Only 49% of funds spent, full benefits not reaching minority, says committee
By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: A Standing Committee of Parliament has revealed underutilization of funds of Multi-sectoral Development Program (MsDP) in Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs) since the mega program of Ministry of Minority Affairs launched in 2008-09. In its 27th Report, the Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment (2011-2012) says that since the inception of MsDP in 2008, an amount of Rs. 2359.39 Crore has been released against which expenditure of only Rs. 1174.93 Crore has been reported by the States/UTs. The panel has criticized the minority ministry for casual approach towards the program.
The 70-page report also says that full benefits of the program are not reaching minorities as funds are flowing to those blocks which have negligible presence of minorities. This is because the program is based on district not block, and so the parliamentary committee has recommended that block is considered a unit in place of district.
The report, which was presented in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on 9th May 2012, has also recommended that the lower population limit of 25% (minority population) to declare an MCD should be taken down to 15%.
The MsDP, which was launched in the year 2008-09, is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs for development of minority communities and is being implemented through the States/UTs in 90 MCDs. But actually it is a special area development program that envisages inclusive growth with benefits flowing to everyone in the district and not the minorities alone.
Main Observations/Recommendations of the committee
Bring down 25% minority population criteria to 15%
The criteria of 25% of substantial minority population used for identification of MCDs is very high and would deprive the benefits to many significant minority population districts which are also relatively backward in socio-economic or basic amenities. The Committee, therefore, recommend that the criteria of 25% of substantial minority population used for identification of MCDs be brought down to 15% so that more and more MCDs can be covered under the scheme.
Make block a unit of planning in place of district
The unit of planning in the scheme is district level which is based on Census 2001. The Committee observes that the scheme does not focus entirely on the minority population as districts also cover several blocks/villages which have substantial high non-minority population. In such a scenario, the benefits envisaged for the minority population under MsDP are substantially flowing to the non-minority population in the MCDs which is not the main objective of the scheme. The Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs admitted during the course of oral evidence that there was a need to bring down the unit of planning from the District to Gram Panchayat level or Block level but were constrained as the Census 2001 does not give any data of the block level.
The Committee therefore desire that the Ministry should obtain the latest data of the block level of Census 2011 as early as possible and take immediate measures to bring down the unit of planning from the district level to the block level in order to cover more and more population of the minorities in the minority concentrated blocks which otherwise could not be covered due to the population criteria adopted in the identification of MCDs.
Even after 3 yrs, plans of 28 MCDs not fully approved
The Committee are constrained to note that even after 3 years of launch of MsDP, the district plans of all the 90 MCDs have not been fully approved and there are still 28 MCDs whose plans have been approved only partially . The Committee have been informed that the delay in full approval of district plans in the 28 MCDs is mainly due to non-submission of adequate district plans by the States/UTs. The Committee feel that getting the district plans approved is the first and primary task under the scheme and the delay has only worsened the implementation of the scheme. In the absence of any clear plan, the Committee fear that the timely implementation of MsDP would be adversely affected. The Committee takes a serious note of this and desire that the matter be taken up urgently with the Chief Secretary/Chief Minister of the concerned States to expedite the full approval of the district plans under MsDP.
Just 49% of MsDP funds utilized in 3 years
The Committee note that since the inception of the MsDP in 2008, an amount of Rs. 2359.39 Crore has been released against which expenditure of only Rs. 1174.93 Crore has been reported by the States/UTs. The Committee further note that an amount of Rs. 971.94 and Rs. 913.23 crores has been released by the Ministry against which expenditure of only Rs. 618.18 and Rs. 258.00 crores has been reported by the States/UTs in the years 2009-10 and 2011-12, respectively. The main reason given by the Ministry for the slow pace and less utilization of funds during the year 2009-10 is delay in transfer of funds by States to district authorities/implementing agencies. The Committee take strong objection to the slow manner in which the funds are being spent under MsDP after the release of huge amounts under the scheme. The Committee feel that projects like dispensaries, hostels, polytechnics which form the core not only for development of the minorities but also development in infrastructure are not completed in time. Keeping the funds with the States/UTs or the Implementing agencies without any substantial expenditure results in wastage of valuable financial resources which could have been utilized in other much needed projects in the Country. The Committee therefore strongly desire that the Ministry take concrete steps for reviewing the budgetary requirements under MsDP and also expedite the pace of expenditure under it by way of holding regular meetings at the highest level and also regular monitoring of projects and interaction with the implementing agencies.
