Lok Sabha Question No. 341 (STARRED), answered on 2026-03-17
Subject: Release of Central Share of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri N K Premachandran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 341 ANSWERED ON 17/03/2026

## RELEASE OF CENTRAL SHARE OF THE CENTRALLY SPONSORED SCHEMES

*341. Shri N K Premachandran:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has initiated action to strengthen the decentralized  planning  through    Local  Self  Government  (LSG) and Panchayat, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  ensured  the  timely  release  of central share of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes to the local self-Government, if so, the details of action taken thereon;
- (c) whether the Government has analysed the adverse impact of addiction of liquor/mobile phones and drugs in the development of rural areas, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Union Government has initiated action to resolve the  limited  developable  land  considering  the  high  population density, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  initiated  action  to  prevent  the human-wild  animal  conflicts  in  rural  areas,  if  so,  the  details thereof?

ANSWER MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

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

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (e) OF LOK SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *341  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON 17.03.2026  REGARDING  'RELEASE  OF  CENTRAL  SHARE  OF  THE CENTRALLY SPONSORED SCHEMES'

(a) & (b): As informed by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), 73 rd Constitutional  Amendment  Act  1992  has  mandated  the  Gram Panchayats  to  prepare  their  Gram  Panchayat  Development  Plan (GPDP)  for economic  development  and  social  justice utilizing resources available with them. Accordingly, MoPR promotes decentralized  and  participatory  planning  through  Gram  Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs), which are prepared annually by Gram Panchayats  with  active  participation  of  local  communities  and  in convergence with various sectoral schemes.

Further,  MoPR  has  introduced  thematic  approaches  for  the Localization  of  Sustainable  Development  Goals  (LSDGs)  through Panchayats. Nine themes aligned with SDGs have been identified to guide  Panchayats  in  preparing  comprehensive  and  need-based thematic Panchayat Development Plan. eGramSwaraj Portal has also been  developed  to  facilitate  planning,  budgeting,  accounting,  and strengthening monitoring of Panchayat activities, thereby transparency and accountability in decentralized governance.

To support these processes, the Ministry has been implementing  the  Rashtriya  Gram  Swaraj  Abhiyan  (RGSA),  which aims to strengthen the capacity of  Panchayati Raj Institutions  for inclusive,  participatory  planning  and  local  governance.  Under  this scheme, capacity building and training programmes are organized for elected representatives and functionaries of PRIs to enable effective planning, implementation, and monitoring of development programmes at the grassroots level.

The Central share of funds under Centrally Sponsored Schemes, including RGSA, which is being implemented by MoPR, is released to States/Union Territories in accordance with the approved guidelines of the respective schemes and subject to the fulfillment of prescribed conditions, such as submission of utilization certificates, progress reports, and other requisite documents.

Revamped RGSA is demand-driven in nature. Funds are released to States/UTs based on the respective Annual Action Plan approved by  the  Central  Empowered  Committee  (CEC)  and  the  pace  of expenditure.  Release  also  requires  submission  of  the  requisite documents, such as the utilization certificate and auditor's report,

etc. Funds must be used only for approved components, as prioritized by the State.

The  implementation  of  RGSA  is  regularly  reviewed  through Training  Management  Portal  (TMP),  meetings/video  conferences, field visits by officials of the Ministry, as well as pre-CEC meetings. The Central Empowered Committee also reviews the implementation of the Revamped RGSA while approving the Annual Action Plans of States/UTs.

Further,  as  informed  by  the  Ministry  of  Housing  and  Urban Affairs (MoHUA), as per entry 5 of List II - State List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, 'Local Government', that is to corporations, improvement trusts, districts boards, mining settlement authorities and other local authorities for the purpose of local self-government say, the constitution and powers of municipal or village administration, is a state subject.

As per 12th Schedule of the Constitution, as provided by 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992, Urban Planning is a function of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) /Urban Development Authorities.

Article  243W of  Part  IXA  of  the  Constitution  empowers  state legislature  to  endow  the  Municipalities  with  such  powers  and authority  as  may  be  necessary  to  enable  them  to  function  as institutions  of  self-government. This  law may contain provision for the  devolution  of  powers  and  responsibilities  upon  Municipalities, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed therein, which, inter alia, includes (i) preparation of plans for economic development and social justice; and  (ii) the performance  of  functions and  the implementation of schemes as may be entrusted to them including those in relation to the matters listed in the twelfth schedule.

