Date:15/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/15/stories/2007041514870900.htm

National

States told to release BPL list in the next two months

Special Correspondent

Minister warns he will link funds release to list preparation

Raghuvansh Prasad Singh calls for total transparency

Bihar list is ``totally wrong"

NEW DELHI: Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has warned that the release of funds to the States under the Centrally-sponsored schemes would be linked to the preparation of the below poverty line (BPL) list.Talking to reporters here after reviewing the performance of the States in the implementation of the rural development schemes, Mr. Singh said only Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab and Andaman and Nicobar Islands had finalised the new BPL list.

Expressing concern over the delay, Mr. Singh asked the States to release the list after getting approval from the Gram Sabha within the next two months, failing which the Ministry would think in terms of stopping the funds for the schemes.

Complaints

Pointing out that several States had said that the lists were ready and were set to be put up at the panchayats, the Minister called for ensuring total transparency. He said over 6 lakh complaints were received from Madhya Pradesh and 3 lakh from Rajasthan. About 50 per cent of the complaints were corrected. ``However, in Bihar there is an impossible situation because the list is totally wrong as it includes the names of the State Rural Department Minister and even some senior officials,'' he alleged.

Suggesting better marketing of rural products, Mr. Singh said 11 States agreed to provide land for setting up outlets for the sale of rural products in the capitals. ``We have to protect our rural people because private outlets will eat into their sales. The rural product outlets need to be set up right up to the district headquarters level,'' he added. The Delhi Government has provided land for the purpose at various places in the national capital.

Under the 11th Plan, the Union Rural Development Ministry has decided to integrate various watershed development schemes under the Integrated Watershed Management Programme to bring about a broad-based conceptualisation of all the area development programmes. The Rs. 41,060-crore allocation — 30 per cent up against the previous allocation — will also see computerisation of land records in a time-bound manner.

An ambitious National Land Resource Management Programme has been chalked out for the purpose, he added.