Madhya Pradesh 'Star Performer' in Rural Development Schemes

Recently, the rural development schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Gramin, Gram Sadak Yojana, etc. have been assessed based on departmental works, where Madhya Pradesh being on Top for implementing these Schemes.

• The review of departmental works was done by Additional Chief Secretary Panchayat and Rural Development and Commissioner Development Shri Malay Srivastava.
• Madhya Pradesh is leading in the country in the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Gramin, Gram Sadak Yojana, State Rural Livelihood Mission, etc.
• The departmental officers were found to keep working with full dedication, hard work, and devotion.

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Gramin Yojana:

• Ministry Involved: Ministry of Rural development.
• Aim:
  • To provide a pucca house with basic amenities to all rural families, who are homeless or living in kutcha or dilapidated houses by the end of March 2022
  • To help rural people Below the Poverty Line (BPL) in the construction of dwelling units and the upgradation of existing unserviceable kutcha houses by providing assistance in the form of a full grant.
• Beneficiaries: People belonging to SCs/STs, freed bonded laborers and non-SC/ST categories, widows or next-of-kin of defense personnel killed in action, ex-servicemen and retired members of the paramilitary forces, disabled persons and
• Selection of Beneficiaries: Through a three-stage validation - Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011, Gram Sabha, and geo-tagging.
• Cost Sharing: The cost of unit assistance is shared between Central and State Governments in the ratio of 60:40 in plain areas and 90:10 for North Eastern and hilly states.
• Features:
  • The unit assistance has been increased from Rs. 70,000 to Rs. 1.20 lakh in plain and from Rs. 75,000 to Rs. 1.30 lakh in hilly states.
  • The assistance for the construction of toilets shall be leveraged through convergence with Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G), MGNREGS, or any other dedicated source of funding.

Gram Sadak Yojana:

• Launched on: 25th December 2000.
• Objective: To provide connectivity, by way of an all-weather road to unconnected habitations.
• Eligibility: Unconnected habitations of designated population size (500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-Eastern States, Himalayan States, Deserts, and Tribal Areas as per the 2001 census) in the core network for uplifting the socio-economic condition of the rural population.
• Construction of Rural Roads: The Rural Roads constructed under the PMGSY will be in accordance with the provision of the Indian Roads Congress (IRC).
  • IRC is the Apex Body of Highway Engineers in the country.
  • The IRC was set up in 1934.
• PMGSY - Phase I
  • PMGSY - Phase I was launched in December 2000 as a 100 % centrally sponsored scheme.
  • Under the scheme, 1, 35,436 habitations were targeted for providing road connectivity and 3.68 lakh km. for the upgradation of existing rural roads in order to ensure full farm-to-market connectivity.
• PMGSY - Phase II
  • The Government of India subsequently launched PMGSY-II in 2013 for the upgradation of 50,000 Kms of the existing rural road network to improve its overall efficiency.
  • While the ongoing PMGSY - I continued, under PMGSY phase II, the roads already built for village connectivity were to be upgraded to enhance rural infrastructure.
  • The cost was shared between the center and the states/UTs.
• PMGSY - Phase III
  • Phase III was approved by the Cabinet in July 2019.
  • It gives priority to facilities like Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools, and Hospitals.