DRDA- Historical Background

          Poverty alleviation through Self-employment and Wage-employment programme is the theme of rural development. It is District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) at the District level which overseas the implementation of different anti-poverty programme. DRDA came into existence with effect from 1.4.1980. Previously it was known as Marginal Farmer & Agricultural Land Development Agency (MFALDA). Later on it became Small Farmer Development Agency (SFDA). These agencies were only to cater the development of Marginal Farmers and Agricultural Labourers in rural area. Now DRDA has embraced manifold activities for upliftment of rural poor.

          DRDA has become an autonomous agency having its own Governing Body registered under Society Registered Act. 1960. After 73^rd amendment act past in the year 1993 President of Zilla-Parishad is the Chair Person of the Governing Body and the District Collector is its Chief Executive Officer.

Activities of DRDA

I. Self-Employment Programme

II. Wage-Employment Programme

Role of DRDA

I. Principal facilitators for drawing of Plan and Programmes.

II. Allocates funds, Maintains accounts and collects Utilisation Certificates.

III. Co-ordinates Executive Agencies, financial institutions, NGOs, Government and Panchayati Raj Institutions at different levels.

IV. Supervises and monitors various programmes implemented in the field.

V. Ensures successful implementation of the programmes.

VI. Keeps inform Zilla-Parishad and Government through reports and returns.

VII. Creates awareness and transparency amongst the common people.

VIII. Safe guards the interest of SC/ST. Women and Physically Handicap Persons.

Swarnajayanti Gramya Swarojagar Yojana (SGSY)

          The SGSY self employment programme has been launched by Government of India w.e.f. 1.4.1999 with a holistic approach by replacing schemes like Integrated Rural Development Project (IRDP), Trainign for Rural Youth and Self Employment Programme (TRYSEM), DWCRA, Supply of Improved Toolkit to Rural Artisans (SITRA), MWS and Gramya Krushi Yojana etc.

Objective

i) Development of Micro-entrepreneurs by utilizing resource and services available in rural area.

ii) Formation of Self Help Groups (SHG) and User Groups (UG) to increase efficiency and self sufficiency.

iii) Adoption of Key activities.

iv) Development of rural technology.

 

Beneficiary

BPL families are targeted people to be eligible to get this opportunity. The beneficiary is named as Swarojagary (self earning person)

Aim

i) Upliftment of BPL (Below Poverty Line) families in rural areas.

ii) To assist under bank credit and Government Subsidy.

iii) Each Swarojagary would get Rs.2000/- PM. After repayment of Bank loan.

Selection of Sworojagary

i) Assistance in group approach is preferable.

ii) Homogeneous BPL Swarojagary will form Self Help Group and User Group consisting 10 to 20 members.

iii) It can be male, female or mixed group.

iv) 50% should be covered under female Swarojagary.

v) Successful Self Help Group and User Group will be provided with Bank credit and subsidy.

vi) Physically Handicap persons can form SHG consisting only 5 to 10 members.

 Government Assistance

          There is no limit of loan amount but certain limitations are provided for Government assistance . The subsidy amount may be allowed only after full payment of bank loan. The following are the criteria for subsidy:

(1) For SC/ST Swarojagary:- 50% or Rs.10,000/- of loan amount which ever is less.

(2) For general Swarojagary:- 30% or Rs.7500/- of loan amount which ever is less.

(3) In case of SHG 50% or Rs.1,25,000/- of loan amount which ever is less.

(4) There is no limit in case of Irrigation sector in respect of Group finance.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question No-1 Who can be Swarojagary under SGSY ?

Answer- He must be a Rural person under BPL family

Question No-2 What is the method for selection of beneficiary?

Answer- i. Who forms SHG and UG under the selected activities. It can be a Group or Individual.     

ii. Individual person selected by team consisting bankers, Block authority and local Sarapancha.

Question No-3 Is there any preference for minority?

Answer- Yes. ST/ SC /Woman and physically handicapped persons.

