Saranda Action Plan

Aim:

•  To bring about Rural development, in Backward areas, especially tribal and adivasi areas. Specially directed to weed out Maoism in these areas.

Targeted Region:

• Saranda, Forest region, in Jharkhand.(Rich in iron resources).

Implementing Agency:

• Ministry of Rural Development.

On-Field Team:

• Members of Rural ministry, Govt. of Jharkhand, World Bank.

Objectives and Techniques:

• Strengthening of Panchayati raj system under PESA
• Infrastructure development-Roads, Agriculture, Drinking Water.
• Employment Generation and training.
• Improvement of Education.

Action-Highlights:

• Distribution of solar lamps, Bicycles etc.,
• Distribution of Land pattas
• Implementing Indira Awas Yojana
• Implementing NOAPS.
• Development of Integrated Development centres with the help of SAIL who operate various iron ore mines there.
• Security establishments with the help of CRPF.

Basics:

What is PESA:

Aim:

• To extend provisions of Part IX of our constitution, relating to panchayats to the scheduled areas classified under article 244(1) of the constitution.

Implementation Year:

• 1996

Features:

• Part IX stands extended to the scheduled areas under article 244(1) with some exceptions, under which the state cannot make laws which violate the following provisions:
• State shall make laws in consonance with the existing social, religious,cultural, practices of the said area. 
• Every gram sabha in a village has rights to protect its cultural identity, its own community resources, to exercise its traditional mode of dispute resolution.
• All plans for the development of a region should get the approval of the gram sabha before taken up for implementation.
• Gram sabha to decide Poverty line and target beneficiaries.
• Gram sabha ultimate deciding authority regarding utilization of funds for development programmes .
• Reservation of seats in panchayats according to share of various communities in total population, also 50 percentage minimum representation for scheduled tribes.Reservation valid for the posts of chairpersons also.
• Also consultation with gram sabha must before land acquisition for development projects.
• Recommendation of gram sabha mandatory for obtaining mining leases for minor minerals in scheduled areas
• Also panchayats and gram sabhas endowed with other essential powers to function as units of self govt like:
• power to restrict sale of intoxicants.
• Regulate  ownership of minor forest produce.
• prevent alienation of land in said areas.
• Regulate money lending to scheduled tribes.
• control local plans, institution in social sectors.
• Also existing laws in these areas shall be in vogue till amended.

What is IAY:

Indira Awas Yojana:

Implementing Agency:

• Ministry of Rural development

Aim:

• To help construction/up-gradation of dwelling units

Target Beneficiary:

• Scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, minorities below poverty line, other non SC/ST households below poverty line,freed bonded labourers

Funding pattern:

• Centarlly sponsored: 75:25, In case of North Eastern states and Sikkim the funding pattern is 90:10.
• Of this 60% for SC/ST households and 40% for non SC/ST household, in which 3% is earmarked differently abled.  

Allotment:

• House to be allotted in the name of the female member in the family/ else can be registered jointly in the name of Husband/Wife. If no female member alive, only then registered in the name of the male member. 
• Amount sanctioned:
• Plain areas- Rs.45000 for new house construction/Rs.15000 for up-gradation of existing house.
• Hilly Areas-Rs.48500 for construction/Rs.15000 for up-gradation.
• In addition an amount of Rs.20000 can be got as loan at a differential rate of Interest of 4% p.a.
• Money to be given in progress with construction in a staggered way, also construction not by contractor but by  beneficiary himself to ensure economy.

National Old Age Pension Scheme

The monthly pension of Rs. 200 under IGNOAPS given to the elderly is “an insult to the dignity of an individual”, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has said, requesting the Prime Minister to immediately review the scheme.

Shri Jairam Ramesh- Minister of Rural Development

National Social assistance program:

                  The national social assistance programme started by the Ministry of rural development was done with the aim of satisfying Article 41 Directive principles of state policy mentioned in the constitution, intended to secure to the citizens adequate means of livelihood, improve public health, provide free and compulsory education etc.

• The scheme launched as a central sector scheme i.e fully funded by the union govt. in 1995 under Ministry of Rural Development, initially had three components under its ambit:
• National Old Age Pension Scheme:

• Started with a monthly allowance of Rs 75/month per beneficiary the scheme now provides Rs 200/month.(Union govt has been asked time and again to enhance this amount. now request to raise to Rs. 300/month).
• Eligibility criteria:  Irregular/ Little means of subsistence from own sources of income,no support from family members.
• Age Initially 65 years, reduced to 60 years in 2011. Also the allowance amount for persons above 80 years enhanced to Rs. 500/month.
• Two new pension schemes introduced in to this in 2007:
• National Widow pension scheme: Allowance of Rs200/month for BPL(Below Poverty Line) widows, aged between 40-59 years.
• National Disability Pension Scheme: Allowance of Rs200/month to severs/multiple disabled persons aged 18-59 years.
• National Family benefit Scheme:
• A grant of Rs.5000 to a family in case of death of the Primary Bread winner due to natural causes, and a grant of Rs. 10000 in case of death due to Accidental causes.
• Age criteria for the primary bread winner 18-64 years.
• Amount unified to Rs.10000 for natural as well as accidental deaths in the year 1998.
• National maternity benefit scheme:
• Support of Rs.300/pregnancy up to 2 live births for BPL household
• Now amount enhanced to Rs.500/ pregnancy.
• Also the scheme has been transferred to the Dept. of Family welfare.
• Annapurna Scheme:

• New scheme introduced in to NSAP in 2000 as a scheme to ensure food security to the old aged population not covered under NOAPS though eligible.
• Under this 10 Kgs of Food grains are provided to the Beneficiary/month at free of cost.

• All these schemes now transferred to state govts. with assistance coming from Central Govt. as prescribed by Planning commission(Extra constitutional body headed by the Prime minister).
• Also now efforts are on to digitize the entire scheme, create a common database, job entrusted to NIC.

           

Directive Principles of State policy:

      Set of instructions given by the constitution makers of India to the Government, to ensure the formation of a egalitarian society, a welfare socialist state. Mentioned in Part IV of the Indian constitution, it covers from articles 36 to 51.

Article 41 states that the state should provide public assistance to its citizens in case of unemployment, old age, sickness, disability, within its economic capacity and development.