Schemes under Ministry of Rural Development

Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan Launched

Introduction
Objectives
Highlights of the scheme
Coverage
Duration
Intended beneficiaries
Focus works
Implementation of scheme
Significance

Introduction

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the mega ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan’ aimed to boost livelihood opportunities in rural India amid the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

Objectives

The objectives of this 125 days Abhiyaan, with a resource envelop of Rs. 50,000 Crore are:

Provide livelihood opportunities to returning migrants and similarly affected rural citizens
Saturate villages with public infrastructure – Anganwadis, Panchayat Bhawans, Community Sanitary Complexes etc.
Set stage for enhancing longer term livelihood opportunities.

Highlights of the scheme

The first priority of the scheme is to meet the immediate requirement of workers who have gone back to their districts by providing them with livelihood opportunities.
The focus is also on rural citizens.

Coverage

A total of 116 Districts with more than 25,000 returnee migrant workers across six States, namely Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha have been chosen for the campaign which includes 27 Aspirational Districts.
These districts are estimated to cover about 2/3 of such migrant workers.

Duration of the scheme

Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA) will be operational for a period of 125 days, commencing from 20th June, 2020.

Intended Beneficiaries

Returnee migrant workers and similarly affected rural population of 6 States namely Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Focus on 25 Works

Abhiyaan involves intensified and focused implementation of 25 target driven works to provide employments and create infrastructure in the rural areas of 116 Abhiyaan Districts with a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore.

Following is the list of 25 works & activities from participating Ministries/Departments.

Community Sanitary Complexes
Gram Panchayat Bhawans
Works under Finance Commission funds
National Highway works
Water conservation & Harvesting works
Wells
Plantation works (including CAMPA Funds)
Horticulture
Anganwadi Centers
Rural housing works (PMAY-G)
Rural connectivity works (PMGSY)& Border road works
Railway works
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee RURBAN Mission
PM KUSUM works
Laying of Optic Fiber under Bharat Net
Works under Jal Jeevan Mission
PM Urja Ganga Project
Training through KVK for Livelihoods
Works through District Mineral Fund
Solid and liquid waste management works
Farm ponds
Cattle sheds
Goat Sheds
Poultry sheds
Vermicomposting

Implementation of the scheme

The scheme will be a coordinated effort by 12 different ministries including rural development, Panchayati Raj, Road transport and highways, mines, drinking water and sanitation, environment, railways, petroleum and natural gas, new and renewable energy, border Roads, Telecom and agriculture.

Why these 6 states were chosen?

Post-COVID-19 lockdown, maximum migrant workers have returned to these six states.
These districts are estimated to cover about 2/3 of such migrant workers.
The chosen districts include 27 aspirational districts.

Significance of the scheme

The jobs selected in the campaign will enable proper utilisation of the strength and skill of people.
It will also enable the government to convert Covid crisis into an opportunity.
The campaign will contribute towards provision of modern facilities, such as internet connectivity, laying of optic fibre cables, to increase internet speed in villages, so that children in villages are able to study and learn like those in cities.

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM)

Introduction
Mission
Guiding principles
Values
Key Features
Convergence and partnerships

Introduction

Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) was launched by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India in June 2011 as a restructured version of Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna (SGSY).
The Mission aims at creating efficient and effective institutional platforms of the rural poor enabling them to increase household income through sustainable livelihood enhancements and improved access to financial services.
In November 2015, the program was renamed Deendayal Antayodaya Yojana (DAY-NRLM).
NRLM has set out with an agenda to cover 7 Crore rural poor households, across 600 districts, 6000 blocks, 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats and 6 lakh villages in the country through self-managed Self Help Groups (SHGs) and federated institutions and support them for livelihoods collectives in a period of 8-10 years.
In addition, the poor would be facilitated to achieve increased access to their rights, entitlements and public services, diversified risk and better social indicators of empowerment.
NRLM believes in harnessing the innate capabilities of the poor and complements them with capacities (information, knowledge, skills, tools, finance and collectivization) to participate in the growing economy of the country.

DAY – NRLM Mission

“To reduce poverty by enabling the poor households to access gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities, resulting in appreciable improvement in their livelihoods on a sustainable basis, through building strong grassroots institutions of the poor.”

DAY – NRLM – Guiding Principles

Poor have a strong desire to come out of poverty, and they have innate capabilities
Social mobilization and building strong institutions of the poor is critical for unleashing the innate capabilities of the poor.
An external dedicated and sensitive support structure is required to induce the social mobilization, institution building and empowerment process.
Facilitating knowledge dissemination, skill building, access to credit, access to marketing, and access to other livelihoods services underpins this upward mobility.

DAY – NRLM Values

The core values which guide all the activities under NRLM are as follows:
Inclusion of the poorest, and meaningful role to the poorest in all the processes
Transparency and accountability of all processes and institutions
Ownership and key role of the poor and their institutions in all stages – planning, implementation, and, monitoring
Community self-reliance and self-dependence
Phased Implementation
Year wise break up in terms of coverage of districts and blocks as envisaged by NRLM.

Key Features

Universal Social Mobilisation –

At least one woman member from each identified rural poor household, is to be brought under the Self Help Group (SHG) network in a time bound manner.
Special emphasis is particularly on vulnerable communities such as manual scavengers, victims of human trafficking, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and bonded labour.
NRLM has devised special strategies to reach out to these communities and help them graduate out of poverty.

Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP) –

The inclusion of the target group under NRLM is determined by a well-defined, transparent and equitable process of participatory identification of poor, at the level of the community.
All households identified as poor through the PIP process is the NRLM Target Group and is eligible for all the benefits under the programme.
Target Group is identified through the Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP) method.
The NRLM Target Group (NTG) derived through the PIP is de-linked from the BPL.

Community Funds as Resources in Perpetuity –

NRLM provides Revolving Fund (RF) and Community Investment Fund (CIF) as resources in perpetuity to the institutions of the poor, to strengthen their institutional and financial management capacity and build their track record to attract mainstream bank finance.

