Mr. Chairman, Sir, I am grateful to all
the honourable Members of the House, who expressed their valuable thoughts
regarding the Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Rural Development. They
have given very important suggestions. They also referred to the drawbacks in
the implementation of various programmers of my Ministry. In my reply, I would
like to respond to some of these issues. I would like to assure the honourable
members that necessary action would be taken immediately on all the suggestions
given by the honourable Members.
Under the
leadership of Shri Narsimha Rao, the Government has taken many important steps
in the field of rural development in the past nine months. The Government is
committed to removing poverty and accelerating rural development. Our policies
include the planning and implementation of programmes at the local level,
the involvement of voluntary agencies in development work and stress on
proving maximum benefits to the poorest of the poor. It is my firm belief that
if the state Chief Ministers follow the path shown by the Prime Minister
and answer the important task of rural development themselves, then the rural
development programmes would certainly get a boost.
The Rural
Development Policy of our Ministry has three major components-poverty
alleviation and provision of minimum needs including potable water facilities
and motorable roads, and land reforms and programmers related to rectification
of land records. Apart form this, we also have special programmes for drought
affected areas and desert areas which are facing extreme resource shortage.
The Integrated Rural
Development Programme is such a scheme which has direct link with the people
living below the poverty line. This programme envisages the policy of providing
grants from the Government or providing loans from financial institutions to
selected families below the poverty line. This programme envisages the policy
of providing income generating assets by way of loans from financial
institutions to selected families below the poverty line. Under this programme
the families having an annual income upto Rs. 4800 during the Seventh Five Year
Plan and during 1990-91 and 1991-92 were considered as the targeted group. The
objective of this programs was to ensure that the families provided with income
generating assist would get opportunities of self-employment which will boost
the income of these families and help them cross the poverty line. Now, a
decision has been taken to redefine the poverty line.
In the Eighth Five Year Plan,
the poverty line in the rural sector would get fixed at an annual
income level of Rs. 11,000 for a family. The targeted group would be the
families having an annual income up to Rs. 8500. The experience gained during
the implementation of poverty alleviation programmes has brought to light the
fact that in the case of these programmes the selection of the targeted group
is required to be made very carefully and properly. The State Governments have
been asked to select the families living below then new poverty line.
In 1991, a provision was made
according to which at least 40 percent of the beneficiaries should be women.
Earlier, the percentage of beneficiaries was 30 in the case of Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes was 40 percent. The said percentage has now been
increase to 50 from 1990-91. At present, both the Scheduled Castes and the
Scheduled Tribes get a subsidy equal to 50 percent of the load amount, subject
to the maximum ceiling of Rs. 5000.
At present, this programme is
being evaluated through a large number of non-Governmental organisations. It
has been found that 28 percent, of the beneficiaries have risen above the
poverty line. Even now 33 percent of rural population is still living
below the poverty line. Keeping this in view, we will continue to give
importance to our objective of extending assistance to the poorest of the
poor under this programme.
The second aspect of this
question pertains to the quantum of loan and subsidy that is to be provided.
The subsidy amount of Rs. 4,000 and Rs. 5000 was fixed about ten years
back. Keeping in view the limitation of the Budget, our Government will
consider the question of raising this amount.
To eliminate the role
of middlemen, the Government have issued orders to abolish assets purchase
system under the integrated Rural Development Programme in 50 percent blocks of
the country through purchase committees. Favourable reports have been received
regarding the new system. We will consider to implement it in all the blocks of
the country after reviewing it.
We have already
introduced Group insurance Scheme for all the beneficiaries selected under the
integrated Rural Development Programme. After the death of the beneficiary, his
successor will be entitled to get an insurance amount of Rs. 3,000. The State
Government have been asked to take stringent steps under this programme to curb
corruption whenever it comes to light.