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District Rural Development Agency

ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE DISTRICT RURAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY :

The District Rural Development Agency is visualised as a specialised and a professional agency capable of managing the anti-poverty programmes of the Ministry of Rural Development on the one hand and to effectively relate these to the overall effort of poverty eradication in the District. The role of the DRDA will therefore be distinct from all the other agencies, including the Zilla Parishad. DRDAs interact effectively with various other agencies. DRDAs coordinate with the line departments, the Panchayat Raj Institutitons, the banks and other financial institutions, the NGOs as well as the technical institutions, with a view to gathering the support and resources required for poverty reduction effort in the district. Main objective of DRDA is to secure inter-sectoral and inter-departmental coordination and cooperation for reducing poverty in the district.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE DRDAS :

Each district will have its own District Rural Development Agency. Ordinarily it would be a society registered under a Societies Registration Act. New DRDA for Tiruppur District has been registered under Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act 1975 on 07.05.2009.

ADMINISTRATION OF DRDAs :

The chairman of the DRDA shall be the chairman of governing body of the DRDA. The Executive and financial functions shall however lie with District Collector who shall be designated as the Chairman of DRDA. It shall be his responsibility to ensure that the administration of DRDA and the programmes are conducted in accordance with the guidelines.

The administration of the DRDA shall be carried out by a governing body. The Governing Body of the DRDA will provide policy directions, approve the annual plan and also review and monitor the implementation of the plan, including the different programmes. They shall give such directions to the DRDA as may be necessary from time to time. The Governing Body of the DRDA will meet once in a quarter.

The composition of the governing body are as follows :

  1. District Collector– Chairman
  2. All MPs and MLAs and MLCs of the District – Member
  3. 1/3rd of Panchayat Samiti Chair persons to be nominated by rotation in alphabetical order for a tenure of one year, one of whom must belong to SC/ST and another a woman – Member
  4. District Lead Bank Officer
  5. Representative of the Reserve Bank of India at district level
  6. NABARD representative at district level
  7. General Manager, DIC
  8. Representative of KVIB
  9. DADW – Member
  10. PO – ICDS – Member
  11. DSWO – Member
  12. One representative from Technical Institutions – Member
  13. Two representatives of NGOs – Member
  14. Two representatives of the weaker sections, one of whom may be drawn from SCs and STs – Member
  15. One representative of rural women – Member
  16. Project Director, DRDA Member Secretary

All executive and financial powers of the DRDA shall be exercised by the executive committee as per a scheme of delegation of financial and executive powers to be determined by each State/UT Government and this Committee will be fully accountable in all matters of DRDA to the governing body as well as to the Government. The Executive Committee of DRDA shall be headed by the District Collector and shall consist of all the District level officers and any other officer deemed necessary for planning and implementation of the anti-poverty programmes. The Project Director DRDA will be the Member-Secretary of the EC. The Executive Committee will meet at least once in a month.

The scheme of ‘DRDA Administration’ shall be a centrally sponsored scheme. The funds required under this programme shall be shared between the Centre and the States in the ratio of 75:25. Funds will be released directly to the DRDAs.

Centrally sponsored schemes

  1. Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY)
  2. National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme-TamilNadu (NREGS-TN)
  3. Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY)
  4. Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS)
  5. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)

Indira Awass Yojana :

Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) is a Centrally sponsored Rural Housing Scheme. It was first launched during 1985-86 as a sub-scheme of RLEGP. There after, it continued as a sub-scheme of JRY that was launched in April 1989. It was de-linked from JRY and became an independent scheme with effect from January, 1996.

The objective of IAY is primarily to help construction / up-gradation of dwelling units of members of SC / ST, freed bonded labourers and others below the poverty line by providing them a lump sum financial assistance.
The target groups for houses under the IAY are BPL household living in the rural areas belonging to SC / ST (60%) and non-SC/ST (40%) for assistance under IAY.

Finances :

The Central and State Governments fund in the ratio of 75:25.

Beneficiary participation and contribution :

The beneficiary should construct the house according to his/her own choice/socio-cultural and occupational requirement. The financial assistance provided under IAY may not be sufficient to maintain good quality, in which case, the beneficiary has to mobilize resources from his/her own savings or obtain loan from any financial institution/SHGs.

National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme Tamil Nadu (NREGS – TN) :

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was enacted in September 2005. As per the provision of this Act, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme Tamil Nadu (NREGS-TN) was launched on 02.02.2006 and implemented in phase-I districts of Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Dindigul and Sivagangai and further extended to phase – II districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Karur and Tirunelveli from 01.04.2007. The Scheme has been extended to the remaining districts with effect from 01.04.2008.

The Primary objective of the Scheme is to provide not less than 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. The other objectives of the scheme are – ensuring minimum wage to rural households, generating productive assets, protecting the environment, empowering rural women, reducing rural – urban migration and fostering social equity.