Financial Inclusion –

NRLM works on both demand and supply sides of financial inclusion. On the demand side, it promotes financial literacy among the poor and provides catalytic capital to the SHGs and their federations.
On the supply side, the Mission coordinates with the financial sector and encourages use of Information, Communication & Technology (ICT) based financial technologies, business correspondents and community facilitators like ‘Bank Mitras’.
It also works towards universal coverage of rural poor against risk of loss of life, health and assets. Further, it works on remittances, especially in areas where migration is endemic.

Livelihoods –

NRLM focuses on stabilizing and promoting existing livelihood portfolio of the poor through its three pillars –

‘vulnerability reduction’ and
‘livelihoods enhancement’ through deepening/enhancing and expanding existing livelihoods options and tapping new opportunities in farm and non-farm sectors;
‘employment’ – building skills for the job market outside; and ‘enterprises’ – nurturing self-employed and entrepreneurs (for micro-enterprises).

Convergence and partnerships

Convergence

NRLM places a high emphasis on convergence with other programmes of the MoRD and other Central Ministries.
Convergence is also sought with programmes of state governments for developing synergies directly or indirectly with institutions of the poor.

Partnerships with NGOs and other CSOs

NRLM has been proactively seeking partnerships with Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), at two levels – strategic and implementation.
The partnerships are guided by NRLM’s core beliefs and values, and mutual agreement on processes and outcomes.
Partnership guidelines to partner with NGOs, CSOs have been finalized and approved this year.

Linkages with PRIs

In view of the eminent roles of Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs), it is necessary to consciously structure and facilitates a mutually beneficial working relationship between Panchayats and institutions of the poor, particularly at the level of Village Panchayats.
Formal platforms would be established for regular consultations between such institutions and PRIs for exchange of mutual advice, support and sharing of resources.

Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana

Introduction

The Government of India has introduced a new sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY – NRLM) entitled “Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana ” (AGEY) from the financial year 2017-18.

Objectives

To provide an alternative source of livelihoods to members of SHGs under DAY – NRLM by facilitating them to operate public transport services in backward rural areas, as identified by the States
To provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural transport services to connect remote villages with key services and amenities (including access to markets, education and health) for the overall economic development of the area by making use of the supports available within the framework of DAY – NRLM.

Salient features

Under the programme, the Community Investment Fund (CIF) provided to Community based Organisations (CBOs) under the existing provisions of DAY – NRLM scheme will be utilised to support the SHG members to operate the public transport services.

The States will have the following two options to implement the scheme:

Option I:

Vehicle will be financed by the Community Based Organisations (CBOs) out of its CIF corpus.
The vehicle will be purchased and owned by CBO and leased to SHG member.
The beneficiary SHG member will operate the vehicle on selected route and will pay a monthly lease rental to the CBO.
Care will be taken to ensure that the monthly lease rental fixed is reasonable and supports viability of the enterprise for the SHG member and the cost of the vehicle is also recovered from the SHG member over a maximum period of 6 years.
Interest will not be charged while recovering the cost through lease rental.
Annual cost of insurance, road tax, permit cost and maintenance cost including replacement of tyres would be borne by the CBO.
The maximum funding for such items shall not exceed Rs. 2.00 lakhs per vehicle per CBO for the duration of the scheme from 2017 – 18 to 2019 – 20.
The expenditure on this account will be incurred by the CBOs, as per requirement.
The running cost of the vehicle and routine maintenance (i.e. , fuel, oil, engine oil, servicing etc.) shall be borne by the SHG member.
The decision regarding the ownership of the vehicle after the cost of vehicle is fully paid up through lease rental will be taken by the CBO which may include transfer of ownership of the vehicle to the SHG member for a consideration or sale of the vehicle to any other person.

Option II:

CBO will provide an interest free loan from its CIF corpus to SHG member for purchase of the vehicle.
SHG member will repay the loan over a maximum period of 6 years and bear all the costs connected with the operation of the vehicle, including annual cost of insurance, road tax, permit cost, maintenance cost and all other running costs of the vehicle (i.e., fuel, oil, etc.).
After repayment of the loan, the ownership of the vehicle will be transferred to the SHG member

Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana

Introduction
Focus and strategy
Intervention strategy
Implementation strategy

Introduction

Rural women form the most productive work force in the economy of majority of the developing nations including India.
More than 80% of rural women are engaged in agriculture activities for their livelihoods. About 20 per cent of farm livelihoods are female headed due to widowhood, desertion, or male emigration.
Agriculture support system in India strengthens the exclusion of women from their entitlements as agriculture workers and cultivators.
Most of the women-headed households are not able to access extension services, farmers support institutions and production assets like seed, water, credit, subsidy etc. As agricultural workers, women are paid lower wage than men.
The “Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana” (MKSP), a sub component of the Deendayal Antodaya Yojana-NRLM (DAY-NRLM) seeks to improve the present status of women in Agriculture, and to enhance the opportunities available to empower her.

Focus and strategy

MKSP recognizes the identity of “Mahila” as “Kisan” and strives to build the capacity of women in the domain of agro-ecologically sustainable practices.
It has a clear vision to reach out to the poorest of poor households and expand the portfolio of activities currently handled by the Mahila Kisan.
The focus of MKSP is on capacitating smallholders to adopt sustainable climate resilient agro-ecology and eventually create a pool of skilled community professionals.
Its objective is to strengthen smallholder agriculture through promotion of sustainable agriculture practices such as Community Managed Sustainable Agriculture (CMSA), Non Pesticide Management (NPM), Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), Pashu-Sakhi model for doorstep animal care services, Sustainable regeneration and harvesting of Non-Timber Forest Produce.