It is, therefore, the primary responsibility of the State Government to make adequate provisions for devolution of the 3Fs (Functions, Funds and Functionaries) to the ULBs. MoHUA had also framed the Model Municipal Laws (MML) in the year 2003 which aims to consolidate and serves as guidance to state government to amend the  laws  relating  to  the  municipal  governments  in  the  states  in conformity  with  the  provisions  of  the  Constitution  of  India  as amended by the Constitution (Seventy-fourth Amendment) Act, 1992, based  on  the  principles  of  participation  in,  and  decentralization, autonomy  and  accountability  of,  urban  self-government  at  various levels, to introduce reforms in financial management and accounting systems,  internal  resource  generation  capacity  and  organizational

design of Municipalities, to ensure professionalization of the municipal personnel, and to provide for matters connected therewith or  incidental  thereto.  Among  other  reforms,  it  also  envisaged representation  to  municipalities  on  District  Planning  Committee  / Metropolitan Planning Committee (DPC/ MPC) for strengthening the decentralized urban planning through Local Self Government.

Further, MoHUA initiated reform-linked funding under flagship missions like Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).  The  Mission  mandated  a  set  of  reforms  such  as  EGovernance, Constitution & Professionalisation of Municipal Cadre, Augmenting double entry accounting, Urban Planning and city level plans, etc. AMRUT 2.0 Mission has also attached mandatory reforms on  property tax and  user  charges and  incentive  based  reforms  on water conservation, urban governance and energy efficiency.

The  Fifteenth  Finance  Commission  (XV  FC)  had  also,  in  its recommendations, underscored the need to strengthen the fiscal and institutional capacities of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with a view to enhancing service delivery, accountability and transparency in urban governance. In pursuance of these recommendations, the MoHUA, in coordination with the Department of Expenditure (DoE), has undertaken  a  series  of  reforms  aimed  at  improving  the  financial management systems and governance frameworks of ULBs across the  country.  These  reforms  include  property  tax  reforms,  fiscal transparency  and  accountability,  fund  flow  and  PFMS  integration, governance and institutional strengthening, digital governance and data systems, performance-based reforms for Million-plus cities and capacity  building  and  institutional  support.  The  presence  of  duly elected urban local bodies has been made a pre-condition for receipt of  XV  FC  grants.  States  were  also  advised  to  constitute  and operationalize State Finance Commission (SFCs) as per prescribed timelines.

(c): As informed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE),  to  assess  and  to  know  the  magnitude  of  the  problem  of substance use in the country, a Comprehensive National Level Survey on the Magnitude of Substance Abuse in India was conducted by the Department  of  Social  Justice  and  Empowerment  through  National Drug  Dependence  Treatment  Centre  (NDDTC),  AIIMS  which  was published in 2019. However, it provided results at the level of States and  at  the  National  level  in  terms  of  estimates  of  the  number  / percentage  of  people  using  psychoactive  substances  and  people affected  by  substance  use  disorders.  The  methodology  was  not geared to provide data at the level of districts or any other sub-state

level. The details of the Comprehensive National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India conducted in 2018 may be seen at:

https://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/Survey%20Repo rt636935330086452652.pdf

The  Department  has  entrusted  National  Drug  Dependence Treatment  Centre  (NDDTC),  AIIMS,  to  carry  out  the  2nd  National Survey on the Extent and Pattern of substance use in India to provide National,  State-level  and  District-level  estimates  of  proportion  and absolute number of people who use various substances and people who are suffering from substance use disorders (harmful users and dependence  on  various  substances)  in  India  and  also  provide information on substance use and its consequences in the specific population groups.

MoSJE  is  the  nodal  Ministry  for  drug  demand  reduction  in  the country.  To  tackle  the  issue  of  substance  use,  this  Department formulated  and  is  implementing  National  Action  Plan  for  Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under which financial assistance is provided to:

- i. State  Governments/  Union  Territory  (UT)  Administrations  for Preventive  Education  and  Awareness  Generation,  Capacity Building, Programmes for Drug Demand Reduction by States/UTs etc.
- ii. NGOS/VOs for running and maintenance of Integrated Rehabilitation  Centres  for  Addicts  (IRCAs), Community based Peer  Led  Intervention  (CPLI)  for  early  Drug  Use  Prevention among Adolescents, Outreach and Drop In Centres (ODIC) and District De- Addiction Centres (DDACs); and
- iii. Government Hospitals for Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFS).

