1.

INDIRA AWAS YOJNA

Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) was launched
during 1985-86 as a sub-scheme of Rural
Land and less Employment Guarantee
Programme (RLEGP) and continued as a
sub-scheme of Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY)
since its launching from April, 1989. It has
been delinked from the JRY and has been
made an independent scheme with effect
from January 1, 1996.
The objective of IAY is primarily to provide
grant for construction of houses to members
of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes,
freed bonded labourers and also to non-
SC/ST rural poor below the poverty line.
The target group for houses under IAY will
be people below poverty line living in rural
areas belonging to Scheduled Castes/
Scheduled Tribes, freed bonded labourers
and non-SC/ST subject to the condition that
the benefits to non-SC/ST should not exceed
40% of total IAY allocation during a
financial year.
From 1995-96, the IAY benefits have been
extended to ex-servicemen, widows or next
of kin of defence personnel and
paramilitary forces killed in action
irrespective of the income criteria subject to
the condition that (i) they reside in rural
areas; (ii) they have not been covered under
any other scheme of shelter rehabilitation;
and (iii) they are houseless or in need of
shelter or shelter upgradation. Priority will
be given to other ex-servicemen and retired
members of the paramilitary forces as long
as they fulfill the normal eligibility
conditions of the Indira Awas Yojana and
have not been covered under any other
shelter rehabilitation scheme.
The priority in the matter of allotment of
houses to the ex-servicemen and
paramilitary forces and their dependents
will be out of 40% of the houses set apart
for allotment among the non-SC/ST
categories of beneficiaries.
3% of the funds have been earmarked for
the benefit of disabled persons below
poverty line. This reservation of 3% under
IAY for disabled persons below the poverty
line would be horizontal reservation i.e.,
disabled persons belonging to sections like
SCs, STs and Others would fall in their
respective categories.
District Rural Development Agencies
(DRDA) / Zilla Parishads will decide the
number of houses to be constructed
panchayat-wise under IAY during a
particular financial year. The same shall be
intimated to the Gram Panchayat.
Thereafter, the Gram Sabha will select the
beneficiaries from the list of eligible
households as per the IAY guidelines and
as per priorities fixed, restricting this
number to the target allotted. No approval
of the Panchayat Samiti is required. The
Panchayat Samiti should however, be sent
a list of selected beneficiaries for their
information.
The order of priority for selection of
beneficiaries amongst target group below
poverty line is as follows:
1. Freed bonded labourers
2. SC/ST households who are victims of
atrocities
3. SC/ST households, headed by widows
and unmarried women.
4. SC/ST households affected by flood, fire,
earthquake, cyclone and similar natural
calamities.
5. Other SC/ST households.
RURAL
DEVELOPMENT
MANOJ K. JHA
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 2
3. The applicant must be a destitute in the
sense of having little or no regular means
of subsistence from his/her own sources
of income or through financial support
from family members or other sources.
In order to determine destitution, the
criteria, if any currently in force in the
state/ UT govt. may also be followed.
The Govt. of India reserves the right to
review these criteria and suggest
appropriate revised criteria.
4. The ceiling on the total number of old
age pension for purpose of claiming
Central assistance is specified by Govt.
of India.
5. Village, Panchayat and relevant
authorities shall report for every case of
death of pensioners immediately after
its occurrence to the appropriate
sanctioning authority.
National Family Benefit Scheme
1. The primary breadwinner will be the
member of household male or female
whose earning contribute the largest
proportion to the total household
income.
2. The death of such a primary
breadwinner should have occurred
whilst he or she is in the age group of
18 to 64 years i.e., more than 18 years
of age and less than 65 years of age.
3. The bereaved household qualifies as one
under the poverty line according to the
criterion prescribed by the Govt. of India.
4. Rs. 5,000/- in the case of death due to
natural causes and Rs. 10,000/- in the
case of death due to accident causes
will be the ceilings for purposes of
claiming Central assistance. In 1998, the
amount of benefit under NFBS was
raised to Rs 10,000 in case of death due
to natural causes as well as accidental
causes.