Intervention strategy

MKSP intervention strategy involves building a structure on the foundation of sustainability.
This involves incorporating climate change resilient and ecologically sound practices into the overall structure.
Community Resource Persons (CRPs) play a proactive role in scaling up these initiatives.
Major interventions promoted under DAY-NRLM which contribute to climate change resilience & risk mitigation among the poor are:

Community managed sustainable agriculture (agro-ecology approaches)
Usage of locally available natural inputs – for pest management and soil fertility management
System of root intensification – SRI, SCI
Promotion of millets and cereal crops
Promotion of multiple crops
Tree based farming practices
Regeneration of forest species
Usage of locally available natural inputs
Integrated farming practice with small ruminants
Convergence with MGNREGA to create agriculture assets for the community
Non Pesticide Management
Natural soil fertility Management
Integrating livestock with agriculture
Integration of livestock – promotion of Pashu sakhi model
Ensuring the scalability of climate change resilient agriculture practices through Community Best Practitioners (CBPs)
In-situ rain water harvesting

Implementation strategy

The program is being implemented by DAY-NRLM in partnership with State Rural Livelihood Missions/ Community Based Organizations (CBOs)/NGOs, as implementing partners (PIAs) across the country.
These agencies are expected to support and nurture scalable livelihood models in the MKSP intervention areas.
In the process, it is expected that a cadre of barefoot community professionals will be created from among the best practioners.
The State Rural Livelihood Missions will further replicate the models with the help of the community.

Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Progam

Introduction

The Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) is being implemented as a sub-scheme under National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) to promote start – up enterprises in rural areas.
The SVEP proposes to address following three major problems of rural start-ups

1. A missing knowledge eco-system
2. A missing incubation eco-system
3. A missing financial eco-system

SVEP will hence be a focused intervention to promote start-up entrepreneurship at village level by rural poor households by providing assured availability of need based financial support, capacity building and advisory services for establishment of village enterprises.
SVEP envisages creation of sustainable self employment opportunities for a large number of rural poor youth, enabling them to engage effectively with the market and help generate wealth locally.
In the process, SVEP will bring banks and financial institutions closer to the village entrepreneur.
SVEP will initially support creating and strengthening of 1,82,200 village enterprises in 125 blocks across 24 States in the country over a 5 year period from 2014 – 15 to 2018 – 19.
Based on the success of this initial phase of 5 years, it will be taken up in all the blocks of the country in sync with the roll out of NRLM.
This intervention has over the next 12 – 15 years the potential to reach out to and support 1.0 crore rural entrepreneurs and generate employment for more than 2.0 crore persons.

National Rural Livelihoods Project (NRLP)

National Rural Livelihoods Project (NRLP) has been designed as a sub-set of NRLM to create ‘proof of concept’, build capacities of the Centre and States and create an enabling environment to facilitate all States and Union Territories to transit to the NRLM.
NRLP would be implemented in 13 high poverty states accounting for about 90 percent of the rural poor in the country.
Intensive livelihood investments would be made by the NRLP in 107 districts and 422 blocks of 13 states (Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu).
Distribution of project funds among the states would be based on inter-se poverty ratios.

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana or DDU-GKY

Introduction

The Vision of DDU-GKY is to “Transform rural poor youth into an economically independent and globally relevant workforce”.
It aims to target youth, in the age group of 15–35 years.
DDU-GKY is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth.

Objectives

Enable Poor and Marginalized to Access Benefits.
Mandatory coverage of socially disadvantaged groups (SC/ST 50%; Minority 15%; Women 33%).
Shifting Emphasis from Training to Career Progression.
Post-placement support, migration support and alumni network.
Proactive Approach to Build Placement Partnerships.
Guaranteed Placement for at least 75% trained candidates.
Enhancing the Capacity of Implementation Partners
Nurturing new training service providers and developing their skills.
Greater emphasis on projects for poor rural youth in Jammu and Kashmir (HIMAYAT).

Features

Enable Poor and Marginalized to Access Benefits
Demand led skill training at no cost to the rural poor
Inclusive Program Design
Mandatory coverage of socially disadvantaged groups (SC/ST 50%; Minority 15%; Women 33%)
Shifting Emphasis from Training to Career Progression
Pioneers in providing incentives for job retention, career progression and foreign placements
Greater Support for Placed Candidates
Post-placement support, migration support and alumni network
Proactive Approach to Build Placement Partnerships
Guaranteed Placement for at least 75% trained candidates
Enhancing the Capacity of Implementation Partners
Nurturing new training service providers and developing their skills
Regional Focus
Greater emphasis on projects for poor rural youth in Jammu and Kashmir (HIMAYAT),
The North-East region and 27 Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) districts (ROSHINI)
Standards-led Delivery
All program activities are subject to Standard Operating Procedures that are not open to interpretation by local inspectors. All inspections are supported by geo-tagged, time stamped videos/photographs.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Rural Youth:15 – 35 Yrs
SC/ST/Women/PVTG/PWD: upto 45 Yrs

Project Funding Support

DDU-GKY provides funding support for placement linked skilling projects that address the market demand with funding support ranging from Rs. 25,696 to over Rs. 1 lakh per person, depending on the duration of the project and whether the project is residential or non-residential.
DDU-GKY funds projects with training duration from 576 hours (3 months) to 2304 hours (12 months).
Funding components include support for training costs, boarding and lodging (residential programmes), transportation costs, post-placement support costs, career progression and retention support costs.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Gramin (PMAY-G)

Introduction
About the Scheme
Objective
Cost sharing
Selection of beneficiaries
Funding Pattern
Target Group

Introduction

Housing is one of the basic requirements for human survival.
For a normal citizen owning a house provides significant economic and social security and status in society.
For a shelter less person, a house brings about a profound social change in his existence, endowing him with an identity, thus integrating him with his immediate social milieu.
In pursuance to the goal –
Housing for all by 2022, the rural housing scheme Indira Awas Yojana has been revamped to Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin and approved during March 2016.
Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided for construction of pucca house to all houseless and households living in dilapidated houses.
The scheme would be implemented in rural areas throughout India except Delhi and Chandigarh.
The cost of houses would be shared between Centre and States.

About PMAY- G

The erstwhile rural housing scheme Indira Awaas yojana (IAY) has been restructured into Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana –Gramin (PMAY-G) from 01.04.2016

Objective

To provide pucca house to all who are houseless and living in dilapidated houses in rural areas by 2022.