Question No-4 To Whom he would contact to include Local Sarapancha, BDO & Bank as beneficiary?

Answer- Manager.

Question No-5 What steps he will take for inclusion his Name in the scheme?

Answer- He must enlist his name in BPL list. He should involve with Palli Sabha and Gram Sabha. He should contact local Sarapancha & Block authority for detail.

Jawahar Gramya Samrudhi Yozana(JGSY)

Execution Procedure

(i) Entire allocation of funds would be spent by Grama Panchayat Only.

(ii) Grama Panchayat (G.P.) will prepare an Annual Action Plan for a year and is approved in the Grama Sabha . No project would be taken out side the approved Annual Action Plan.

(iii) Out of total allocation G.P. will prepare action plan of 22.5% for direct benefit to ST/SC. In no case this percent can be reduced.

(iv) Gram Panchayat can spend . 7.5% or Rs.7,500/- which ever is less for administrative expenditure .

(v) 15% of total allocation , G.P. can take up maintenance of old assets.

(vi) 55% towards creation of rural infrastructure.

Beneficiary

(i) All rural poor enlisted in BPL list who seek employment can be included as beneficiary.

(ii) BPL families of ST/SC and physically handicapped persons.

Priorities of works to be taken up in JGSY

All types of productive assets Can be taken up under JGSY which would be benefited to community

(i) Infrastructure for SC/STs habitation ( 22.5% of the fund)

(ii) Infrastructure support for SGSY Swarozgaris.

(iii) Infrastructure required for supporting agricultural activities.

(iv) Community/Social Infrastructure for education health and roads.

(v) Other Infrastructure which impress welfare of the people.

Restriction of works under JGSY

(i) Building for religious purpose such as temple, mosque, gurudwara, churches memorial statue and arch gates etc.

(ii) Bridges.

(iii) Building for higher secondary schools and colleges.

(iv) Desiltation of irrigation tanks.

(v) Black topping/ cementing of roads other than the roads leading to the village.

Implementing Agency & Execution Procedure

i) Each Gram Panchayat is an implementing agency for JGSY fund.

ii) GP will prepare Annual Action Plan for 125% of previous year allocation and approve the same.

iii) Prior to this Palli Sabha in each revenue village will prepare the AAP. on priority basis.

iv) Palli Sabha of each revenue village will select Village Work Representative (VWR) for execution of project.

v) Contractor or middle man has been banned.

vi) Sarapancha will issue work order

vii) Minimum daily wage rate will be paid to workers as prescribed by Government through Muster Roll.

viii) Payment will be made through cheque above Rs.500/-

ix) No work will be taken up outside the Annual Action Plan. 

Employment Assurance Scheme

Introduction

          Creation of Employment opportunity has always been an important objective of development planning of Government The relatively higher growth of population and labour force has led to an increase in the volume of employment and under employment from plan period to another. To mitigate such disparity employment assurance scheme has been launched since 1993 with its certain modification from 1.4.99. So it is a single wage employment scheme now on operation all over India .

Primary Objectives

It is aimed for creation of durable community, social and economic asset for sustained employment and development.

Secondary Objectives

          Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) is created for additional wage employment opportunities during the period of acute shortage of wage employment through manual work for the rural able bodied adult person who needs employment.

Beneficiary

i) The Rural poors who are in need of wage employment, they must ready to come for unskilled work.

ii) Preference shall be given to SC/ST and parents of Child Labour with drawn from hazardous occupation who is below poverty line.

iii) Person who seeks employment will enroll his name in the G.P. and  Sarapancha will issue EAS family card in his favour.