5. The family benefit will be paid to such
surviving member of the household of
deceased who, after due local enquiry is
determined to be the head of the
household. For the purpose of the
6. Non- SC/ST households.
7. Physically handicapped.
8. Families/widows of personnel of defence
services / paramilitary forces, killed in
action.
9. Displaced persons on account of
developmental projects, nomadic, semi-
nomadic and de-notified tribals, families
with disabled members and internal
refugees, subject to the households being
below poverty line.
Allotment of houses should be in the name
of female member of the beneficiary
household. Alternatively, it can be allotted
in the name of both husband and wife.
2. NATIONAL SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMME (NSAP)
Article 41 of the Constitution of India directs
the State to provide public assistance to its
citizens in case of unemployment, old age,
sickness and disablement and in other cases
of undeserved want within the limits of its
economic capacity and development. In
accordance with the Directive Principles of
State Policy, Govt. of India launched NSAP
as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme w.e.f 15th
August 1995 towards fulfillment of these
principles.
The National Social Assistance Programme
(NSAP) then comprised of National Old Age
Pension Scheme (NOAPS), National Family
Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and National
Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS).
These programmes were meant for
providing social assistance benefit to the
aged, the BPL households in the case of
death of the primary breadwinner and for
maternity. These programmes were aimed
to ensure minimum national standards in
addition to the benefits that the States were
then providing or would provide in future.
National Old Age Pension Scheme
1. The age of the applicant (male or female)
shall be 65 years or higher.
2. The amount of the old age pension will
be Rs. 75/- per month for purpose of
claiming Central assistance.
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 3
scheme, the term "household" would
include spouse, minor children,
unmarried daughters and dependent
parents.
National Maternity Benefit Scheme
1. The maternity benefit will be restricted
to pregnant women for up to the first
two live births provided they are of 19
years of age and above. As proof of the
age of the applicant, Birth Certificate
issued by Municipality/Sub-Divisional
Office or an affidavit shown before a
First Class Magistrate by the applicant
or a certificate from the Head of the
Institution where the applicant studied
has to be given.
2. The beneficiary should belong to a
household below the poverty line
according to the criteria prescribed by
the Government of India.
3. The ceiling on the amount of the benefit
for purposes of claiming Central
assistance will be Rs. 500/-.
4. The benefit is disbursed several weeks
prior to the delivery. In case of delay,
the benefit may be given even after the
birth of the child.
5. The Scheme was transferred from the
Ministry of Rural Development to
Department of Family Welfare w.e.f. 1st
April, 2001. It became part and parcel
of the Population Stabilization
Programme.
Annapurna Scheme
1. On 1st April, 2000 a new Scheme known
as Annapurna Scheme was launched.
This Scheme aimed at providing food
security to meet the requirement of those
senior citizens who, though eligible,
have remained uncovered under the
NOAPS.
2. From 2002-03, it has been transferred to
State Plan along with the National Social
Assistance Programme. The
implementation of the Scheme at the
State level rests with the respective
States/UTs.
3. Under the Annapurna Scheme, 10 kg
of food grains per month are provided
free of cost to the beneficiary.
4. The number of persons to be benefited
from the Scheme is, in the first instance,
20% of the persons eligible to receive
pension under NOAPS in States/UTs.
Introduction of two new Pension Schemes
in 2009
1. Indira Gandhi National Widow
Pension Scheme (IGNWPS): In
February 2009, GOI has approved
pension to BPL widows in the age group
of 40-64 years.
i) The applicant should belong to a
household below the Poverty Line as
per criteria prescribed by the
Government of India.
ii) The pension amount is Rs. 200 per
month per beneficiary and the
concerned state government is also
urged to provide the equal amount
to the person.
iii) The pension is to be credited into a
post office or public sector bank
account of the beneficiary.
iv) The pension will be discontinued if
there is the case of remarriage or
once the widow moves above the
poverty line.
2. Indira Gandhi National Disability
Pension Scheme (IGNDPS): In February
2009, GOI has also approved pension
under Indira Gandhi National Disability
Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) for BPL
persons with severe or multiple
disabilities between the age group of 18-
64 years @ Rs. 200 p.m. per beneficiary.