## Following activities have been undertaken under NAPDDR scheme:

- i. 349 Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts (IRCAs) that provide in-patient treatment to drug users along with counselling, detoxification/de-addiction, after care and re integration into the social mainstream.
- ii. 45 Community based Peer led Intervention (CPLI) programmes work with children  below  18  years  age  to  create  awareness against drugs and teach life skills.

- iii. 76 Outreach and Drop In Centres (ODICs) which provide safe and secure space with provision of screening, assessment and counselling  and  thereafter  provide  referral  and  linkage  to
2. treatment and rehabilitation services.
- iv. 154  Addiction Treatment  Facilities  (ATFs)  in  Government hospitals.
- v. 145 District De-Addiction Centres (DDACs) which provides all three facilities provided by IRCA, ODIC & CPLI under one roof.
- vi. All of these facilities have been geo-tagged for ease of access to those in need.
- vii. A Toll-free Helpline for de-addiction, 14446 is being maintained by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment for providing primary  counselling  and  immediate  referral  services  to  the persons seeking help through this helpline. More than 4.69 Lakh calls have been received so far on the helpline number.
- viii. Navchetna  Modules,  teacher  training  modules  have  been developed by MoSJE for sensitizing students (6th-11th standard), teachers and parents on drug dependence, related coping strategies and life skills.

## Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA):

- i. Nasha  Mukt  Bharat  Abhiyaan  (NMBA)  was  launched  on  15th August 2020 by Department of Social Justice & Empowerment in 272 identified most vulnerable districts on the basis of the inputs received from NCB from supply side and on the basis of the  findings  of  the  1 st National  Survey  and  now  it  has  been extended  to  all  districts  of  the  country  since  August  2023. Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan intends to reach out to the masses and  spread  awareness  about  substance  use  with  focus  on higher educational Institutions, university campuses & schools.
- ii. Till now, through the various activities undertaken on ground, 25.99+  Crore  people  have  been  sensitized  on  substance  use including more than 9.39 Crore Youth and more than 6.40 Crore Women. Participation of Educational Institutions has ensured that the message of the Abhiyaan reaches children and youth of the  country.  A  strong  force  of  more  than  28,000  Master Volunteers (MVs) have been identified and trained.
- iii. MoUs have been signed with 8 Spiritual organizations The Art of  Living,  Brahma  Kumaris,  Sant  Nirankari  Mission,  ISKCON, Shri Ram Chandra Mission, All World Gayatri Pariwar, Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram and University of Patanjali to support NMBA and conduct mass awareness activities.
- iv. Awareness is also being spread through official Social Media accounts of the Abhiyaan on X, Facebook & Instagram.

- v. NMBA  Website (http://nmba.dosje.gov.in) provides detailed information and insights to the user/viewer about the Abhiyaan, an online discussion forum, NMBA dashboard, e-pledge.
- vi. The Department also conducts regular programmes in association with states to spread the awareness against drug use and its ill-effects.

(d): Yes, as informed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA),  'Land'  and  'Colonization'  are  State  subjects.  Therefore, schemes related to land development for their citizens are implemented by States/Union Territories (UTs). However, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs supplements the efforts of States/UTs. MoHUA  has  issued  the  Urban  and  Regional  Development  Plans Formulation  and  Implementation  (URDPFI)  Guidelines,  2014  and Model Building Bye-Laws, 2016 to guide States/UTs in improving landuse planning, development controls, and more efficient urban form. Further, MoHUA has issued the National Transit Oriented Development Policy, 2017, promote integrated land use and transport planning, high-density mixed land-use development in the influence zone of transit stations, more efficient use of land, and planned urban growth.

The Government in  the  Union  Budget  for  Financial  Year  (FY) 2025-26  announced  the  setting  up  of  Urban  Challenge  Fund  (UCF) with Central Assistance of ₹1 lakh crore to implement the projects 'Creative Redevelopment  of  Cities'  and  'Water  and  Sanitation'.  Cabinet  has under three verticals viz. 'Cities as Growth Hubs', approved the UCF on 13 February, 2026.

Further, under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SSASCI) 2024-26, the Government is encouraging  States  to  undertake  Transit  Oriented  Development (TOD)  to  improve  land-use  efficiency  and  promote  planned  urban development.