Programme Strategy

i) EAS will be implemented through Zilla Parisad(Z.P.).

ii) Projects will be finalized by Zilla Parisad as per Annual Action Plan prepared every year.

iii) Where there is no Zilla Parisad a Committee comprising MPs, MLAs and other public representative will select the projects.

iv) EAS can be implemented by Z.P. and Panchayat Samiti, when there is need for creating additional wage employment.

v) 70% of total allocation of funds will be released to Panchayat Samiti and 30% will be released in Zilla Parisad, which shall be utilized in the areas suffering from endemic labour exodus and area of Districts.

vi) Only labour intensive works of productive nature that creates durable assets should be included in Annual Action Plan.

vii) Z.P./Panchayat Samiti are permitted to spend up to 15% of fund for maintenance of assets created under the proposals.

Priorities of works to be taken

i) Soil and moisture conservation.

ii) Minor Irrigation.

iii) Renovation of drinking water sources and augmentation of ground water.

iv) Water harvesting structure.

v) Other returns of individual nature incidental to watershed development.

vi) Agricultural fields.

vii) Drainage works

viii) Forestry in community land.

Works not to be taken

i) Building for religion purposes etc.

ii) Monuments, memorials, Statutes, Idol, Arch Gates & welcome gate.

iii) Big Bridges.

iv) Government office Buildings Panchayat Buildings, Compound Walls.

v) Building of Higher Secondary Schools and Colleges.

vi) Watershed development Programmes.

Executing Agency

          Works under EAS are taken up after being technically & administratively approved by the competent authorities. Projects are executed through Village Work Representative (VWR) engaged by executing agency. Normally Panchayat Samiti, other line department and credible NGOs are, selected as executing Agency. For execution of works VWRs are selected in Palli Sabha of the concerned village, Panchayat Samiti issues work order in the name of the VWR, VWR will get skill wage towards his remuneration. Contractor or middle-man is not permitted to execute the works. VWRs will maintain muster roll for payment of wage to labour.

General

i) Executing Agency will maintain asset register.

ii) 60:40 ratio is to be maintained for both wage and non-wage component.

iii) Display Board/Sign Board must be hung in the work site for better transparency.

iv) Minimum wage rate prescribed by Government is to be ensured by VWR & Executing Agency.

v) Payment above five hundred must be paid through cheque only to VWR.

vi) Zilla Parishad/DRDA will supervise, monitor the progress of Work.

vii) Vigilance /Monitoring Committee consisted at/P.S level may oversee the implementation of  programmes.

viii) Any irregularities ,if notice may be brought to the notice of CEO & Project Director

Indira Awas Yojana

Introduction

          Housing is one of the basic requirements for human survival. For a normal citizen owning a house provides sufficient economic security and status in society. For a shelter less person a house brings about a profound social change in his existence endowing with an identity, thus integrating him with his immediate social milieu. IAY was a sub-scheme of JRY. Since 1^st January 1996,it has been delinked from JRY and has been made an independent scheme.

Objective

          The objectives of IAY is primarily to help construction of fire proof dwelling units for members of SC/ST, Freed Bonded Labourers and also non SC/ST rural poor living below the poverty line by providing them 100% free of cost.

Target Group- (Beneficiary)

The following are the criteria for selection of Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) beneficiary.

i) He must belong to BPL family living in rural area.

ii) Person belonging to SC/ST category will be given preference.

iii) Freed Bonded Labourers.

iv) Non-SC/ST rural poor enlisted in BPL

v) Widow or next to kin of defense personnel or Para military forces killed in action, subject to condition that.         

         a) They reside in rural area.

         b) They are not covered any other shelter rehabilitation scheme.

         c) They are home less.

vi) Reservation of 3% of fund under IAY for disabled person below poverty line.

Procedure for selection of IAY beneficiary

i) Palli Sabha in each revenue village will prepare a list of beneficiary on priority basis.

ii) Gram shabha will approve the list prepared by the Palli Sabha.

iii) GP. Sends a copy of the approved list to Panchayat Samiti and DRDA.

iv) DRDA on the basis of allocation of funds fixes the target for each PS.

v) PS decides the number of houses to be allotted in GP wise on the basis of priority list.

vi) At no stage priority list approved in Gram Sabha can be changed or altered.