3. PRADHAN MANTRI GRAM SADAK
YOJANA
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
(PMGSY) was launched on 25th December
2000 as a fully funded Centrally Sponsored
Scheme to provide all-weather road
connectivity in rural areas of the country.
The programme envisages connecting all
habitations with a population of 500 persons
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 4
and above in the plain areas and 250
persons and above in hill States, the tribal
and the desert areas.
50% of the cess on High Speed Diesel (HSD)
is earmarked for this Programme.
The primary objective of the PMGSY is to
provide connectivity, by way of an all
weather road (with necessary culverts and
cross-drainage structures, which is
operable throughout the year), to the
eligible unconnected habitations in the
rural areas, in such a way that all
unconnected habitations with a population
of 1000 persons and above are covered in
three years (2000-2003) and all
unconnected habitations with a population
of 500 persons by the year 2007 (end of
Tenth Plan Period).
The primary focus of the programme will
be on construction of new roads. However,
upgradation (to prescribed standards) of
existing roads will be permitted to be taken
up under the programme so as to achieve
connectivity through good all-weather
roads.
The Programme shall cover only 'Other
District Roads' (ODRs) and 'Village Roads'
(VRs).
4. CAPART
The Council for Advancement of People's
Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) is
an autonomous organisation under the
Ministry of Rural Development. It was set
up in September 1986 by the amalgamation
of the People's Action for Development
India (PADI) and Council for Advancement
of Rural Technology (CART).
The objects for which the Society is set up
are:
1. to encourage, promote and assist
voluntary action in the implementation
of projects for the enhancement of rural
prosperity;
2. to strength and promote voluntary
efforts in rural development with focus
on injecting new technological inputs in
this behalf;
3. to act as the national nodal point for
coordination of all efforts at generation
and dissemination of technologies
relevant to rural development in its
wider sense;
4. to act as a catalyst for development of
technology appropriate for the rural
areas, by identifying and funding
research and development efforts and
pilot projects by different agencies and
institutions particularly voluntary
organizations;
5. to act as a conduit for transfer of
appropriate technology to Government
Departments, public sector undertaking,
cooperative societies, voluntary agencies
and members of public to encourage
adoption of modern techniques and
appropriate technology in rural
development;
6. to assist and promote programmes
aimed at conservation of the
environment and natural resources;
5. SWAJALDHARA
A new initiative "Swajaldhara" was
launched on December, 2002, to open up
the reform initiatives in the safe rural
drinking water supply throughout the
country. This programme aims at providing
Community- based Rural Drinking Water
Supply.
The key elements of this programme are:
1. Demand-driven and community
participation approach,
2. Panchayats/communities to plan,
implement, operate, maintain and
manage all drinking water schemes,
3. Partial capital cost sharing by the
communities upfront in cash,
4. Full ownership of drinking water assets
with Gram Panchayats and
5. Full Operation and Maintenance by the
users/Panchayats.
The role of PRIs in implementation of this
scheme are:
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 5
1. Gram Panchayat shall convene a Gram
Sabha Meeting where the Drinking
Water Supply Scheme of People's choice
including design and cost etc. must be
finalized. Gram Panchayats are to
undertake procurement of materials/
services for execution of schemes and
supervise the scheme execution.
2. Gram Panchayat will decide whether
the Panchayat wants to execute the
Scheme on its own or wants the State
Government Agency to undertake the
execution.
3. After completion of such schemes, the
Gram Panchayat will take over the
Schemes for Operation & Maintenance
(O&M).
4. Panchayat must decide on the user
charges from the community so that
adequate funds are available with
Panchayat to undertake O&M.
6. MAHATMA GANDHI NATIONAL
RURAL EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE
ACT
NREGA has been renamed as Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act (MNREGA) on Oct 2, 2009.
