Lok Sabha Question No. 2644 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-19
Subject: Strengthening of Panchayati Raj System
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Chandrani Murmu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2644

ANSWERED ON:  19.12.2023

## STRENGTHENING OF PANCHAYATI RAJ SYSTEM

## 2644: MS CHANDRANI MURMU:

Will the Minister of Panchayati Raj be pleased to state;

- (a) the details of schemes being implemented to strengthen the Panchayati Raj System in the tribal areas of Odisha;
- (b) whether the Government is working on any new scheme related to rural development through Panchayati Raj in the State and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the  details  of  schemes  being  implemented  under  the  Panchayati  Raj  System  in  the tribal areas so that the tribal dominated areas can become self reliant?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ

## (SHRI KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL)

(a) The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) is implementing the (i) Centrally Sponsored Scheme  of  Rashtriya  Gram  Swaraj  Abhiyan  (RGSA)  with  the  primary  objective  of strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) by way of capacity building and training of the  elected  representatives  and  the  functionaries  of  the  PRIs  and  providing  infrastructural support like Gram Panchayat Bhawan and Computerisation, (ii) Incentivization of Panchayats (IoP) - a component of RGSA scheme to encourage competitive spirit among Panchayat Raj Institutions  (PRIs)  under  which,  Awards  including  financial  incentives  are  given  to  best performing Panchayats in recognition of their good work for improving delivery of services and public good, and (iii) Mission Mode Project on e-Panchayats - a Central component of RGSA scheme under which various e-governance projects are funded towards digitalisation of Panchayats to bring in efficiency, accountability and transparency in the functioning of the PRIs and for their overall transformation (no funds are released to States under the scheme). These schemes are implemented in all the States/UTs including in the State of Odisha and its tribal areas.

(b)  &  (c)  The  Ministry  of  Rural  Development,  Department  of  Rural  Development  is implementing  a  number  of  welfare  schemes  for  rural  areas  of  the  country  viz.,  Mahatma Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS),  Pradhan  Mantri Awaas  Yojana  -  Gramin  (PMAY-G),  Pradhan  Mantri  Gram  Sadak  Yojana  (PMGSY), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Deen Dayal  Upadhayay  -  Gramin  Kaushalya  Yojana  (DDU-GKY),  Rural  Self  Employment  and Training  Institutes  (RSETIs),  National  Social  Assistance  Programme  (NSAP),  Shyama Prasad  Mukherji  Rurban  Mission  (SPMRM)  and  Watershed  Development  Component (WDC) of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for rural development.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) is implementing various schemes for the development of tribal dominated areas of the country. Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) is a dedicated source of fund for tribal development in the country including in the State of Odisha. It is a multi-pronged strategy which includes support for education, health, sanitation, water supply, livelihood etc. Besides MoTA, 42 Ministries / Departments are allocating certain percentage of their total scheme  budget  every  year  for  tribal  development  under  Development  Action  Plan  for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST)  for various tribal development projects. Major part of infrastructure development in tribal dominated areas and provision of basic amenities to tribal people  in  the  country  is  carried  out  through  various  schemes  /  programmes  of  concerned Central Ministries and the State Governments concerned, while the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) provides additive to these initiatives by way of plugging gaps.

MoTA is implementing a scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna' (PMAAGY), which  aims  at  integrated  development  of  36,428  villages  having  at  least  50%  tribal population and 500 STs through States / UTs with notified STs.  The scheme envisions to mitigate  gaps  prominently  in  8  sectors  of  development  viz.  Road  connectivity,  Telecom connectivity,  School,  Anganwadi  Centres,  Health  Sub-Centre,  Drinking  water  facility, Drainage and solid waste management.

MoTA is  also  administering  the  Scheduled  Tribes  and  Other  Traditional  Forest  Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, wherein Gram Sabha has been entrusted with the responsibility to initiate the process of recognition of rights envisaged to be given to bonafide Forest Dweller Scheduled Tribes (FDSTs) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs), including rights to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage any community forest resource which they have been traditionally protecting and conserving for sustainable use.

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