Funding :

The cost of the scheme is shared between the Centre and the State in the ratio of 90:10. The Central Government will bear the following costs :

The entire cost of wages fro unskilled manual workers.

75 percent of the cost of material and wages for skilled and semi-skilled workers.

State share :

The State Government will bear the following costs :

a) 25 percent of the cost of material and wages for skilled and semi-skilled workers.

Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) :

Swarna Jayanthi Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) is one of the important centrally sponsored schemes. It is being implemented since April 1999 as a major anti-poverty scheme for the rural poor, by organising them into Self Help Groups (SHGs), providing them with skill development training and helping them to get credit linkage with financial institutions and providing infrastructure and marketing support for the products produced by them. Government of India and the State Government share the costs in the ratio of 75:25.

The objective of the Swarna Jayanthi Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) is to bring the assisted poor families (Swarozgaries) above the Poverty Line by ensuring appreciable sustained level of income over a period of time. 10% of the scheme fund is allocated for the training component, 20% for the infrastructure component and 70% for revolving fund-cum-subsidy component.

Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) :

The scheme is under the control of the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, New Delhi. This ministry is responsible for policy formulation, release of funds and prescribing monitoring mechanism. The Scheme is fully funded by Central Government (MS & PI) and implemented by the State through District Rural Development Agencies at District Level.

The objective of the scheme is to enable MPs to recommend works of development nature with the emphasis on creation if durable community assets/infrastructure based on the locally-felt needs to be taken up in their constituencies.

Fully funded by Government of India.

Annual allocation of Rs.2 Crores per member

Works for creation of durable assets

Works related to National Priorities such as Drinking water, Education, Public Health, Sanitation, Roads.

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY):

In rural areas, the resources are to be connected to the marketing centers for promoting transitional changes in socio economic status of people. A proper skeleton of road network will create a promotional impact of land use activity. With this objective in mind, the Government launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (Prime Minister Rural Roads Programme) on 25th December, 2000 to provide all-weather access to unconnected habitations. The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is a 100% Centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. The primary objective of the PMGSY is to provide connectivity, by way of an All weather road (with necessary culverts and drainage structures, which is operable throughout the year) to eligible unconnected habitations in rural areas.

Unconnected habitations with a population of 1000 persons and above are covered in 3 years (2000-2003)

Unconnected habitations with a population of 500 persons and above are covered by the end of 2007.

Unconnected habitations with a population of 250 persons and above in Hill states, Desert areas and Tribal areas.

State Funded Schemes

  1. Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam
  2. Member of Legislative Assembly Constituency Development Scheme (MLACDs)
  3. Namakku Naame Thittam (NNT)
  4. Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)
  5. Twelfth Finance Commission Grant (Road Works)

Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam (AGAMT):

Anaithu Grama Anna Marumalarchi Thittam (AGAMT) is a land mark scheme launched by the State Government, which aims at substantial injection of resources to improve the infrastructure facilities of the Village Panchayats. In terms of allocation to Village Panchayat, this is by far the biggest among all the Centrally sponsored and State Schemes.

One fifth of the Village Panchayats are selected under the scheme so as to cover all the Village Panchayats in five years. Per Capita income is the criterion for selection of Village Panchayats. Village Panchayats in each block are arranged in the ascending order of per capita income and every year. The Villages covered under the old Anna Marumalarchi Thittam, which was implemented during 1997-2002, will be taken up in the fifth year (2010-11) irrespective of its per capita income. The list of Village Panchayats to be taken up in each District/Block every year under AGAMT has been prepared which cannot be modified . Each Village Panchayat will get a direct state assistance of Rs.20.00 lakhs, out of which Rs.15.00 lakhs is for ‘tied’ components and Rs.5.00 lakhs in ‘untied’.

The works are broadly classified into two categories :

  1. Compulsory works – (Rs.15 Lakhs)
  2. Optional works – (Rs.5 Lakhs)

Compulsory works

  • One Pond / Oorani / Tank per village
  • Sports Centres
  • School sports centres
  • Community sports centres
  • Libraries
  • Burial Ground / Cremation Ground
  • Water supply

Optional Works

  • Cement Concrete Pavements
  • Extension of Street lights
  • Fishpond
  • Shandies

Member of Legislative Assembly Constituency Development Scheme (MLACDS) :

This scheme enables each MLA to undertake development works in his/her constituency through the allocated funds of Rs.1.70 crore per year and a MLA can recommend works to be carried out in his/her constituency. This scheme is fully funded by the State Government.

The main objective of the Scheme to bridge the critical infrastructural gaps in the Assembly Constituencies. Under this Scheme, each Member of the Legislative Assembly shall identify the works that should be executed in his/her constituency. The works proposed by MLAs are taken up and executed in accordance with the guidelines issued in this regard. Under this Scheme, each MLA proposes the work that should be executed in his/her constituency. The District Collector gives administrative sanction for the works.