The objective of the Act is to enhance
livelihood security in rural areas by
providing at least 100 days of guaranteed
wage employment in a financial year to
every household whose adult members
volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
The Act was notified in 200 districts in the
first phase with effect from February 2, 2006
and then extended to additional 130 districts
in the financial year 2007-2008 (113 districts
were notified with effect from April 1st
2007, and 17 districts in UP were notified
with effect from May 15th 2007). The
remaining districts have been notified under
the MGREGA with effect from April 1,
2008. Thus MNREGA covers the entire
country with the exception of districts that
have a hundred per cent urban population.
Salient features of the Act
1. Adult members of a rural household,
willing to do unskilled manual work,
may apply for registration in writing or
orally to the local Gram Panchayat,
2. The Gram Panchayat after due
verification will issue a Job Card. The
Job Card will bear the photograph of
all adult members of the household
willing to work under MNREGA and is
free of cost. The Job Card should be
issued within 15 days of application.
3. A Job Card holder may submit a written
application for employment to the Gram
Panchayat, stating the time and
duration for which work is sought. The
minimum days of employment have to
be at least fourteen.
4. Employment will be given within 15
days of application for work, if it is not
given, then daily unemployment
allowance as per the Act has to be paid,
liability of payment of unemployment
allowance is of the States.
5. Work should ordinarily be provided
within 5 km radius of the village. In
case work is provided beyond 5 km,
extra wages of 10% are payable to meet
additional transportation and living
expenses.
6. Wages are to be paid according to the
Minimum Wages Act, 1948 for
agricultural labourers in the State, unless
the Centre notifies a wage rate which
will not be less than Rs. 60/ per day.
7. Equal wages will be provided to both
men and women.
8. Wages are to be paid according to piece
rate or daily rate. Disbursement of
wages has to be done on weekly basis
and not beyond a fortnight in any case.
9. At least one-third beneficiaries shall be
women who have registered and
requested work under the scheme.
10. Work site facilities such as crche,
drinking water, shade have to be
provided.
11. The shelf of projects for a village will be
recommended by the Gram Sabha and
approved by the Zila Panchayat.
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 6
12. A 60:40 wage and material ratio has to
be maintained. No contractors and
machinery is allowed.
13. The Central Government bears the 100
per cent wage cost of unskilled manual
labour and 75 per cent of the material
cost including the wages of skilled and
semi skilled workers.
14. Social Audit has to be done by the
Gram Sabha.
15. All accounts and records relating to the
Scheme should be available for public
scrutiny.
7. NIRMAL GRAM PURASKAR
To give a fillip to the Total Sanitation
Campaign (TSC), Government of India
launched the Nirmal Gram Puraskar (NGP)
in October 2003 and gave away the first
awards in 2005.
NGP seeks to recognise the efforts made by
PRIs and institutions who have contributed
significantly towards ensuring full sanitation
coverage in their areas of operation. TSC
lays strong emphasis on Information,
Education and Communication (IEC),
capacity building and hygiene education for
effective behaviour change with the
involvement of PRIs, CBOs, NGOs, etc. NGP
is aimed at augmenting the efforts made
under this IEC campaign.
The main objectives of Nirmal Gram
Puraskar (NGP) are:
1. To bring the topic of sanitation to the
forefront of social and political
development discourse in rural India.
2. To develop open defecation-free and
clean villages which will act as models
for others to emulate.
3. To give incentive to PRIs to sustain the
initiatives taken by them to eliminate the
practice of open defecation from their
respective geographical area by way of
full sanitation coverage.
4. To increase social mobilization in TSC
implementation, by recognizing the
catalytic role played by organizations
in attaining universal sanitation
coverage
A "Nirmal Gram" is an "Open Defecation
Free" village where all houses, Schools and
Anganwadis having sanitary toilets and
awareness amongst community on the
importance of maintaining personal and
community hygiene and clean environment.
The award is given to those PRIs which
attain 100% open defecation free
environment.
The concept of Nirmal Gram Puraskar has
been acclaimed internationally as a unique
tool of social engineering and community
mobilization and has helped a difficult
programme like rural sanitation to pick up.
Each Gram Panchayat getting the NGP has
a ripple effect in the surrounding villages.
It has been the prime mover behind the
amazing progress achieved in rural
sanitation coverage since 2005.
Sikkim has become first Nirmal State of the
country.
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