More autonomy for rural development
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: April 10, 2012 -
In a paradigm shift from its earlier approach towards rural development, the government of India has come up with the plan of introducing flexibility in implementation of its flagship rural development programmes across the country.
While addressing a function at Mumbai University on Sunday, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh announced that 'by the end of 12th five-year plan in 2017, we will be allocating 50 percent of rural development funds directly to the states', in a phased manner.
In other word, under this proposal, the centre would be transferring 50 percent of the funds earmarked for rural development programmes directly to the state governments concerned and allow them to utilize the funds to implement schemes as per their requirements, subject to broad guidelines.
The rest of the funds, however, would have to be spent as per National guidelines prescribed for each such programmes. With an annual budget of nearly Rs 99,000 cores, which is second highest only to the country's Defence spending, the Ministry of Rural Development is responsible for monitoring some of the UPA government's key flagship programmes related to rural developments such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY),Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), Rural Housing, Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA), etc.
It is true that not all the National guidelines laid down for any developmental programmes perfectly fit into the specifics of the state context and absence of room for variation or flexibility in implementation of these programmes results in setback rather than doing any good to the people.
Success and sustainability of any developmental programme depends on fulfillment of certain basic requirements that need to be set in order first, which the prescribed guidelines of a nationally conceived programme may fall short of.
The existing Rural Development Schemes of the Ministry are no exception to these limitations and conflicts at the time of implementation them.
So, the latest move of giving more autonomy to the state governments, and hence, a greater say in the implementation of rural development programmes and schemes is appreciable, more so for an underdeveloped and predominantly rural Manipur.
With 18,99,624 people out of the total population of 27.21 lakh (as per Census Report-2011) in Manipur living under harsh conditions in rural area with no access to proper road, housing, sanitation and other civic amenities, effective implementation of centrally sponsored programmes and schemes is one of the means that could narrow down the existing developmental gap between the urban and the rural area as well as the hills and the valley districts.
This could be, no doubt, possible only when the state government is given more autonomy in execution of its developmental programmes.
However, considering the track record of lackadaisical approach of the state government and its officials towards implementation of any developmental works in Manipur, we could only keep our fingers crossed that 'more autonomy' is not confused with 'unrestrained freedom' to divert the sanctioned developmental funds.
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