Statutory  Auditors  etc.  submitted  by  the  State  Governments.  BRGF Guidelines also provided for audit of works through a Review Committee at District Level and Social Audit and Vigilance at the Panchayat levels.

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