Target

Construction of 2.95 crore houses with all basic amenities by the year 2022.

Cost sharing

The cost of unit assistance in this scheme is shared between Central and State Governments in the ratio 60:40 in plain areas and 90: 10 for North Eastern and Himalayan States.
The scheme envisages training of Rural Masons with the objective of improving workmanship and quality of construction of houses while at the same time, increasing availability of skilled masons and enhancing employability of such masons.

Selection of beneficiaries

Based on housing deprivation parameters of Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), 2011, subject to 13 point exclusion criteria, followed by Gram Sabha verification.

Funding Pattern

Under PMAY, the cost of unit assistance is to be shared between Central and State Governments in the ratio 60:40 in plain areas and 90:10 for North Eastern and hilly states.
The unit assistance given to beneficiaries under the programme is Rs 1,20,000 in plain areas and to Rs 1,30,000 in hilly states/difficult areas /Integrated Action Plan (IAP) for Selected Tribal and Backward Districts.
Presently the NE States, States of HP, J&K and Uttarakhand and all 82 LWE districts are identified as difficult and hilly areas.
The unit size is 25 sq.m including a dedicated area for hygienic cooking.
The beneficiary is entitled to 90 days of unskilled labour from MGNREGA.
The beneficiary would be facilitated to avail loan of up to Rs.70,000/- for construction of the house which is optional.
Funds will be transferred electronically directly to the account of the beneficiary.

Target Group

Identification of beneficiaries eligible for assistance and their prioritisation to be done using information from Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) ensuring total transparency and objectivity.
The list will be presented to Gram Sabha to identify beneficiaries who have been assisted before or who have become ineligible due to other reasons.
The finalised list will be published. Annual list of beneficiaries will be identified from the total list through participatory process by the Gram Sabha.
Gram Sabha will need to justify in writing with reasons for any alteration of priority in the original list.

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana

Introduction
PMGSY – Phase I
Guiding Principles of PMGSY and Definitions
Planning for Rural Roads
PMGSY – Phase II
Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Area (RCPLWEA)
PMGSY – Phase III
Status of PMGSY

Introduction

Rural Road Connectivity is not only a key component of Rural Development by promoting access to economic and social services and thereby generating increased agricultural incomes and productive employment opportunities in India, it is also as a result, a key ingredient in ensuring sustainable poverty reduction.
Hence, Government launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana on 25th December, 2000 to provide all-weather access to unconnected habitations.
The Ministry of Rural Development along with state governments is responsible for the implementation of PMGSY.

PMGSY – Phase I

PMGSY – Phase I was launched in December, 2000 as a 100 % centrally sponsored scheme with an objective to provide single all-weather road connectivity to eligible unconnected habitation of designated population size (500+ in plain areas and 250+ in North-East, hill, tribal and desert areas, 00 – 249 population in LWE districts as per Census, 2001) for overall socio-economic development of the areas.
Also, upgradation (to prescribed standards) of the existing roads in those Districts where all the eligible Habitations of the designated population size have been provided all-weather road connectivity was to be taken up.
However, Upgradation is not central to the Programme. In Upgradation works, priority was to be given to Through Routes of the Rural Core Network, which carry more traffic.
Under the scheme, 1,35,436 habitations were targeted for providing road connectivity and 3.68 lakh km. for upgradation of existing rural roads (including 40 % renewal of rural roads to be funded by the States) in order to ensure full farm to market connectivity.

Guiding Principles of PMGSY and Definitions

The spirit and the objective of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is to provide good all-weather road connectivity to unconnected Habitations.
A habitation which was earlier provided all-weather connectivity would not be eligible even if the present condition of the road is bad.
The unit for this Programme is a Habitation and not a Revenue village or a Panchayat. A Habitation is a cluster of population, living in an area, the location of which does not change over time.
Desam, Dhanis, Tolas, Majras, Hamlets etc. are commonly used terminology to describe the Habitations.
An Unconnected Habitation is one with a population of designated size located at a distance of at least 500 metres or more (1.5 km of path distance in case of Hills) from an All-weather road or a connected Habitation.
The population, as recorded in the Census 2001, shall be the basis for determining the population size of the Habitation.
The population of all Habitations within a radius of 500 metres (1.5 km. of path distance in case of Hills) may be clubbed together for the purpose of determining the population size.
This cluster approach would enable provision of connectivity to a larger number of Habitations, particularly in the Hill / mountainous areas.
The eligible Unconnected Habitations are to be connected to nearby Habitations already connected by an All-weather road or to another existing All-weather road so that services (educational, health, marketing facilities etc.), which are not available in the unconnected Habitation, become available to the residents.
A Core Network is that minimal Network of roads (routes) that is essential to provide Basic access to essential social and economic services to all eligible habitations in the selected areas through at least single all-weather road connectivity.

A Core Network comprises of Through Routes and Link Routes.