Give priority to minority while allotting houses under IAY program
The Committee note that individual specific projects like Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) for BPL families have been sanctioned under MsDP. As envisaged under the programme, the benefits of IAY under MsDP are provided to all the BPL families in order of their serial number in the approved waiting list and not selectively to the families of Minority Communities. The Committee have been informed that to ensure maximum benefits of projects to the minority population, villages/localities having substantial minority population are given priority. However, the Committee is dismayed to note that the Ministry of Minority Affairs have no data of BPL families belonging to minority community living in Minority Concentration Districts nor have the data of such families who have benefitted from Indira Awas Yojana (IAY). The Committee is not happy with such casual approach of the Ministry. The Committee feel that in the absence of such data, the Ministry may not be in a position to assess the progress made in implementation of the programme in MCDs.
The Committee, therefore, recommend to the Ministry to maintain separate data of BPL families living in Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs) and the families who have benefited from Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) under MsDP in these districts as also the percentage it constitutes to the total sanctioned IAY houses and apprise the Committee of the same. The Committee also recommend the Government to give priority to minority community people in allocation of Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) houses in MCDs. The Committee further recommend that the Rajiv Awas Yojna, recently launched for the slumdwellers and urban poor on the lines of Indira Awas Yojana, may be included in Multi-sectoral Development Programme so that the BPL families of minorities living in urban or town areas may also be benefited by this scheme.
Just half the number of approved houses, schools constructed so far
The Committee note with concern that against the total number of 2,95,162 Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) houses approved under the MsDP only 1,75,008 have so far been constructed for beneficiaries. It has been informed by the Ministry that shortfall is due to a gestation period of about (at least) six months for construction of these houses and the time taken by the States to finalize the list of beneficiaries. The Committee are not happy with the reasons given by the Ministry. The progress with regard to construction of houses under the Yojana is not satisfactory. Therefore the Committee strongly recommend that Ministry should pursue the matter with State/UT Governments for completion of IAY houses approved under MsDP within a time bound manner so that more families could be benefited.
The Committee are constrained to note that as against the 689 school and 2498 primary health care centres approved under MsDP only 334 schools and 1623 primary health care centres have been constructed. It has been informed by the Ministry that all projects involve construction work and hence there is a gestation period of more than a year to complete these projects and also States have to undertake tendering process before starting work. This results in lesser number of construction units as against the approved units. The Committee is not happy with the reasons cited by the Ministry in regard to construction of schools and primary health care centres. Since the education is a key parameter for upliftment of minority population and health is equally important, therefore, the Committee recommend that the Government should play more proactive role and urges the States/UTs for completion of approved schools and primary health care centers in a time bound manner.
Urdu schools not getting mid-day meals
During the visit to Urdu school in Kolkata by the Study Group of the Committee, the official of the school were advised by the Study Group to distribute mid day meals to the children attending the school. In this regard, the Ministry have informed that the Government of West Bengal has been requested to give the latest status of the action taken to remove the deficiencies pointed out by the Study Group and the report of the Government of West Bengal is still awaited. The Committee feel sad to note that even after a gap of one year the report of the Government of West Bengal is still awaited. The Committee, therefore desire the Government to implement the recommendations/suggestions of the Committee to distribute mid day meals to the children attending the schools sincerely and apprise the Committee of the precise action taken thereon.