Allocation for each assembly constituency was increased to Rs.1.70 crores in 2009-10. 50% of the funds (Rs.85.00 lakhs) under MLACD Scheme will be utilised as tied component for priority works and the balance 50% of funds (Rs.18.00 lakhs) will be utilised for untied component of works, as recommended by the concerned MLAs.

Panchayat Union School Renovation Programme :

The Panchayat Union Elementary and Middle Schools located in AGAMT Villages and requiring repairs and improvements will be taken up under the Scheme every year. Following two types of repair and improvement works shall be undertaken under the Scheme.

Minor Works :

  • White Washing / Colour Washing of the buildings.
  • Undertaking repairs of RCC roof (in terms of putting up weathering course taking up leak proofing etc.)
  • Repair/replacement of damaged flooring.
  • Painting of Black Boards.
  • Repair/replacement of doors and windows.
  • Minor repairs of damaged tiles/raters/reapers in buildings with tiles roofing.
  • Repairs of cracks in building walls.

Major Works :

  • Complete replacement of badly damaged existing tiles roofing.
  • Complete replacement of Asbestos sheet roofing with tiles roofing.

Rural Infrastructure Scheme :

Since the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) has been extended to all the districts of Tamil Nadu from 01.04.2008 onwards, the Central Government has discontinued the Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY). At present under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, such works like desilting of ponds, channels and Ooranies and formation of roads are undertaken in Tamil Nadu which are directly entrusted to the people without the involvement of contractors and machineries. In the current scenario, consequent upon the discontinuance of SGRY and implementation of NREGS, rural infrastructure works involving intensive material usage and varied utilization of machinery are not adequately taken up under the existing Centrally Sponsored Schemes. There is a need to stabilize the assets created under NREGS. Further, there is a pressing need to undertake structural repairs of Minor Irrigation (MI) Tanks which have not been renovated for the past number of years.

“Rural Infrastructure Scheme” (RIS) serves the dual purpose of creating infrastructure facilities in the villages as well as stabilizing the assets created through NREGS.

Namakku Naame Thittam:

‘Namakku Naame Thittam’ was launched and implemented in Tamil Nadu from 1997-98 with an aim to involve the community in development process from the stage of planning through implementation and upto the maintenance. The community was encouraged to actively contribute to the development efforts in cash or in kind or through labour and thereby supplement as well as complement Government activities. The felt-needs of the villages were taken up as projects dovetailing Government funds and public contribution. The scheme was implemented till 2000-01. In the Collectors’ Conference held on 30th & 31st of July 2007, the Honourable Chief Minister announced the revival of the scheme from 2007-08 onwards.

Namakku Naame Thittam will be implemented both in rural and urban areas.

Public contribution of a minimum of 1/3rd of the estimated cost of works and matching Government grant of the estimated cost of works under Namakku Naame Thittam should be deposited in a separate Savings Bank Account opened exclusively, for Namakku Naame Thittam.

Scheme is being implemented as per the provisions of The Tamil Nadu Transparency in Tenders Act, 1998, in all such cases where the Government contribution exceeds 50%. In such works, where the Government contribution is 50% or less, the contributors can be given the option to execute the works on their own or or through an agency on their behalf. When they do not come forward to undertake the work by themselves even when contribution exceeds 50%, the provisions of the above Act should be followed.

Twelfth Finance Commission Grand (Road Works):

Maintenance is a key component of development since it serves as the back up to the asset creation and also serves to increase its longevity. Maintenance of BT roads in the AGAMT Village Panchayats is taken up under Twelfth Finance Commission Grants for effective utilization which also serves as a tool to further the objective of AGAMT.

The works are selected as per the following guidelines :

Only BT roads are taken up under TFC.

Priority is given to existing worn-out BT roads connecting/passing through AGAMT villages.

BT roads in the vicinity of the AGAMT villages.

Full length of the road should be taken up for maintenance.

It should be ensured that the selected works are not taken in any other scheme.

AMMA PARK

The Hon’ble Chief Minister has made an announcement under Rule 110 in the floor of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on 29.08.2016, that 500 Amma Parks will be established in rural areas during this financial year at a cost of Rs.50 Crores at the rate of Rs.20 lakh per park in order to provide recreational infrastructure facilities in rural areas on par with urban areas.

One of the discretionary duties of Village Panchayats is to provide necessary facilities for the establishment of play grounds, parks, sports clubs and centre of physical culture for the welfare of the people in rural areas.

The AMMA Park Have the Following Provisions:

  1. Foot path in cement Concrete or Paver Block.
  2. Lighting arrangements with LED Bulbs.
  3. Cement/Granite topped/stainless steel benches.
  4. Toilet for women, children and elderly people.
  5. Water facilities for drinking, garden maintenance and toilet.
  6. Children play area with play materials.
  7. Welcome Arches with Creepers and exit.
  8. Compound Wall with safely provision.
  9. Additional facilities for physical fitness.
  10. pebble walk and provision for “8” shaped pebble surface may be provided.