Through routes are the ones which collect traffic from several link roads or a long chain of Habitations and lead it to Marketing centres either directly or through the higher category roads i.e., the District Roads or the State or National Highway.
Link Routes are the roads connecting a single Habitation or a group of Habitations to Through Routes or District Roads leading to Market Centres.
Link routes generally have dead ends terminating on a Habitation, while Through Routes arise from the confluence of two or more Link Routes and emerge on to a major Road or to a Market Centre.
It should be ensured that each road work that is taken up under the PMGSY is part of the Core Network. While keeping the objective of Connectivity in view, preference should be given to those roads which also incidentally serve other Habitations. In other words, without compromising the basic objective (covering 1000+ Habitations first and 500+ Habitations next and 250+ Habitations where eligible, last), preference should be given to those roads which serve a larger population. For this purpose, while Habitations within a distance of 500 metres from the road is considered as connected in case of plain areas, this distance should be 1.5 km (of path length) in respect of Hills.
The PMGSY shall cover only the rural areas. Urban roads are excluded from the purview of this Programme. Even in the rural areas, PMGSY covers only the Rural Roads i.e., Roads that were formerly classified as ‘Other District Roads’ (ODR) and ‘Village Roads’ (VR). Other District Roads (ODR) are roads serving rural areas of production and providing them with outlet to market centres, taluka (tehsil) headquarters, Block headquarters or other main roads. Village Roads (VR) are roads connecting villages / Habitation or groups of Habitation with each other and to the nearest road of a higher category. Major District Roads, State Highways and National Highways cannot be covered under the PMGSY, even if they happen to be in rural areas. This applies to New Connectivity roads as well as Upgradation works.
The PMGSY envisages only single road Connectivity to be provided. If a Habitation is already connected by way of an All-weather road, then no new work can be taken up under the PMGSY for that habitation.
Provision of connectivity to unconnected Habitations would be termed as New Connectivity. Since the purpose of PMGSY inter alia is to provide farm to market access, new connectivity may involve ‘new construction’ where the link to the habitation is missing and additionally, if required, ‘Upgradation’ where an intermediate link in its present condition cannot function as an all-weather road
Upgradation, when permitted would typically involve building the base and surface courses of an existing road to desired technical specifications and / or improving the geometrics of the road, as required in accordance with traffic condition.
The primary focus of the PMGSY is to provide All-weather road connectivity to the eligible unconnected Habitations. An All-weather road is one which is negotiable in all seasons of the year. This implies that the road-bed is drained effectively (by adequate cross-drainage structures such as culverts, minor bridges and causeways), but this does not necessarily imply that it should be paved or surfaced or black-topped. Interruptions to traffic as per permitted frequency and duration may be allowed.
There may be roads which are Fair-weather roads. In other words, they are fordable only during the dry season, because of lack of Cross Drainage (CD) works. Conversion of such roads to All-weather roads through provision of CD works would be treated as Upgradation. It must be noted that on all the road works of the PMGSY, provision of necessary CD works is considered an essential element
PMGSY does not permit repairs to Black-topped or Cement Roads, even if the surface condition is bad.
The Rural Roads constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana will be in accordance with the provision of the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) as given in the Rural Roads Manual (IRC:SP20:2002). In case of Hill Roads, for matters not covered by the Rural Roads Manual, provisions of Hills Roads Manual (IRC:SP:48) may apply.

Planning for Rural Roads

Proper planning is imperative to achieve the objectives of the Programme in a systematic and cost effective manner. The Manual for the Preparation of District Rural Roads Plan and the Core Network shall be treated as part of the Guidelines and would stand amended to the extent modified by the present Guidelines. The Manual lays down the various steps in the planning process and the role of different Agencies including the Intermediate Panchayat, the District Panchayat as well as the State Level Standing Committee. In the identification of the Core Network, the priorities of elected representatives, including MPs and MLAs, are expected to be duly taken into account and given full consideration. The Rural Roads Plan and the Core Network would constitute the basis for all planning exercises under the PMGSY.
The District Rural Roads Plan would indicate the entire existing road network system in the District and also clearly identify the proposed roads for providing connectivity to Unconnected Habitations, in an economic and efficient manner in terms of cost and utility. The Core Network will identify the roads required to assure each eligible Habitation with a Basic Access (single all-weather road connectivity) to essential social and economic services. Accordingly, the Core Network would consist of some of the existing roads as well as all the roads proposed for new construction under the PMGSY.
In proposing the new links under the District Rural Roads Plan, it would be first necessary to indicate the weightage for various services. The District Panchayat shall be the competent authority to select the set of socio-economic / infrastructure variables best suited for the District, categorise them and accord relative weightages to them. This would be communicated to all concerned before commencing the preparation of the District Rural Roads Plan.
The Plan would first be prepared at the Block level, in accordance with the directions contained in the Manual and the priorities spelt out by the District Panchayat. In short, the existing road network would be drawn up, unconnected Habitations identified and the roads required to connect these unconnected Habitations prepared. This shall constitute the Block Level Master Plan.
Once this exercise is completed, the Core Network for the Block is identified, by making best use of the existing and proposed road facilities in such a manner that all the eligible Habitations are assured of a Basic access. It must be ensured that every eligible Habitation is within 500 metres (1.5 km of Path length in the Hills) of a connected Habitation or an All-weather road (either existing or planned). In drawing up the proposed road links, the requirements of the people must be taken into account, through the socio-economic/infrastructure values (Road Index) suitably weighted and the alignment having the higher Road Index ought to be considered for selection.
The Block level Master Plan and the Core Network are then placed before the Intermediate Panchayat for consideration and approval of the Core Network. They are simultaneously sent, along with the list of all unconnected Habitations to the Members of Parliament and MLAs, for their comments, if any. After approval by the Intermediate Panchayat, the Plans would be placed before the District Panchayat for its approval. It will be incumbent on the District Panchayat to ensure that the suggestions given by the Members of Parliament are given full consideration within the framework of these Guidelines. Once approved by the District Panchayat, a copy of the Core Network would be sent to the State-level Agency as well as the National Rural Roads Development Agency. No road work may be proposed under the PMGSY for New Connectivity or Upgradation (where permitted) unless it forms part of the Core Network.

PMGSY – Phase II

The Phase II of PMGSY was approved during May, 2013. While the ongoing PMGSY – I continued, under PMGSY phase II, the roads already built for village connectivity was to be upgraded to enhance rural infrastructure. For the 12th Five Year Plan period a target of 50,000 Km length under PMGSY-II. 75 per cent of the cost of the upgradation was by the Centre and 25 per cent by the state. For hill states, desert areas, Schedule V areas and Naxal-affected districts, 90 per cent of cost was borne by the Centre
Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Area (RCPLWEA)
Government launched Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism affected Areas in the year 2016 as a separate vertical under PMGSY to provide all-weather road connectivity with necessary culverts and cross-drainage structures in 44 districts (35 are worst LWE affected districts and 09 are adjoining districts), which are critical from security and communication point of view.
Under the project, construction/upgradation of 5,411.81 km road and 126 bridges/Cross Drainage works was targeted to be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs.11,724.53 crore in the above district. The fund sharing pattern of LWE road project is in the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and States for all States except for eight North Eastern and three Himalayan States (Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand) for which it is 90:10.

