Lok Sabha Question No. 2317 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-09
Subject: Irregularities in Schemes at panchayat Level
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Santosh Pandey, Krupal Balaji Tumane

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2317

## ANSWERED ON 09.03.2021

## IRREGULARITIES IN SCHEMES AT PANCHAYAT LEVEL

## 2317.    SHRI SANTOSH PANDEY: SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to state:

(a) the details of schemes being run at panchayat level at present in Chhattisgarh particularly in Rajnandgaon Parliamentary constituency;

(b) whether the Government is aware of certain irregularities being committed in Government schemes  at  panchayat  level  in  rural  areas  of  the  States  of  Chhattisgarh  and  Maharashtra particularly  in  Rajnandgaon  and  Kabirdham  districts  of  Chhattisgarh  and  Ramtek  in Maharashtra; and

(c) if so, the details of the measures taken by the Government to check irregularities being committed in Government schemes at panchayat level in rural areas?

## ANSWER

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

(a):  The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) is implementing Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) in the country including in Chhattisgarh with  the  primary  aim  of  strengthening  Panchayati  Raj  Institutions  (PRIs)  for  achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the main thrust on convergence with Mission Antyodaya. Under the scheme funds are released to States/ Union Territories. The Ministry does  not  allocate  funds  directly  to  Districts  of  the  State.    The  MoPR  has  also  been incentivizing  best  performing  Panchayats  across  the  country  through  awards,  including financial incentives ranging from Rs.5-50 lakhs for Panchayats under its Incentivization of Panchayats Scheme in recognition of their good work for improving delivery of services and public goods.

The major rural development schemes of the Ministry of Rural Development like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin (PMAY-G) and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and the scheme  of  Swachh  Bharat  Mission  (Grameen)  of  the  Department  Drinking  Water  and Sanitation  are  implemented  at  Panchayat  level  in  the  country  including  in  the  State  of Chhatisgarh.

(b) & (c):  No case has been reported so far from any State including the State of Chhattisgarh &  Maharashtra  regarding  any  irregularity  under  the  Schemes  of  MoPR.  Awards  under Incentivization  of  Panchayats  are  conferred  to  the  participating  Panchayats,  based  on  the recommendation by the concerned States/UTs and final selection by Ministry of Panchayati Raj through a well-defined exhaustive and transparent procedure. Further, the Ministry of Rural Development accords emphasis on proper implementation of all its rural development schemes. In order to ensure the programme benefits reach the rural poor, the Ministry has evolved a comprehensive  multi-level  and  multi-format  system  of  monitoring  and  evaluation  of  the implementation of rural development programmes, including Performance Review Committee Meetings,  District  Development  Co-ordination  and  Monitoring  Committee  ('DISHA') meetings,  National  Level  Monitors  (NLMs),  Area  Officers  Schemes,  Common  Review Mission, Concurrent Evaluation and Impact Assessment Studies. NLMs are deputed to visit the districts periodically, generally twice a year, to monitor and report on various aspects of implementation of all rural development programmes. The Department allows for registering complaint through various forums viz., CPGRAMS, complaints through State/UT helplines, written  complaints  etc.  The  complaints  received  in  the  Department  are  forwarded  to  the concerned  State  Governments  /Union  Territory  for  taking  appropriate  action  including investigation. State Governments  are  responsible for the disposal of complaints on irregularities  reported  in  a  time  bound  manner.   Social  Audits  are  also  conducted  by  some Schemes like Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, PMAY-G.  Third-Party evaluation of the Schemes is also carried out regularly and actions, as appropriate, are taken on the findings.

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