Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh today informed the Rajya Sabha that his Ministry releases funds to the States under the Development Grant component of the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) for onward transmission to the Local Bodies including the Panchayats, the Municipalities and other local bodies in the 250 districts identified as backward. The funds released during the last three years are as below:

2007-08: Rs.2521.67 crore
2008-09: Rs.2893.55 crore
2009-10: Rs. 3344.33 crore

Replying to a written question the minister said the BRGF requires the identified districts to submit their integrated District Plans, consolidated by the District Planning Committees based on the unit plans prepared by the local bodies. During 2010-11, 242 out of 250 districts have submitted the District Plans. State-wise details are given in the Annex. And the funds under the BRGF are released only after obtaining the Utilisation Certificates, progress reports and audit reports in respect of the grants released earlier. All the States/ districts, mentioned in Annex, have filed these details to the stipulated extent, except for Uttarakhand (Champawat district) which had not received these grants earlier.

He said Government reviews implementation of its schemes in States periodically; and the progress is reviewed by way of national review meetings, periodic communications/ advisories, video conferences, visits of officers of the Ministry to the States, etc. Further, State Governments also review the progress at various levels.

Annex

District Plans Received from the States/ Districts in 2010-11

Source: Press Information Bureau
Date: March 3, 2011