Vocational training centres not yet opened
The Committee note with concern that in respect of projects i.e. construction of dyeing unit and vocational training of computer and I.T. the proposals were submitted to the line Ministry for appraisal/comments who in turn suggested Private Public Partnership (PPP) mode. Since, PPP mode is not envisaged under MsDP, it was decided to drop these projects and the concerned State Governments were advised to submit the revised alternative proposals for the amount involved in consonance with the guidelines of MsDP which was accepted by the concerned State Governments. Therefore, the Committee desire that the Ministry should impress upon the State Governments urgently to submit revised alternative proposals for construction of dyeing unit, vocational training of computer and I.T. in consonance with the guideline of MsDP. The Committee further desire the Government to consider inclusion of PPP mode projects also in the MsDP scheme.
Monitoring Committees for MCDs not holding meeting
The Committee note that State and District Level Committees have been constituted in all 20 States/UTs which have MCDs for monitoring the implementation of MsDP. The Committee also note that the scheme in the PM’s New 15 point programme for the Welfare of the minorities are implemented in all States/UTs throughout the country. As per the PM’s new 15 point programme, the States/UTs are expected to constitute a State level Committee for implementation of the programme which also serves as the State level Committee for oversight of the implementation of MCDs. Upto two Members of Parliament from Lok Sabha and one Member of Parliament from Rajya Sabha representing the States have to be nominated by the Centre and two members of the Legislative Assembly shall be nominated by the State Government. However, one of the members included in the State level Committee from Lok Sabha and Legislative Assembly should have been elected from any of MCDs of those States. The programme envisages that the State level Committee should meet at least once every quarter.
The Committee however find from the replies furnished by the Ministry that except for Jharkhand, State level Committee meetings in the 19 MCD States are not being held as per programme which envisages the holding of State Level Meetings at least once every quarter. What is more disturbing is that not even a single State level meeting has been held by Meghalaya and Madhya Pradesh during the last 4 years. The Committee is further dismayed to note that details of State level Meeting attended by MPs/MLAs for only two States namely Kerala and West Bengal is available with the Ministry and for the remaining 18 States/UTs, the information has been sought by the Ministry from the concerned States/UTs. The Committee also observed that no sitting MP from Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha has attended these sittings in both the States. The Committee are of the view that it is very important for the State level Committee to meet more often so that various programmes under MsDP can be periodically reviewed and concrete corrective measures taken in time. The MPs/MLAs who are members of the State level Monitoring Committees should be invited and encouraged to attend such meetings so that various programmes under MsDP can be effectively monitored. The Ministry should obtain and maintain data and details of the State level Committee Meetings, decisions taken in these meetings, shortcomings if any pointed out in these meetings, difficulties if any faced in implementation of MsDP etc. so that the scheme can be monitored effectively at the National level and remedial action taken immediately to meet the shortcomings.
Composition of the Parliamentary Committee
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on MsDP was headed by Dara Singh Chauhan.
Following were the members of the committee:
Members from Lok Sabha
2. Shri Kameshwar Baitha
3. Smt. Susmita Bauri
4. Shri Devidhan Besra
5. Smt. Rama Devi
6. Shri Premchand Guddu
7. Dr. Manda Jagannath
8. Shri Mohan Jena
9. Shri Dinesh Kashyap
10. Shri G.V. Harsha Kumar
11. Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy
12. Shri Basori Singh Masram
13. Shri R. Dhruva Narayana
14. Shri Ramashankar Rajbhar
15. Shri Pradeep Kumar Singh
16. Shri Lalit Mohan Suklabaidya
17. Shri Kabir Suman
18. Smt. Usha Verma
19. Vacant
20. Vacant
21. Vacant
Members from Rajya Sabha
22. Smt. Jharna Das Baidya
23. Shri Avtar Singh Karimpuri
24. Shri Narayan Singh Kesari
25. Shri Chiranjeevi Konidala
26. Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste
27. Shri Mahmood A. Madani
28. Shri Ahmad Saeed Malihabadi
29. Dr. Ram Dayal Munda
30. Shri Baishnab Parida
31. Shri Praveen Rashtrapal
32. Shri Shivpratap Singh
33. Shri Nandi Yelliah