PMGSY – Phase III

The Phase III was approved by the Cabinet during July 2019. It involves consolidation of Through Routes and Major Rural Links connecting habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals. Under the PMGSY-III Scheme, it is proposed to consolidate 1,25,000 Km road length in the States. The duration of the scheme is 2019-20 to 2024-25.
The funds would be shared in the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and State for all States except for 8 North Eastern and 3 Himalayan States (Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand) for which it is 90:10.

Progress under PMGSY

A total of 5,99,090 Km road length has been constructed under the scheme since inception till April, 2019 (inclusive of PMGSY-I, PMGSY-II and RCPLWEA Scheme.

Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Area (RCPLWEA)

Government launched Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism affected Areas in the year 2016 as a separate vertical under PMGSY to provide all-weather road connectivity with necessary culverts and cross-drainage structures in 44 districts (35 are worst LWE affected districts and 09 are adjoining districts), which are critical from security and communication point of view. Under the Scheme, 5,066 Km road length has been sanctioned.

MGNREGA

About MGNREGA
Eligibility criteria
Key facts Roles of gram panchayat
Implementation Status
Activities covered under MGNREGA
Analysis

About MGNREGA

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), also known as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) is Indian legislation enacted on August 25, 2005.
The MGNREGA provides a legal guarantee for one hundred days of employment in every financial year to adult members of any rural household willing to do public work-related unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum wage.
The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), Govt of India is monitoring the entire implementation of this scheme in association with state governments.
This act was introduced with an aim of improving the purchasing power of the rural people, primarily semi or un-skilled work to people living below poverty line in rural India.
It attempts to bridge the gap between the rich and poor in the country.
Roughly one-third of the stipulated work force must be women.
Adult members of rural households submit their name, age and address with photo to the Gram Panchayat.
The Gram Panchayat registers households after making enquiry and issues a job card.
The job card contains the details of adult member enrolled and his /her photo.
Registered person can submit an application for work in writing (for at least fourteen days of continuous work) either to Panchayat or to Programme Officer.
The Panchayat/Programme officer will accept the valid application and issue dated receipt of application, letter providing work will be sent to the applicant and also displayed at Panchayat office.
The employment will be provided within a radius of 5 km: if it is above 5 km extra wage will be paid.

Eligibility Criteria

Must be Citizen of India to seek MGNREGA benefits.
Job seeker has completed 18 years of age at the time of application.
The applicant must be part of a local household (i.e. application must be made with local Gram Panchayat).
Applicant must volunteer for unskilled labour.

Key facts

MGNREGA guarantees hundred days of wage employment in a financial year, to a rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
Individual beneficiary oriented works can be taken up on the cards of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, small or marginal farmers or beneficiaries of land reforms or beneficiaries under the Indira Awaas Yojana of the Government of India.
Within 15 days of submitting the application or from the day work is demanded, wage employment will be provided to the applicant.
Right to get unemployment allowance in case employment is not provided within fifteen days of submitting the application or from the date when work is sought.
Receipt of wages within fifteen days of work done.
Variety of permissible works which can be taken up by the Gram Panchayaths.
MGNREGA focuses on the economic and social empowerment of women.
MGNREGA provides “Green” and “Decent” work.
Social Audit of MGNREGA works is mandatory, which lends to accountability and transparency.
MGNREGA works address the climate change vulnerability and protect the farmers from such risks and conserve natural resources.
The Gram Sabha is the principal forum for wage seekers to raise their voices and make demands.
It is the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat which approves the shelf of works under MGNREGA and fix their priority.

Roles of Gram Panchayat

Receiving applications for registration
Verifying registration applications
Registering households
Issuing Job Cards (JCs)
Receiving applications for work
Issuing dated receipts for these applications for work
Allotting work within fifteen days of submitting the application or from the date when work is sought in the case of an advance application.
Identification and planning of works, developing shelf of projects including determination of the order of their priority.

Implementation Status

The scheme was introduced in 200 districts during financial year 2006-07 and 130 districts during the financial year 2007-08.
In April 2008 NREGA expanded to entire rural area of the country covering 34 States and Union Territories, 614 Districts, 6,096 Blocks and 2.65 lakhs Gram Panchayat.
The scheme now covers 648 Districts, 6,849 Blocks and 2,50,441 Gram Panchayats in the financial year 2015-16.

Activities covered under MGNREGA

Permissible activities as stipulated in Para 1 of Schedule-I of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA are as under:
Union Rural Development Ministry has notified works under MGNREGA, majority of which are related to agricultural and allied activities, besides the works that will facilitate rural sanitation projects in a major way.
The works have been divided into 10 broad categories like Watershed, Irrigation and Flood management works, Agricultural and Livestock related works, Fisheries and works in coastal areas and the Rural Drinking water and Sanitation related works.
Briefing the MGNREGA 2.0 (the second generation reforms for the rural job scheme) the priority of the works will be decided by the Gram Panchayats in meetings of the Gram Sabhas and the Ward Sabhas.
The Rural development also informed that the 30 new works being added in the Schedule 1 will also help the Rural sanitation projects, as for the first time toilet building, soak pits and solid and liquid waste management have been included under MGNREGA.
Though the overall 60:40 ratio of labour and material component will be maintained at the Gram Panchayat level but there will be some flexibility in the ratio for certain works based on the practical requirements.
Construction of AWC building has been included as an approved activity under the MGNREG Act.
‘Guidelines for construction of Anganwadi Centres’ under MGNREGS have been issued jointly by Secretary, WCD and Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, on 13th August, 2015.
Under MGNREGS, expenditure up to Rs.5 lakh per AWC building for construction will be allowed.
Expenditure beyond Rs. 5 lakh per AWC including finishing, flooring, painting, plumbing, electrification, wood work, etc. will be met from the ICDS funds.