- (e): As informed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the important steps taken by the Government to manage the human-wildlife conflicts include the following:
- i. The  Wild  Life  (Protection)  Act,  1972  has  been  amended  to provide statutory status to management plans of the protected areas,  mandating  consultations  with  the  concerned  Gram Sabha.
- ii.
- The Section 11 (1) (a) of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, empowers the State Chief Wild Life Wardens to grant permits

- for  hunting  animals  falling  in  Schedule  I  of  the  Act,  which become dangerous to human life. Further, the Section 11 (1) (b) of  the  Act  empowers  State  Chief  Wild  Life  Warden  or  any authorized officer to grant permits for hunting of wild animals falling  under  Schedule-II  of  the  Act,  if  such  animals  have become dangerous to human life or property.
- iii. An advisory on dealing with human-wildlife conflict has been issued by the Ministry on 6th February, 2021. The Ministry has also  issued  Guidelines  to  States/UTs  on  3rd  June  2022  to manage Human Wildlife conflict including damage to crops. The advisory  recommends  coordinated  interdepartmental  action, identification  of  conflict  hot  spots,  adherence  to  Standard Operating Procedures, establishment of rapid response teams, formation of State and District level committees to review the quantum of ex-gratia relief for its expeditious payments etc.
- iv. The  Ministry has released species-specific guidelines on 21.03.2023 for mitigation of Human Wildlife conflicts involving Elephant,  Gaur,  Leopard,  Snake,  Crocodile,  Rhesus  Macaque, Wild Pig, Bear, Blue Bull and Blackbuck taking a Harmonious Coexistence Approach for addressing human-wildlife conflicts. The Ministry has also issued guidelines for cross cutting issues such as cooperation with media, occupational health and safety in  human-wildlife  conflict  mitigation,  crowd  management and addressing  health  emergencies  arising  out  of  human-wildlife conflict situations. Moreover, Field Manual for Frontline Staff on Human-Elephant Conflict Management, has also been released by the Ministry. Ministry has also released Guidelines on Ecofriendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts on Linear Infrastructures on Wildlife.
- v. The  Ministry  provides  financial  for  the  assistance  to  State Governments  and  Union  Territory  Administrations  under  the Centrally Sponsored Schemes 'Development of Wildlife Habitats'  and  'Project  Tiger  and  Elephant'  management  of wildlife and its habitat in the country. The activities supported include  procurement  of  early  warning  systems,  construction and erection of  physical barriers  such  as  barbed  wire  fence, solar, powered electric fence, bio-fencing, boundary walls etc. to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields, compensation for depredation by wild animals including cattle lifting, crop damage, loss of life and property. Rapid Response Teams are also deployed to mitigate Human-Wildlife Conflict. Further, the Ministry enhanced the amount of ex-gratia relief in case of death or permanent incapacitation due to wild animal attacks in December 2023 from Rs. 5 lakhs to 10 lakhs under these  Schemes,  subject  to  availability  of  funds,  and  the

payment of which is also governed by State specific guidelines/provisions made in this regard.

- vi. Advance  technology  like  radio  collaring,  digital  sensor  walls and  E-  surveillance  are  also  used  in  human  wildlife  conflict mitigation.
- vii. The Ministry provides support to State Governments to organize awareness generation, training and capacity building programmes  on  human-wildlife  conflict. The  State  Forest Departments work with the local people to address the Human Wildlife Conflict issues through periodic awareness campaigns to  sensitize,  guide  and  advise  the  general  public  on  humananimal conflict including dissemination of information through various  forms  of  media.  Further,  State  Forest  Departments engage  with  local  communities  to  monitor  the  movement  of some  wildlife  species  and  to  caution  local  people  to  avoid human-animal conflict, prevent damage or loss of human life, property and wildlife. The Ministry has also taken an initiative for  establishment of  the  Centre  of  Excellence  for  the  Human Wildlife Conflict management, at Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology  and  Natural  History  (SACON),  WII  -South  India Centre at Coimbatore.
- viii. The  National  Tiger  Conservation  Authority  (NTCA)  and  the Wildlife Institute of India, in accordance with Section 380 (1) (g) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, have identified 32 major tiger corridors in the country. The NTCA Guidelines (2012) and Standard Operating Procedures guide tiger and habitat management.  Similarly,  the  Ministry  has  also  identified  150 elephant corridors in the country in 2023. The Ministry along with the State Governments and UT administrations prepares Regional Action Plan to address the long-term conservation and management of elephants in the contiguous landscape.

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