Selection of beneficiary on priority

i) Freed Bonded Labourer.

ii) SC/ST house holds.

     a) SC/ST house hold victims of atrocities.

     b) SC/ST destitute widows or unmarried women.

     c) BPL house holds affected in natural calamities.

iii) Non-SC/ST house holds.

iv) Physically Handicapped.

v) Families/ Widows personnel defence services or Para military forces killed in action.

What benefit he will get?

i) The beneficiary will get Rs. 22000/- free of cost for construction of fire proof dwelling house.

ii) It includes facility of smoke less chulla and low cost sanitary latrine.

iii) Beneficiary choice is preferable but District adopted RCC building.

iv) Beneficiary him self will construct the IAY house in his own land.

v) Contractor or middle man has been banned.

vi) BDO will issue work order in the beneficiary wife’s name or in both.

To whom beneficiary will contact to get IAY house?

          Person living under BPL family will contact with his Ward Member, Sarpancha or BDO concerned to get IAY house. He should participate in each Palli Sabha held in his village to include his name in priority list.

Water Shed development

Introduction

          Water shed development originally managed by national wasteland development board under Ministry of Environment and forest .It is now placed under Ministry of Rural Development and Department of Land Resources. The main objective of this programme for development of waste lands in non-forest areas, checking of land degradation, putting such waste land into sustainable use and increasing bio mass, availability of fuel wood, fodder and restoration ecology etc. .Thus concept of watershed development is a integrated nurture with multi disciplinary activities in the area. At present Ministry of Rural Development and Department of Land Resources, Government of India funding watershed development programmes under D.P.A.P., D.D.P., and Integrated Wasteland Development Plan (I.W.D.P.) etc. This programme is intended to be taken up in rain-fed and drought-prone areas especially predominated by SC/ST population and preponderance of wasteland.

Objectives 

1.The basic objective of this scheme is to take up integrated wastelands development based on village/micro watershed plans. These plans are prepared after taking into consideration of the land capability, site condition and local need of the people.

2.The scheme also helps in generation of employment in rural areas besides enhancing people participation in wasteland development programme at all stages. This leads equitable sharing of benefits and sustainable developments. Thus it aims at the capacity building and empowerment of village community and involvement of P.R.I.s and N.G.O.s in implementation, transfer of funds as well as decision making process at grass root level.

3. It covers management of natural resources like land, water, vegetative cover and raising land productives and mobilisation of human resources are the chief factors of water shed development programme.

Targeted person

i) Local resident inside the of the watershed area.

ii) Poor families specially SC/ST persons in rain-fed areas where economic condition of the people is relatively less due to problems of less production, scanty rain and degradation of land.

iii) Members of SHG and UGs.

iv) Usufruct right given to landless persons out of common resource management.

Implementing Agency

          Watershed development programme is generally sponsored by the Central Government and funds are released to ZP/DRDA for implementation of the programme. District level water shed development advisory committee in ZP/DRDA selects the Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) .It could an autonomous Organisation, Public Sector Undertaking, Voluntary Organisation and Block development officer or any Government Organisation specially dealing with land water and agriculture etc. .The P.I.A. remains in-charge of implementation of water shed projects.

Activities

The following major activities are taken up under the scheme .

i. Soil and moisture conservation measures like terracing, bounding, Trenching vegetative barriers etc.

ii. Planting and sowing of multi purpose trees, shrubs, grasses leguas and pasture land development .

iii. Encouraging natural regeneration.

iv. Promotion of Agro-forestry and horticulture .

v. Wood substitution and fuel wood conservation measures.

vi. Measures needed to disseminate technology.

vii. Training extension and creation of greater degree of awareness among the participants.

viii. Encouraging peoples participation and community contribution .

ix. Community mobilization through self-helf group (SHG) and Users Group .

x. Afforestion

xi. Repair, restoration and up gradation of existing common property, assets and structures in water shed areas to obtain optimum and sustainable benefits from previous investments .

xii. Development of small water harvesting structures such as low cost farm ponds, Nalla Bunds check dams and percolation tanks etc.

xiii. Development of Animal Husbandry i.e. dairy, duckery, piggery and fisheries etc. .

xiv. All these activities are to be covered up in the water shed areas within four years of Project period.