Analysis

For most rural workers dependent on the MGNREGS, their labour does not end at the work site.
Many of them are forced to make multiple trips to the bank, adding travel costs and income losses, and face repeated rejections of payment, biometric errors and wrong information, just to get their hands on their wages.
Even in regular times, these last mile challenges make it hard for workers to access their own wages in a timely manner.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation is exacerbated as transport becomes harder, and there is no question of physical distancing at a rural bank.

Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana

Introduction
Goal
Values of Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana
Objectives
Approach
Activities in an Adarsh Gram
Identification of Adarsh gram
Analysis

Introduction

Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) is a village development project launched by Government of India in October 2014, under which each Member of Parliament will take the responsibility of developing physical and institutional infrastructure in three villages by 2019.
The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAANJHI) was launched on on 11th October, 2014.

Goal

The goal is to develop three Adarsh Grams by March 2019, of which one would be achieved by 2016.
Thereafter, five such Adarsh Grams (one per year) will be selected and developed by 2024.

Values of Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana

Far beyond mere infrastructure development, SAGY aims at instilling certain values in the villages and their people so that they get transformed into models for others. These values include:

Adopting people’s participation as an end in itself –

ensuring the involvement of all sections of society in all aspects related to the life of village, especially in decision- making related to governance

Adhering to Antyodaya –

enabling the “poorest and the weakest person” in the village to achieve well being
Affirming gender equality and ensuring respect for women
Guaranteeing social justice
Instilling dignity of labour and the spirit of community service and voluntarism
Promoting a culture of cleanliness

Living in consonance with nature –

ensuring a balance between development and ecology
Preserving and promoting local cultural heritage
Inculcating mutual cooperation, self-help and self-reliance
Fostering peace and harmony in the village community
Bringing about transparency, accountability and probity in public life
Nurturing local self-governance
Adhering to the values enshrined in the Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties of the Indian Constitution.

Objectives

The main objectives of SAGY are

To trigger processes which lead to holistic development of the identified Gram Panchayats
To substantially improve the standard of living and quality of life of all sections of the population through
Improved basic amenities
Higher productivity
Enhanced human development
Better livelihood opportunities
Reduced disparities
Access to rights and entitlements
Wider social mobilization
Enriched social capital
To generate models of local level development and effective local governance which can motivate and inspire neighbouring Gram Panchayats to learn and adapt
To nurture the identified Adarsh Grams as schools of local development to train other Gram Panchayats.

Approach

In order to achieve these objectives, SAGY would be guided by the following approach:

Leveraging the leadership, capacity, commitment and energy of the Members of Parliament (MP) to develop model Gram Panchayats
Engaging with and mobilizing the community for participatory local level development.
Converging different government programmes and private and voluntary initiatives to achieve comprehensive development in tune with people’s aspirations and local potential.
Building partnerships with voluntary organisations, co-operatives and academic and research institutions.
Focusing on outcomes and sustainability.

Activities in an Adarsh Gram

An Adarsh Gram should evolve out of people’s shared vision, using their capacities and available resources to the best extent possible, duly facilitated by the MP, the Gram Panchayat, civil society and the government machinery.
Naturally, the elements of an Adarsh Gram would be context specific. However, it is still possible to broadly identify the important activities.

They would include:

Personal development:

Inculcating hygienic behaviour and practices
Fostering healthy habits including daily exercise and games
Reducing risk behaviour- alcoholism, smoking, substance abuse, etc.

Human Development:

Universal access to basic health facilities consisting of health card, medical examination
Total immunization
Balancing the sex-ratio
100% institutional delivery
Improving nutrition status for all, with special focus on children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers
Strong focus on the special needs of Persons with Disability (PWD), especially children and women
Universal access to education facilities up to Class X and retention
Conversion of schools into ‘smart schools’. Smart schools will have IT enabled classrooms, e-libraries, web based teaching and will make all students e-literate required for providing quality education
Adult literacy
E-literacy
Village libraries including e-libraries

Social Development:

Activities for promotion of voluntarism like Bharat Nirman Volunteers
Building the capacity of the people to fully participate and contribute to local development
Activities for honouring village elders, local role models especially women, freedom fighters and martyrs
Activities for violence and crime free villages such as:
Setting up Citizen Committees
Sensitization, especially of youth
Village sports and folk arts festivals
Having a village song to instil a sense of pride among the people
Celebrating ‘Village Day’
Proactive steps for inclusion and integration of socially excluded groups, especially Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

Economic Development:

Promoting diversified agricultural and allied livelihoods, including livestock and horticulture, through-

Organic farming
Soil health cards
Crop intensification such as SRI
Setting up of seed banks
Collection and value addition to Non Timber Forest Produce, Livestock development including Gobar Bank, cattle hostel
Livestock development including Gobar Bank, cattle hostel
Micro-irrigation
Agro-service centres

Rural industrialization like:

Post-harvest technology applications
Micro-enterprises
Dairy development and processing
Food processing
Traditional Industries
Skill Development of all eligible youth for self-employment and placement
Village Tourism including eco-tourism
All the above activities should focus particularly on lifting households out of poverty, for which organising and federating women SHGs, providing employment to all workers, and bringing about financial inclusion are very important.

Environmental Development:

Activities for a clean and green village consisting of:
Providing toilets in each household and in all public institutions and ensuring their proper use
Appropriate solid and liquid waste management
Roadside plantations
Tree plantation in accordance with local preferences in homesteads, schools and public institutions – including green walkways
Social forestry
Watershed management especially renovation and revival of traditional water bodies
Rainwater harvesting- rooftop as well as others
Reducing local pollution of air, water and land
Basic amenities and services:
Pucca houses for all houseless poor/poor living in kutcha houses
Drinking water, preferably treated piped water with household taps
Internal all weather roads with covered drains
All weather road connectivity to the main road-network
Electricity connection to all households and street-lights including from alternative sources of energy, especially solar
Pucca infrastructure for public institutions- Anganwadis, schools, health institutions, Gram Panchayat Office and libraries
Civic infrastructure including community halls, buildings for SHG federations, playgrounds and burial grounds/ crematoria
Village markets
Infrastructure for PDS outlets
Micro mini banks /post offices/ATMs
Broadband connectivity and Common Service Centres
Telecom connectivity
CCTVs in public places

