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}`DRAFT }Sonia asks Cong.-ruled States to implement welfare schemes

By Javed M Ansari

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 28. The Congress (I) president and Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, has written to the Chief Ministers of the eight Congress-ruled States to set an example in the implementation of the centrally sponsored poverty alleviation schemes aimed at individual beneficiaries in the weaker sections and the SC/ST. ``Congress-led Governments should set an example in this regard and overriding priority and focus need to be given to the implementation and monitoring of these schemes,'' she said.

Stating that the bulk of these schemes were being executed by the Ministry of Rural Development, the Ministry of Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation and the Department of Women and Child Development, Ms. Gandhi pointed out that ``great deal of resources could be obtained if the schemes are properly implemented.'' She has also referred to the schemes being run by the Ministry of Rural Development like the Indira Awas Yojna, Jawahar Rozgar Yojna etc and schemes focussed on disadvantaged women run by the Department of Women and Child Development in the HRD Ministry.

Ms. Gandhi has also pointed out several anomalies in the implementation of the schemes. She said a review of the schemes showed that targets had not been met, allocation of funds by the Centre had decreased, revised estimates had been further reduced compared to Budget estimates, releases had not been made on time, reduced allocation had not been utilised and funds that were utilised had not reached the targeted beneficiaries and State Governments had often failed to allocate matching grants where necessary.

While blaming the Centre for lack of initiative in the execution of these schemes, laxity in providing ample budgetary resources and poor monitoring, Ms. Gandhi has also reminded the Chief Ministers that the primary responsibility for the implementation of the programmes rested with the State Governments. ``The States are responsible for the first level of monitoring, and it has often been seen that releases are held up due to the absence of timely utilisation and performance reports from the States,'' she said.

Urging the Congress-ruled Governments to take the lead and set an example by their performance, she has expressed the hope that she would receive reports of their exemplary performance.

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