Structure of water shed development organization in the District. 

Below Poverty Line Family

Introduction

          Identification of families lying below poverty line is the essential factor for successful implementation of all anti-poverty programmes. i.e. SGSY, JGSY and IAY etc. It is a method of survey adopted for selection of rural poor families who are living below poverty line. Previously during 8^th five year plan a house having income below Rs.11000/- was recognized as BPL family. The following provisions were made for identification of BPL families as per survey made in the year 1997.

i) Families are divided into different categories on consideration of Income, Family condition, Numbers of earning members and house hold goods used by the families. In addition to income, expenditure of family members also comes to the zone of consideration.

ii) Each surveyor engaged by District administration will go round the door to door and fill up the index "A" form. If a particular house hold answers any one of the parameter of form "A" from sl. no. 2 to 6 then, Index "B" form is not required to be filled up. If house hold indicates negative of all the above questionnaire than Index "B" form would be filled up.

Procedure for selection of BPL family

i) Families under below poverty line are identified by means of household Survey done from door to door in every five year.

ii) No families should not be repeated or left out .

iii) Index "A" form is filled up by the surveyor for every household.

iv) If a particular house hold refers positive any one of the questioner sl.no.2 to 6 of survey index "A" form, then index "B" form should not be filled in.

v) If all the questions refer negative, Index "B" form would be filled up.

vi) Abstract of Index "A" & "B" form are placed before the Gram Sabha for approval after discussion. Gram Sabha has right to decide ineligible household for deletion.

vii) Provisional approved copy will be published in the notice board of GP & PS for inviting objection.

viii) Objection application will be enquired into by the competent authority engaged by District administration.

ix) Identification of BPL families by correct, concrete and transparent manner is the sole objective of the BPL survey.

What are the Parameters for selection of BPL family ?

The house hold which comes under all or any one of the following criteria would not be considered for inclusion in BPL family.

1. Whether a house hold has more than 2 hector of Crop land (one Hec. in case of irrigated land).

 

2. Has he possess Pucca house ?

 

3. Whether income of family above Rs. 1700=00 per month form self employment ?

 

4. Whether family has following consumable house hold articles.(articles completely unused would be deleted)

 

   a) T.V.

   b) Freeze

   c) Ceiling Fan

   d) Motor cycle/ Scooter /Moped.

   e) Three wheeler vehicle. (Not Rickshaw)

 

5. Does the family has following agricultural implements?.

 

   a) Tractor.

   b) Power Tiller.

   c) Paddy Thresher.

6. Data entry of BPL families.

After completion of all works provisional BPL list is sent to Computer Cell of DRDA for Computerisation of all records, the information of BPL list is intimated to Government for final approval. The approved BPL list is kept in G.P., P.S., and DRDA level for reference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question No-1 What benefit a person will get if he is enlisted A person identified under BPL in BPL list.?

Answer- category is the targeted person under all Anti-poverty schemes implemented by Central as well as State Government) Subsidy under SGSY. b) House under IAY 100% free of cost. c)Benefits under JGSY if he belongs to SC/ST & Physically Handicapped Person. d) EAS family card who seek wage employment.

Question No-2 To whom he will contact ?

Answer- He is to contact local Ward member, Sarpanch and BDO

Question No-3 What step he will take for inclusion his name in BPL list ?

Answer- a) He should furnish concrete and correct information to the enumerator /supervisor or enquiring officer at the time of BPL survey. One should file application in G.P.& Block Office in scheduled time for consideration.

b) A person should be actively involved and participate in Palli Sabha and other developmental activities implemented in his village.