Social Security:

Pensions for all eligible families- old age, disability and widow
Insurance schemes like Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana
Health insurance- RSBY
PDS- universal access to all eligible households
Good Governance:
Strengthening of local democracy through strong and accountable Gram Panchayats and active Gram Sabhas
E-Governance resulting in better service delivery
Provision of UIDAI cards to all
Ensuring regular and punctual attendance of government and panchayat staff
Time bound service delivery in line with Department’s Citizens Charter
Holding of Mahila Gram Sabhas before every Gram Sabha
Holding of a Gram Sabha at least 4 times a year
Holding of Bal Sabhas every quarter
Proactive disclosure of all information pertaining to the implementation of the programme in the public domain and through wall-writing, notice boards in the local language. This should necessarily include the list of beneficiaries, item-wise budgets and expenditure.
Gram Panchayat acting as an information facilitation centre
Timely redressal of grievances filed by people, such that:
Grievances of all nature to be submitted to the Gram Panchayat / Charge Officer and dated receipt to be given
Grievances to be redressed within three weeks along with written reply
Institutionalization of regular open platforms for airing of grievances and their redressal, coordinated by the Gram Panchayat
Half yearly Social Audit of the programme implementation by the Gram Sabha facilitated by the Social Audit Units set up under MGNREGA.

Identification of Adarsh gram

A Gram Panchayat would be the basic unit.
It will have a population of 3000-5000 in plain areas and 1000-3000 in hilly, tribal and difficult areas.
In districts where this unit size is not available, Gram Panchayats approximating the desirable population size may be chosen.
The MP would be free to identify a suitable Gram Panchayat for being developed as Adarsh Gram, other than his/her own village or that of his/her spouse.
The MP will identify one Gram Panchayat to be taken up immediately, and two others to be taken up a little later.
Lok Sabha MP has to choose a Gram Panchayat from within his/her constituency and Rajya Sabha MP a Gram Panchayat from the rural area of a district of his/her choice in the State from which he/she is elected.
Nominated MPs may choose a Gram Panchayat from the rural area of any district in the country.
In the case of urban constituencies, (where there are no Gram Panchayats), the MP will identify a Gram Panchayat from a nearby rural constituency.
The Gram Panchayats once selected by members of Parliament (whose tenures have ended on account of resignation or otherwise) would be continued as such under SAGY irrespective of whether activities have already been initiated in the GP under SAGY or not.
The newly elected MPs will have the option to select the GP of their choice and two more subsequently by 2019.
Primarily, the goal is to develop three Adarsh Grams by March 2019, of which one would be achieved by 2016.
Thereafter, five such Adarsh Grams (one per year) will be selected and developed by 2024.

Analysis

Out of the total 790, only 252 Members of Parliament (MPs) have adopted gram panchayats under phase-4 of Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY).
Since the launch of the scheme, only 1,753 gram panchayats have been selected across four phases, way below the expected figure.

National Social Assistance Programme

Introduction
Objective of NSAP
Components of NSAP
Eligibility and scale of assistance

Introduction

NSAP stands for National Social Assistance Programme.
NSAP was launched on 15th August, 1995.
The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) represents a significant step towards the fulfillment of the Directive Principles in Article 41 and 42 of the Constitution recognizing the concurrent responsibility of the Central and the State Governments in the matter.
In particular, 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 limit of its economic capacity and development.

Objective of NSAP

National Social Assistance Programme is a social security and welfare programme to provide support to aged persons, widows, disabled persons and bereaved families on death of primary bread winner, belonging to below poverty line households.

Components of NSAP

The NSAP at its inception in 1995 had three components namely

1. National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS,
2. National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and
3. National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS).

The National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS) was subsequently transferred on 1st April, 2001 from the Ministry of Rural development to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
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.
In February 2009, two new Schemes known as Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) and Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) were introduced.

Presently NSAP comprises of five schemes, namely –

- Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS),
- Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS),
- Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS),
- National Family Benefit Scheme NFBS) and
- Annapurna.

Eligibility and scale of assistance

For getting benefits under NSAP the applicant must belong to a Below Poverty Line (BPL) family according to the criteria prescribed by the Govt. of India.
The other eligibility criteria and the scale of central assistance under the sub – schemes of NSAP are as follows.
Besides the central assistance, states / UT contribute an equal amount as their share:

Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) :

The eligible age for IGNOAPS is 60 years.
The pension is Rs.200 p.m. for persons between 60 years and 79 years.
For persons who are 80 years and above the pension is Rs.500/ – per month.

Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) :

The eligible age is 40 years and the pension is Rs.300 per month.
After attaining the age of 80 years, the beneficiary will get Rs.500/ – per month.

Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS) :

The eligible age for the pension er is 18 years and above and the disability level has to be 80%.
The amount is Rs.300 per month and after attaining the age of 80 years, the beneficiary will get Rs 500/ – per month .
Dwarfs will also be an eligible category for this pension.

National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) :

20000/ – will be given as a lumpsum assistance to the bereaved household in the event of death of the bread – winner.
It is clarified that any event of death (natural or otherwise) would make the family eligible for assistance.
A woman in the family, who is a home maker, is also considered as a ‘bread – winner’ for this purpose.
The family benefit will be paid to such surviving member of the household of the deceased poor , who after local inquiry, is found to be the head of the household.
For the purpose of the scheme, the term “household’ would include spouse, minor children, unmarried daughters and dependent parents.
In case of death of an unmarried adult, the term household would include minor brothers/ sisters and dependent parents.
The death of such a bread – winner should have occurred whilst he/ she is more than 18 years of age and less than 60 years of age.
The assistance would be given to every case of death of breadwinner in a family.

Annapurna Scheme :

10 kgs of food grains (wheat or rice) is given per month per beneficiary.
The scheme aims at providing food security to meet the requirements of those eligible old aged persons who have remained uncovered under the IGNOAPS

Schemes under Ministry of Rural Development

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